“So You Think You Can Dance” Star Accused of Sexual Assault

Alex da Silva charged with assaulting four women

A dance instructor and choreographer who worked  on the Fox TV show "So You Think You Can Dance" was arrested Tuesday on a  felony warrant accusing him of sexually assaulting four women who met him  through classes he taught.

Alex Da Silva, a 41-year-old salsa dance instructor, was arrested early  this morning at his North Hollywood home and jailed in lieu of $6.2 million bail, according to the District Attorney's Office.

The warrant, filed Monday, charges Da Silva with eight felonies: four  counts of forcible rape and two counts each of assault with intent to commit  rape and sexual penetration by a foreign object.

Da Silva choreographed 19 dances during the first four seasons of "So You Think You Can Dance." He appeared as a guest performer in the show's first season.

The alleged assaults involve four women between the ages of 20 and 26,  and occurred between August 2002 and March 2009, said Deputy District Attorney  Rosa Alarcon.

The alleged victims are either dancers or aspiring dancers who met him  through his dance instruction classes, according to the prosecutor.

Da Silva was first arrested April 4 in connection with allegations that  he sexually assaulted four of his students between May 2003 and March of this  year.

But he was released after prosecutors asked police to further  investigate the allegations. District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Jane  Robison said then that more alleged victims had come forward and still needed  to be interviewed.

Robison declined comment today on whether the charges involve the same  four initial alleged victims.

Da Silva is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Van Nuys Superior  Court. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison, according to the District  Attorney's Office. 

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