So You Think You Can Dance, an American dance competition show, returned for its eleventh season on Wednesday, May 28, 2014. The commission of an eleventh season was first announced by series creator Nigel Lythgoe on the September 10, 2013, telecast of the season 10 finale. The season again features Lythgoe, who also serves as executive producer, and ballroom expert Mary Murphy as the two permanent members of the judge's panel while Cat Deeley continues in her role as host for a tenth consecutive season.
Contemporary contestant Ricky Ubeda won the competition, and his prizes include $250,000, the chance to appear on the cover of Dance Spirit magazine, the offer of a role in the 2014 Broadway revival of the musical On the Town as choreographed by one of this season's guest choreographers, Joshua Bergasse, and the title of America's Favorite Dancer. The runner-up was tap contestant Valerie Rockey. This season saw the show eliminate interactive viewer participation by telephone, with producers preferring to divert weekly voting to the show's website and the network's new proprietary smartphone app, a process that reduced the overall number of votes each participating viewer could cast each week.
–Ubeda and fellow grand finalist Valerie Rockey, who were paired as a couple from the first performance episode, became the twentieth contestants in the show's run never to face elimination from being among the bottom six or bottom four contestants, became the sixteenth contestants to be in the grand finale, became the fourth pair in the show's run never to face elimination from being among the bottom six or bottom four contestants in the grand finale and became the first original couple who were the final two without being in the bottom six or the bottom four and the second season that the top four were never in the danger zone.
Auditions
Open auditions for season 11 were held in five cities beginning on Jan 13.
Air DatesAudition VenueCityAudition DateGuest judges June 18, 2014 Fox Theatre Atlanta, Georgia January 13, 2014 Lil BuckJenna Dewan Tatum June 11, 2014 Merriam Theatre Philadelphia, Pennsylvania January 20, 2014 Misty CopelandBilly Porter May 28, 2014 Ernest N. Morial Convention Center New Orleans, Louisiana January 31, 2014 Wayne Brady May 28, 2014June 4, 2014 Oriental Theatre Chicago, Illinois February 27, 2014 Jenna ElfmanFabrice Calmels June 4, 2014June 11, 2014 Orpheum Theatre Los Angeles, California March 23, 2014 Christina Applegate
Callbacks In a change from the procedure of the previous nine seasons, in which post-open-audition callbacks were held in Las Vegas and referenced collectively as "Vegas Week", season 11's callbacks were held in Los Angeles, with no special nomenclature. A total of 157 contestants began the week by performing a solo; those contestants not cut at this point went on to learn and perform various styles of choreography with cuts being made after every round. At the end of the final round of the week, 44 contestants remained, from which the judges selected a Top 20 to proceed into the performance show stage of the competition.
Judges Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Adam Shankman, tWitch, Tara Lipinski, Irina DvorovenkoTask/styleMusicChoreographer(s)# of contestants participatingIndividual soloVarious (chosen by contestant)The contestant157Hip-Hop "#thatPOWER"—will.i.amChristopher Scott121Jazz"F for You"—Disclosure feat. Mary J. BligeSonya Tayeh94Cha-cha"Timber"—Pitbull feat. KeshaDmitry Chaplin and Anya Garnis65Contemporary"Lay Me Down"—Sam SmithTravis Wall59Group routinesVarious (selected at random for each group)The contestants50Individual soloVarious (chosen by contestant)The contestant44
Studio Shows
Top 20 Contestants As with most previous seasons of So You Think You Can Dance, ten female contestants and ten male contestants were selected at the end of the callbacks week to proceed into the performance show stage of the competition.
