Mary Murphy (choreographer) (Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Mary Murphy (born March 9) is a ballroom dance champion, accredited dance judge, and a regular judge and choreographer on the FOX dance competition-reality show So You Think You Can Dance.

Career

Mary Murphy was born in Lancaster, Ohio, the only daughter in an Irish family of four children. She graduated from Northwest High School in Canal Fulton, Ohio.

Shortly after graduating from Ohio University with a degree in Physical Education and a minor in modern dance, Murphy moved to Washington, D.C. where, looking for a summer job, she answered an ad in the newspaper for a local studio recruiting instructor trainees. Some time later the studio owner invited her to attend the United States Ballroom Championships in New York City.

In April 1990, she opened the Champion Ballroom Academy in downtown San Diego. Whilst running the dance school, she regularly commuted to Europe representing Austria as national champion with Manfred Stiglitz. The demands of travel took their toll, and despite the promise of placing in the top six in the world, they eventually parted.

For the next five years she went on to build a list of accomplishments with various partners including 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. 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.

So You Think You Can Dance?

While in Hollywood being screen tested as a judge for the first season of Dancing with the Stars, she met with the producers of another new dance show in early 2005. She was offered a slot on rotation as a judge and choreographer for the Fox summer series So You Think You Can Dance and returned for season 2 in 2006, spending noticeably more time at the judging table than season 1. Fans of the show developed a love/hate relationship with her emotional commentary and vocal antics; she earned herself the name Queen of Scream. On March 8, 2007, TV Guide reported that Murphy would be joining executive producer/judge Nigel Lythgoe permanently at the judging table for season 3, airing Wednesdays and Thursdays of Summer 2007.

'Chance to Dance' program

In 2006, Mary partnered with a local San Diego-area school district to offer dancing as a regular part of their curriculum. The goal of the "Chance to Dance" program is to provide children with dance classes, resulting in exercise and an exposure to culture and arts. Children are taught dances such as merengue, foxtrot, and swing in their classrooms.

The program is in the process of obtaining non-profit 501(c)(3) status, in order to accept donations and scholarships.

She currently runs her dance studio and organizes a Las Vegas dance competition, the 'Holiday Dance Classic'. She frequently serves as a judge in several reputable competitions, including the U.S. National Ballroom Championships.

Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award, 2007 Heritage Dance Classic
Nominee, Favorite Judge, The 2006 Reality Remix Awards
U.S. National Professional 9-Dance Champion, 1996 United States Ballroom Dance Championships
Austrian National 10-dance and Ballroom Champion, Representatives at the World Championships

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