Mary Murphy | |
|---|---|
 Mary Murphy in 2006 | |
| Born | Mary Ann Murphy March 9, 1958 Lancaster, Ohio, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Ohio University |
| Occupation | Choreographer |
| Known for | Judge on So You Think You Can Dance (2005–09, 2011–2014, 2017–2019) |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Website | marymurphy.tv |
Mary Ann Murphy (born c. 1958) [1] is an American ballroom dance champion, [2] accredited dance judge, and a judge and choreographer on the Fox dance competition-reality show So You Think You Can Dance .
Mary Murphy was born in Lancaster, Ohio in an Irish family. [3] She graduated from Northwest High School in Canal Fulton, Ohio. [4] After graduating from Ohio University with a degree in physical education and a minor in modern dance, Murphy moved to Washington, D.C. to begin her career.
She answered a newspaper advertisement for studio instructor trainees. She became an instructor after only one week, and the studio owner invited her to attend the United States Ballroom Championships in New York City, which was the event that influenced her to commit to a career in ballroom dancing. [5]
Murphy moved to California and searched for a dance partner while working as an instructor. During the U.K. Open Championships in England, she met Manfred Stiglitz and a dancing partnership was formed. The two began to compete and eventually became the 1990 and 1991 Austrian National Champions. Despite their success, the constant travel and Murphy's domestic commitments took their toll. Murphy had opened the Champion Ballroom Academy in San Diego in 1990 and found it difficult splitting herself between these two obligations.
For the next five years she went on to build a list of accomplishments with partners based in California, earning titles at the Southwest Regional Dance Tournament, the Saint Louis Star Ball, and the International Grand Ball. With partner Bill Milner, Murphy made the U.S. Open Standard final in an unprecedented six months. Finally, in 1996, she and partner Jim Desmond made the final of the U.S. Open American Smooth and won the U.S. Open American Nine Dance. [6] She retired from competition and shifted her focus toward her dance academy.
She acted as a dance double for Julia Roberts in the movie Something to Talk About and appeared in Dance With Me , starring Vanessa L. Williams.
She appeared in the 2010 movie Degrassi Takes Manhattan as a worker at a casino wedding chapel. [7]
She currently runs her dance studio and organizes a Los Angeles dance competition, the Hollywood Dancesport Championships. [8] She frequently serves as a judge in several competitions, including the U.S. National Ballroom Championships.
 | This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources .(January 2015) |
Murphy was part of the original guest judge and choreographer pool when season 1 began in 2005. In 2006, for season 2, she made increasing appearances at the judging table. In 2007, prior to season 3, Murphy was announced as a permanent judge, a position previously held only by Nigel Lythgoe.
In 2008, Murphy made guest appearances on international versions of So You Think You Can Dance, including So You Think You Can Dance Australia , So You Think You Can Dance Canada and So You Think You Can Dance Scandinavia .
In 2008, Murphy reprised her role as judge on season 4 with fellow regular, Nigel Lythgoe, and on the season finale, performed a surprise samba with Dmitry Chaplin. Murphy continued as a weekly permanent judge on season 5 and season 6.
For season 7, it was announced that Mia Michaels would replace Murphy as permanent judge. Although absent most of the season, Murphy appeared with a seat at the judging table for Vegas Week as well as the final episode. In 2011, she returned to replace Mia Michaels as a permanent judge for season 8.
| Season | Dancers | Style | Music |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashlé Dawson Jamile McGee | Jive | Jim Dandy – LaVern Baker |
| Melody Lacayanga Craig DeRosa | |||
| Kamilah Barrett Nick Lazzarini | Tango | Tanguedia – Prandi Sound Dance Orchestra | |
| Ashlé Dawson Blake McGrath | Samba | Jazz Machine – Black Machine | |
| Melody Lacayanga Nick Lazzarini | Paso Doble | España cañí – Boston Pops Orchestra | |
| 2 | Jessica Fernandez Jaymz Tuaileva | Foxtrot | Why Don't You Do Right? – Sinéad O'Connor |
| Ashlee Nino Ben Susak | Jive | Great Balls of Fire – Jerry Lee Lewis | |
| Top 14 | Footloose – Kenny Loggins (Soundtrack: Footloose ) | ||
| Heidi Groskreutz Travis Wall | Paso Doble | Plaza of Execution – James Horner (Soundtrack: Zorro - The Mask of Zorro) | |
| Donyelle Jones Dmitry Chaplin | Samba | Hey Mama – The Black Eyed Peas | |
| Natalie Fotopoulos Dmitry Chaplin | Magaleñha – Sérgio Mendes | ||
| 4 | Mary Murphy Dmitry Chaplin | Samba | Baila, Baila – Angela Via |
From December 22, 2009, to January 10, 2010, Murphy headlined the Broadway ballroom dance show Burn the Floor . [9] She was partnered with Vaidas Skimelis. [10]
Murphy returned to the touring cast of Burn the Floor in September and October 2010, with performances in San Jose and San Diego, once again partnered with Vaidas Skimelis. [10]
Murphy has been married three times and revealed that during her first marriage, which lasted nine years, she was a victim of domestic abuse. In October 2010, on Larry King Live , she said she was finally speaking out so that other victims could learn how she endured, but escaped, domestic violence. Her first husband denies physically or mentally abusing her. [11]
In 2008, Murphy divorced amicably with her third husband, Phillip Gott, who remains an employee of her ballroom dance academy. [12] On May 28, 2011, Murphy announced that she made amends with her second husband in his final days battling cancer. [13] On July 22, 2011, Murphy stated in her online blog "As we said goodbye to the contestants, I'm also saying goodbye to my ex husband today, as cancer has taken another special person from my life. Even though our marriage did not work out, we became good friends. I will miss him and I will always love him." [14]
In 2011, during the announcements of Murphy's return as a permanent judge for season 8 of So You Think You Can Dance, it was revealed that she had undergone treatment for thyroid cancer. Although there was a possibility that she would never be able to speak again, she is now cancer-free with vocal cords intact. [15]
Driton Dovolani, commonly known as Tony Dovolani is an Albanian-American professional ballroom dancer, instructor and judge. He is known for his involvement in the American version of Dancing with the Stars on ABC. Dovolani also portrayed Slick Willy in the hit film Shall We Dance? and spent time coaching actress Jennifer Lopez.
