Etihad and Katrina Kaif announce winners of dance competition

The lucky winner of Etihad Airways’ ‘Next Stop Bollywood’ dance competition enjoyed a private lunch with the airline’s brand ambassador, Katrina Kaifa, this weekend in Mumbai.

The online dance competition ran through a custom-built Facebook application where contestants uploaded and shared their dance videos for public voting. The three finalists were selected based on votes from the public, Etihad Airways and Katrina Kaif, and were announced at Etihad’s award ceremony held on May 20 at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai.

French resident, Serge Ramahenintsoa won first place for his dance style and technique.  He won a private lunch date with Katrina, a USD 5,000 cash prize, two Pearl Business Class tickets to Mumbai, and accommodation in a 5-star hotel for five nights. The runner up, Litty Wilson living in Kuwait, received two Pearl Business class tickets from Etihad. Chaya Fernando from Sri Lanka came third and received two Coral Economy class tickets to anywhere on the Etihad network across 67 destinations. 

Etihad Airways’ brand ambassador and queen of dance, Katrina Kaif, said: “It was amazing to see so many talented people around the world share their passion for Bollywood dance through this competition. 

“It was very difficult to make the final selection as the three winners displayed such unique dance styles and complete dedication and commitment in their videos. It has been a pleasure to be part of Etihad’s ‘Next Stop Bollywood’ dance competition which allowed the love for India and Bollywood to be shared by fans in India and around the globe.” 

The ‘Next Stop Bollywood’ dance completion website received over 100 entries with 4500 hits spanning across 70 countries. 

Neerja Bhatia, Etihad Airways’ Country Manager in India, said: “We were delighted to announce the winners of such an exciting competition which was focused on promoting the Bollywood dance culture to fans around the world. 

“At Etihad, we are constantly on the lookout for opportunities to encourage and promote upcoming talent in India and in all our destinations. We received an incredible response to this competition and would like to congratulate our three winners who have come such a long way from the initial rounds of selection and through the various stages of elimination to successfully reach the finals.”