Mary Murphy

An accomplished ballroom dancer and choreographer, Mary Murphy did not hold anything back, especially when it came to mentoring aspiring dancers. She trained in modern dance in college, but developed a passion for competitive ballroom dancing after attending a championship event in New York City. By the early 1990s, Murphy had won ballroom dance titles all over the world, including the prestigious Australian National Championships with her partner Manfred Stiglitz. In 2005, Murphy became a household name after she landed a role as a judge on the reality competition series "So You Think You Can Dance" (Fox, 2005- ). Punctuated by her constant hoots and ecstatic screaming, Murphy's critiques of the dance hopefuls brought a sense of fun to the show. Yet she also took her role as a judge very seriously and pushed the contestants to take their performances to the next level. As zany as her personality was on "So You Think You Can Dance," Murphy managed to mentor and inspire a new generation of talented dancers, while also establishing a versatile career that included film acting and Broadway productions.