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

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]

So You Think You Can Dance
Season 18
Hosted by	Cat Deeley
Judges	Allison Holker JoJo Siwa Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Winner	Anthony Curley
Runner-up	Dakayla Wilson
Release
Original network	Fox
Original release	March 4 (2024-03-04) – May 20, 2024 (2024-05-20)
Season chronology

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 7–11 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.

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.^[11] 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,^[12] Kenidee Allen who had trained with Maks,^[13] Kaylee Bays, a contestant that had been diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome that left her in a wheelchair,^[13] and Mariyah Hawkins who had previously auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation.^[14]

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

Contestant	Age	Home Town	Dance Style	Elimination date	Placement
Dakayla Wilson	18	Tampa, Florida	Jazz	May 20, 2024	Runner-Up
Madison Rouge Alvarado	21	Chicago, Illinois	Jazz Funk	May 20, 2024	3rd Place
Mariyah Hawkins	21	Dallas, Texas	Contemporary	May 6, 2024	Top 5
Avery Gay	19	Scottsdale, Arizona	Ballet	April 15, 2024	Top 10
Olivia Alboher	22	Totowa, New Jersey	Contemporary	April 15, 2024	Top 10

Male contestants

Contestant	Age	Home Town	Dance Style	Elimination date	Placement
Anthony Curley	19	Phoenix, Arizona	Contemporary	N/A	Winner
Easton Magliarditi	19	Las Vegas, Nevada	Contemporary	May 13, 2024	Top 4
Jaylin Sanders	20	Los Angeles, California	Hip-Hop	April 29, 2024	Top 6
Braylon Browner	18	Killeen, Texas	Contemporary	April 22, 2024	Top 8
Roman Nevinchanyi	26	Kiev, Ukraine	Ballroom	April 22, 2024	Top 8

Elimination chart

Contestants are listed in chronological order of elimination.

Legend

Female	Male	Bottom 3/4 contestants	Eliminated

Result show date:	4/15	4/22	4/29	5/6	5/13	5/20
Contestant	Results
Anthony Curley		Btm 4		Btm 3		Winner
Dakayla Wilson		Btm 4	Btm 3			Runner-Up
Madison Rouge Alvarado						3rd Place
Easton Magliarditi	Btm 4			Btm 3	Elim
Mariyah Hawkins			Btm 3	Elim
Jaylin Sanders			Elim
Roman Nevinchanyi		Elim
Braylon Browner	Btm 4	Elim
Olivia Alboher	Elim
Avery Gay	Elim

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.

• Group Routine: Top 10 with the Judges: "Don't Start Now" – Dua Lipa (Hip Hop; Choreographer: Luther Brown)

Groups

Contestants	Style	Music	Choreographer(s)	Results
Avery Gay	Contemporary	"All Around Me" — Justin Bieber	Phillip Chbeeb & Makenzie Chbeeb-Dustman	Eliminated
Dakayla Wilson				Safe
Braylon Browner				Bottom 4
Roman Nevinchanyi				Safe
Jaylin Sanders
Olivia Alboher	Hip Hop	"Juice" — Lizzo	Luther Brown	Eliminated
Mariyah Hawkins				Safe
Madison Rouge Alvarado
Easton Magliarditi				Bottom 4
Anthony Curley				Safe

Solos

Contestant	Style	Music
Easton Magliarditi	Contemporary	"The Blower's Daughter" — Damien Rice
Avery Gay	Ballet	"Can't Catch Me Now" — Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Alboher	Contemporary	"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.

• Group Routine: Top 8: "If My Friends Could See Me Now" – Sammy Davis Jr. (Broadway; Choreographer: Al Blackstone)

Groups

Contestants	Style	Music	Choreographer(s)	Results
Anthony Curley	Broadway	"In the Mood" — BBC Big Band "I Got Rhythm" — Bobby Darin	Al Blackstone	Bottom 4
Dakayla Wilson
Jaylin Sanders				Safe
Madison Rouge Alvarado
Braylon Browner		"Willkommen" — Cabaret "Money" — Cabaret	Sarah O'Gleby	Eliminated
Easton Magliarditi				Safe
Mariyah Hawkins
Roman Nevinchanyi				Eliminated

Solos

Contestant	Style	Music
Braylon Browner	Contemporary	"Stabat Mater" — Woodkid
Roman Nevinchanyi	Ballroom	"Beggin'" — Måneskin
Dakayla Wilson	Jazz	"Demons" — Doja Cat
Anthony Curley	Contemporary	"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.

