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Birmingham, England, native Cat Deeley is also one of the foremost television presenters in the UK and has recently become one of the hottest new faces on American TV following her two hugely successful seasons hosting SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE. Deeley was Jay Leno's first regular entertainment correspondent on "The Tonight Show" and recently performed the same duty for "Good Morning America." Deeley is a double BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Award winner and has won many other awards for her work on some of the UK's hottest primetime shows, including "Stars in Their Eyes," "CD:UK Live" (on which she appeared weekly for six years), "SMTV: Live" (which she hosted for three years), "Comic Relief Does Fame Academy," the "V Festival" (2004, 2005), "The Brits," "Record of the Year," "Elton John Live from New York," "The Latin Grammy Awards" and a one-hour special with U2, "When Cat Met U2," for ITV.
Deeley often lends her time to the Great Ormond Street Hospital, a children's hospital in London, and divides her time between her homes in London and Beverly Hills.
Nigel Lythgoe, currently the President of 19 Television, joined 19 Television as Chief Executive in 2001 from London Weekend Television, where he was controller of entertainment and comedy. Lythgoe is one of the U.K.'s most respected TV talents and has a host of major credits, including the U.K. series "Pop Idol," "Gladiators" and six Royal Variety Shows. He co-created and executive-produces the Emmy winning series SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE. His other executive-producer credits include all seven seasons of AMERICAN IDOL as well as "Next Great American Band," "American Juniors," "All American Girl" and the specials "An American Idol Christmas" and "World Idol." AMERICAN IDOL has been nominated for 30 Emmy Awards and in 2007 received the prestigious Governors Award, the Television Academy's highest honor, for IDOL GIVES BACK. Lythgoe became a household name in the U.K. as "Nasty Nigel," the judge on "Popstars."
Lythgoe lives in Los Angeles.
Canal Fulton, OH, native Mary Murphy is an in-demand film and television star. In addition to her crowd-pleasing work as a judge on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Mary has traveled for special guest appearances in Australia, Canada and Norway.
Murphy's also recently completed a featured role in the upcoming thriller "Killer Movie," starring Kaley Cuoco, Jason London and J.C. Chasez. The long list of stars she has coached includes Julia Roberts, Mary Steenburgen, Donnie Wahlberg and Dennis Quaid.
Beyond her work in Hollywood, Murphy continues to be one of the hardest-working women in dance; serving as a judge at major ballroom dance competitions across the U.S., including The Holiday Dance Classic in Las Vegas.
Murphy is also a world-class technical dance instructor and is based at her Champion Ballroom Academy in San Diego, CA.
Murphy lives in San Diego, CA.
Mia Michaels' choreography for Céline Dion's "A New Day..." under the direction of Franco Dragone at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas received stunning reviews. The show featured a cast of 50 dancers with two hours of pure dance artistry. Currently her work can be seen on Céline Dion's world tour, "Taking Chances" and Cirque du Soleil's first touring show, "Delirium," which premiered March 2006. She has also created works for numerous recording artists including Madonna, Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, Anna Vissi and Prince.
For her work on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, Michaels recently won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography for her dance piece "Calling You." Other work in film and television includes "Cool Women" for AMC/DreamWorks Television and award-winning commercials for Mike's Hard Lemonade, Bacardi, Coldwell Banker, Ziploc, the WNBA, Star TV and VISA.
Included in her diverse concert and stage work is the critically acclaimed New York based dance company, RAW, of which she is the founder, artistic director and choreographer. She has created works for the Paper Mill Playhouse's production of "Hello, Dolly!," Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago and Oslo Dance Ensemble. Her choreography has been seen off-Broadway with "If These Shoes Could Talk" and "Fort Chaffee." Michaels has also held faculty positions at prestigious institutions of dance around the world including the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Joffrey Ballet and the International Dance Festival of Italy.
Michaels is constantly striving for new inspirations for her work. Her students and peers around the world have noted her as a memorable influence. She has a way of touching people's lives with passion, emotional expression and style of dance.
Born and raised in Coconut Grove, FL, Michaels currently lives in New York City but continues to teach master classes around the world.
