Review: So you think you can dance

One of the best summer dance shows on TV is a show called "So You Think You Can Dance" Its fifth season appears to be the most successful so far, thanks to a group of extremely talented contestants. This is one of my favorite summer shows. Partly because it has great judges, choreographers, and talented contestants and, partly because, having studied dance and choreographed myself as well as having a daughter who was a professional ballet dancer, I realize just how difficult some of the dance genres are and how high the standards and expectations are on the show.

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. The creators of the show are also responsible for American Idol, American Bandstand and The American Music Awards.

The show offers the winner a one year contract for Celine Dion's Vegas show, a brand new car and $100K cash. Contestants perform a particular style of dance each week with a partner. The audience votes on their favorite couple, leaving the 3 couples with the least votes up for elimination. After each dancer in the bottom three performs a solo of their choice for the judges, one male and one female contestant are up for elimination. The judges, who are dancers and choreographers themselves, make the final decision each week.

Top notch choreographers work with the dancers each week, teaching them a variety of dance styles and genres. Most of these choreographers are well known in the professional dance community and have performed and won awards for both their dancing and choreography.

The show is amazing and entertaining. Viewers have the opportunity to watch as dancers, skilled in styles ranging from hip-hop to ballroom, compete to be named America's Favorite Dancer. Last season's winner, Joshua Allen, danced off with a $250,000 cash prize, the title of America's Favorite Dancer and an offer for a featured dance role in the upcoming Adam Shankman film "Step Up 3-D."

Host

Cat Deely hosts the show and does a great job. From Birmingham, England,she is one of the foremost television presenters in the UK and has recently become one of the hottest new faces on American TV. Deeley was Jay Leno's first regular entertainment correspondent on "The Tonight Show" and recently performed the same duty for "Good Morning America." She is an award winner for her work on some of the UK's primetime shows.

Judges

Nigel Lythgoe, joined 19 Television as Chief Executive in 2001 from London Weekend Television, where he was controller of entertainment and comedy. He is now president. One of the U.K.'s most respected TV talents,he 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."

Mary Murphy is an in-demand film and television star. In addition to her work as a judge on So you think you can dance, Mary has traveled for special guest appearances in Australia, Canada and Norway. She 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.

Third judge A third judge is always added each week, from a small group of the choreographers. He or she sits in with Nigel and Mary to make up a panel of three. Every week, the third judge is rotated.

My favorite choreographer

Mia Michaels is an American choreographer. Best-known for contemporary dance, she is extremely talented and her work is always original. She has worked with Celine Dion, Madonna, Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, Prince, and Cirque du Soleil. She has also choreographed several television commercials She is a regular on So You Think You Can Dance and has won an Emmy for her work on the show.

Other talented choreographers on the show are:

Tyce Diorio (also known as Keith Diorio), an American dancer and choreographer. He has directed Broadway, jazz and contemporary dance numbers, and he has choreographed and performed with Janet Jackson, ,Paula Abdul, Jennifer Lopez and Rickt Martin, among others. Diorio was also a featured lead in the broadway show Fosse and has appeared in a number of feature films.

Also: Tabitha and Napoleon D'Um, Dimitri Chaplin, Jean Mrc Genereaux, Hunter Johnson, Dan Karaty, Marty Kudelka, Lil'C, Alex Magno, Michael Meade, Tony Meridith, Mandy Moore, Mary Murphy, Toni Redpath, Desmond Richardson, Dwight Rhoden, Wade Robson, Benji Schwimmer, Dave Scott, Edward Simon, Shane Sparks, Sonia Teyeh

THE PULSE ON TOUR

"The Pulse On Tour" is affiliated with the Broadway Dance Center which is the largest and most prestigious dance studio in America. Founded in 1984, Broadway Dance Center has become a global icon for excellence in dance education. Their studios are located in the heart of the theater district in New York City. They provide over 40 classes daily in all styles for professionals to beginners. Their studio is home to Broadway professionals, Rockettes and the industry's top choreographers and performers for theater, music videos, TV and film. Mia Michaels, along with fellow choreographers, Brian Friedman, Wade Robson, Dave Scott, Chris Judd, Tyce Diorio, Laurieann Gibson and Shane Sparks make up the elite faculty to "The Pulse On Tour"

Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 large professional theaters in the theater district in New York. It is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theater in the English-speaking world.

Contemporary dance is a genre of concert dance that employs systems and methods found in modern and postmodern dance. Contemporary dance draws on modern dance techniques, as well as newer philosophies of movement that depart from classical dance techniques by altogether omitting structured form and movement.

Foxtrot. According to legend, Harry Fox, inventor of the Foxtrot, was unable to find single female dancers capable of performing the more difficult two step. And so he added stagger steps (two trots), creating the basic Foxtrot rhythm of slow-slow-quick-quick.

Ballet is a formalized type of performing dance, which originated in sixteenth- and seventeenth-centuries in French courts, and which was further developed in England, Italy, and Russia as a concert dance form. Classical Ballet is the most formal of the ballet styles, and adheres to traditional ballet technique.

Hip hop dance refers to dance styles, mainly street dance styles, primarily danced to Hip Hop music, or that have evolved as a part of the Hip Hop culture. Hip hop dance can be seen as part of the Hip Hop culture in the US. By its widest definition, it can include a wide range of styles such as breaking, popping, locking, house dance, and even electro dance.

Jazz dance is an umbrella term that can refer to several related dance styles. All of them are connected via common roots, namely tap, ballet, jazz music, and African-American rhythms and dance.

Disco originated in African American and Hispanic communities in the United States, starting in Philadelphia and later in New York City during the late 1960s and early 1970s. It is considered a forerunner to disco style clubs

Quickstep is an international style ballroom dance that follows a 2/4 or 4/4 time beat, similar to a fast Foxtrot An example of a song suitable for the classic quickstep would be Louis Prima: "Sing, Sing, Sing. However, while the dance may appear very similar to a fast Foxtrot, its technique and patterns are distinct.

Viennese Waltz (German: Wiener Walzer) is a genre of the  ballroom dance. At least three different meanings are recognized. In the historically first sense, the name may refer to several versions of the waltz, including the earliest waltzes done in ballroom dancing, danced to the music of Viennese Waltz.

Tango is a ballroom dance that branched away from its original Argentine roots by allowing European, American, Hollywood, and competitive influences into its style and execution. The present day ballroom tango is divided into two disciplines: American or International.

Jive is a type of ballroom dancing style in 4/4 time that originated in the US from African Americans in the early 1940s. It is a lively and uninhibited variation of the jitterbug, a form of swing dance. Jive is one of the five international latin dances.

ChaCha, Rumba & Samba, paso doble, and jive These categories are referred to as international style ballroom dances, also called Latin American dances or International Latin.

Bollywood This music and dance is a synthesis of formal and folk east indian traditional music with the infusion of western techniques. The Bollywood dances have evolved as a unique and energetic style.