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Karina Smirnoff is a Soviet-born American professional ballroom dancer of Ukrainian origins. She is known as a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars, where she won the thirteenth season with army veteran and soap opera star J. R. Martinez. She has also won two runner-up titles, a semifinal title, and several quarterfinal titles.
Julia Powers is a ballroom dance champion and fitness program creator.
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So You Think You Can Dance is an American reality television program and dance competition airing on the Fox network. Season three premiered May 24, 2007.
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Jean-Marc Généreux is a French Canadian ballroom dance champion, choreographer and television personality from Longueuil, Quebec, Canada. He is most prominently known for his roles as judge and choreographer on the American and Canadian versions of So You Think You Can Dance, the French version of the hit television series Dancing with the Stars, and TVA’s hit dance competition series Révolution.
So You Think You Can Dance is a United States television reality program and dance competition airing on the Fox Broadcasting Company network. Season four premiered on May 22, 2008, with Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy returning as permanent judges and Cat Deeley returning to host. Joshua Allen was announced as the winner on August 7, 2008, the first hip-hop dancer to win the title.
Season two of So You Think You Can Dance Australia, the Australian version of the American reality dance-off series So You Think You Can Dance, was hosted by former Rogue Traders vocalist and solo artist Natalie Bassingthwaighte, with Jason Coleman, Matt Lee and Bonnie Lythgoe acting as the judges. It premiered on 1 February 2009. Talia Fowler was announced as the winner on 26 April 2009.
So You Think You Can Dance is a United States television reality program and dance competition airing on the Fox Broadcasting Company network. Season five premiered on May 21, 2009, with Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy returning as permanent judges and Cat Deeley returning to host. Jeanine Mason was crowned America's Favorite Dancer on August 6, 2009, making her the second female to win the show. For the first time, the show moved to a new stage, but it turned out to be the last season at CBS Studios.
Season three of So You Think You Can Dance Australia, the Australian version of the American reality dance-off series So You Think You Can Dance, was hosted by former Rogue Traders vocalist and solo artist Natalie Bassingthwaighte, with Jason Coleman, Matt Lee and Bonnie Lythgoe acting as the judges. It premiered on 31 January 2010. Robbie Kmetoni was announced as the winner on 21 April 2010 and the first season that each of the contestants have all been in the bottom three or four. It was the last season of So You Think You Can Dance Australia to air until the show came back in 2014.
So You Think You Can Dance is an American television reality program and dance competition airing on the Fox Broadcasting Company network. Season seven premiered on May 27, 2010. In the August 12 finale, contemporary/jazz dancer Lauren Froderman was named "America's Favorite Dancer" and received the grand prize of $250,000, as well as an appearance on the cover of Dance Spirit magazine and in print advertising for Gatorade. Contemporary dancer Kent Boyd was named runner-up.
So You Think You Can Dance is an American television reality program and dance competition airing on the Fox network. The show's eighth season premiered on May 26, 2011. It features the return of Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe as permanent judges and Cat Deeley as host. Also returning is the selection of a Top 20 for the finals, in contrast to season 7's Top 11. This is the final season to feature Results Show episodes. Contemporary dancer Melanie Moore won the season and Sasha Mallory was the runner-up. This is the first season where both the winner and runner-up were female.
So You Think You Can Dance, a televised American dance competition, began broadcast of its tenth season on May 14, 2013. It airs on the FOX Television Network and was hosted by Cat Deeley and featured returning permanent judges Nigel Lythgoe, who also serves as one of the show's executive producers, and Mary Murphy. The show featured many of the format changes instituted in the previous season, including notably a single episode per week/voting round. It was also the first season in the show's history that a tap dancer not only made it past the third week of competition, but made the finale. It is also the first season to last longer than nine weeks. Lythgoe announced in the finale that the show has been renewed for the eleventh season.
So You Think You Can Dance, an American dance competition show, returned for its fourteenth season on Monday, June 12, 2017. The new season's judge panel once again features series creator Nigel Lythgoe, as well as the return of ballroom expert Mary Murphy, along with new permanent member Vanessa Hudgens joining the panel of judges, while Cat Deeley continues in her role as host for a thirteenth consecutive season.
Mary Murphy, 51...