Female Contestants ContestantAgeHome TownDance StyleElimination datePlacement Valerie Rockey 20 Indianapolis, Indiana TapSeptember 3, 2014Runner-up Jessica Richens 18 Yorba Linda, California JazzSeptember 3, 2014Third Place Jacque LeWarne 18 Clive, Iowa Ballet August 20, 2014 Top 6 Tanisha Belnap 20 Payson, Utah Ballroom August 13, 2014 Top 8 Bridget Whitman 20 Tempe, Arizona Contemporary August 6, 2014 Top 10 Carly Blaney 20 Wyckoff, New Jersey Contemporary July 30, 2014 Top 14 Emily James 22 North Kingstown, Rhode Island Contemporary July 30, 2014 Top 14 Brooklyn Fullmer 18 Provo, Utah Latin Ballroom July 23, 2014 Top 16 Jourdan Epstein 24 Plymouth, Minnesota Ballet July 16, 2014 Top 18 Malene Ostergaard 25 Aarhus, Denmark Latin BallroomJuly 9, 2014Top 20
Male Contestants ContestantAgeHome TownDance StyleElimination datePlacement Ricky Ubeda 18 Miami, Florida Contemporary September 3, 2014Winner Zack Everhart 20 Kennesaw, Georgia TapSeptember 3, 2014Fourth Place Casey Askew 19 Seattle, Washington Contemporary August 20, 2014 Top 6 Rudy Abreu 19 Miami, Florida Contemporary August 13, 2014 Top 8 Emilio Dosal 23 Houston, Texas Popping August 6, 2014 Top 10 Serge Onik † 26 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey Latin Ballroom July 30, 2014 Top 14 Teddy Coffey 19 Rochester, New York Hip-Hop/Tap July 30, 2014 Top 14 Marcquet Hill 18 South Jordan, Utah Latin Ballroom July 23, 2014 Top 16 Stanley Glover 19 Chicago, Illinois Contemporary July 16, 2014 Top 18 Nick Garcia 18 Miami, Florida Latin BallroomJuly 9, 2014Top 20
Elimination chart +LegendFemaleMaleBottom 6 contestants Bottom 4 contestants Eliminated Week:7/97/167/237/308/68/138/209/3ContestantResultRicky Ubeda WinnerValerie Rockey Runner-UpJessica Richens Btm 6 3rd PlaceZack Everhart Btm 6Btm 4 4th PlaceCasey AskewBtm 6 Btm 6Btm 4 ElimJacque LeWarne Btm 4Btm 4Rudy Abreu ElimTanisha Belnap Btm 6Emilio Dosal Btm 6 ElimBridget Whitman Btm 6Btm 6Serge OnikBtm 6 Btm 6 ElimCarly Blaney Teddy Coffey Btm 6 Emily JamesBtm 6 Marcquet Hill ElimBrooklyn FullmerBtm 6 Stanley GloverElimJourdan EpsteinBtm 6Nick GarciaElimMalene Ostergaard
Performances In contrast with previous seasons, the top 20 showcase, in which all the contestants performed in their own styles, was a competitive and special episode.
Meet the Top 20 (July 2, 2014) Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Jason Derulo Guest Performance: Jason Derulo and Snoop Dogg —"Wiggle" Performances: ContestantsStyleMusicChoreographer(s)ResultTop 20Jazz"Stalker Ha"—KingdomSonya TayehBrooklyn FullmerSerge OnikCha-cha-cha"Hell Yeah"—Midnight RedDmitry ChaplinBottom 6Emily JamesCasey AskewContemporary"All of Me" (Live from Spotify)—John LegendTravis WallAskew in Bottom 6Valerie RockeyZack EverhartTap"Sing"—Ed SheeranAnthony MorigeratoSafeBridget WhitmanStanley GloverContemporary"Doesn't Mean Goodbye"—Jon McLaughlinBonnie StorySafeJourdan EpsteinJacque LeWarneBallet"Pas de Deux - Black Swan - Tchaikovsky"—Richard Bonynge & The London Symphony OrchestraMarat DaukayevEpstein in Bottom 6Malene OstergaardMarcquet HillSamba"Morning Drums"—Gregor SaltoLouis van AmstelOstergaard eliminatedCarly BlaneyRudy AbreuContemporary"Take It Easy"—JettaStacey TookeySafeEmilio DosalTeddy CoffeyHip-hop"Nightshift"—CommodoresChristopher ScottSafeJessica RichensRicky UbedaContemporary"Vow"—Meredith MonkSonya TayehSafeTanisha BelnapNick GarciaCha-cha-cha"I'm a Freak"—Enrique Iglesias feat. PitbullLouis van AmstelGarcia eliminated