Growing up in Wyckoff, NJ, with Broadway veterans as parents, it seemed inevitable that Dan Karaty would find dance in his life. During his junior year at NYU, he made his Broadway debut in "Footloose." By his senior year, he was touring with Britney Spears and had appeared on the "MTV Awards" and "The Billboard Music Awards." Karaty and his friend Wade Robson collaborated on Spears' first Pepsi commercial and the *NSYNC World Tour.
Karaty went on to choreograph videos and tours for Jessica Simpson, Kylie Minogue,*NSYNC, Spears, Justin Timberlake, Usher and most recently choreographed the feature film "Music and Lyrics..." with Hugh Grant.
He lives in New York City and is the New York Yankees' No. 1 fan.
Husband and wife choreographers Napoleon D'Umo and Tabitha D'Umo have contributed their choreography and dancing talents to every genre of entertainment. Their career began in Las Vegas, directing and choreographing numerous shows for casinos and companies such as NIKE, Levi's and MAC. Moving to Los Angeles opened many doors for them in film, television, tours, music videos and commercials. Since then, the duo has choreographed and/or performed with recording artists such as Céline Dion, Beyoncé, Missy Elliott, Toni Braxton, Timbaland and Destiny's Child. Their assistant director credits for music tours include Ricky Martin's "Black and White Tour," Christina Aguilera's "Back to Basics Tour" and Kanye West's current tour. Their television and film credits include Nickelodeon's "Zoey 101," "The Grammy's," "Billboard Music Awards," "Soul Train" and "Legally Blonde."
Napoleon and Tabitha's choreography for NBA and NFL teams from the Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic, to the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos can also be seen in arenas around the country. In between their busy schedules the two can also be found in Hollywood teaching at the Edge Performing Arts Center and Millennium Dance Complex, as well on the road with "Jump" and "Monsters of Hip Hop" dance conventions. Napoleon and Tabitha are the directors of "Monsters of Hip Hop: The Show" held in Hollywood.
Tabitha is from New Jersey, and Napoleon is from California. They both currently live in Sherman Oaks, CA.
Mandy Moore is an emerging choreographer and performer whose work has been seen on television, in film and on the concert stage. Moore was one of the choreographers for Celine Dion's "Taking Chances" world tour. In addition to being the choreographer for AMERICAN IDOL Season Six, Moore was a guest-choreographer on Season Three of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE and was a guest-judge in Salt Lake City for Season Four auditions. As a performer, Moore has appeared on numerous television shows including "Malcolm in the Middle," "That 70's Show" and "The Drew Carey Show." Film credits include "A Time For Dancing" and "Austin Powers in Goldmember." Moore teaches in Los Angeles at Edge Performing Arts Center and travels both nationally and internationally to teach and choreograph for companies, private studios and independent performers.
Moore was born in St. Louis, MO, and raised in Breckenridge, CO, and currently lives in Los Angeles.
Tyce Diorio has been performing on television since age 17 when he won the "Star Search" setting a record with a perfect 4-star rating each week, the first time it had happened on the series. Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Diorio attended New York City's famed High School of the Performing Arts and following that moved to Los Angeles and met up with Paula Abdul to dance on her "Under My Spell" world tour as well as in her videos, commercials and award show appearances.
Janet Jackson, Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Mya, *NSYNC, Kelly Osbourne, Céline Dion and Toni Braxton are just a few of the artists Diorio has traveled the world with and performed with onstage. Diorio has worked on numerous feature films including the cult classic "Showgirls," "Starsky and Hutch," "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "Robin Hood: Men in Tights," "13 Going on 30," "Flintstones Viva Rock Vegas" and "Epic Movie." In addition to three seasons on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, his television credits include "That '70s Show," "The Tyra Banks Show," "The Academy Awards," "The American Music Awards," "The Billboard Music Awards," "Fame" as well as "Annie" and "Cinderella" directed by Rob Marshall. Diorio also had the great privilege of starring in the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit "Fosse" and "Chicago."
Diorio has choreographed routines for Paulina Rubio and Tobey Maguire; commercials for iPod, Mc Donald's, Sylvania and Road Runner DSL; and a musical entitled "Just Another Man." Diorio works privately with Katie Holmes and Tobey Maguire. He has also choreographed the music video for Paula Abdul's single "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow."
