Orem couple lands on hit dancing show

Orem dancers Ryan and Ashleigh Di Lello are both sleeping with the enemy. They're the first married couple to compete against one another on the new season of Fox's hit show, "So You Think You Can Dance."

Don't expect too much backstabbing in the bedroom, or a "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" scuffle in the living room, though, just some occasional ribbing.

"Ashleigh tended to beat me in competitions [before they were married], so I said, 'It's my turn so you better watch out because I'm going to bring it,' " said Ryan Di Lello, 28.

The sixth season's top 20 dancers will be introduced in a special on Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. on KSTU Channel 13. The first performance will air the following night at 7 p.m., when judges will eliminate

two dancers. Former Orem dancer, Mollee Gray, 18, who now lives in California, also is in the top 20.

The Di Lellos have been in Los Angeles for two weeks, preparing for the start of the television competition. On the dance floor by day, they're fierce competitors. At night, they go home to a studio apartment.

"It's a great blessing," said Ashleigh, 26. "At the end of day we get to go home as ourselves and talk about our day together. We get to unwind with the person we love."

It's the first time the two have compete since marrying nearly five years ago.

Ryan comes from a family of dancers and first started training at the age of four. Ashleigh is the first in her family to step into dancing shoes, beginning with ballet at age 3.

Both grew up in Orem and met when Ryan saw Ashleigh dancing at the famed Center Stage Performing Arts Studio in Orem, a breeding ground for other dancers who have appeared on "SYTYCD" and ABC's "Dancing With the Stars." (Center Stage alum Chelsie Hightower was a contestant on "SYTYCD" and now is a professional dancer on this season's "DWTS.")

"She just totally caught my eye. I said to my friend, 'Who is that? She is so beautiful,' " Ryan remembered. "We met

and totally connected. We considered dancing with each other, but we wanted to focus on the relationship and not mix the stress of competing."

It wasn't until they got married that they began dancing as a couple in contests all over the world. Now they have turned into raging competitors.

"It adds more spice to our relationship," Ashleigh said, laughing. "It's fun. It's a new challenge. It's doubly exciting for us. We're trying twice as hard to compete against each other now."