Legendary Toni Basil is Guest Judge for So You Think You Can Dance

Toni Basil, (born Antonia Christina Basilotta; a legendary American musician, video artist, actress and choreographer) is the guest judge in the second episode of fifth season of the popular dance reality show So You Think You Can Dance. She would join the regular judges, Nigel Lythegoe and Mary Murphy.

Toni Basil, born in 1943, started her showbiz career as an assistant choreographer back in 1964, in the ABC network’s music variety show called Shindig! As a choreographer she is was instrumental in making Street Dance popular on stage. Then onwards she went onto choreograph for some of the top directors and also for famous music videos like “Once in a life Time” by Talking heads. She got many accolades for her dance show in Las Vegas called The Showgirl Must Go On.

In Films she has worked with famous directors like George Lucas and others and has choreographed some of the most memorable movies of our times. Some of these movies are “The Monkees“, “American Graffiti” and “My Best Friend’s Wedding“.

Besides choreography Basil has had a significant recording and movie career as an actress. She did the title song for the film “Breakaway” and went on to become even more famous through “Mickey”, another of her creations, “Mickey” also saw huge international recognition and became a smash hit world over. Some of her most famous roles have been in movies like “Head”, “Easy Rider” and “Greaser’s Palace”. Let’s hope she adorns the entertainment world for many more years to come.