Diorio lives in Los Angeles, CA.
Quebec's Jean Marc Généreux began dancing at age 9 in 1972 and has been with his wife and partner France Mousseau since 1977. The two have trained with the best coaches in Canada, America and England and competed as amateurs for 10 years, winning all of the major titles. They turned professional in 1986, and for 12 years they traveled all over the world representing Canada and winning many major titles. Généreux and Mousseau won the prestigious British National Dance Competition in Blackpool, England, and the Ohio Star Ball in the Open Latin Championship, the most prestigious dance competition televised across North America.
They competed in more than 15 world championships and world-class competitions in more then 25 countries, the two ranked among the 10 best Latin couples, finishing third at the World Ten Dance Championship (winning first in the Latin section).
Généreux and Mousseau retired from the competitive scene in 1998; however, the two still travel all over the world to perform in dance shows, as well as judge and choreograph for the elite competitors. Since 1976, they have made over 100 television appearances in Canada, the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia. Généreaux and Mousseau also performed in the motion picture "Dance With Me" featuring Vanessa L. Williams and Chayanne and the motion picture "Shall We Dance" with Jennifer Lopez and Richard Gere. In 2006, Genereux joined the cast of the American version of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE as a choreographer. Married since August 1987, they are the parents of two children Jean-Francis and Francesca. Genereux lives in Quebec, Canada.
Jamal Sims (Supervising Choreographer) most recently worked with STEP UP 2 THE
STREETS Producer Adam Shankman on the feature musical "Hairspray," which Shankman also directed.
Among Jamal's other Choreography credits are "Hannah Montana, the Movie," "17" (Zac Effron), "Soul
Men" (Bernie Mac, Samuel L. Jackson), "Step Up 1," "Beauty Shop," "Vanilla Sky," and "Garfield." Sims
is known for his creativity in numerous commercials such as Target and Volkswagon, as well as music
videos and stage shows for Usher, P. Diddy, Spice Girls, Outkast and Gloria Estefan.
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The Monkey Dance
The Monkey Dance
Deeley often lends her time to the Great Ormond Street Hospital, a children's hospital in London, and divides her time between her homes in London and Beverly Hills.
Cat Deeley Talks about Season 4:
How So You Think You Can Dance differs from other dance shows on television?
"I think it showcases the most talent on TV. It literally is. It's not celebrities. It's not anybody else. We're not putting them through the wringer. These are actually trained professional dancers and we take them on a journey. And the audience watches it."
Why do audiences relate with So You Think You Can Dance?
"It's the human element that people identify with. It shows trials and tribulations, successes and failures, that's what makes our show a success and just their immense talent."
How are the auditions this year?
"So far, the auditions have been going fabulously. We seem to have lots of personalities. Lots of great stories. Amazing dancers. 'Cause that's the whole thing. We're not looking for necessarily the best dancer in America. What we're actually looking for is the person who is America's favorite dancer, which is a little bit different. Obviously, technically, they've got to be brilliant at what they do 'cause we're asking them to cope with all different genres and styles, which is something that professionally they would never get asked to do. But we also want them to have that little something special; that star quality. A little bit of fairy dust that's almost indefinable."
What does she do to help put the contestants at ease?
"Before we did the very first one I said, okay, what do you need, what do you want? And do whatever you fancy. So I've now developed this thing that I call the Monkey Girl that comes out on audition days and it's basically I go down the line and I learn the moves and I eat their breakfasts and I get in their sleeping bags and wrap myself in the blanket and all that kind of stuff, and I need a bucket of coffee to get me going at that time in the morning but once I'm going I'm just, that's it, I'm, I'm going, going, going. And then it's, it feels as though there's, there's a definite relationship then that develops and it's a very natural relationship that develops because I have known them right from the start. So then when we bring them to the studio and we put them in this extraordinary situation where, you know, you have to hit a mark and we're live on TV to millions of people and there's ten cameras and you have to remember your spots and your lights and all that kind of stuff, I'm the one person that's a regular throughout the whole thing. Even when the judges perhaps some weeks turn around and go, that was atrocious, terrible, you don't deserve to be here, I'm still the person that helps them pick up the pieces and kind of squeezes their hand and carries them on, you know."
