(4 July 2005 2:00 pm)

MUMBAI: A few months ago BBC's smash hit Strictly Come Dancing debuted in the US on ABC. That show helped ABC solidify its ratings position. Now rival Fox has announced that it will kick off its own show So You Think You Can Dance on 20 July.

On the show America's top choreographers will put dancers through their paces

Dancers skilled in everything from ballroom and ballet to salsa, jive, hip-hop and krumping, all compete to be named the best. Dancers must impress the judges with their moves and rigorous routines in order to survive the auditions and be invited to Hollywood. Producers travelled to Chicago, New York and Los Angeles in search of dancers who represent the soul and rhythm of America. Some dancers wow the judges, while others leave them speechless.

One of the judges of Fox's music based reality show American Idol Paula Abdul may take part in the dance show. American Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe, who is also producing the dance show says that he does not want to reveal details at this point because there is no guarantee that Abdul would agree.

On the show 50 dancers who survive the auditions will go to Hollywood to work with five of the top choreographers in the business: Alex Da Silva, Brian Friedman, Dan Karaty, Mia Michaels and Mary Murphy. During the Hollywood Week the semi finalists will dance their hearts out, as they learn challenging routines and hope to impress the choreographers.

The concept was created by Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and comes from 19 TV and Dick Clark Productions.