Adam Michael Shankman is an American film director, producer, writer, dancer, author, actor, and choreographer. He was a permanent judge on seasons 6–7 of the television program So You Think You Can Dance. He began his professional career in musical theater, and was a dancer in music videos for Paula Abdul and Janet Jackson. Shankman has choreographed dozens of films and directed several feature-length films, including A Walk to Remember, Bringing Down the House, The Pacifier, and the musicals Hairspray and Disenchanted.
Adam Shankman in 2007
So You Think You Can Dance (American TV series)
So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) is an American reality television dance competition show that currently airs on Fox in the United States and is the flagship series of the international So You Think You Can Dance television franchise. It was created by American Idol producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and is produced by 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions The series premiered on July 20, 2005, with over ten million viewers and ended the summer season as the top-rated show on television. The first season was hosted by American news personality Lauren Sánchez. Since the second season, it has been hosted by English former children's television personality and game show emcee Cat Deeley.
Television presenter Cat Deeley has served as the host of So You Think You Can Dance since its second season, presenting every episode since 2006.
Nigel Lythgoe is co-creator of the So You Think You Can Dance franchise, and has been executive producer of the U.S. and U.K. productions for their entire runs. He also served as a permanent judge for the first sixteen seasons of the U.S. production as well as the entire run of the U.K. production.