Lythgoe lives in Los Angeles.
Nigel Lythgoe Talks about Season 4:
How So You Think You Can Dance differs from other dance shows on television?
"I think So You Think You Can Dance offers a real insight into the world of dance, into the creativity of a routine. You're seeing world-class choreographers put together a routine there and then in front of the camera with dances that are just out to win a competition. Get a quarter of a million dollars. I mean - when I was a dancer, a quarter of a million dollars was the end of a rainbow. You never saw that. Now, there's the opportunity to get your hands on a quarter of a million dollars, at the same time doing something you love with a passion; that you've got every sort of fiber of their body that wants to dance."
What is he looking forward to this season?
"Season 4, the best part of it for me isn't the auditions, isn't the Vegas Week, it's actually getting into the show because at that point we've got some very, very talented dancers and some brilliantly talented choreographers and, you know, last season Wade and Mia both won Emmys for their work on the show and to put those two sort of creative components together it's very exciting and I'm privileged sometimes to see some of the work that comes out of that. You know, I'll never forget Mia's bench routine or Wade's hummingbird. They're absolutely fantastic routines and to, you know, have them created on this show makes me extremely proud."
How are the auditions this year?
"I've seen one or two new moves, especially here in Washington. There's a lot of fun in the dance here and, you know, we saw one kid that just ate his way through his audition. He just carried on dancing and eating things."
How difficult it is for dancers to appear on So You Think You Can Dance?
"I think it's very tough to come here and get onto the show. So many people don't realize what we're looking for in dance. We don't just need technique; we need charisma, we need all of those things that sort of falls under the label of "the X factor". No one really knows what it is. It's something that some people have and other people don't. Now, add to that a dance technique and well and it's tough."
Will any of the past contestants appear this season?
"We brought Travis back now to choreograph the audition. There are some very good people out there. Pasha and Anya, two of the best ballroom dancers, Latin, I've ever seen and so hopefully they'll come back and choreograph something."
Murphy's also recently completed a featured role in the upcoming thriller "Killer Movie," starring Kaley Cuoco, Jason London and J.C. Chasez. The long list of stars she has coached includes Julia Roberts, Mary Steenburgen, Donnie Wahlberg and Dennis Quaid.
Beyond her work in Hollywood, Murphy continues to be one of the hardest-working women in dance; serving as a judge at major ballroom dance competitions across the U.S., including The Holiday Dance Classic in Las Vegas.
Murphy is also a world-class technical dance instructor and is based at her Champion Ballroom Academy in San Diego, CA.
Murphy lives in San Diego, CA.
Mary Murphy Talks about Season 4:
How So You Think You Can Dance differs from other dance shows on television?
"It's fired a lot of people across the country as far as, you know, enjoying the other dance styles because now we're seeing in dance studios across the country not only in ballet or jazz they're offering ballroom and hip-hop in that very same dance studio. It never used to be like that. It all used to be separate. Now it's all coming together and I just think it's great."
Why do audiences relate with So You Think You Can Dance?
"People love dancing, so when they're sitting there at home watching it, a lot of them are just living through the people that can dance, they always wished they could be a dancer, some had dreams when they were a kid of being a dancer, and then they live through these kids, because these are kids that don't have necessarily great opportunities, people that live in the back of the bayou that come out you know and had no opportunity, had no training and all of a sudden, bam, you see them under some other choreographer's work being able to pick it up and it's so inspiring for a lot of people to, to be able to see something like that."
What she is looking forward to this season?
"In Season 4, I'm just looking for just exciting dancing. I hope that and I know that we're going to top last season. I can't wait, you know. Watching the - the new show where all the couples have switched partners and they're doing a new dance style. That is my favorite day. I can't wait for that day. I can't sleep the night before because I can't wait to see what they're going to do."
How are the auditions this year?
"We're always something that I'm going to say I've never seen that before! There's definitely something here in Washington, DC, that I said I've never seen that before! And so, yeah, every year, you know, we're seeing more amazing dancers. We're seeing some unusual dance styles that we've never seen before and may never want to see again. But it makes it fun. It's so much fun."
