After not addressing the issue initially, So You Think You Can Dance is expected to clarify whether Ashley Galvan is eligible to compete in next season's competition on-air during this week's Fox broadcasts.

ADVERTISEMENT

The show is expected to address Galvan's eligibility during Thursday's live So You Think You Can Dance results show, a network source told Reality TV World late Tuesday evening.

Ashley Galvan, a 19-year-old contemporary dancer from Visalia, CA, was eliminated from the Fox reality dance competition during last Thursday's results show after she suffered a rib injury while rehearsing for Wednesday's performance show earlier in the week.

After being examined by doctors, she was told the injury would require three to five weeks of rest to heal -- which So You Think You Can Dance judge and executive producer Nigel Lythgoe said gave him little choice but to eliminate her.

"If we are going to take into account your safety, your health, and your future career I have to let you go this week," he said during Thursday night's live results show.

However unlike the prior week's elimination of Alex Wong due to a lacerated Achilles tendon which required surgery, Lythgoe did not invite Galvan to return and attempt to compete on next year's So You Think You Can Dance edition.  Instead, he only mentioned Galvan's possible participation in this fall's So You Think You Can Dance dance tour.

"I really believe that if you are going to do the tour -- and I know that they're going to introduce dancers from Season 6, Season 7 and the all-stars -- and I believe, if you're healthy enough, you've been chosen to go on that tour," he said.

Lythgoe's comments prompted immediate viewer speculation that So You Think You Can Dance may be showing favoritism toward Wong -- whom the show's judges had repeatedly gushed over and considered the competition's frontrunner prior to his injury.

The speculation then grew stronger when Galvan still seemed unclear about her return eligibility and potential tour participation on Friday.

"If I get asked to come back, I probably would, yes.  But then again, I don't know because I am looking forward to doing the tour," she told reporters during a media conference call when asked if she had been told she was eligible to return for the show's eighth season. 

"Yesterday was my first time hearing about that I was picked for the tour.  So I'm just hoping that it's the truth and I hope that I get to go on and I hope that I get better."

Fox was then also unable to clarify Galvan's eligibility status when contacted by Reality TV World on Monday.

However a few hours later, Lythgoe posted a Twitter message in which he stated Galvan's eighth-season eligibility will depend on whether she participates in this fall's tour and blamed the network for forcing her to choose between the two.

"Ashley will be invited back to Vegas next year if she doesn't do the tour. FOX feels you can do one or the other. I'm hoping she'll tour!" he wrote.
About The Author: Steven Rogers

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON GOOGLE NEWS