So You Think You Can Dance (American TV series) season 18

So You Think You Can Dance is an American dance competition reality show, which returned for its eighteenth season on March 4, 2024.

An eighteenth season of So You Think You Can Dance was announced on December 5, 2023, with a judging panel composed of series creator Nigel Lythgoe (which would have been his seventeenth season as judge), season 2 contestant and season 7–11 and 14 All-Star Allison Holker, and former Dancing with the Stars pro dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy. Comfort Fedoke guest judged during the auditions. Cat Deeley returned to her role as host for a seventeenth consecutive season.

In January 2024, Lythgoe departed from the show following a sex abuse lawsuit from former judge Paula Abdul. He was replaced by season 17 judge JoJo Siwa.

The season premiere ended with a tribute to season 4 runner-up, former judge, and Holker's husband Stephen "tWitch" Boss who was found dead by suicide in December 2022.

On May 20, 2024, Anthony Curley was crowned "America's Favorite Dancer".

Auditions

The auditions for season 18 of So You Think You Can Dance took place in Pullman Yards in Atlanta, Georgia where all the dancers had to audition in front of judges Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Allison Holker, and special guest judge Comfort Fedoke. From the thousands that applied through video submissions, the Top 100 were invited to Atlanta to audition in front of the judges. Unlike previous seasons, this season took more of a documentary style and taught the audience a little bit more about the dancers' background. Notable dancers included Easton Magliarditi who auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation, Jin Lee, who had dedicated her dance to Allison Holker's late husband Stephen "Twitch" Boss, Kenidee Allen who had trained with Maks, Kaylee Bays, a dancer that had been diagnosed with Ehlers-Danolos syndrome that left her in a wheelchair, and Mariyah Hawkins who had previously auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation.

Choreography Round

Like season 17, the Callbacks/Academy Round was renamed the Choreography Round and took place over one day, as opposed to one week like past seasons. The Choreography Round consisted of two rounds led by choreographer, Galen Hooks. The first round had the contestants dancing in different groups, and the second round focused on partner work. 35 contestants made it to the choreography round and were eliminated after each round until 10 remained to advance to the studio shows.

Top 10 Contestants

Female contestants

Male contestants

Elimination chart

Contestants are listed in chronological order of elimination.

Studio shows

For the first time this series, the judges are solely responsible for which dancers are safe and which are eliminated, with no audience voting. Previously, the dancers which received the most audience votes each week would be safe from elimination.

Top 10 Perform – Challenge #1: Music Videos (April 15, 2024)

In this challenge, the top 10 were divided into two groups of five dancers; each group performed a music video together. The dancers were judged by how they performed both during the filming of the music video as well as the finished product. The judges determined the bottom 4 dancers; the bottom 4 each performed a solo and the judges eliminated two dancers.

• Group Routine: Top 10 with the Judges: "Don't Start Now" – Dua Lipa (Hip Hop; Choreographer: Luther Brown)

Groups

Solos

Top 8 Perform – Challenge #2: Broadway (April 22, 2024)

In this challenge, the top 8 were divided into two groups of four dancers; each group performed a Broadway piece together. The dancers were judged by how they performed both during the filming of the Broadway piece as well as the finished product. The judges determined the bottom 4 dancers; the bottom 4 each performed a solo and the judges eliminated two dancers.

• Group Routine: Top 8: "If My Friends Could See Me Now" – Sammy Davis Jr. (Broadway; Choreographer: Al Blackstone)

Groups

Solos

Top 6 Perform – Challenge #3: Movies (April 29, 2024)

In this challenge, the top 6 were divided into two groups of three dancers; each group performed a movie sequence together. The dancers were judged by how they performed both during the filming of the movie sequence as well as the finished product. The judges determined the bottom 3 dancers; the bottom 3 each performed a solo and the judges eliminated one dancer.

• Group Routine: Top 6: "Low" – Flo Rida (Hip Hop; Choreographer: N/A)

Groups

Solos

Top 5 Perform – Challenge #4: On Tour (May 6, 2024)

• Group Routine: Top 6: "Boombayah" – Blackpink (Hip Hop; Choreographer: Kyle Hanagami)

Groups

Solos

Top 4 Perform – Challenge #5: Brand Challenge (May 13, 2024)

• Group Routine: Top 4: "She's All I Wanna Be" – Tate McRae (Contemporary; Choreographer: Tessandra Chavez)

Groups

Solos

The Season 18 Finale (May 20, 2024)

Each of the finalists performed two times: a duet with a fellow Top 10 finalist of their choice, and a solo.

• Groups:
  • Top 10 & Judges: "Fly as Me" – Silk Sonic (Hip Hop; Choreographer: Luther Brown)
  • Olivia, Avery, Roman, Jaylin & All-Stars (Bailey Munoz (season 16 winner), Alex Wong (season 7 finalist), Alexis Warr (season 17 winner) & Jasmine Harper (season 10 finalist)): Performer: Natasha Bedingfield – "Unwritten"

Duets

Solos

Ratings

References

External links

• Official website