'So You Think You Can Dance' cuts Ashley Galvan following rib injury

So You Think You Can Dance has eliminated a finalist due to injury for the second week in a row.


Ashley Galvan, a 19-year-old contemporary dancer from Visalia, CA, was ousted from the Fox reality dance competition after she suffered a rib injury while rehearsing for Wednesday night's live Top 7 performance show on Monday.

"I've spoken to both of your doctors, you've had two doctors examine you and an X-ray.  Both of the doctors have said to me [that] you need between three and five weeks rest," So You Think You Can Dance judge and executive producer Nigel Lythgoe announced on Thursday night's live results show.

"[So] if we are going to take into account your safety, your health, and your future career I have to let you go this week."

Similar to last week's announcement of Alex Wong's injury, So You Think You Can Dance had revealed Galvan's injury at the beginning of Wednesday night's show.


"This feels like a terrible moment of deja vu, but tonight I have to announce another contestant injury.  After rehearsals on Monday, Ashley was taken to the hospital with severe rib pains and she has been advised not to dance tonight," host Cat Deeley announced.

Since she had not performed, Galvan was automatically placed into Thursday night's results show bottom threesome (which is normally determined solely by home viewer voting) from which the judges had to select one finalist to eliminate.

Prior to the announcement of Galvan's exit, Deeley had revealed that Billy Bell, a 20-year-old contemporary dancer who currently resides in New York, NY, and Jose Ruiz, a 21-year-old B-boy from Miami, FL, were the other members of the week's bottom three finalists.  

Unlike last week's announcement of Wong's elimination, Lythgoe did not state whether Galvan is invited to return and attempt to compete on next year's So You Think You Can Dance edition.  Nor did he and his fellow judges fawn over Galvan's departure as they did with Wong, who had been considered the competition's frontrunner prior to his injury.

Instead, Lythgoe focused on Galvan's 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.  "If you're going to have a future career, we have to let you get better, sweetheart.  So I'm sorry, you will be leaving us this week."

While she was in tears, Galvan took the announcement of her exit well.

"I'm very disappointed.  This experience has been the most amazing experience I have ever done and everybody is so amazing.  And it just hurts that I have to leave like this, but I'm going to get better," she said.

"Thank you so much for everything."






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