Top 20 (July 9, 2014) Group Dance: "New York, New York" from On the Town (Broadway; Choreographer: Joshua Bergasse) Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Misty Copeland Performances: CoupleStyleMusicChoreographer(s)ResultTanisha BelnapRudy AbreuJazz"You Need"—BengsonsSonya TayehSafeValerie RockeyRicky UbedaContemporary"Oh Darling"—GosslingTravis WallSafeBridget WhitmanEmilio DosalHip-hop"Work"—Iggy AzaleaLuther BrownBottom 6Jessica Richens Nick GarciaWest Coast Swing"Respect" (Live Feb. 5, 1971)—Aretha FranklinBenji SchwimmerRichens SafeCarly BlaneySerge OnikContemporary"Latch (Acoustic)"—Sam SmithSonya Tayeh SafeEmily JamesTeddy CoffeyHip-hop"Don't"—Ed SheeranDave ScottBottom 6Malene OstergaardStanley GloverBroadway"I've Got Your Number"—Nancy WilsonSpencer LiffGlover EliminatedJourdan EpsteinMarcquet HillPop Jazz"Work Bitch"—Britney SpearsSean CheesmanEpstein EliminatedBrooklyn FullmerCasey AskewArgentine Tango"Gallo Ciego"—Luis Bravo's Forever TangoMiriam LariciLeonardo BarrionuevoSafeJacque LeWarneZack EverhartAfrican Jazz"Dibiza" (Kick Ass Mix)—Danny TenagilaSean CheesmanSafe
Top 18 (July 16, 2014) Group Dance: "How It's Done"—District 78 (Hip-hop; Choreographers: Christopher "Pharside" Jennings and Krystal "Phoenix" Meraz) Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Misty Copeland Guest Performance: A Great Big World - Say Something Performances: CoupleStyleMusicChoreographer(s)ResultJacque LeWarneZack EverhartLyrical Hip-hop"Stay With Me"—Sam SmithKeone MadridMari MadridEverhart Bottom 6Jourdan EpsteinMarcquet HillContemporary"Disappear" (Demo Version)—Mikky EkkoDee CasperyHill eliminatedJessica RichensStanley GloverJazz"Funkier Than a Mosquito's Tweeter"—Nikka CostaTyce DiorioSafeBridget WhitmanEmilio Dosal Jive"Happy"—Pharrell WilliamsAnya GarnisPasha KovalevWhitman Bottom 6Emily JamesTeddy CoffeyContemporary"Ne me quitte pas"—Nina SimoneTyce DiorioSafeBrooklyn FullmerCasey AskewJazz"Crazy Little Thing Called Love"—Michael BubléBonnie StoryFullmer eliminatedValerie RockeyRicky UbedaViennese Waltz"I Won't Give Up"—Jason MrazLacey SchwimmerSafeCarly BlaneySerge OnikHip-hop"Senile"—Young Money feat. Tyga, Nicki Minaj & Lil WayneLuther BrownOnik Bottom 6Tanisha BelnapRudy AbreuBroadway"Sing Sing Sing (Part 2)"—Bob FosseWarren CarlyleBelnap Bottom 6
Top 16 (July 23, 2014) Group Dance: "Take Me to the River"—Annie Lenox (Jazz; Choreographer: Mandy Moore) Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Misty Copeland Guest Performance: Lucy Hale—"Lie a Little Better" CoupleStyleMusicChoreographer(s)ResultValerie RockeyRicky UbedaBollywood"Dilliwaali Girlfriend"—Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (soundtrack)Nakul Dev MahajanSafeBridget WhitmanEmilio DosalContemporary"The Leaving Song"—Chris GarneauTravis WallSafeTanisha BelnapRudy AbreuHip-hop"Good Kisser"—UsherDave ScottSafeJessica RichensMarcquet HillFoxtrot"I Put a Spell on You"—Nina SimoneDmitry ChaplinRichens Bottom 6Carly BlaneySerge OnikContemporary"Foolish Games"—JewelMandy MooreBoth eliminatedEmily JamesTeddy CoffeySalsa"Bruk It Down" (Soca Remix)—Mr. Vegas feat. Alison Hinds Oksana DmytrenkoJonathan PlateroBoth eliminatedJacque LeWarneZack Everhart Jazz"Back to Black"—Beyoncé feat. André 3000Sonya TayehSafeBrooklyn FullmerCasey AskewHip-hop"Hustle Hard Remix"—Ace Hood feat. Rick Ross & Lil WayneWill "WilldaBeast" AdamsAskew Bottom 6Brooklyn FullmerCasey AskewEmilio DosalEmily JamesSerge OnikTanisha BelnapValerie RockeyZack Everhart Jr.Contemporary"So Broken" (Live)—BjörkSonya TayehN/ABridget WhitmanCarly BlaneyJacque LeWarneJessica RichensMarcquet HillRicky UbedaRudy AbreuTeddy CoffeyJazz"Love Runs Out"—OneRepublicTravis WallN/A
Top 14 (July 30, 2014) Group Dance: "Last Moment"—Christophe Filippi (Contemporary; Choreographer: Stacey Tookey) Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Christina Applegate