YLE to select dancers on August 25

from oikotimes.com

Finland will select its participants for the inaugural Eurovision Dance Contest in a live, televised, show on August 25. The show will run much like ''Tanssii tähtien kanssa'', the Finnish version to 'Strictly Come Dancing', and will be aired on YLE two presented by Eurovision-hostess Jaana Pelkonen, and Simo Frangén.

Eight dancing pairs will take to the stage, all of whom have been approved by the Finnish Dancing Union, with the winner being decided by the public through telephone and SMS voting. A jury will be on-hand in the studio to pass comment on the dancing, outfits, and the performance- but they won't award any points. The participants will be made public on July 5, along with the jury, by broadcaster YLE.

Finland is leaving it late to select, with YLE stating that the winning couple will leave for London on August 29- just four days after the show.