ISLAMABAD (Web-Desk); Fifty years after Jaws first instilled fear in audiences with its portrayal of man-eating sharks, Discovery Channel is reimagining the image of these ocean predators in a surprisingly playful way. This summer, sharks are not just the focus of fear and fascination rather they are the stars of a new underwater dance competition.
Kicking off this year’s Shark Week is Dancing with Sharks, a unique special hosted by former Dancing With the Stars personality Tom Bergeron. Known for his experience guiding celebrities through ballroom routines, Bergeron brings a familiar yet humorous tone to a show that takes dancing to entirely new depths—literally.
“I spent over 15 years hosting a dance show, but this is definitely a first,” Bergeron told The Associated Press. “I used to joke about including another species on Dancing With the Stars, and now I finally get to see that dream realized.”
In this one-of-a-kind underwater event, five elite scuba-diving shark handlers perform intricate routines with 20-foot-long hammerhead sharks and other species. Using bait and body movement, the handlers lead the sharks through what appear to be choreographed waltzes and mambos beneath the ocean’s surface. One diver embraces a nerf shark in a tender, synchronized glide. Another removes her air tank mid-routine to execute a double backflip, while a third brings hip-hop flair to the performance by doing a head spin on the sea floor as sharks gracefully circle around him.
“These are some of the best shark handlers in the world,” explained Kinga Philipps, a television correspondent and one of the show’s three judges. “They understand shark behavior on a deep level. Once you add music to their movements, it’s clear they are actually dancing.”
Dancing with Sharks is just the beginning of this year’s Shark Week, which features a range of adrenaline-filled and thought-provoking programs. Upcoming shows will explore topics such as surviving shark attacks, examining why New Smyrna Beach in Florida has earned its reputation as the shark attack capital of the world, and investigating the appearance of a mysterious dark-skinned shark off the coast of California. Researchers are debating whether this creature is a mako, a mutation, or possibly a hybrid between a mako and a great white shark.
The programming culminates in a dramatic event filmed off the coast of Mozambique. There, a rare annual feeding frenzy sees sharks go head-to-head with their formidable prey, the massive and aggressive giant trevally, creating a powerful finale to the seven-night broadcast.
With this imaginative blend of science, spectacle, and sheer entertainment, Discovery Channel is offering audiences a fresh perspective on sharks. From terrifying predators to surprisingly graceful dance partners, these marine animals continue to captivate viewers in new and unexpected ways.
