Dan Karaty, a renowned talent judge, currently serves as a juror or mentor on various international versions of "So You Think You Can Dance" and other prominent television programs. His distinctive and thought-provoking critiques have earned him widespread recognition and admiration from audiences worldwide.
Before his television career, Karaty worked as a producer and choreographer on NBC's top-rated "America's Got Talent" and contributed to the choreography of the music video "Evacuate the Dance Floor" by Cascada, which received an MTV Video Music Award nomination for Best Dance Video.
Karaty made his feature film debut in the box office hit "Soof," alongside Lies Visschedijk. He has also choreographed major motion pictures, including Disney's "Prom," "Music & Lyrics" with Drew Barrymore, and "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" with Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Born to Broadway veterans Tom and Jane Karaty, dance is an integral part of Dan's life. Although his theater roots have had a significant influence on his work, he initially chose to pursue a career in hip-hop and sneakers. His unique path has allowed him to infuse his work with the spirit of classic inspirations like Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, and trailblazers in hip-hop and pop culture such as Michael Jackson.
During his college years at New York University, Karaty taught at the popular Tremaine Dance Conventions, where he met his friend and collaborator Wade Robson. He made his Broadway debut in the hit musical "Footloose" and soon began dancing with Britney Spears at the MTV Video Music Awards and the Billboard Awards.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism, Karaty decided to move to Hollywood, where he continued to collaborate with Robson. Their rise to fame was rapid, with high-profile projects like Spears' first Pepsi commercial and the *NSYNC world tour.
Karaty then branched out on his own, choreographing music videos for Jessica Simpson, Kylie Minogue, and other cutting-edge artists like Justin Timberlake and Usher. He also worked on commercials for iPod, Best Buy, Mattel, Miller, Dance Central 2, Xbox Kinect, and many more.
In addition to his role as a judge on various television programs, Karaty is focused on producing and directing films, television, and theater. He is currently developing several film and television projects, as well as a Broadway production of his own.
