Is So You Think You Can Dance Returning After a Two Year Absence?

CR: Adam Rose/FOX

So You Think You Can Dance executive producer Nigel Lythgoe teased on Twitter that the long-running dance competition may be returning. He posted “I think #SYTYCD fans might be getting some good news this year?” What could that possibly mean?

The show was all set to return to FOX the summer of 2020 for a 17th season. Just as auditions were ready to kick off, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down film and TV production. While other competitive reality shows like American Idol, The Voice and America’s Got Talent managed to work around the shutdown with remote episodes and audience free tapings, FOX decided to cancel the season.

The following year, 2021, FOX decided not to bring back the show. However, the network never officially canceled SYTYCD. The last word from the network was, “It could come return.” In the meantime, however, FOX went all in on The Masked Singer type competition shows, after that wacky competition format proved to be so successful. Straight up talent competitions aren’t so popular any more. It seems like there’s always got to be a twist. Either contestants are masked, bad singers in disguise, not actual singers but impersonators etc etc.

Will FOX bring back SYTYCD?

Will FOX bring back the show this summer when it can air a season of The Masked Dancer or something similar? Maybe Nigel has cut a deal with a popular streamer like Paramount+, Disney+ or Peacock. American Idol jumped to ABC only two years after FOX canceled it at 15 seasons. Now the veteran show is celebrating 20 seasons at its new home.

After NBC canceled Jennifer Lopez’s World of Dance competition, there are NO dance competitions on television that feature professional dancers. Pro ballroom dancers compete on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. But that show is about the STARS, who are mostly untrained.  So You Think You Can Dance, has created many memorable Emmy winning routines by talented choreographers like Mandy Moore, Sonya Tayeh, Napoleon and Tabitha and so many more. A return of SYTYCD to TV would fill that unfortunate void.

SYTYCD has created stars

Also worth noting–SYTYCD has featured dancers who went on to become successful performers. For instance, hit making pop singer, Tate McRae came in third as a 13 year old on the ill-advised Junior version of the show in 2016. And hey, here is a fun fact you MAY not know. Ariana DeBose landed a spot in the SYTYCD season 6 Top 20 back in 2009. The triple threat has starred on Broadway, but recently she landed the role of Anita in Stephen Spielberg’s West Side Story reboot. She also hosted the Jan. 15 edition of Saturday Night Live on NBC.

Here’s Ariana and Peter Sabasino dancing Hip-Hop to “Black and Gold” by Sam Sparro. Choreography Tabitha and Napoleon D’umo. Ariana left SYTYCD after the first week of competition. Nevertheless we NEED more of this NOW! We need SYTYCD back on our TVs ASAP.

About mj santilli 34841 Articles
Founder and editor of mjsbigblog.com, home of the awesomest fan community on the net. I love cheesy singing shows of all kinds, whether reality or scripted. I adore American Idol, but also love The Voice, Glee, X Factor and more!