Edward Tsumele

Edward Tsumele

Umoja will shine on a major television dance show to be screened next month.

The performers from the smash hit are in the US to take part in a dance reality television show titled Dance Stars of the World.

This new series, featuring professional dancers from eight countries, has been dubbed "the Olympics of the dance world". It will be prerecorded and then screened on the NBC channel in the US from next month.

Last week, Umoja touched down in Los Angeles to join their counterparts from China, Ireland, Australia, the US, Argentina, India and Russia in a bid to assert their global dance supremacy.

They'll perform their renowned gumboot dance, which has already thrilled international theatre audiences.

The series is the brainchild of the creators and producers of American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe. It will be hosted by Lord of the Dance star Michael Flatley and actress Susie Castillo.

Umoja spokesman Anne Power says: "We'll be rooting for our boys and girls and are confident they'll fly the South African flag high and thrill viewers with their explosive gumboot dance moves."