UA Graduate Competes in ‘So You Think You Can Dance’

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Janelle Issis, a 2011 graduate of The University of Alabama, is competing in the ninth season of “So You Think You Can Dance,” broadcast Wednesdays on the Fox network.

Raised in Birmingham, Issis graduated summa cum laude from UA, where she majored in dance (part of the department of theatre and dance) and minored in nutrition. At UA, she choreographed and performed in Dance Alabama! and was a company member for the department’s pre-professional dance company, the Alabama Repertory Dance Theatre. She has trained in all genres of dance including tap, jazz and contemporary, but her specialty is belly dancing.

In January, Issis auditioned for “So You Think You Can Dance.” A  month later, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in dance. Since then, she has undergone several additional rounds of auditions and is in the Top 20 of the program. Fans may vote for Issis at http://www.fox.com/dance/vote after each show.

For more Information, contact Cornelius Carter, director of the UA dance program, at ccarter@as.ua.edu.

The theatre and dance department is part of UA’s College of Arts and Sciences, the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships and memberships on the USA Today Academic All American Team.