"Gatsby Styling Dance Contest"
OSAKA, Sept. 4/Kyodo JBN/--
The first time ever! Mandom Corp. to organize a dance contest for students of seven Asian countries and regions
VENUES: Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan
SPECIAL GUEST: Mr. USA, an EXILE pop & dancing team member
Mandom Corp. is organizing the "GATSBY STYLING DANCE CONTEST" starting from Sept. 1, 2008.
The contest is aimed at students of high schools, universities/colleges and vocational schools from seven countries
and regions in Asia (Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Japan).
The central theme of the contest is "Styling" -- the core product line of the "GATSBY" brand, which has loyally
served the lifestyle of the youth. Asian students are being invited to dance in free style.
Students chosen in national/regional finals of the contest will assemble in Tokyo on Feb. 28, 2009, for an Asian
grand final, which will decide the most outstanding performances. Mr. Charisma Kantaro, the head of Anomaly Inc.
and a charismatic leader in the world of dancing, is in charge of organizing and running the contest. We will have a
special guest, Mr. USA, well versed in world dances and a member of EXILE, a Japanese pop & dancing group of
immense popularity among the targeted audience.
* BACKGROUND & MISSION OF CONTEST
This year marks the 30th anniversary of GATSBY, which has gained immense popularity as a male cosmetics
brand in Japan and the rest of Asia. Our aim is to create a new dancing genre of "styling dance" in order to support
creative activities of young Asians and provide a forum for cultural interaction among young people of various Asian
countries and regions.
* WHAT IS "GATSBY STYLING DANCE CONTEST"?
The contest provides an excellent opportunity for Asian students to prove themselves and test their best. With
"styling" as the central theme, students from the seven participating countries and regions will be able to freely
express themselves on the stage. National/regional finalists will be invited to take part in the Asian grand final to be
held in Tokyo. Three professional dancers and a group of foreign students in Japan will be judges in the grand
final.
* SOUTH KOREAN ROUND
-- Grand Prize (one individual or group)
- Cash prize: 3 million won
- Extra prize: Participation in the grand final to be held in Japan
-- Technique Prize (one individual or group)
- Cash prize: 1 million won
- Extra prize: Mandom goods
-- Performance Prize (one individual or group)
- Cash prize: 1 million won
- Extra prize: Mandom goods
* COMPETITION SCHEDULE
-- Sept. 1: Notice & start of applications
-- Oct. 30: Deadline for applications
-- Early November: 1st national/regional preliminary round
-- Nov. 14: Voting via website (2nd preliminary round)
-- Dec. 15: Final round (open-air event scheduled)
-- Feb. 28, 2009: Grand final in Tokyo
* SPECIAL GUEST
As a special guest, we will have Mr. USA, an EXILE member. Well versed in global dancing affairs, he will talk
about the Asian dancing world. He has agreed to assist the contest as the event has something in common with his
dancing philosophy. The contest is designed to "help young Asian people interact with one another through
dancing" while he is promoting dancing activities through his DANCE EARTH concept aimed at "linking people by
way of dancing beyond national and language barriers."
<Profile of Mr. USA (an EXILE member)>
He set up a dancing team "BABY NAIL" in 1994 and joined another dancing group "Japanese Soul Brothers" in
1998. With his dancing skill given high marks, he became a member of "J Soul Brothers" in 1999, participating as a
supporting member in a live performance -- dubbed "THE MONSTER" -- by the pop group "Dreams Come True" at
the Nippon Budokan arena. "J Soul Brothers" was renamed "EXILE" in the summer of 2001. He made his debut as
an MC of "RATHER UNIQUE" together with two of EXILE
fs other members, MAKIDAI and AKIRA, in December
2004. USA is also performing as an actor, playing in "The Mensetsu" in June 2006. He is traveling around the
Please confirm other details, including how to apply for the contest, by visiting the GATSBY official home page
Source: Mandom Corp.
Contact:
KIM YU-KYOUNG, Manager
Sales Promotion Department
Marketing Division
LIM TAE-SOO, General Manager
Sales Division
Mandom Korea Corporation
Tel: +82-2-562-4380
Fax: +82-2-562-4390
NEWS 
