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Fox‘s So You Think You Can Dance has been renewed for an 18th season that will premiere Monday, March 4 at 9/8c and bring series co-creator Nigel Lythgoe back to the judging table.
On the dais, Lythgoe will be joined by Dancing With the Stars vet Maksim Chmerkovskiy and SYTYCD alum/Emmy-nominated DWTS choreographer Allison Holker. SYTYCD All-Star Comfort Fedoke — now an associate choreographer on the new Wicked film and associate choreographer for London’s Cabaret — will serve as a guest judge during the auditions.
Cat Deeley, who has hosted SYTYCD since Season 2, will return as host, and all episodes will tape not in Los Angeles but for the first time ever in Atlanta. (Fox’s Snake Oil and LEGO Masters also shoot in Atlanta.)
“So You Think You Can Dance is television’s preeminent dance competition, and we are thrilled to bring the beloved show back for an all-new season,” Allison Wallach, President of Unscripted Programming at FOX Entertainment, said in a statement. “Reuniting Cat, Nigel, Allison and Comfort, and welcoming Maksim into the SYTYCD family, is sure to make Season 18 bigger than ever for their legions of fans around the globe.”
Season 18 will infuse the long-running dance competition with a new format “reflecting the authentic experience of building a successful career in dance, as so many So You Think You Can Dance alums have.”
Namely, each week, contestants will compete in new, intense dance challenges that will give them a real taste of the career, from performing in a music video or a football halftime show to going toe-to-toe on stage with a Broadway performer.
Eliminations will take place weekly, with the Top 3 finalists competing in the season finale, but only one will win the $100,000 grand prize and the highly coveted title of So You Think You Can Dance champion.
Season 18 will also debut new storytelling elements to “further capture the authentic ups and downs experienced by professional dancers.” For example, for the first time ever, in addition to the big spectacle dance numbers that SYTYCD has long been famous for, viewers will get a documentary-style inside look at the contestants’ dynamics, following them throughout the competition as they go through their personal and competitive journeys.
SYTYCD debuted in July 2005 and aired regularly for 16 seasons, through September 2019. After a multi-year hiatus, the dance competition returned in May 2022 with a 17th season — and a revamped judging panel comprised of onetime SYTYCD finalist Stephen “tWitch” Boss (who passed away last December; Holker was his wife), DWTS runner-up JoJo Siwa and sitcom vet Leah Remini.
(Note: So You Think You Can Dance producer dick clark productions is owned by a subsidiary of Penske Media Corporation, TVLine’s parent company.)
Intersting that so many shows film in Georgia now. I think Family Feud is there and the circle has moved there as well.
I think they offer some nice tax incentives so there are a number of big studios in or around Atlanta, including Tyler Perry’s, which (at least at one time) was the largest in the country.
And I believe it’s still a ‘right to work’ state. So unions are minimal as are crew wages….
Tax incentives are key to bringing in the filming crowd. Also, there are numerous studios there now (Turner, Tyler Perry, Pinewood, and EUE/Screen Gems).
It’s been growing for the last 20 years down there. Avengers: Infinity War/Endgame, Walking Dead, Stranger Things, Vampire Diaries, and so many others have been shot in Georgia.
Yay! Yay! Yay!
Georgia offers some pretty juicy tax incentives to film there and because so many other shows already film there, there’s a large pool of labor to draw on.
YEAH!!!
I am very happy that SYTYCD is back with Nigel in command. And maybe bring back Mary Murphy for at least one night!
Sorry, but if I ever see Ms. Murphy again it will be too soon.
They hyped up her personality too much, but she was an excellent ballroom judge!
She’s the reason that I stopped watching & maks will be the reason that I start back!
Nigel is kind of creepy, but I love SYTYCD. Glad the show is coming back.
So DARN EXCITED!
