In 18 seasons of FOX’s “So You Think You Can Dance,” 18 contestants have danced their way to the top. Season 18 got underway in March 2024, and an 18th “So You Think You Can Dance” winner will soon join the others. Where is every winner of “So You Think You Can Dance” today? Did any achieve the successful dance career they wanted?
“So You Think You Can Dance” is a competitive reality dance competition show that debuted in 2005. It’s the creation of Nigel Lythgoe (“Pop Idol”) and Simon Fuller (“American Idol.”), and it’s hosted by Cat Deeley. The show features trained dancers who attend auditions around the U.S. If the dancer makes it through, they appear on the show competing in different challenges focusing on a different dance style. When one dancer remains, the “So You Think You Can Dance” winner is crowned “America’s Favorite Dancer.” Not only is it one of my favorite dance shows, but it’s also won multiple awards.
Over the years, “So You Think You Can Dance” has won 17 Emmys out of 72 nominations. Wins include:
- “Outstanding Choreography” – 2007 (two wins for different dances), 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 (two wins for different dances), 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018
- “Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming” – 2020
- “Outstanding Costumes for a Variety Program or a Special” – 2009, 2010 and 2014
- “Outstanding Lighting Design” – 2011 and 2012
Out of all the “SYTYCD” winners, where are they now? I take a close look at their accomplishments after winning the title of “America’s Favorite Dancer.” The reality dance competition winners are listed in chronological order. (Find out where other past reality show winners are by reading Every Winner of ‘America’s Next Top Model’ and Where Are They Now.)
Nick Lazzarini – Season 1
Lazzarini’s win established his career as a dancer and dance teacher. One of the companies he worked for, Break the Floor, traveled around North America hosting dance schools. It’s that role that would lead to a potentially career-ending investigation.
Six dancers who performed for Break the Floor came forward with allegations of sexual harassment, including some underage dancers. In response, Lazzarini claimed there was truth to the stories, but some of the details were “mischaracterized.” Break the Floor parted ways with him, as did Titans of Dance. The Columbia City Jazz Conservatory ended his residency.
- Year: 2005
- Final Solo Dance: Contemporary Jazz to “Pardon Me” by Incubus
Benji Schwimmer – Season 2
With several U.S. and World Swing Champion wins under his belt, Schwimmer proves that his skills as a swing dancer are solid. Additionally, he’s the founder of D.E.M.A.N.D. (Dancers Everywhere Making a Needed Difference), which helps dancers get the care they need with illnesses like HIV. He’s the brother of “Dancing With the Stars” star Lacey Schwimmer.
- Year: 2006
- Final Solo Dance: Swing/Latin to “Never Knew” by The Rocket Summer
Sabra Johnson – Season 3
Johnson beat Lacey Schwimmer for Season 3’s title. Following her win, Johnson switched her focus to teaching. She teaches at Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Johnson also tours all over the world teaching classes in countries like Australia, Iceland, South Africa, and Spain.
- Year: 2007
- Final Solo Dance: Jazz to “Koyal (Songbird” by Nitin Sawhney)
Joshua Allen – Season 4
The fourth season’s dance show winner beat the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss. Johnson and Boss appeared together in “Step Up 3D.” Allen’s career took a big fall after his arrest and conviction for assaulting his girlfriend. The Los Angeles County D.A. announced he’d been sentenced to one year in jail, five years of formal probation, and 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling. A 10-year restraining order was also granted.
- Year: 2008
- Final Solo Dance: Popping to “I Can Make You Dance” by Zapp
Jeanine Mason – Season 5
The “So You Think You Can Dance” winner of season 5 has become a busy actress appearing as Dr. Sam Bellow on “Grey’s Anatomy” and Liz on “Roswell, New Mexico.” Mason also supports the Alzheimer’s Association, a cause that is very important to me and many others.
- Year: 2009
- Final Solo Dance: Jazz to “Por Una Cabeza” by The Tango Project
Russell Ferguson – Season 6
He was the first American Krump dancer to win “So You Think You Can Dance.” Ferguson also climbed from the bottom four to the top over the season. He injured himself in the first routine and couldn’t finish his dances live. Pre-recorded episodes replaced the live portion of the show. He teaches Krump and is a fitness trainer through Get Your Skillz Up.
- Year: 2009
- Final Solo Dance: Injured for the final episode
Lauren Froderman – Season 7
After winning the seventh season, Froderman went on to appear on “Glee.” She also was in “America 2.0,” “How to Get the Girl” and the Geri Brown music video “Hit That Ball.” Froderman works with Brown at Always Enough Foundation, an organization working to make sure performing arts education is accessible to everyone.
- Year: 2010
- Final Solo Dance: Contemporary to “Wasted Time” by Me’Shell Ndegeocello
Melanie Moore – Season 8
Moore has been seen in several Broadway shows since winning “So You Think You Can Dance.” She’s been in “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Finding Neverland” and “Hello, Dolly,” In 2021, she was in “In the Heights.” She’s also appeared on “Glee,” HBO’s “The Gilded Age” and Netflix’s “Halston.”
