# Dancing Diva (song)

"Dancing Diva" (Chinese: 舞孃) is a song by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, featured on her eighth studio album, Dancing Diva. It was written by Miriam Nervo, Olivia Nervo, Greg Kurstin, and Issac Chen, and produced by Adia. It was released as a single from Dancing Diva on April 26, 2006, by EMI and Mars.

## Background and release

On December 21, 2005, media outlets reported that Tsai had begun selecting songs for her upcoming album, which was expected to be released in March or April of the following year. On February 14, 2006, Tsai signed with EMI and confirmed that she had started recording the new album. She also announced that the album would be released on May 12, 2006, expressing excitement about the new environment, stating, "EMI Capitol is a completely new environment with abundant musical resources, giving me great freedom to do what I want."
By March 15, 2006, it was revealed that the recording process of the album was 80% complete, and Tsai had already finalized the lead single for the album. On March 25, 2006, the media confirmed that she had completed the recording of the entire album.
On April 26, 2006, Tsai released the title track "Dancing Diva" as the lead single from her album Dancing Diva. The song features a sleek and smooth rhythm, infused with exotic elements, and is characterized by its strong beat and catchy lyrics. The song ranked 33rd in Taiwan's Hit FM Top 100 Singles of 2006.

## Music video

On April 27, 2006, Tsai released the music video for "Dancing Diva", which was co-directed by Marlboro Lai and Bill Chia. The choreography in the video blends elements of reggae, hip-hop, and Middle Eastern dance, creating a unique style referred to as "light-wave Dance." This style combines fluid, smooth movements with explosive energy, using the power of the hips and chest to maintain intensity.
To create a distinctive visual effect in the video, Tsai incorporated rhythmic gymnastics ribbons into the dance routine. She explained, "I was watching TV while on promotional tours and thought the ribbons in gymnastics looked beautiful. I told my manager that I wanted to learn how to use them and include them in my future performances. After finishing the album, we felt that ribbon dance suited the song 'Dancing Diva' perfectly." Tsai also shared, "Gymnastics requires great strength, and it's actually quite tough. You have to push yourself to do different body conditioning exercises, like stretching your legs to 180 degrees. After each gymnastics session, I was so exhausted that I could hardly breathe."

## Critical reception

Voice of Taipei described the song: "The lead single, the title track 'Dancing Diva', features an exotic flair with a distinct musical structure and strong beats. Jolin challenges herself with a Middle Eastern-inspired dance track, and with her new international label debut, the song's fresh appeal and catchy hook make it stand out. Particularly in the music video, where she swings ribbons, it’s a bold move compared to her return to black hair or the rhythmic ballad reminiscent of Madonna. The ribbon dance was a risky choice, but it paid off. Especially during the psychedelic instrumental break, Jolin showcases her high-difficulty yoga poses, reminiscent of the stunning opening sequences at her concerts. Comparing it to the photos in her Magic album, Jolin now exudes pure electricity." 3C Music website remarked: "The smooth melody is refreshing, as it avoids the artificial pop tones of her past. The addition of strong reggae offbeats gives the song a more powerful impact."

## Accolades

On August 6, 2006, "Dancing Diva" won the Song of the Year and the Top Songs at the Metro Radio Mandarin Hits Music Award. On October 28, 2006, the song was named one of the Top 20 Most Popular Songs at the 6th Global Chinese Music Awards. On December 15, 2006, "Dancing Diva" received the Music Pioneer Award for Top 10 Hong Kong/Taiwan Songs. On January 25, 2007, the song won the 13th China Music Award for Best Taiwan Song of the Year.
On February 2, 2007, "Dancing Diva" was ranked among the Top 20 Songs of the Year at the KKBox Music Awards. On February 3, 2007, the song was named one of the Top 10 Chinese Songs of the Year at the Hito Music Awards. On May 4, 2007, Adia was nominated for Best Single Producer at the 18th Golden Melody Awards for his work on "Dancing Diva". On May 20, 2007, the song won the 4th Music King Award for Top Mandarin Songs. On June 29, 2007, "Dancing Diva" was recognized as the Music Radio China Top Chart Award for Top Songs of the Year.

## Live performances

On May 6, 2006, Tsai performed "Dancing Diva" at the MTV Asia Awards 2006. On May 26, 2006, she participated in the Golden Melody Orz Concert, where she also performed the song. On May 27, 2006, Tsai performed "Dancing Diva" in the Le Party. On May 30, she recorded a performance of "Dancing Diva" for the Taiwanese variety show Variety Big Brother. On June 4, 2006, Tsai performed "Dancing Diva" on the Shandong TV's variety show Fans Party.
On July 13, 2006, she took part in the 2006 Volunteer Beijing Concert, where she performed the song. On July 21, 2006, Tsai performed "Dancing Diva" at the ZPop Charity Concert. On July 24, 2006, she recorded a performance of the song for the Dragon TV's variety show Heaven and Earth Heroes Campus Tour. On July 25, 2006, Tsai performed "Dancing Diva" at the Summer Music Festival. On July 26, 2006, she held a special online concert for Sohu Music in Beijing, where she also performed the song.
On August 6, 2006, Tsai performed "Dancing Diva" at the Metro Radio Mandarin Hits Music Awards 2006. On August 9, 2006, she performed the song on the Hong Kong's variety show Jade Solid Gold. On August 14, Tsai performed "Dancing Diva" at the My FM 8th Anniversary Music Magic Tour. On September 1, 2006, she performed "Dancing Diva" at the MTV Mandarin Awards. Subsequently, Jolin Tsai continued to participate in various events held across different locations, where she performed the song.

## Track listing

Taiwanese CD single
* "Dancing Diva" – 3:04
Mainland Chinese CD single
* "Dancing Diva" – 3:04
* "Pretence" – 5:15

## Release history

| Region | Date | Format | Distributor |
| Taiwan | April 26, 2006 | Radio airplay | EMI |
| China | April 26, 2006 | Radio airplay | Push Typhoon |