Ten pique turns? Fouettés? Thousands of pirouettes? All together. Whether on pointe or on bare foot, has been done perfectly by the contestants. Welcome to “So You Think You Can Dance, Season 18”, where dancers compete to be crowned the champion this year! A quick summary and exploration of its production qualities will reveal why this reality television (TV) show is one of the best to view this season. 

The show’s premise requires talented dancers to compete in a number of different dance genres to win. It features dancers who enter open auditions held in several major United States cities. They showcase their talents and move forward through successive additional rounds of auditions to test their ability to adapt to different styles. At the end of this process, a small number of dancers are chosen as finalists. These dancers move on to the competition's main phase, where they perform solos, duets, and group dance numbers on live television. They attempt to master a diverse selection of dance styles, including classical, contemporary, ballroom, hip-hop, street, club, jazz and musical theater styles. They compete for the votes of the broadcast viewing audience, combined with those of the panel of judges, to determine which dancers advance to the next stage from week to week, until a winner is crowned as "America's favorite dancer." 

The show’s production qualities, including its editing, dialogues, acting and casting make  this TV show a standout! The show has obviously taken a long time to edit since no lags or pauses occur during any of its episodes and the smooth, high quality of editing maintains and extends an atmosphere of excitement. When the dancers perform every round, whether on stage or while filming a commercial, the lighting quality is perfect—not so dim that viewers can’t see the dancers clearly, nor too bright that it hurts one’s eyes or destroys the mood of the dance. When watching the show, it feels like a short movie. High quality camera angles, music backgrounds, and sets bring the dancers’ emotions and artistry to life.  Throughout each show, the dancers are individually interviewed about their feelings and reveal part of their stories and emotional reactions to each dance they compete in. These interviews build strong viewer connections to individual dancers, thereby heightening the show’s impact. The judges before and after each elimination or jeopardy round, critique each dancer’s strengths and weaknesses which creates suspense before the judges announce who will be eliminated. Cat Deeley, the host of the show, opens every round with a wide smile, exuberance and warmth as she welcomes new choreographers. Her outgoing, friendly manner creates connection with the audience. The reality show has many aspects that set this show apart from others. Each round offers a new challenge to face, including many real-world challenges and epic performances. Each dancer has the ability to be crowned America’s best dancer, and the excitement mounts as the series' climactic conclusion approaches. Without doubt, the show’s superior production qualities are why it’s one of the best, and longest running reality shows on television today.     

The second I saw this show, I knew that it was going to be stellar. Experienced judges, incredible dancers and intense moments in every episode make me walk in nervous circles as I wait for the results. The only negative of this show is saying “goodbye” to the dancers, and seeing them leave when everyone should be crowned a winner. If you enjoy dance, and still haven’t and still haven’t tuned in, go watch this amazing show now on Hulu! It’s wonderful watching dancers who don’t give up on their dreams despite facing innumerable hardships. In the process they inspire everyone to dream big and pursue their potentials.