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Season 17 of So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) premiered on Wednesday on FOX. This time, the entire panel of judges was replaced, leaving fans disappointed.
So You Think You Can Dance is a hit dance competition series going strong since 2016. One of the reasons for SYTYCD’s success was the judges, especially Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy, who have been associated with the show for a long time.
In season 17, they have been replaced by Dancing With the Stars’ JoJo Siwa, dancer Stephen “tWitch” Boss, and Glee star Matthew Morrison.
What do SYTYCD fans think of the new judges?
SYTYCD fans missed former judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy in the premiere episode of So You Think You Can Dance season 17. According to viewers, the show lacked Lythgoe’s expert comments.
Earlier, Lythgoe tweeted about not returning to the show, which he co-created. His tweet read:
“I am so thrilled that America’s young aspiring dance talent will get to work with some of our greatest creative choreographers. On a personally sad note, I have not been asked to be on the judging panel this season. I don’t know who will be saying “Cue Music” but I wish them well.”
Netizens also pointed out that JoJo Siwa was not an experienced dancer and thus, didn’t deserve to earn a judge’s seat. The former judges were experienced dancers and choreographers.
Take a look at fans’ reactions:
So You Think You Can Dance Season 17 premiere
The only returning cast member from the previous season was host Cat Deeley. She introduced the participants for the first audition of So You Think You Can Dance season 17.
The eight contestants who got selected for the next round included:
- Konnor Kelly, 19, New York
- Samuel “Hooliboy” Kyei, 27, West Africa
- Blake Rhodes, 18, Oregon
- Jordan Betscher, 24, Ohio
- Rachel Lockhart, 21, Alabama
- Jerome Cunanan, 24, Philippines
- Anna Miller, 18, California
- Maci Montez, 19, California
The official synopsis of SYTYCD season 17, episode 1 reads:
"This season will feature highly skilled dancers between the ages of 18 and 30, showcasing their talents in various dance styles, including contemporary, tap, hip-hop, ballroom, animation, breaking and more.”
It continued:
“Those who are selected get to move on to the SYTYCD studio and get to work with world-renowned choreographers and compete each week in a variety of styles, with brand-new twists and turns introduced into the competition."
So You Think You Can Dance is a critically-acclaimed dance reality show that has won 71 Emmy Award nominations, out of which the show has bagged 17 trophies. The previous season’s winner was 19-year-old, Bailey Munoz.
Season 17 will air new episodes every Wednesday on FOX at 9.00 pm ET.
