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 7âÂÂ11 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 the winner.
Only Madison Rouge Alvarado became the forty-third contestant in the show's run never to face elimination from being among the bottom three or bottom four contestants overall, and became the thirty-forth contestant to be in the grand finale to never to face elimination from being among the bottom three or bottom four overall.
On July 20, 2025, the show marked 20 years-old since its series premiere.
The auditions for season 18 of So You Think You Can Dance took place in Pullman Yards in Atlanta, Georgia where all the contestants 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 contestants 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 contestants' background. Notable contestants included Easton Magliarditi who auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation, Jin Lee, who had dedicated her dance to Holker's deceased husband Stephen "tWitch" Boss, Kenidee Allen who had trained with Maks, Kaylee Bays, a contestant that had been diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome that left her in a wheelchair, and Mariyah Hawkins who had previously auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation.
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 challenge shows.
Contestants are listed in chronological order of elimination.
For the first time this series, the judges are solely responsible for which contestants are safe and which are going home, with no audience voting. Previously, the contestants which received the most audience votes each week would be safe from been sent home.
In this challenge, the top 10 contestants were divided into two groups of five contestants; each group performed a music video together. The contestants 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 contestants; the bottom 4 each performed a solo and the judges sent home two contestants in each gender.
In this challenge, the top 8 were divided into two groups of four contestants; each group performed a Broadway piece together. The contestants 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 contestants; the bottom 4 contestants each performed a solo and the judges sent home two contestants.
In this challenge, the top 6 contestants were divided into two groups of three contestants; each group performed a movie sequence together. The contestants 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 contestants; the bottom 3 contestants each performed a solo and the judges sent home one contestant.
Each of the top 3 contestants performed teice: a duet with a fellow Top 10 contestant of their choice, and a solo.