or


[06/04/09 - 10:01 PM]
Top 20 Finalists on "So You Think You Can Dance" Revealed
FOX details the latest "So You Think You Can Dance" elimination.

[via press release from FOX]

TOP 20 FINALISTS ON "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE" REVEALED

10 DANCE COUPLES TAKE THE STAGE AND PERFORM FOR AMERICA WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10 ON FOX

Singer/Rapper Sean Kingston Performs and Two Finalists Are Eliminated on First LIVE Results Show Thursday, June 11

After thousands of auditions across the country and the grueling callbacks in Las Vegas, the judges of summer's No. 1 series, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, announced Season Five's Top 20 finalists tonight. The top girls include Randi Evans, Karla Garcia, Caitlin Kinney, Asuka Kondoh, Janette Manrara, Jeanine Mason, Kayla Radomski, Melissa Sandvig, Paris Torres and Ashley Valerio; and the top guys are Kupono Aweau, Tony Bellissimo, Brandon Bryant, Phillip Chbeeb, Jason Glover, Vitolio Jeune, Max Kapitannikov, Evan Kasprzak, Ade Obayomi and Jonathan Platero.

The competition truly begins Wednesday, June 10 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) as the Top 20 finalists dance for the judges' praise and America's votes on the season's first performance show. The Top 20 are paired into 10 couples who will each work with a world-renowned choreographer to compose a dance routine representing their assigned genre. After each Wednesday performance show, the phone lines will open and the fate of these 20 finalists � one of whom will be the named America's Favorite Dancer � will be left up to the voting fans.

On the live results shows beginning Thursday, June 11 (9:00-10:00 PM ET live PT/tape-delayed), the three couples with the lowest number of votes will be announced. Each week the six contestants comprising the bottom three couples are given a chance to perform solo routines in the hopes of convincing the judges to keep them in the competition. The judges then decide which dancers stay and which two are eliminated. If a couple is split apart, the two individual dancers who remain become a couple the following week.

Thursdays will also feature live performances by today's hottest music stars and dance acts. On Thursday, June 11 (9:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) Sean Kingston will perform his new hit single, "Fire Burning on the Dance Floor," from his upcoming sophomore album, "Tomorrow," live from the SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE stage.

The Top 20 finalists scheduled to perform Wednesday, June 10 (8:00�10:00 PM ET/PT) are:

Girls

Randi Evans

Dance Specialty: Jazz

Hometown: Orem, UT

Currently Resides: Springville, UT

Age: 23

Evans began dancing at an early age and performed in the closing ceremonies at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games. She currently attends Utah Valley University where she is majoring in elementary education.

Karla Garcia

Dance Specialty: Jazz/Contemporary

Hometown: Oxon Hill, MD

Currently Resides: Brooklyn, NY

Age: 23

Garcia is a graduate of New York University. Her early dance experience included learning traditional Filipino folk dancing. Garcia performed on Broadway in "Hot Feet," danced in the ensemble of the "Radio City Christmas Spectacular" and went on to tour with "Wicked."

Caitlin Kinney

Dance Specialty: Contemporary

Hometown: Annapolis, MD

Currently Resides: Annapolis, MD

Age: 21

Kinney graduated from the Baltimore School for the Arts in 2005. She danced at North Carolina Dance Theatre as an apprentice for two years and is an experienced gymnast.

Asuka Kondoh

Dance Specialty: Latin Ballroom

Hometown: San Francisco, CA

Currently Resides: Irvine, CA

Age: 25

Kondoh loves swimming, golf and tennis and has played piano for 13 years. She is a graduate of University of California, Irvine, and has worked as a Latin Ballroom instructor for the last two years.

Janette Manrara

Dance Specialty: Salsa

Hometown: Miami, FL

Currently Resides: Hialeah, FL

Age: 25

Manrara began performing in musical theater at age 12, and started her formal dance training at 19, studying Ballroom, Ballet, Pointe, Jazz and Hip Hop. She currently attends Florida State University.

Jeanine Mason

Dance Specialty: Contemporary

Hometown: Miami, FL

Currently Resides: Pinecrest, FL

Age: 18

A recent graduate of the Ransom Everglades School, Mason plans to attend the University of California, Los Angeles in the fall. She began her dance training in Ballet and Lyrical and then went on to study Jazz, Acrobatics, Hip Hop, Modern and Contemporary.

Kayla Radomski

Dance Specialty: Jazz/Contemporary

Hometown: Aurora, CO

Currently Resides: Aurora, CO

Age: 18

Radomski has been dancing for most of her life, and participating in SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE is one of her most rewarding experiences. She is grateful to her amazing mother who has supported her love of dance for so many years. Radomski also enjoys acting and singing.

