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

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So You Think You Can Dance
Season 18
Hosted by Cat Deeley
Judges
WinnerAnthony Curley
Runner-upDakayla Wilson
Release
Original network Fox
Original releaseMarch 4 (2024-03-04) 
May 20, 2024 (2024-05-20)
Season chronology
 Previous
Season 17

So You Think You Can Dance is an American dance competition reality show, which returned for its eighteenth season on March 4, 2024. [1] [2]

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 711 and 14 All-Star Allison Holker, [3] 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. [1] [2]

In January 2024, Lythgoe departed from the show following a sex abuse lawsuit from former judge Paula Abdul. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] He was replaced by season 17 judge JoJo Siwa. [9] [10]

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. [11]

On July 20, 2025, the show marked 20 years-old since its series premiere. [12]

Auditions

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. [13] 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, [14] Kenidee Allen who had trained with Maks, [15] Kaylee Bays, a contestant that had been diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome that left her in a wheelchair, [15] and Mariyah Hawkins who had previously auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation. [16]

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 challenge shows.

Top 10 Contestants

Female contestants

ContestantAgeHome TownDance StyleElimination datePlacement
Dakayla Wilson18Tampa, FloridaJazzMay 20, 2024Runner-Up
Madison Rouge Alvarado21Chicago, IllinoisJazz FunkMay 20, 20243rd Place
Mariyah Hawkins21Dallas, TexasContemporaryMay 6, 2024Top 5
Avery Gay19Scottsdale, ArizonaBalletApril 15, 2024Top 10
Olivia Alboher22Totowa, New JerseyContemporaryApril 15, 2024Top 10

Male contestants

ContestantAgeHome TownDance StyleElimination datePlacement
Anthony Curley19Phoenix, ArizonaContemporaryN/AWinner
Easton Magliarditi19Las Vegas, NevadaContemporaryMay 13, 2024Top 4
Jaylin Sanders20Los Angeles, CaliforniaHip-HopApril 29, 2024Top 6
Braylon Browner18Killeen, TexasContemporaryApril 22, 2024Top 8
Roman Nevinchanyi26Kiev, UkraineBallroomApril 22, 2024Top 8

Elimination chart

Contestants are listed in chronological order of elimination.

Legend
Female Male Bottom 3/4 contestants Eliminated
Result show date:4/154/224/295/65/135/20
ContestantResults
Anthony CurleyBtm 4Btm 3Winner
Dakayla WilsonBtm 4Btm 3Runner-Up
Madison Rouge Alvarado3rd Place
Easton MagliarditiBtm 4Btm 3Elim
Mariyah HawkinsBtm 3Elim
Jaylin SandersElim
Roman NevinchanyiElim
Braylon BrownerBtm 4Elim
Olivia AlboherElim
Avery GayElim

Challenge 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 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.

Groups

ContestantsStyleMusicChoreographer(s)Results
Avery GayContemporary"All Around Me" — Justin Bieber Phillip Chbeeb & Makenzie Chbeeb-DustmanEliminated
Dakayla WilsonSafe
Braylon BrownerBottom 4
Roman NevinchanyiSafe
Jaylin Sanders
Olivia AlboherHip Hop"Juice" — Lizzo Luther Brown Eliminated
Mariyah HawkinsSafe
Madison Rouge Alvarado
Easton MagliarditiBottom 4
Anthony CurleySafe

Solos

ContestantStyleMusic
Easton MagliarditiContemporary"The Blower's Daughter" — Damien Rice
Avery GayBallet"Can't Catch Me Now" — Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia AlboherContemporary"Snowing" — Sonya Kitchell
Braylon Browner"Life is Not the Same" — James Blake

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

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.

Groups

ContestantsStyleMusicChoreographer(s)Results
Anthony CurleyBroadway"In the Mood" — BBC Big Band
"I Got Rhythm" — Bobby Darin
Al BlackstoneBottom 4
Dakayla Wilson
Jaylin SandersSafe
Madison Rouge Alvarado
Braylon Browner"Willkommen" — Cabaret
"Money" — Cabaret
Sarah O'GlebyEliminated
Easton MagliarditiSafe
Mariyah Hawkins
Roman NevinchanyiEliminated

Solos

ContestantStyleMusic
Braylon BrownerContemporary"Stabat Mater" — Woodkid
Roman NevinchanyiBallroom"Beggin'" — Måneskin
Dakayla WilsonJazz"Demons" — Doja Cat
Anthony CurleyContemporary"Punchbag Love" — Adam French

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

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 dancer.

