Although he won't be burning up the dance floor, Dr. Joe Ragone is serving as tour physician for the Fox network's series "So You Think You Can Dance."

On the series, contestants' dances vary in style from hip-hop and other street styles to ballroom moves, like salsa and jive.

"The show is very similar to 'American Idol.' They go around the country and have auditions. Then, each week the two dancers with the lowest votes have to leave the show until there is one winner," Ragone said.

Each week, dancers learn a new routine and the judges critique their performance. "Then, America votes," Ragone said. "The top 10 dancers then tour the country after the show ends."

His wife, Melissa, "is a dancer and loves the show, so I watched it as well," he said. He is associated with a group that provides chiropractic and massage services for events throughout the country and had been talking with "So You Think You Can Dance." Contacts with the TV series asked Ragone to join them as chiropractor. His responsibilities are "to do what I can to make them feel better so they can perform that night with less pain." He expects to treat mostly "overuse injuries that develop from repetitive stresses without appropriate time to rest."

Although he'll work closely with the crew, Ragone doesn't plan to pick up any dance moves. "My wife is the dancer in the family, and it is better to leave it at that."

In similar work, Ragone was the chiropractor for the 2004 Snowboarding U.S. Open for Burton Snowboards and was the onsite chiropractic physician for the 2004 Boost Mobile Pro Snowboarding Event in Chicago.

Ragone is a physician at SpineCare of Madison. Melissa Ragone works as office manager for SpineCare.

He received a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Wisconsin. In 2002, he earned a doctorate of chiropractic at the National University of Health Sciences.

"I practiced in Chicago since 2003 before moving toAlabama," Ragone said. He also was a member of the adjunct faculty at Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove, Ill.

For Ragone, entering the field of medicine was "a natural progression for me. I have always been health conscious." He accepted a position at SpineCare of Madison for "a solid practice philosophy. They carved out a great niche in the area."

SpineCare in Madison is at 3825 Sullivan St., Suite 1. For more information, call 461-7775, send e-mail to info@visitspinecare.com or visit www.visitspinecare.com.