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TWELVE FORMER FINALISTS RETURN TO "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE" AS ALL-STAR DANCE PARTNERS
Two-Hour Season Premiere Airs Thursday, May 27, on FOX
Twelve former SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE show favorites are set to return to summer's No. 1 series as All-Star Dance Partners. Skilled in various dance styles from Krump to Contemporary, the Season Seven All-Star Dance Partners are: Stephen "tWitch" Boss, Comfort Fedoke, Courtney Galiano, Anya Garnis, Lauren Gottlieb, Neil Haskell, Allison Holker, Mark Kanemura, Pasha Kovalev, Kathryn McCormick, Ade Obayomi and Dominic "D-trix" Sandoval. Each week, finalists will be partnered with a different All-Star dancer.
As previously announced, America's favorite summer series returns for its seventh season Thursday, May 27 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX with some exciting new twists, including 10 finalists competing and only one dancer eliminated per week.
Hosted by Cat Deeley, the hit dance competition series will inspire and amaze viewers as dancers skilled in styles ranging from Hip Hop to Ballroom compete to be named America's Favorite Dancer. Last season's winner, Russell Ferguson, danced off with a $250,000 cash prize, the title of America's Favorite Dancer and a cover feature in the March issue of Dance Spirit Magazine.
The 12 All-Stars are:
Stephen "tWitch" Boss
Representing: Hip Hop / Popping / Locking / Krump
Appeared: Season 4 (runner-up)
Memorable Routine: "Forever," a Hip Hop number choreographed by Dave Scott and performed with Comfort Fedoke
Stephen "tWitch" Boss was half of the partnership in the "Mercy" dance that earned choreographer Mia Michaels an Emmy nomination. This summer, he will star in "Step Up 3-D," and he soon plans to begin working with the Dizzy Feet Foundation. Currently, Boss belongs to the dance troupes "Breed OCLA" and "Chill Factor Crew."
Comfort Fedoke
Representing: Hip Hop / Krump / Popping / Locking
Appeared: Season 4 (Top 8)
Memorable Routine: "Party People," a Hip Hop number choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon Dumo and performed with Mark Kanemura
Comfort Fedoke attended Booker T. Washington Performing Arts High School in Dallas, TX, where she was a featured dancer on the local dance television show, "Dallas Dance Club 21." Fedoke has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Brian Friedman, Tabitha and Napoleon Dumo, Chuck Maldonado, Miley Cyrus and Rosero, and has appeared on GLEE.
Courtney Galiano
Representing: Jazz / Broadway / Cultural / Disco / Contemporary
Appeared: Season 4 (Top 4)
Memorable Routine: "The Garden," a Jazz number choreographed by Sonya Tayeh and performed with Mark Kanemura
Courtney Galiano began her career as a New York Knicks City Dancer. Galiano has appeared in national television commercials and danced in music videos for Adam Lambert, Kat DeLuna and Daddy Yankee. Galiano loaned her voice talents to "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel," performed in the television movie "Camp Rock 2" and appeared on GLEE and "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest."
Anya Garnis
Representing: Ballroom Standard / Ballroom Latin
Appeared: Season 3 (Top 12)
Memorable Routine: "Girlfriend," a Jive choreographed by Tony Meredith and performed with Danny Tidwell
Anya Garnis is currently a guest choreographer for SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE's U.S. and Australian versions, and has been a featured guest dancer on "Dancing with the Stars" and "Superstars of Dance." Her credits also include the Emmy Awards, the Academy Awards and the series "True Blood." Last fall, Garnis made her Broadway debut in "Burn The Floor" and toured the globe with the production.
Lauren Gottlieb
Representing: Jazz / Hip Hop / Contemporary / Broadway
Appeared: Season 3 (Top 6)
Memorable Routine: "Night of the Dancing Flame," a Jazz number choreographed by Wade Robson and performed with Neil Haskell
Lauren Gottlieb has worked with Shakira and Mariah Carey, and has appeared in "Hannah Montana: The Movie" with Miley Cyrus. Her television credits include GLEE, "The Ghost Whisperer," "Nip/Tuck" and "Teen Choice 2009," as well as commercials for Subway, AT&T, Old Navy and Nike. She recently completed work assisting Tabitha and Napoleon Dumo on the choreography for Cirque Du Soleil's "Viva ELVIS."