How difficult it is for dancers to appear on So You Think You Can Dance
"To make it on to this show is not easy. You know, first of all you don't necessarily have to have a background but you have to have great personality if you don't have the technical ability. If you've had years of technical ability that's going help you so far. It's going to get you probably to Las Vegas. But if you get to Las Vegas on technical ability only, and not the personality, you're not going to make it into that top 20. You have to have the whole package. We have to see something special inside of you. We have to see this twinkle in your eye, as well. Some people just have that and some people don't. We don't even know what to tell people to do to go get that."
Will any of the past contestants appear this season?
"I think we're going to see some of last year's top 20 who are going to be involved in the choreography. I think we'll probably also see Sabra dance at some point. I don't know if it'll be on our official, you know, grand opening and premier, but at some point can bet that we'll definitely be seeing Sabra again along with some of the others."
Does she enjoy teaching dance?
"I love teaching dance. I've been a teacher for, let's just say a whole lot of years and most of my clients, you know, they just make me laugh. I enjoy it so much, sometimes I'm just wondering, I'm the luckiest person in the whole world to be able to make money at something that I just love to do."
For her work on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, Michaels recently won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography for her dance piece "Calling You." Other work in film and television includes "Cool Women" for AMC/DreamWorks Television and award-winning commercials for Mike's Hard Lemonade, Bacardi, Coldwell Banker, Ziploc, the WNBA, Star TV and VISA.
Included in her diverse concert and stage work is the critically acclaimed New York based dance company, RAW, of which she is the founder, artistic director and choreographer. She has created works for the Paper Mill Playhouse's production of "Hello, Dolly!," Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago and Oslo Dance Ensemble. Her choreography has been seen off-Broadway with "If These Shoes Could Talk" and "Fort Chaffee." Michaels has also held faculty positions at prestigious institutions of dance around the world including the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Joffrey Ballet and the International Dance Festival of Italy.
Michaels is constantly striving for new inspirations for her work. Her students and peers around the world have noted her as a memorable influence. She has a way of touching people's lives with passion, emotional expression and style of dance.
Born and raised in Coconut Grove, FL, Michaels currently lives in New York City but continues to teach master classes around the world.
Karaty went on to choreograph videos and tours for Jessica Simpson, Kylie Minogue,*NSYNC, Spears, Justin Timberlake, Usher and most recently choreographed the feature film "Music and Lyrics..." with Hugh Grant.
He lives in New York City and is the New York Yankees' No. 1 fan.
Napoleon and Tabitha's choreography for NBA and NFL teams from the Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic, to the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos can also be seen in arenas around the country. In between their busy schedules the two can also be found in Hollywood teaching at the Edge Performing Arts Center and Millennium Dance Complex, as well on the road with "Jump" and "Monsters of Hip Hop" dance conventions. Napoleon and Tabitha are the directors of "Monsters of Hip Hop: The Show" held in Hollywood.
Tabitha is from New Jersey, and Napoleon is from California. They both currently live in Sherman Oaks, CA.
Moore was born in St. Louis, MO, and raised in Breckenridge, CO, and currently lives in Los Angeles.
Janet Jackson, Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Mya, *NSYNC, Kelly Osbourne, Céline Dion and Toni Braxton are just a few of the artists Diorio has traveled the world with and performed with onstage. Diorio has worked on numerous feature films including the cult classic "Showgirls," "Starsky and Hutch," "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "Robin Hood: Men in Tights," "13 Going on 30," "Flintstones Viva Rock Vegas" and "Epic Movie." In addition to three seasons on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, his television credits include "That '70s Show," "The Tyra Banks Show," "The Academy Awards," "The American Music Awards," "The Billboard Music Awards," "Fame" as well as "Annie" and "Cinderella" directed by Rob Marshall. Diorio also had the great privilege of starring in the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit "Fosse" and "Chicago."
Diorio has choreographed routines for Paulina Rubio and Tobey Maguire; commercials for iPod, Mc Donald's, Sylvania and Road Runner DSL; and a musical entitled "Just Another Man." Diorio works privately with Katie Holmes and Tobey Maguire. He has also choreographed the music video for Paula Abdul's single "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow."
Diorio lives in Los Angeles, CA.
They competed in more than 15 world championships and world-class competitions in more then 25 countries, the two ranked among the 10 best Latin couples, finishing third at the World Ten Dance Championship (winning first in the Latin section).