Melissa Sandvig

Dance Specialty: Ballet

Hometown: Los Alamitos, CA

Currently Resides: Los Alamitos, CA

Age: 29

Sandvig has been dancing for most of her life. She has danced with the Milwaukee Ballet Company, LA Opera, Long Beach Ballet and Helios Dance Theater. A highlight for Sandvig was performing "Le Coeur Illumine" at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

Paris Torres

Dance Specialty: Contemporary

Hometown: Issaquah, WA

Currently Resides: Issaquah, WA

Age: 19

Torres is a graduate of Skyline High School. She began dancing when she was 6 years old and now teaches at a studio near her home. She was also a Miss Washington Teen pageant winner, and was a Seattle Storm and Seattle Sonic Jr. dancer from 2000-2003.

Ashley Valerio

Dance Specialty: Contemporary

Hometown: Mesa, AZ

Currently Resides: North Hollywood, CA

Age: 22

Valerio has been dancing for most of her life. She is a graduate of Mountain View High School.

Guys

Kupono Aweau

Dance Specialty: Lyrical/Contemporary

Hometown: Honolulu, HI

Currently Resides: Kailua, HI

Age: 23

Aweau graduated from the Kamehameha Schools and has been dancing since he was 16 years old. He loves his home state of Hawaii, and is an avid collector of home furnishings.

Tony Bellissimo

Dance Specialty: Hip Hop

Hometown: Buffalo, NY

Currently Resides: Buffalo, NY

Age: 20

Bellissimo has been dancing for most of his life. He is a graduate of Frontier High School, and played on the school's soccer, football and lacrosse teams. He likes to write short stories and poems, and his favorite professional dancer is Barry Lather.

Brandon Bryant

Dance Specialty: Contemporary

Hometown: Miami, FL

Currently Resides: Salt Lake City, UT

Age: 19

Bryant began dancing ballet at age 10. He is a graduate of Coral Reef Senior High School and now attends Miami Dade College. His most memorable dance experience was performing for Madonna at her daughter's birthday party.

Phillip Chbeeb

Dance Specialty: Popping

Hometown: Houston, TX

Currently Resides: Los Angeles, CA

Age: 20

Chbeeb has had no formal dance training, but began dancing when he was 15 years old. At age 16, he founded the Marvelous Motion Studio in Houston. He is currently an engineering physics major at Loyola Marymount University.

Jason Glover

Dance Specialty: Lyrical/Contemporary

Hometown: Fresno, CA

Currently Resides: Fresno, CA

Age: 21

Glover began dancing at age 12, studying Tap and Hip Hop. He is a graduate of Bullard High School, and his favorite dancer is Michael Jackson.

Vitolio Jeune

Dance Specialty: Contemporary

Hometown: P�tionville, Haiti

Currently Resides: Miami, FL

Age: 26

Jeune began dancing at age 18, and is a graduate of Florida's New World School of the Arts. He loves motorcycles, and his favorite dancer is Desmond Richardson.

Max Kapitannikov

Dance Specialty: Latin Ballroom

Hometown: Moscow, Russia

Currently Resides: Brooklyn, NY

Age: 26

Kapitannikov has been dancing for as long as he can remember. He comes from a dancing family, and his mother is a ballet teacher. He also enjoys sculpting and playing the guitar. He attended the Manhattan Comprehensive High School.

Evan Kasprzak

Dance Specialty: Broadway

Hometown: West Bloomfield, MI

Currently Resides: West Bloomfield, MI

Age: 21

Kasprzak graduated from Wylie E. Groves High School and currently attends Illinois Wesleyan University. He has been dancing since he was 6 years old, and his most memorable dance experience was performing in a Gregory Hines tribute with Hines' family in the audience.

Ade Obayomi

Dance Specialty: Contemporary

Hometown: Chandler, AZ

Currently Resides: Orange County, CA

Age: 20

Obayomi has been dancing since he was 6 years old. He is a graduate of Corona Del Sol High School and currently attends Chapman University. A dance highlight for him was performing at Radio City Music Hall.

Jonathan Platero

Dance Specialty: Salsa

Hometown: Sanford, FL

Currently Resides: New York, NY

Age: 21

Platero was a gymnast before he began dancing at age 16. He is a graduate of Seminole High School, was a World Salsa finalist in 2006-2007 and performed as a dancer and acrobat in "High School Musical."

Auditions for Season Six of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE continue this summer in the following cities: Los Angeles on Friday, June 12; New Orleans on Friday, June 19; Phoenix on Friday, June 26; and Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24. Visit www.fox.com/dance for more information.

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.

About 19 Entertainment Ltd.

Simon Fuller's 19 Entertainment Ltd. is recognized as a lead creator, provider and promoter of globally successful entertainment and music brands of today. The company has attracted a unique team of exceptionally creative executives, who work together to integrate and leverage activity across television, sports, film, touring, merchandising, music publishing, recording and artist management. 19 Founder/CEO Simon Fuller has developed and managed some of the biggest entertainment properties of our time, with credits that include the creation of TV phenomenon AMERICAN IDOL, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE and the HBO series "Little Britain USA." 19's unique talent includes legendary musical icon Annie Lennox, country music sensation Carrie Underwood, the pop group sensation Spice Girls, IDOL alumni Chris Daughtry and David Cook, supermodel Claudia Schiffer and soccer icon David Beckham.