Neil Haskell
Representing: Jazz / Contemporary / Broadway / Disco / Cultural
Appeared: Season 3 (Top 3)
Memorable Routine: "Are You The One," a Contemporary number choreographed by Mia Michaels and performed with Danny Tidwell
Before competing on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, Neil Haskell worked with Twyla Tharp on Broadway's "The Times They Are A-Changin'." Shortly thereafter, Haskell landed a role in the television movie "The American Mall." His theater credits also include the off-Broadway production of "Altar Boyz," the original Broadway cast of "9 to 5" and "Girl Crazy" at New York's legendary City Center.
Allison Holker
Representing: Jazz / Contemporary / Broadway / Disco / Cultural
Appeared: Season 2 (Top 8)
Memorable Routine: "Why," a Contemporary number choreographed by Tyce Diorio and performed with Ivan Koumaev
Allison Holker has been dancing since she was nine years old. Holker was featured in the tap dance show "Revolution" in New York and performed in the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics. Her television credits also include "High School Musical" and "High School Musical 2." Most recently, she performed and toured with "Ballroom with a Twist," which was choreographed by Louis Van Amstel.
Mark Kanemura
Representing: Jazz / Contemporary / Broadway / Cultural
Appeared: Season 4 (Top 6)
Memorable Routine: "Beautiful," a Contemporary number choreographed by Mia Michaels and performed with Chelsie Hightower
Since competing on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE and performing in the nationwide tour, Kanemura has toured with Lady Gaga, performed on "America's Got Talent" and the "61st Primetime Emmy Awards" and appeared in several music videos and commercials. His stage credits include "The Nutcracker," "Sweet Charity," "The King and I," "Grease," "Tommy" and "Gypsy."
Pasha Kovalev
Representing: Ballroom Standard / Ballroom Latin
Appeared: Season 3 (Top 6)
Memorable Routine: "Let's Get Loud," a Cha Cha choreographed by Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin and performed with Jessie Peralta
Born in Siberia, Russia, Pasha Kovalev started dancing at age eight. Following a successful career in ballroom competition, he made appearances on several television shows, including SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, "Dancing with the Stars" and "Superstars of Dance." He has choreographed for both the U.S. and Australian versions of DANCE and recently starred in the Broadway cast and touring company versions of "Burn The Floor."
Kathryn McCormick
Representing: Jazz / Contemporary / Broadway / Cultural
Appeared: Season 6 (Top 3)
Memorable Routine: "At This Moment," a Contemporary number choreographed by Desmond Richardson and Dwight Rhoden and performed with Jakob Karr
Kathryn McCormick began competing in her home state of Georgia at an early age with her local dance studio team, "Augusta West." During her junior year of high school, she was invited to join the Tremaine Dance Convention's Apprentice Company. In late 2008, she secured her first professional role as a supporting dancer in the "Fame" remake. McCormick was also chosen to dance on this year's Academy Awards.
Ade Obayomi
Representing: Contemporary / Jazz / Cultural / Broadway
Appeared: Season 5 (Top 6)
Memorable Routine: "This Woman's Work," a Contemporary number choreographed by Tyce Diorio and performed with Melissa Sandvig
Arizona native Ade Obayomi has toured with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montr�al and appeared in the film "A Diva's Christmas Carol." His love of dance earned him a scholarship to Chapman University, where he also studied sound engineering. He recently performed on the 2010 Grammy Awards with Beyonc�, appeared in the music video for Rihanna's "Hard" and was a featured dancer on Alicia Keys' world tour.
Dominic "D-trix" Sandoval
Representing: Hip Hop / Breaking
Appeared: Season 3 (Top 8)
Memorable Routine: "Make It Work," a Hip Hop number choreographed by Shane Sparks and performed with Sabra Johnson
Dominic "D-trix" Sandoval started b-boying in 1999 at the age of 13, and joined the Flexible Flav crew in 2000 to tour and compete with them. Sandoval was part of Quest Crew, who won Season Three of "Randy Jackson Presents America's Best Dance Crew." He currently travels and performs around the world, and has performed for Ellen DeGeneres, Snoop Dogg, Usher, Pitbull, Sean Kingston and Donna Summer.
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE was created by Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and comes from 19 Entertainment Ltd. and dick clark productions. It is executive-produced by Simon Fuller, Nigel Lythgoe and Barry Adelman.
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