So You Think You Can Dance Kicks Off With Atlanta & Bay Area Auditions

Summer's hottest dance series, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, returns for its eighth season with auditions from Atlanta and the Bay Area on a two-hour premiere Thursday, May 26 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Hosted by Cat Deeley, the series will continue to amaze viewers as dancers skilled in styles ranging from hip-hop to ballroom compete to be named America's Favorite Dancer.

This season's auditions will feature resident judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy, as well as guest judges Debbie Allen, Robin Antin, Lil C, Tyce Diorio, Jason Gilkison, Toni Redpath and Adam Shankman. After the premiere, auditions continue in New York and Salt Lake City Wednesday, June 1 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and in Los Angeles on Thursday, June 2 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT).

Talented dancers who spark the judges' interest during these auditions will be invited to Las Vegas for the callback round Wednesday, June 8 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). Then on Thursday, June 9 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) the judges will announce the Top 20 finalists - 10 guys and 10 girls - who will continue in the competition. The Top 20 finalists will perform in their own specialties, free of any judgment or voting, so that America can get to know more about them and their talents before being asked to vote.

Beginning Wednesday, June 15 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed), the Top 20 finalists will be paired to perform inspired pieces choreographed by some of the biggest names in dance during weekly two-hour performance shows. Following the episodes, viewers will be able to vote for their favorite couples.

Airing Thursdays beginning June 16 (8:00-9:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed), the live results shows reveal who keeps dancing and who goes home. Each week, the six contestants comprising the bottom three couples are given a chance to perform solo routines to encourage viewers to keep them on the show. The judges then decide which dancers stay in the competition and which dancers are eliminated. If a couple is split apart, the two individual dancers who remain become a couple the following week.

Once the series is down to the Top 10, the finalists will be joined by a SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE All-Star dancer, and it will be solely up to America to decide who remains in the competition. These SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE All-Stars are experts in various styles of dance - Ballroom, Ballet, Hip-Hop, Contemporary and Jazz - and will partner with one of the Top 10 finalists each week and perform in their specialty.

RECAP (All times ET/PT)

Wednesday, May 26 (8:00-10:00 PM) Atlanta and Bay Area Auditions

Wednesday, June 1 (8:00-10:00 PM) New York and Salt Lake City Auditions

Thursday, June 2 (8:00-9:00 PM) Los Angeles Auditions

Wednesday, June 8 (8:00-10:00 PM) Las Vegas Callbacks

Thursday, June 9 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 20 Revealed/Meet the Top 20 Performances

Wednesday, June 15 (8:00-10:00 PM) First LIVE Performance Show

Thursday, June 16 (8:00-9:00 PM) First LIVE Results Show

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE was created by Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and comes from 19 Entertainment Inc. and Dick Clark productions. It is executive-produced by Simon Fuller, Nigel Lythgoe and Barry Adelman.

About CKX, Inc.

CKX, Inc. is engaged in the ownership, development and commercial utilization of globally recognized entertainment content. The Company's current properties include the rights to the name, image and likeness of Elvis Presley and Muhammad Ali and the operations of Graceland. Through its wholly owned division 19 Entertainment Ltd., CKX owns proprietary rights to the "Idol" and "So You Think You Can Dance" television brands, including the "American Idol" series in the United States and local adaptations of the "Idol" and "So You Think You Can Dance" television show formats, which collectively, air in more than 100 countries, as well as other television properties. Also through 19, CKX has relationships and partnerships with some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Chris Daughtry, David Cook and Adam Lambert. For more information, please visit www.ckx.com.

About Dick Clark productions, inc.

Founded in 1957, Dick Clark productions, inc. (dcp) is a leading independent producer of television programming. dcp produces perennial hits such as the "American Music Awards," "Golden Globe Awards," "Academy of Country Music Awards" and "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest." 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. For more information, please visit www.dickclarkproductions.com.