Posted in: Current News, Editor's Picks TV News, Fox, Movies, TV | Tagged: 8 Count, cable, choreography, dance, drama, empire, Erika L. Johnson, fox, HRL, katy perry, lady gaga, Laurieann Gibson, Mary J. Blige, music, nicki minaj, So You Think You Can Dance, streaming, television, The Jackal Group, tv, Ugly Betty

8 Count: Fox, Mary J. Blige Developing Music/Dance Drama Series

Fox is hoping that the Empire lightning strikes twice with the tentatively titled music/dance drama series 8 Count. Based on the life/career of choreographer and creative director Laurieann Gibson (So You Think You Can Dance), the series will be written by Erika L. Johnson (Ugly Betty) and executive produced by multi-platinum singer Mary J. Blige among its executive producers.

Though still in its early stages and having just received a script order from the network, the potential series is described as:

"A music-fueled drama that follows a young choreographer who, in order to redeem her damaged reputation in the cutthroat music/dance world, must invest in an up-and-coming singer, who also has one last shot at stardom."

Johnson (Without A Trace, Being Mary Jane), Gibson and Blige will serve as executive producers on the project; as will The Jackal Group's (Fox's The Great Unknown, AMC's Shock Theatre) Gail Berman and Joe Earley.

Gibson is a renowned choreographer and creative director who's worked with artists such as Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and many others, choreographing both music videos and live performances. Gibson has appeared on-screen in a number of projects, including: Making the Band, Dance Moms and Starmaker.

Blige is a multi-platinum selling musician who has also won nine Grammy Awards in her distinguised career. Her worldwide sales currently exceed 50 million albums. Blige has appeared in a number of movies and television shows throughout her career, including: Entourage, Rock of Ages and Empire; and can next be seen in the Netflix feature film Mudbound.

"I love the heavy stuff, just because it's a way of escaping all the heavy stuff of life. I would love to do more drama, because life and the world just keep happening – hopefully there won't be quite so much messed up stuff happening." – Mary J. Blige

The Jackal Group is also currently developing the series Surrender and Spacebound at Fox, as well as the multi-camera comedy Man of the House for ABC.

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