- Year: 2011
- Final Solo Dance: Contemporary to “My Love” by Sia
Eliana Girard & Chelon Wespi-Tschopp – Season 9
This is the first of two seasons where both a female and male winner of “SYTYCD” was selected. Before she appeared in the dance competition, Girard toured with Cirque du Soleil in “Viva Elvis.” After her win, she toured with Taylor Swift on the RED tour. Girard also appears in Swift’s videos “21” and “Red.”
Wespi-Tschopp established his own dance company IAMFORCE (IAF). He branched out into IAF COMPOUND where he also provides classes, photography, and videography services. You might have seen him coaching Erika Jayne on “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”
- Year: 2012
- Girard’s Final Solo Dance: Ballet to “Passacaglia” by Johann Johannsson
- Wespi-Tschopp’s Final Solo Dance: Contemporary to “How It Ends” byDeVotchKa
Amy Yakima & Du-Shaunt “Fik-Shun” Stegall – Season 10
This was the second time both a male and female winner were selected at the end of the season. Yakima went on to teach Jazz at Gotta Dance after a three-year stint at Radio City Music Hall. She also performed in several music videos, including Carrie Underwood’s “Something in the Water” video.
Stegall is dabbling in acting with an appearance in one episode of “Making Moves” and the movie “All Styles.” He also appeared in the music video “Player Won: Welcome to Oz”
- Year: 2013
- Yakima’s Final Solo Dance: Contemporary to “Unchained Melody” by The Righteous Brothers
- Stegall’s Final Solo Dance: Animation to “Gangnam Style” by PSY
Ricky Ubeda – Season 11
Ubeda’s win was marked by the opportunity to appear in Broadway’s “On the Town.” In 2019, he appeared in one episode of “Fosse/Verdon.” He played Flaco in Stephen Spielberg’s remake of “West Side Story.” Ubeda also gained a role in “Illinoise,” a musical composed by Sufjan Stevens, continuing his Broadway career.
- Year: 2014
- Final Solo Dance: Contemporary to “Skin & Bones” by David J. Roch
Gaby Diaz – Season 12
Since her win, Diaz has been busy. She appeared in “tick, tick… BOOM!” and “West Side Story” in 2021, as well as “Spirited” with Ryan Reynolds in 2022. Finally, she appeared in 2023’s “Maestro.” Most recently, she’s been working on “Illinoise.”
- Year: 2015
- Final Solo Dance: Tap to “Magalenha” by Sèrgio Mendes
Leon “Kida” Burns – Season 13
“SYTYCD” winner Kida the Great earned a Teen Choice Award nomination for “Choice Dancer.” He competed on NBC’s “The World of Dance” in 2020 and made it to the semifinals. Finally, Burns appeared in the thriller “The Stepmother” in 2022.
- Year: 2016
- Final Solo Dance: Hip-hop to “Boogie Bruthas” by Fingazz
Lux Ishimoto – Season 14
His career began as a child when he had the starring role in “Billy Elliot: The Musical.” Ishimoto won several awards, including the “Youth American Grand Prix Award” in 2015. This set him up for his “SYTYCD” win two years later. He also returned as an All-Star a year later.
Since then, he’s appeared in BeBe Rexha’s “I’m a Mess” and Sia’s “The Greatest” videos. He’s also a teacher at Broadway Dance Center.
- Year: 2017
- Final Solo Dance: Contemporary/Hip-hop to “The Melody” by Eskmo
Hannahlei Cabanilla – Season 15
The winner of “So You Think You Can Dance” during the more recent season 15 followed her win with a role in “Rent: Live” and one episode of “This is Us.” You may have seen her in Taylor Swift’s video for “Me.” Cabanilla is a JUMP Dance Convention teacher for the 2023/2024 tour.
- Year: 2018
- Final Solo Dance: Contemporary to “Back Again” by Party Favor & Gent & Jawns
Bailey Muñoz – Season 16
Muñoz first appeared on a reality competition show in 2010 when he was nine. He was part of Future Funk, a dance pair that made it to the semifinals in the fifth season of “America’s Got Talent.”
After his “SYTYCD” win, he appeared under the pseudonym Future Funk in Chris Brown’s “Yeah 3x” video and “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.”
- Year: 2019
- Final Solo Dance: Breakdancing to “Don’t Touch Me (Throw da Water on ‘Em) by Busta Rhymes
Alexis Warr – Season 17
Warr was the first winner of “So You Think You Can Dance” to specialize in ballroom dancing. Since her win, she’s been incredibly busy on the “Dancing With the Stars” troupe, and touring with Derek Hough, Maks Chemerinsky and Val Chemerinsky. She also choreographed a half-time show for the Golden State Warriors. As if that’s not enough, she also teaches dance.
- Year: 2022
- Final Solo Dance: Samba to “Machika” by J. Balvin, Jeon, and Anitta
Do you enjoy learning about where different reality show winners are now? Another of my favorite competition reality shows is “X-Factor.” Find out where every winner of “The X-Factor” is now.