OGAE Malta, the official Eurovision fan club, which is affiliated to OGAE International, has asked the Maltasong board and the administration of the Public Broadcasting Services to explain why Malta did not apply to take part in the first Eurovision dance contest, which will be held on 1 September this year.

It said the BBC is to host a ballroom dancing competition in the spirit of the Eurovision Song Contest. Professional and amateur dancers will represent 13 countries, with the winner decided by a viewers’ vote. Presented by Graham Norton, the show will feature couples from countries including Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and the UK.

OGAE Malta said it believed that this could have been a golden opportunity for professional Maltese dancers to compete against other professionals from around Europe and show their talents in this dance competition.

It added it also believed that the exercise could help the Maltasong board team, as the local delegation for the Eurovision Song Contest, to build stronger ties with other European members of the European Broadcasting Union. Malta would eventually benefit from such ties in all the competitions held by EBU – the Eurovision Song Contest, the Junior Eurovision and now the Eurovision Dance Contest.