Mary Murphy (choreographer)

Mary Murphy
Mary Murphy in 2006.
Born	Mary Ann Murphy c. 1958 (age 58–59) Lancaster, Ohio, United States
Occupation	Choreographer
Known for	Judge on So You Think You Can Dance (2005–09, 2011-2014)
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Website	marymurphy.tv

Mary Ann Murphy (born c. 1958) is a ballroom dance champion, accredited dance judge, and a former judge and choreographer on the Fox dance competition-reality show So You Think You Can Dance.

Mary Murphy was born in Lancaster, Ohio in an Irish family. She graduated from Northwest High School in Canal Fulton, Ohio.

After graduating from Ohio University with a degree in physical education and a minor in modern dance, Murphy moved to Washington, D.C. to begin her career. She answered a newspaper advertisement for studio instructor trainees. She became an instructor after only one week, and the studio owner invited her to attend the United States Ballroom Championships in New York City, which was the event that influenced her to commit to a career in ballroom dancing.

Murphy moved to California and searched for a dance partner while working as an instructor. During the U.K. Open Championships in England, she met Manfred Stiglitz and a dancing partnership was formed. The two began to compete and eventually became the 1990 and 1991 Austrian National Champions. Despite their success, the constant travel and Murphy's domestic commitments took their toll. Murphy had opened the Champion Ballroom Academy in San Diego in 1990 and found it difficult splitting herself between these two obligations.

For the next five years she went on to build a list of accomplishments with partners based in California, earning titles at the Southwest Regional Dance Tournament, the Saint Louis Star Ball, and the International Grand Ball. With partner Bill Milner, Murphy made the U.S. Open Standard final in an unprecedented six months. Finally, in 1996, she and partner Jim Desmond made the final of the U.S. Open American Smooth and won the U.S. Open American Nine Dance. She retired from competition and shifted her focus toward her dance academy.