Dancin' On Air featuring Kelly Ripa, WPHL-TV Channel 17, Philadelphia

UPDATE AS OF MARCH 23, 2010: A week after this entry was written, two of the videos below were pulled from YouTube due to a copyright claim by the owner, whose Web site appears at the end of the post.  As this post was so popular, however, I'm leaving it "as is" so people can still read about the show.  DVDs can be purchased at the aforementioned Web site.  Thanks!

Back in the 80s (yes, I'm dipping into the 80s well again), there was a dance show that aired on local TV in Philadelphia called Dancin' On Air.  This was an old school teen dance show that aired Monday through Friday on WPHL Channel 17, very similar in format to Bandstand back in the 50s.  The series ran throughout the decade and slighty into the 90s, evolving into a weekly national show that aired on USA network on Saturdays, renamed Dance Party USA.  The show was a must-see for teens throughout the Philadelphia area in the show's prime.  The great thing about this series was its role as a time capsule for the decade in both fashion and dance music.  Witness!



Here, local band Social Voyeurs (I don't remember them) perform on the show.



Finally, the program was a showcase for one young woman from Berlin, New Jersey who would go on to much greater success in acting and program hosting--Kelly Ripa!  Talk about humble beginnings.



Lo and behold, there's even a tribute Web site to the show, where you can order DVDs of highlights from both series.  Sweet!  http://www.dancinonair.com/

Get your 80s dance on, yo!