About dick clark productions

Since its inception in 1957, dick clark productions (dcp) has been a leading independent producer of television programming. dcp produces perennial hits such as "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve," the American Music Awards, the Golden Globe Awards and the Academy of Country Music Awards. dcp also produces popular weekly television programming, including SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, and owns and maintains one of the world's most unique and extensive entertainment libraries, which includes more than 30 years of "American Bandstand" footage.





  [june 2009]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (FOX)





[07/28/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of July 20 - Kevin Hart's "72 Hours" Parties to No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
"I Will Find You" found its way back to the top spot of the English TV list, with 7.3 million views.

[07/28/26 - 10:55 AM]
New Series "Bobby Flay's The Line" Serves Culinary Battles That Reflect the High Pressure of Real-Life Restaurant Service
Each week, Bobby leads his hand-picked home team of extraordinary chefs Antonia Lofaso, Michael Jenkins and Claudette Zepeda against some of the country's most acclaimed restaurant staffs to execute a flawless dinner service - all for real diners in real time.

[07/28/26 - 10:06 AM]
Netflix Debuts First Look Images and Release Date for "Tyler Perry's Beauty in Black" Season 3
The series returns August 27, 2026 on the streaming service.

[07/28/26 - 10:01 AM]
National Geographic Documentary Films Greenlights New Film from Oscar and Multi BAFTA Award-Winning Director James Marsh
Brought to the screen by Magna Studios for release in 2027, the film brings to life the gripping true story of Aron Ralston, who inspired the Academy Award-nominated Searchlight Pictures film "127 Hours," directed by Danny Boyle.

[07/28/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Below" - Official Teaser - Netflix
Josh Hartnett stars in the suspenseful new thriller, coming to Netflix on October 8.

[07/28/26 - 08:01 AM]
HBO Max Launches New Mobile Features for Enhanced Content Discovery
"HBO Max Shorts" is designed to help users discover something to watch by highlighting iconic and memorable scenes from the HBO Max library in a vertical, scrollable feed.

[07/28/26 - 08:01 AM]
A Killer Comeback Awaits as Paramount+ Reveals First-Look Images of "Dexter: Resurrection" Season Two
The new season is coming later this year on Paramount+.

[07/28/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Rory Kennedy and her Emmy-nominated producing partner Mark Bailey continue their urgent investigation into the once-iconic aviation giant, uncovering startling new revelations and capturing voices from the inside.

[07/28/26 - 07:31 AM]
AMC Global Media's Acorn TV Renews Critically Acclaimed Crime Drama "Art Detectives," Starring Stephen Moyer, for a Second Season
Production begins in Belfast and across Northern Ireland this July and will premiere with a two-part special this December, followed by a full six-episode season in 2027.

[07/28/26 - 07:27 AM]
Betty La Fea Is Back and Arrives Uglier Than Ever: Prime Video Reveals the Premiere Date for the New Season of "Betty la Fea: The Story Continues"
The third season, rebranded as "Betty La Fea: Uglier Than Ever," premieres on August 28, exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories.

[07/28/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "The Last Sunrise" - Official Trailer - Prime Video
Based on the beloved novel, The Last Sunrise follows Ry (Maia Reficco), a college student with a chronic illness, on a summer escape to Mallorca with her mother (Eva Longoria).

[07/28/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Here the Whole Time" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Felipe just wanted a quiet summer with his artsy mom and every musical he could binge... when his childhood crush knocked on his door to join the party.

[07/28/26 - 06:01 AM]
MGM+ Picks Up Action Thriller Series "Embassy," Starring Anna Kendrick, Sam Heughan and J.K. Simmons from AGC Television, Ascendant Fox, and Turbine Studios
When armed mercenaries storm the U.S. Embassy in London, Layla (Kendrick), a sharp and resourceful American diplomat, faces an impossible choice: protect the U.S. Ambassador (Simmons) or follow his orders to exfiltrate a high value asset being held at the embassy.

[07/28/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: Apple TV's Emmy Award-Winning Series "Ted Lasso" Returns to the Pitch in Season Four Trailer
"Ted Lasso" returns with its 10-episode new season on Wednesday, August 5, 2026 with one episode, followed by new episodes every Wednesday through October 7 on Apple TV.

[07/28/26 - 06:00 AM]
The CW Network and ESPN Set August 4 Launch for CW Sports Live Streaming on the ESPN App
More than 800 annual hours of CW Sports will be broadcast live on The CW Network as well as stream live on the ESPN App for viewers with an ESPN Unlimited subscription plan.