“So You Think You Can Dance,” the multi-Emmy-winning dance competition, is finally returning this summer for its long-delayed 17th season, with auditions set for New York City, Los Angeles and New Orleans, Fox announced on Wednesday.
The 16th season premiered on June 3, 2019, and crowned its winner on September 16, 2019. The 17th season was originally set to air in summer 2020, but was indefinitely delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In February 2021, Fox announced the promised season was not happening after all, leaving the show’s future up in the air. But a year later, with the pandemic reaching more manageable numbers, Fox gave the long-delayed season the go-ahead.
This year, the competition is open to “highly skilled dancers between the ages of 18 and 30,” and those who make it to the live show will face “brand-new twists and turns” in the competition.
Auditions kick off in March. Instead of hosting an all-day open call in several cities as in past seasons, dancers will first submit their dance videos online at https://danceshow2022.castingcrane.com. The registration form allows contestants who are transgender or who choose not to share their gender to apply. Selected dancers will be invited to attend auditions in New York, Los Angeles and New Orleans. Those who make the cut will perform for the judges in Los Angeles and try to win a spot as one of the final contestants.
Previous seasons have varied the number of finalists and the number of dancers eliminated each night, and also experimented with pairing up couples versus rotating partnerships, as well as an all-kids edition.
Judges for the new season have not been announced, although co-creator Nigel Lythgoe has never missed a season in the judge’s seat. The last line-up was Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Laurieann Gibson and Dominic Sandoval. Also no confirmation whether Cat Deeley, who has hosted since 2006, will be back.
“So You Think You Can Dance” has received 71 Emmy nominations and garnered 17 wins, including Outstanding Choreography, Outstanding Costumes, Outstanding Lighting Design.
After their linear telecasts, all episodes will be available on Fox’s free streaming platform, Tubi, as well as Fox Now, Hulu and On Demand.
“So You Think You Can Dance” is from Industrial Media’s 19 Entertainment and MRC. The series is executive-produced by co-creator Nigel Lythgoe, Jeff Thacker, Rosie Seitchik, and Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman on behalf of 19 Entertainment. Seitchik will also serve as showrunner.