Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Detroit Pistons invite youth dance teams to show their moves

DETROIT, Jan. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Through a unique Instagram contest, youth dance teams across Michigan are invited to showcase their best moves for a chance to perform with the Mob Squad, the Detroit Pistons hip-hop dance squad sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

Interested studios and teams can enter the #MIKidsCanDance contest by creating an original, 15-second dance video specifically for the contest, uploading it to their Instagram account, adding the #MIKidsCanDance hashtag to the caption and tagging @HealthierMI to share the video with Blue Cross. Dancers featured in the video must be 7-15-years old.

Submissions for the contest will be accepted through Feb. 13 and will be featured on AHealthierMichigan.org/mikidscan for a two-week public voting period Feb.16-Feb.27.  The five video submissions with the most votes will be named semifinalists, advance to the final round and enter a new, one-minute dance video to compete for the top prize. Blue Cross and the Mob Squad will review the entries and select the winner based on creativity, energy and technical skill.  The winner will be announced on AHealthierMichigan.org March 4.

As many as 15 members of the winning dance organization will perform with the Mob Squad during the March 24 Pistons pregame show and receive choreography training from Oscar Hernandez, Mob Squad director, prior to the event.  The winning group will also take part in "The Drop," a one day event offering master classes instructed by a carefully selected group of top choreographers in the dance industry. The dancers will also receive game tickets for themselves and guests.

The second place team will also participate in "The Drop" and receive game tickets to the March 24 game, and the third place team will also receive game tickets.

To enter the #MIKidsCanDance contest, participants need to:

• Upload a dance video created specifically for the contest that is 15 seconds or less
• Add the #MIKidsCanDance hashtag to the caption, tag @HealthierMI and share your video via Instagram
• Go to ahealthiermichigan.org/MIKidsCan once the video has been shared and fill out the entry form to complete the #MIKidsCanDance contest application

#MIKidsCanDance supports Blue Cross' ongoing commitment to children's health and its #MIKidsCan campaign – an initiative focused on encouraging kids to adopt healthy habits early in life that are more likely to be carried into adulthood. Childhood obesity is an epidemic, impacting a third of Michigan's children. Less than 40 percent of children in the state get the 60 minutes of physical activity a day recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

"Dance is a fantastic way for kids to be active, strengthen their muscles and bones, and make exercise a fun part of their daily lives," said Andy Hetzel, vice president of Corporate Communications for Blue Cross. "By asking Michigan's youth dancers to share their best moves with the public, we're giving these kids a platform to not only demonstrate what they've accomplished, but also present them with a once in a lifetime opportunity to perform with the Mob Squad for the Pistons audience."

Over the last 10 years, BCBSM has given more than $6 million in support of kids' health and wellness initiatives across the state, reaching more than 100,000 children. For more information on the #MIKidsCanDance contest and Blue Cross' ongoing efforts to help improve childhood health, visit http://www.AHealthierMichigan.org/mikidscan or follow #MIKidsCanDance on Twitter.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit mutual insurance company, is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. BCBSM provides and administers health benefits to more than 4.4 million members residing in Michigan in addition to employees of Michigan-headquartered companies who reside outside the state. For more company information, visit bcbsm.com  and MiBluesPerspectives.com.

SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

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