So You Think You Can Dance has officially been cancelled by FOX after 18 seasons… but I don't think you can really tell the story of modern dance culture without it.

In this episode of the Hey, Dancer! podcast, I break down the REAL legacy of So You Think You Can Dance — and why its impact goes far beyond television.

How did the show change the visibility of dancers forever? Why did choreographers suddenly become recognizable names? Did SYTYCD help create the very online dance culture that eventually made it less necessary? And why are so many dancers divided about the show's long-term influence on dance itself?

We'll also talk about:

• the rise of dancers as personalities and brands
• the shift from "America's Best Dancer" to "America's Favorite Dancer"
• how YouTube and SYTYCD launched in the exact same year
• why the show mattered so much for young dancers — especially boys
• how dance culture changed once social media took over
• and whether the cancellation of SYTYCD says something much bigger about where dance culture is now

I also share my own unusual relationship with the show!

And at the end of the episode, I share an important update about the future of The Rest of the Story series, this podcast moving forward, and the return of my long-awaited dance docuseries.

If you enjoy this kind of deep-dive into all things dance, you can support my podcast here: ⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee!⁠ Much appreciated!!!

Check out my ⁠⁠⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠⁠⁠

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