Mary Murphy
- Mary Murphy
-
- Birth date: March 9
- Birth place: Lancaster, Ohio
- Height: 5'9" (1.75 m)
- Website: www.marymurphy.tv
Biography
Mary Murphy 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.
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. While 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 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.
More info
-Murphy is the only daughter in a family with three other brothers.
-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.
Occupation
-Former ballroom dance champion
-Accredited dance judge
-Regular judge and choreographer for SYTYCD