• Group Routine: Top 6: "Low" – Flo Rida (Hip Hop; Choreographer: N/A)

Groups

Contestants	Style	Music	Choreographer(s)	Results
Easton Magliarditi	Broadway	"When the Sun Goes Down" — In the Heights	Chris Scott	Safe
Madison Rouge Alvarado
Jaylin Sanders				Eliminated
Anthony Curley	Jazz	"Footloose" — Footloose	Jamal Sims	Safe
Dakayla Wilson				Bottom 3
Mariyah Hawkins

Solos

Contestant	Style	Music
Mariyah Hawkins	Contemporary	"Stuttering" — Jazmine Sullivan
Jaylin Sanders	Hip-Hop	"Proud... Uuu" — TellaX
Dakayla Wilson	Jazz	"My Mind" — Yebba

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

• Group Routine: Top 6: "Boombayah" – Blackpink (Hip Hop; Choreographer: Kyle Hanagami)

Groups

Contestants	Style	Music	Choreographer(s)	Results
Madison Rouge Alvarado	Hip Hop/Contemporary Fusion	"Church" & "Dreaming" — T-Pain	Fullout Cortland & Kyle Hanagami	Safe
Anthony Curley				Bottom 3
Mariyah Hawkins				Eliminated
Easton Magliarditi				Bottom 3
Dakayla Wilson				Safe

Solos

Contestant	Style	Music
Easton Magliarditi	Contemporary	"Lately" — Stevie Wonder
Mariyah Hawkins		"Lost One" — Jazmine Sullivan
Anthony Curley		"Disconnect" — 6lack

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

• Group Routine: Top 4: "She's All I Wanna Be" – Tate McRae (Contemporary; Choreographer: Tessandra Chavez)

Groups

Contestants	Style	Music	Choreographer(s)	Results
Madison Rouge Alvarado	Hip Hop/Contemporary Fusion	"I'm Good (Blue)" — David Guetta & Bebe Rexha	Hi-Hat	Safe
Anthony Curley
Easton Magliarditi				Eliminated
Dakayla Wilson				Safe

Top 4 contestants' solos

Contestant	Style	Music
Anthony Curley	Contemporary	"Still Alive" — Aaryan Shah
Dakayla Wilson	Jazz	"My Immortal" — Evanescence
Easton Magliarditi	Contemporary	"Perfectly Wrong" — Shawn Mendes
Madison Rouge Alvarado	Jazz 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.

• Groups:
  • Top 10 & Judges: "Fly as Me" – Silk Sonic (Hip Hop; Choreographer: Luther Brown)
  • Olivia, Avery, Roman, Jaylin & All-Stars (Bailey Munoz (season 16 winner), Alex Wong (season 7 finalist), Alexis Warr (season 17 winner) & Jasmine Harper (season 10 finalist)): Performer: Natasha Bedingfield – "Unwritten"

Duets

Contestant	Style	Music	Choreographer(s)	Results
Madison Rouge Alvarado	Jazz Funk (w/ Braylon Browner)	"Not About You" — Haiku Hands	Kayla Radomski & Tucker Barkley	Eliminated
Anthony Curley	Hip Hop (w/ Mariyah Hawkins)	"Bang" — Jacob Banks & Tobe Nwigwe	Diana Matos & Ivan Koumaev	Winner
Dakayla Wilson	Contemporary (w/ Easton Magliarditi)	"Change" — Lana Del Rey	Talia Favia	Runner-Up

Final Two's solos

Contestant	Style	Music
Anthony Curley	Contemporary	"Better Alone" — Aaryan Shah
Dakayla Wilson	Jazz	"A Palé" — Rosalía

Ratings

Viewership and ratings per episode of So You Think You Can Dance (American TV series) season 18

No.	Title	Air date	Rating/share (18–49)	Viewers (millions)
1	"Auditions: Day One"	March 4, 2024	0.2/2	1.04[15]
2	"Auditions: Day Two"	March 11, 2024	0.1/1	0.87[16]
3	"Auditions: Day Three"	March 18, 2024	0.2/2	0.89[17]
4	"The Final Audition: Top Ten Revealed"	March 25, 2024	0.2/2	0.85[18]
5	"Challenge #1: Music Videos"	April 15, 2024	0.2/2	0.81[19]
6	"Challenge #2: Broadway"	April 22, 2024	0.2/1	0.84[20]
7	"Challenge #3: Movies"	April 29, 2024	0.1/1	0.76[21]
8	"Challenge #4: On Tour"	May 6, 2024	0.1/1	0.78[22]
9	"Challenge #5: Brand Challenge"	May 13, 2024	0.1/1	0.85[23]
10	"The Finale"	May 20, 2024	0.1/1	0.80[24]