 On March 1, we will unveil our inaugural “Waltz Madness” tournament pitting Disney’s best sidekicks against each other in an NCAA-style bracket. You, our loyal readers, will vote on each matchup through our Facebook Fan Page.  How did we decide on who we included and how each sidekick is seeded? Thanks for asking! Our selection committee used an advanced, three-pronged percentage-based metric combining the following: 41% How iconic is the character 39.5% How valuable of a sidekick are they 19.5% Who are our personal favourites  What exactly constitutes a “sidekick?” They usually support the main character in some way without overshadowing them or stealing their thunder – they can be a friend, a confidant, a guide, a pet, etc. With Disney, the sidekick became a very defined role in their later films (Little Mermaid on). While in earlier years, not even every movie had one and there were more variations amongst them. For example, the Seven Dwarfs, the Cheshire Cat and Tinker Bell are all VERY different characters but still undeniably sidekicks. While Cogsworth and Lumiere, Timon and Pumba and Mushu are all more-or-less cut from the same comedic/diminutive cloth. And, sometimes (as referenced above), sidekicks can come in pairs or even septets. Gus and Jaq and Flora, Fauna and Merryweather aren’t as much individuals as they are a collective entity.  Also, you may notice we excluded a few characters who may otherwise be regarded as a sidekick by some, many or most Disney fans. For example, we regard those in the vein of Merlin, Baloo, Tigger, Genie and Baymax as having too large of a role, personality and overall screen presence - they are just too “big” to be mere sidekicks and may even be considered co-leads. And, while physical size isn’t the defining characteristic of a sidekick, it’s definitely a commonality when you look at the participants in our bracket (with a few exceptions, of course…). So, please, have fun with this! Vote every day! Invite your friends! Share on fb! Let your kids participate – vote as their proxy! And, remember, there is no wrong way to vote – just follow your hearts! We will provide “Noted Notables” for each character but those aren’t meant to sway you one way or another, but as a means to give each sidekick their just due. Happy Waltz Madness and check back on Sunday for our first matchup! 
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