Généreux and Mousseau retired from the competitive scene in 1998; however, the two still travel all over the world to perform in dance shows, as well as judge and choreograph for the elite competitors. Since 1976, they have made over 100 television appearances in Canada, the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia. Généreaux and Mousseau also performed in the motion picture "Dance With Me" featuring Vanessa L. Williams and Chayanne and the motion picture "Shall We Dance" with Jennifer Lopez and Richard Gere. In 2006, Genereux joined the cast of the American version of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE as a choreographer. Married since August 1987, they are the parents of two children Jean-Francis and Francesca. Genereux lives in Quebec, Canada.
Dave Scott danced his way "straight outta Compton" into a career in dance, choreography, and artist development encompassing music, film, television, and commercials. He began his career working with top recording artists such as B2K, Tyrese, Ginuwine, Brian McKnight, Bow Wow and Olympic Gold medalist, Tara Lipinski. Dave has gone on to choreograph some of the biggest blockbuster dance films in recent history such as You Got Served, Stomp The Yard, and Step Up 2. Currently he is choreographing Snowflake for the Wayans Bros. In addition, he created his own instructional DVD, Take It To The Floor, featuring his own unique brand of dance.
A self-taught dancer who cites Michael Jackson as his biggest inspiration, Scott began imitating the moves he saw in videos and films such as Breakin' and Beat Street when he was a teenager. The stubbed toes and bruised shins from break dancing allowed him to empathize with young kids like B2K whom he developed. At six-foot-four, Scott was on a basketball scholarship at Weber State University in Utah when he got his first break as a dancer. A local dance troupe set to perform a 10-minute show before a concert by a known rapper invited Scott to replace one of their dancers. It was his first public performance.
Scott began to find work as a dancer in music videos and toured with recording artist, Ginuwine. It wasn't long before he discovered that he also liked to create and be behind the scenes. He was soon choreographing and directing shows and tours for Brian McKnight, Tyrese, Jon B and IMX among other artists. He became inspired to create his own group of teen idols that would appeal to young fans…in the tradition of New Edition and Another Bad Creation. He ended up creating two groups, one of which was B2K. It proved to be the right mix of energies. Scott gave B2K their name, style, hot dance moves and all out sex appeal and took them to impresario Chris Stokes to handle the music. In just two years, B2K scored two platinum albums, a Christmas album and a remix CD, and headlined the sold-out Scream Tours. Scott, who choreographed the features House Party 4 and Good Burger, decided the next logical step was a feature film debut for B2K.
You Got Served, starring B2K, brought Scott full circle, as the film contains elements of his own personal experiences when was coming up. The movie follows the competitive world of street dancing where crews battle each other for money and respect. As master choreographer, Scott led them into battle.
"I gave a challenge to them and a challenge to myself," he says, noting that is something he always does, whether it's a live performance, video or a master class. "I always want to impress and be top notch. I try to take myself outside of myself, try to become the audience and think about what's going to make people go ‘oooohhh', try to give them that wow factor."
The success of his earlier work has made Dave a sought-after choreographer in all areas of the business. He has lent his talents to recent commercial campaigns for Sunny Delight, Pantene, and Chevy Cobalt. In addition to the Fox television drama Bones, Scott choreographed the hit film Coach Carter and choreographed for the Brian McKnight's music video Used to be My Girl. Even with his busy schedule, he still teaches Master Classes across the US, inspiring young dancers wherever he goes.
As a dancer, her image is forever remembered as the "polka dot dress girl" which opens and closes the iconic dance film Dirty Dancing.
Well known for creating beautiful and extraordinary images for stage and screen Doriana Sanchez has gone on to become one of the most successful Director/Choreographers in entertainment.
Ryan Seacrest on "E News!" has called her the "Dancing Queen" and Tu Ciudad magazine named her one of the 25 "Hip Hot Now" Hispanics in arts and entertainment for 2006.
