So You Think You Can Dance has filled its twelfth-season judging panel by adding two new celebrities to the mix.

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Fox has announced platinum-selling recording artist Jason Derulo and well-known choreographer and reality TV judge Paula Abdul will be joining mainstay Nigel Lythgoe at the judges' table on the next edition of So You Think You Can Dance. Cat Deeley will be reprising her role as host on Season 12, which is set to air in Summer 2015.

"With the new and exciting format comes a new and exciting panel of judges," Lythgoe said in a statement.

"I'm delighted that Paula Abdul and Jason Derulo will be joining me at the judges' table this season on So You Think You Can Dance. Paula is an incredible artist and she brings the perfect combination of expertise and heart to the panel. Jason's insight, humor and creativity will add a new perspective to the panel that we haven't had before."

Derulo and Abdul are just as excited to be a part of the series' new "Stage vs. Street" edition.

"I am truly excited, and eagerly look forward to joining the cast of So You Think You Can Dance," Derulo explained. "It is one of the most respected and longest-tenured shows on network television, and I hope to be a part of new growth and continued success."

"I have dedicated a large part of my career as a choreographer to discovering and mentoring some of the most iconic artists and performers from all over the world," added Abdul, who has served as a guest judge on the show multiple times.

"So You Think You Can Dance has a long-standing history of launching brilliant careers for young choreographers and dancers in the industry. It's going to be a true honor and pleasure joining this panel with Jason and Nigel, and I'm looking forward to an exciting new season!"

Derulo has been pumping out hits since he made his debut in pop music five years ago. He's sold over 45 million records worldwide. Abdul previously judged American Idol, The X Factor and her own show Live to Dance.

SYTYCD auditions will begin Saturday, January 24 in New York, NY, and conclude in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 15. Throughout the auditions, the dancers who advance to the next round will be placed into two teams -- the "Stage" dancers and the "Street" dancers, which is a huge departure from previous seasons.

Stage dancers will include those trained in styles such as contemporary, ballet, jazz and tap. The latter will feature hopefuls skilled in hip-hop, animation or breaking. The show's judges and each team's all-star mentor will eliminate dancers as the process unfolds until only a Top 20 remains. The Top 20 will be comprised of 10 stage dancers and 10 street dancers.

When the competition goes live, the Top 20 will perform different choreographed routines from a broad range of dance styles each week and one dancer from each genre -- one stage and one street -- will be eliminated, leading right up to the Season 12 finale during which only one dancer will be crowned champion.

Auditions will also be held in Dallas on February 14, Detroit on February 22, Memphis on March 8, and Los Angeles on March 15.

So You Think You Can Dance is produced by 19 Entertainment and dick clark productions. Lythgoe, Simon Fuller, Allen Shapiro, Barry Adelman, James Breen, and Jeff Thacker serve as executive producers.


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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