JoJo Siwa returns to So You Think You Can Dance after Nigel Lythgoe steps down
Dancer and internet star JoJo Siwa will return to the judging panel of dance competition series So You Think You Can Dance, alongside So You Think You Can Dance All-Star and Emmy-nominated choreographer Allison Holker and Dancing with the Stars alum choreographer and pro dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy. Presenter and author Cat Deeley continues to host the dance competition series, which makes its 18th season debut on Monday, March 4 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX and next-day Hulu.
JoJo steps in after creator-producer Nigel Lythgoe was hit with a lawsuit from Paula Abdul accusing him of sexual assault incidents that happened when she worked as a judge on both American Idol and SYTYCD. Lythgoe served as executive producer on both shows. He recently stepped down from both his So You Think You Can Dance judging and producer duties.
“I have informed the producers of So You Think You Can Dance of my decision to step back from participating in this year’s series,” Lythgoe said in a statement. “I did so with a heavy heart but entirely voluntarily because this great program has always been about dance and dancers, and that’s where its focus needs to remain. In the meantime, I am dedicating myself to clearing my name and restoring my reputation.”
SYTYCD will feature a new format
Season 18 will feature 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. 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. In the end, it will be up to the judges to decide their fate. 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 be crowned the winner of So You Think You Can Dance Season 18.
This season will also debut new storytelling elements to further capture the authentic ups and downs experienced by professional dancers. For the first time ever, in addition to the big spectacle dance numbers that So You Think You Can Dance 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, including the daily struggles, new relationships, personality clashes and more.