I’m happy about this. The judging panel looks good. Really happy Nigel’s back and Cat is still there, and it will be interesting to see how Maks does on the other side of the judge’s table. I probably wasn’t going to watch a new season, but I’ve changed my mind now.
I think the judging panel can make or break a show like this. Last season, tWitch (RIP) was solid, but Jojo was a bit extra (unsurprising) and Leah was way out of her depth (I’ll cut her a break and blame Morrison instead). It really didn’t work.
Plus the insta-voting felt really off to me. I hope they go back to revealing the results the following week.
But this new panel, with Nigel, Maks and Alison seems pretty strong on paper. Glad to see Comfort as a judge as well.
That judging panel was really awful and brought the show way down. I stopped watching after the first couple episodes. So happy it’s back with what looks to be competent judges and a new format.
This was the best competition show in its heyday. I’m excited to watch again.
Now, that is a great judging panel!
Can these companies actually announce the fate of these shows quicker, instead of over a year since they last aired?
Maybe they would have but i bet they were dealing with the fact twitch died and didn’t know how or if they should proceed!
I’ll take this delayed renewal over a quick cancellation any day
I wonder if the show was pretty much dead but resurrected due to the lack of scripted content?? Either way, I’m so glad it’s back.
Glad to see Allison Holker (and Nigel!) on there… but that said, where’s Mary Murphy? Woman needs to be on that judging panel!
There are 2 women on the panel and 2 men so that’s fair
Sooooo excited to hear this great news!!!!
Great news but they did Mary Murphy dirty!
Nigel is an essential part of SYTYCD, and I’m glad to see him back, but I do hope he’s had some PR coaching in the interim. The “creepy uncle” vibe definitely went out of fashion sometime last decade.
I agree, Nigel was really pervy back several years ago. Love this show, though, despite him. Glad that SYTYCD is coming back,
It’s his show!
I really like the panel of judges. Nigel is the show and it’s great that he’s back. Without him there is no SYTYCD. Allison is perfect to be there since Twitch is no longer able to be there. In my mind I will always see him sitting next to his wife. I miss him so much. Comfort is perfect for the panel as a former great dancer and one of Twitch’s partners. Maksim is a wonderful dancer and a good addition to round out this perfect panel. I am looking forward to the show.
Yeah Comfort is one of the all-time greats of the show! Glad to see her getting more time! I miss Twitch too. 😢
Glad it’s back, but where’s Shankman? And, is Sonya Tahey gonna be part of it?
Interesting for Cat Deeley. She lives in London, her husband is in Ireland to host the Irish Late Late show on Friday’s and then his radio show in Northern Ireland on Saturday mornings. How do they make that work with 2 little kids?
A lot of people in the entertainment industry make things like this work, even from halfway across the globe. It’s not an entire year, and in my opinion the show wouldn’t be the same without Cat hosting.
They can also afford to fly back and forth as much as they want! It makes sense too with it filming in Atlanta instead, it’s easier for Cat.
Those two day work weeks for two months must be devastating. 🤡
I am going to watch this season. They finally brought back qualified judges. The early seasons were a great guilty pleasure that I got my family to watch with me.
YAY!!!!!!!
I’m so happy. This is one of the few reality shows that I actually look forward to watching. I’m glad Nigel is back and I’m looking forward to the other judges as well.
Finally! And. Love Allison is involved.. I am still shocked with Twitch!
I can give or take Kat Love Nigel.. Maxim should be ok
This is my fav dance show!
Love this!
Really happy about this! LOVE this show!
Great news and a great panel!
So happy this show is back with real judges who have dancing knowledge and experience. This is going to be great!
Oh no. No. This is not what we asked for. What ruined SYTYCD the first time around was all the changes. Bring back the original format!
I think Maks is a great addition because he has this sterness to him that producers want in a judge but I hope Allison gets to be a mentor. I feel like she has this positive attitude that she would be great being more involved than just as a judge. But if anything you want someone to judge you that knows what it’s like competing on that show.