Groups

ContestantsStyleMusicChoreographer(s)Results
Easton MagliarditiBroadway"When the Sun Goes Down" — In the Heights Chris ScottSafe
Madison Rouge Alvarado
Jaylin SandersEliminated
Anthony CurleyJazz"Footloose" — Footloose Jamal Sims Safe
Dakayla WilsonBottom 3
Mariyah Hawkins

Solos

ContestantStyleMusic
Mariyah HawkinsContemporary"Stuttering" — Jazmine Sullivan
Jaylin SandersHip-Hop"Proud... Uuu" — TellaX
Dakayla WilsonJazz"My Mind" — Yebba

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

Groups

ContestantsStyleMusicChoreographer(s)Results
Madison Rouge AlvaradoHip Hop/Contemporary Fusion"Church" & "Dreaming" — T-Pain Fullout Cortland & Kyle HanagamiSafe
Anthony CurleyBottom 3
Mariyah HawkinsEliminated
Easton MagliarditiBottom 3
Dakayla WilsonSafe

Solos

ContestantStyleMusic
Easton MagliarditiContemporary"Lately" — Stevie Wonder
Mariyah Hawkins"Lost One" — Jazmine Sullivan
Anthony Curley"Disconnect" — 6lack

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

Groups

ContestantsStyleMusicChoreographer(s)Results
Madison Rouge AlvaradoHip Hop/Contemporary Fusion"I'm Good (Blue)" — David Guetta & Bebe Rexha Hi-Hat Safe
Anthony Curley
Easton MagliarditiEliminated
Dakayla WilsonSafe

Top 4 contestants' solos

ContestantStyleMusic
Anthony CurleyContemporary"Still Alive" — Aaryan Shah
Dakayla WilsonJazz"My Immortal" — Evanescence
Easton MagliarditiContemporary"Perfectly Wrong" — Shawn Mendes
Madison Rouge AlvaradoJazz Funk"Can't Be Tamed" — Miley Cyrus

The Season 18 Finale (May 20, 2024)

Each of the top 3 contestants performed teice: a duet with a fellow Top 10 contestant of their choice, and a solo.

Duets

ContestantStyleMusicChoreographer(s)Results
Madison Rouge AlvaradoJazz Funk
(w/ Braylon Browner)
"Not About You" — Haiku Hands Kayla Radomski & Tucker BarkleyEliminated
Anthony CurleyHip Hop
(w/ Mariyah Hawkins)
"Bang" — Jacob Banks & Tobe Nwigwe Diana Matos & Ivan KoumaevWinner
Dakayla WilsonContemporary
(w/ Easton Magliarditi)
"Change" — Lana Del Rey Talia FaviaRunner-Up

Final Two's solos

ContestantStyleMusic
Anthony CurleyContemporary"Better Alone" — Aaryan Shah
Dakayla WilsonJazz"A Palé" — Rosalía

Ratings

Viewership and ratings per episode of So You Think You Can Dance (American TV series) season 18
No.TitleAir date Rating/share
(18–49)
Viewers
(millions)
1"Auditions: Day One"March 4, 20240.2/21.04 [17]
2"Auditions: Day Two"March 11, 20240.1/10.87 [18]
3"Auditions: Day Three"March 18, 20240.2/20.89 [19]
4"The Final Audition: Top Ten Revealed"March 25, 20240.2/20.85 [20]
5"Challenge #1: Music Videos"April 15, 20240.2/20.81 [21]
6"Challenge #2: Broadway"April 22, 20240.2/10.84 [22]
7"Challenge #3: Movies"April 29, 20240.1/10.76 [23]
8"Challenge #4: On Tour"May 6, 20240.1/10.78 [24]
9"Challenge #5: Brand Challenge"May 13, 20240.1/10.85 [25]
10"The Finale"May 20, 20240.1/10.80 [26]

References

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  9. "JoJo Siwa Returns to the "So You Think You Can Dance" Judging Panel Alongside Allison Holker and Maksim Chmerkovskiy" (Press release). Fox. January 26, 2024. Retrieved February 24, 2024 via The Futon Critic.
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