OXYGEN’S “DANCE YOUR ASS OFF” CROWNS WINNER

September 1, 2009 by J!-ENT

OXYGEN’S “DANCE YOUR ASS OFF” CROWNS WINNER, LAS VEGAS NATIVE RUBEN, IN SEASON FINALE

Official “Dance Your Ass Off” Workout DVD Featuring Ruben on sale at http://shop.oxygen.com and Major Retail Outlets on September 15

Reunion Set for Next Week Reveals Hundreds of Pounds Lost Since Finale!!

NEW YORK, September 1, 2009 – After 10 intense weeks of shaking and rattling their rolls right off, Ruben, a 43-year-old wardrobe designer from Las Vegas, was announced as the winner of Oxygen’s hit series, “Dance Your Ass Off” during the finale last night. In Oxygen’s first-ever dance/weight-loss competition series, Ruben danced his way off the stage $100,000 richer when he out-danced and out-slimmed the two other finalists, Shayla and Pinky, in the super-sized 75-minute season finale. Ruben shimmied his way to the grand prize with weekly stellar dance moves and his overall winning weight loss of 74 lbs. Fans can see Ruben again when he and the rest of the cast return during the “Dance Your Ass Off” Reunion special premiering Monday, September 7 at 10pm ET/PT. In addition, Ruben can be seen in the upcoming “Dance Your Ass Off” Workout DVD to be released on September 15.

Ruben beat out finalists Shayla and Pinky, who competed with him in the season finale when they each performed two dances, one of their choice and one of the judges’ choice. Shayla was the first to be eliminated, losing 35 lbs in total, followed by Pinky, who lost 30 lbs and fought through her final routines with an excruciating injury that could have taken her out of the running.

This season, viewers saw Ruben struggle with being away from his partner, who is being treated for cancer. However, he was unexpectedly reunited with him when the final four contestants were visited by a special someone from home. After learning that the medical bills were piling up, Ruben went into overdrive for the remaining weeks to ensure his $100,000 grand prize.

“As the oldest contestant, I felt ‘Dance Your Ass Off’ would be a once in a lifetime chance for me,” says Ruben. “Being on the show enabled me to step out of my life for a few weeks and completely focus on me. I love to dance and if I could lose some weight by doing it, hooray!”

The contestants lost a combined total of nearly 350 lbs throughout the “Dance Your Ass Off” season. To the surprise of the finalists, all the eliminated contestants came back for the finale, revealing their continued weight loss, even performing with the finalists. Former contestant Alicia was recognized for her continued hard work when host Marissa Jaret Winokur revealed Alicia won $5,000 for losing the greatest percentage of weight among the eliminated contestants.

Although the season is over, fans who can’t get enough of “Dance Your Ass Off” can now hit the dance floor in their own living rooms. Oxygen and Crunch gyms present the “Dance Your Ass Off” Workout DVD designed to get fans at home moving and losing like the contestants on the show through a high-energy, easy to follow dance workout. Whether they party off the pounds disco-style, add some sizzle to their shape with sexy Latin moves, or burn calories with a hip hop combination, there’s something for everyone. No partner needed. The DVD is now available at http://shop.oxygen.com for pre-order and is available on amazon.com and retailers everywhere starting September 15. “Dance Your Ass Off” winner, Ruben, joins show choreographer Lisa Ligon, professional dancers Jesus Solario and Ruben’s partner Hilary Fleming in the Workout DVD.

“Dance Your Ass Off” brings dance and diet together, featuring talented, full-figured contestants who struggle with their weight and dance to unleash their inner thin. Throughout the season, each contestant is paired with a professional dance partner who trained them for their weekly stage performances – ranging from Hip Hop, to Ballroom and even Pole Dancing! Then they’ll shake and rattle their rolls in front of a live studio audience and a panel of expert judges. The judges score the routines, and then the contestants weigh in to reveal their weekly weight loss. The dance score and the weight loss are combined for an overall score, which determines who is sent home each week.

“Dance Your Ass Off” is produced by 495 Productions with SallyAnn Salsano serving as executive producer and Joel Zimmer as co-executive producer, with concept by Lisa Ann Walter, with Walter and Kate Rigg serving as executive producers.