'So You Think You Can Dance' season 9 audition dates revealed

Nigel Lythgoe has revealed that auditions for the next season of So You Think You Can Dance will take place early in the New Year.

Audition dates have been booked in five states - Georgia, Texas, New Jersey, Utah and California.

Lythgoe confirmed the following run of dates on his official Twitter account:

• January 5, 2012 - FOX Theatre, Atlanta
  
• January 13, 2012 - McFarlin Memorial Auditorium, Dallas
  
• January 23, 2012 - Manhattan Centre, New York City
  
• February 23, 2012 - Capitol Theatre, Salt Lake City
  
• March 2, 2012 - Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles

So You Think You Can Dance was officially renewed for a ninth season by broadcaster Fox earlier this year. The company's president Mike Darnell hailed the reality dance competition as "a huge part of our success", promising "another fantastic season" of the show.

The eighth season of So You Think You Can Dance, which concluded in August, was won by Melanie Moore.

The 20-year-old from Georgia won a $250,000 (£155,651) prize, the chance to appear on the cover of Dance Spirit magazine and a campaign with Gatorade.