Doriana conceived, directed and choreographed Cher's "Living Proof" Tour which received 4 Emmy Awards, including the Emmy for Outstanding Musical Variety Special. The show played 325 dates to over 3 million people worldwide and grossed over 200 million dollars, making it the most successful tour in history for a female artist. Doriana was also nominated for an Emmy for her choreography on Cher's HBO Special. Currently she is the Director/Choreographer of Cher's spectacular new show at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
Doriana was honored to choreograph the World Premier of Frank Loesser's musical "Senor Discretion Himself", for which she received a Helen Hayes Award Nomination for choreography. The show won the award for Best New Musical.
Her great love of circus arts led her to China where she created "The Galaxy Star Circus" in Guangzhou, China. Other circus credits include "Circo Fantastico", an all Latin circus which she directed, choreographed and wrote, as well as "Odyssey", the first circus ever on a cruise ship, for Princess Cruises.
She has directed and choreographed numerous live stage productions and concerts, including the groundbreaking Video Games Live and Jane's Addiction's "Jubilee Tour." Doriana also choreographed Peter Gabriel's "Secret World Tour." Her production of Barry Manilow's "Copacabana" was nominated for best New Musical at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London. She has worked with musical legends such as Gladys Knight and the Pips, Natalie Cole, Rita Moreno, and Latin superstar Shakira. Her television credits include the Grammy Awards, the American Music Awards, the Euro VMA's, Divas Live, and multiple seasons as resident choreographer on Fox's hit show "So You Think You Can Dance."
Corporate clients include, Redken, Target, Toyota, Gillette, Mattel Toys and Canon.
She is a two time American Choreography Award Nominee.
Tony Meredith was born in San Diego, California. Growing up in a home filled with music by his musician father, Tony started to dance as a toddler. His love of dance grew as he watched American Bandstand and Soul Train, learning new dance steps and keeping up with the latest dance moves.
After he replied to a newspaper ad seeking dance teachers, there was no looking back. He was trained by the dance legend and former co-host of Championship Ballroom Dancing, Ron Montez.
When he partnered with Melanie LaPatin, it created an unstoppable combination. Since 1983, they have traveled the world representing the United States 12 times in the Professional World Latin American Dance Championships. As a team, they have captured over 100 first place trophies. As stated by Tito Puente, with whom they guest-starred, "Here are two people who have taken dancing to the utmost of professionalism and class around the world."
Whether it's dancing for 40,000 spectators at the Tokyo Dome in Japan, participating in the ESPN DanceSport Championships at Madison Square Garden, opening for Gloria Estefan at the Copacabana in New York City, or performing at the Congreso Bacardi de la Salsa in Puerto Rico, Tony and Melanie are "an elite partnership and exhibit remarkable artistry," according to Andrea Mineo of News 12 Long Island.
In addition, Tony and Melanie are in high demand, both as coaches of top dancers around the world and as choreographers for actors in film, television, and Broadway. Their feature film performances include Dance with Me, The Thomas Crown Affair, and The Last Days of Disco. They have also choreographed for the hit Fox show So You Think You Can Dance.
Possessing a versatility of styles from cha-cha to swing, tango to hustle, mambo/salsa to rhythm and blues, this pair has succeeded in captivating audiences worldwide with a blend of skill, artistry, and emotion.
Lil C appeared in and choreographed krump performances in seasons two and three of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE and will be bringing his skills to the dance floor once again this season.
Lil C was featured in the critically acclaimed dance documentary "Rize" by David LaChapelle which chronicles the rise of the krumping and clowning dance styles – many credit Lil C as one of the most influential figures in krumping today. He also appeared in the film "Stomp the Yard" and choreographed for the films "Be Cool" and "Bring It On Yet Again."
In addition to SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, Lil C has appeared in and choreographed for numerous television dance performances including FOX's BONES, the 2007 "Teen Choice Awards," and the 2007 "NAACP Image Awards." Other television notable credits include "The 50th Annual Grammy Awards," "VH1 Big in 06 Awards," and the 2005 "American Music Awards."
Lil C has appeared in music videos for artists such as Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Ciara, Missy Elliot, Christina Millian, Sean Paul, Fall Out Boy, and Gwen Stefani, and has choreographed performances for Chris Brown, Omarian and Brooke Valentine amongst many others.
In addition to choreographing, Lil C also enjoys rapping, producing music, doing voiceovers, and playing basketball and football. Lil C currently lives in Los Angeles.
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