The line snaked around the Atlas Performing Arts Center.

And it was coooooooold.

Brittny Sugarman, an 18-year-old dancer, left the warm climes of Florida and was the first in line at the SYTYCD auditions in D.C. She was hoping to make it to the top.

Long Island's Marlon Glenn called himself a "hip-hop reggae krumper," and went on: "I mix it all up into one and just do my thing."

Tiffany Howard, a dancer from Virginia, said she hoped to impress the judges with her hip-hop and street-dance moves.

Ziva Gibb, of York, Pa., was sidelined by an asthma attack during the Atlanta auditions after nearly making it to Vegas last year. She's hoping for better results this time around. (See more of her story in the video at top.)

At long last, host Cat Deeley announced that the doors were opening for auditioners.

And the potential contestants rushed the doors. On behalf of the cameras. This was where you could see a little bit of the sausage-making. Producers had the first 40 or so people rush in, after which they returned to an orderly single-file line and went in for real. But that would be boring TV.

Host Cat Deeley talks with another Fox staffer about what happens next.

Speaking of which, my understanding is that first round continues tomorrow, and then callbacks take place on Saturday and Sunday at an undisclosed location.

Were any of you there? What was it like inside? (We media types weren't allowed in, but then neither were parents or other supporters.)

The last two audition cities are Los Angeles (March 6) and Milwaukee (March 20), and the season kicks off after Idol wraps up in May.

(Photos from the auditions by me)