Allison Holker & Ryan Rankine Are Eliminated on So You Think You Can Dance  7/28/06

ALLISON HOLKER AND RYAN RANKINE ARE ELIMINATED ON "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE"

NEW RECORD SET WITH ALMOST 10 MILLION VOTES CAST

Top 6 Dancers Will Compete on the Next Performance Show Wednesday, August 2, on FOX

Omarion to Perform on the Results Show Thursday, August 3

Another record was set after Wednesday’s SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE performance show, when viewers cast nearly 10 million votes for their favorite dancers. The hit series, newly picked up for a third season, hustled past the competition this week as the Top 8 finalists performed two routines with a partner on Wednesday, and last night Busta Rhymes performed “I Love My Chick” and “In the Ghetto” from his CD “The Big Bang.”

Wednesday’s episode was the highest-rated program of the night among Adults 18-49, Adults 18-34 and other key demos. Compared to its average last summer, the Wed/Thu average of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE shows impressive gains: +19% among Adults 18-49, +18% among Adults 18-34, +13% among Teens and +18% in Total Viewers.

Based on voting totals after Wednesday's performance show, the bottom two guys were Ryan Rankine and Travis Wall, and the bottom two girls were Allison Holker and Natalie Fotopoulos. It was revealed last night that the guy and the girl who received the fewest votes were Rankine and Holker. Rankine, 20, a contemporary specialist from Brooklyn, NY, and Holker, 18, a modern lyrical specialist from Orem, UT, were eliminated from the competition.

The Top 6 dancers – Top 3 guys Ivan Koumaev, Benji Schwimmer and Travis Wall; and Top 3 girls Natalie Fotopoulos, Heidi Groskreutz and Donyelle Jones – will compete on the performance show Wednesday, Aug. 2 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). They will perform new routines with a partner chosen at random. The following night, after a special performance by Omarion, two more dancers will go home on the live results show Thursday, Aug. 3 (9:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX.

R&B/Pop sensation and actor Omarion was raised in Inglewood, CA, and comes from a family of singers, including his brother, O'Ryan. Omarion released a solo platinum LP titled "O" in February 2005 through Epic Records, a year after playing a lead role in the blockbuster "You Got Served." His sophomore album, "21" (Sony Urban Music/Epic Records), in stores Oct. 31, features contributions from super-producers The Neptunes, The Underdogs and Bryan Michael Cox, as well as Eric Hudson.

The first single, "Entourage," produced by Hudson, blends Omarion's memorable yet danceable chorus with catchy lyrics. Billboard Magazine writes, "Entourage ... is a seemingly effortless R&B record, acing every element from inspired vocal to clever production and exceptional chorus after a single spin. It's a ballpark cross-format smash that has the potential to be a summer 2006 star player."

Starting September 12, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE goes on the road for the first time ever. Fans in cities around the country will have a chance to see their favorite dancers in person. Tickets go on sale August 12. Check fox.com/dance for additional information and updates.

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 Allen Shapiro.

-FOX-