At one point, So You Think You Can Dance was the main competition show for dancers who wanted to become mainstream. Due to the show’s success, multiple other networks tried to compete, with shows like World of Dance, Dance Moms, Come Dance With Me, The Masked Dancer, and more. In 2026, there is no competition created specifically for dancers, which poses the question, what happened to So You Think You Can Dance?
What Actually Happened to So You Think You Can Dance?
It’s no secret that So You Think You Can Dance was one of the biggest shows on tv in its prime. This show was able to create a pipeline between dancers and professional opportunities, whether it be Dancing With The Stars, background dancers for musicians, touring with other professionals, and more.
In 2026, it has not been revealed whether the show will be returning to FOX this summer. The show, which began in 2005, has not been televised since the summer of 2024. There have been a ton of controversies behind the judging panel, including including one that got a panelist removed in 2022.
Additionally, the show’s co-creator Nigel Lythgoe was accused of sexual assault by former American Idol judge Paula Abdul. The news of this lawsuit gained national attention during So You Think You Can Dance‘s recent season, and was later settled in December 2024.
Does The Show Provide Opportunities for Winners?
Aside from the controversies, fans noticed that winners of the series were given less opportunities in current day, than in the past. In 2022, Latin ballroom dancer Alexis Warr Burton was crowned as the champion of So You Think You Can Dance Season 17. Following her win, Burton joined Derek Hough’s tour and also became a background dancer on America’s Got Talent.
During the same year, Burton signed on to Dancing With The Stars, where she remained as a troupe dancer until she left the show after Season 32 (Fall 2023). Throughout her time on Dancing With The Stars, fans rallied behind Burton, saying that she deserved to be promoted to cast member. Many even pointed out that in 2023, Rylee Arnold joined the cast without any troupe experience, over Burton, who had not only won So You Think You Can Dance, but also had Dancing With The Stars experience.
If you’re familiar with the Dancing With The Stars fandom, you’ll know that this controversy is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Arnold’s introduction to the show. Alas, Burton chose to leave the show after Season 32. In 2024, she was featured in JoJo Siwa’s “Karma” music video, as the main dancer.
In current day, Burton has officially found a home on television, in the United Kingdom. In July 2025, it was announced that Burton was joining the Strictly Come Dancing cast as a professional dancer. She’s still a professional dancer on the UK’s version of Dancing With The Stars in 2026.
Will The Show Return in The Future?
It’s difficult to know if this show will ever return in the future, due to the controversy behind the show’s co-creator, as well as the most recent judging panel. If this series were to return, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Lythgoe’s name detached all together.
Judging panel wise, the most recent panel comprised of former So You Think You Can Dance alum Allison Holker, former DWTS pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy, and Dance Moms star JoJo Siwa. This judging panel made sense for the show, since each member had dancing experience, in different genres. During 2024’s season of So You Think You Can Dance, the controversy wasn’t related to the judging panel, but more the show’s co-creator.
That being said, Siwa went on to date two women who appeared on the 2024 season of the show. She allegedly dated dancers Madison Rouge Alvarado and Dakayla Wilson. It’s unknown whether she began dating either dancer while they were on the series. Regardless, power dynamic was the topic of conversation, since Siwa previously was the judge of both women.
Do you think So You Think You Can Dance will return in the future? Who do you want to see on the judging panel? Let us know on X!
Words by:
Corey Cesare Corey Cesare is Talent Recap's Managing Editor and featured YouTube Host. She has a love of all things pop culture and an unhealthy obsession with celebrities. Corey earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Cinema/Screen Studies from the State University of New York at Oswego in 2021. She spends her spare time shooting astro, nature, and portrait photography, and coming up with movie ideas that she hopes to make into a film someday.
