So You Think You Can Dance is a popular reality TV competition show that airs on Fox in the United States. On the show, contestants compete in various styles of dance, with partners and solo routines, to win the title of “America’s Favorite Dancer” and receive a cash prize. While the show takes place in Los Angeles and airs on TV, fans across the country often wonder – does So You Think You Can Dance go on tour?
History of SYTYCD Tours
In fact, So You Think You Can Dance has gone on tour almost every year since the show debuted in 2005. The tour allows fans outside of LA to see performances live and meet their favorite dancers from each season.
The first tour took place in 2006 after the second season. Top 10 dancers from Season 2 traveled to 24 cities over two months, performing fan favorite routines from the show. Since then, tours have become an annual tradition, taking place every fall after the end of each summer season.
Over the years, the tours have expanded to visit more cities and include more dancers. Now tours typically feature the top 10-12 dancers from that season, traveling to 60-70+ cities over 2-3 months. The tour has visited major venues across the US and Canada, from New York City’s Radio City Music Hall to The Theater at Madison Square Garden.
Tour Setlist and Performances
The setlist for each tour includes fan favorite dances and showstopper routines from the most recent season. This gives fans a chance to see extraordinary performances live on stage. For example, on the Season 16 tour in 2019, viewers could watch Hannahlei Cabanilla and Cole Mills’ moving contemporary routine “This Time Around.”
In addition to solos and duets, the tour often includes opening and closing group numbers choreographed specifically for the tour. There are also rotating guest performers from past seasons sprinkled in.
Between dances, the dancers share stories and behind-the-scenes tidbits from their time on the show. Fans can get to know their favorite dancers’ personalities when they chat on stage. There are also opportunities for fans to meet the dancers at post-show meet and greets on tour.
Popularity of the Live Tour
In the early years, the tour visited smaller indoor theaters and outdoor amphitheaters, selling around 15,000-50,000 tickets per tour. But as the show grew in popularity, demand for the live tour exploded.
Recent tours have sold 150,000-300,000+ tickets per tour, visiting huge arenas like NYC’s Madison Square Garden. The Season 15 tour in 2018 sold an incredible 400,000 tickets and grossed over $40 million.
The tour has become so popular that winning a spot on it is a huge incentive for dancers competing on the show. Being chosen for the tour means 3 months of guaranteed paid work, performing for adoring fans all over North America. It’s a big break early in a dancer’s career.
Let’s look at estimated ticket sales and revenue from recent So You Think You Can Dance tours:
SYTYCD Tour Year | Estimated Tickets Sold | Average Ticket Price* | Estimated Gross Revenue |
---|---|---|---|
2022 Tour (Season 17) | 200,000 | $75 | $15 million |
2021 Tour (Season 16) | 150,000 | $70 | $10.5 million |
2019 Tour (Season 15) | 400,000 | $100 | $40 million |
*Average ticket prices are estimated based on venue and city.
As you can see, the tour has become a multi-million dollar business thanks to SYTYCD’s continued popularity. The tour allows the franchise to extend its profits while giving fans the intimate live show experience they crave.
Planning the Tour
Planning a multi-city arena tour for 10-12 dancers is no small feat. It requires coordination between the SYTYCD producers, talent agency representatives, booking agents, and tour management companies.
Preparation starts months before the tour kicks off. The SYTYCD tour team books arenas and theaters in each market far in advance. They plan travel and logistics to get the dancers, crew, and stage equipment safely between cities.
Rehearsals begin immediately after the season ends filming. Dancers start learning new group numbers and practicing solos and duets from the show. Costume fittings, promotional photoshoots, and dress rehearsals all lead up to opening night.
On tour, the dancers have a grueling schedule, often performing back-to-back shows with meet and greets on little rest. But they are living out their dream, doing what they love in front of adoring fans.
Life on Tour
A day-in-the-life on the SYTYCD tour may look like:
- Morning: Breakfast and gym workout
- Afternoon: Travel to next tour city, soundcheck at venue
- Evening: Hair and makeup, quick rehearsal, perform live show
- Late night: Meet fans, dinner, return to hotel
Dancers see new cities and perform on massive stages every night. But they also deal with grueling schedules, lots of travel, homesickness, and minor injuries. Having support from castmates they bonded with on the show helps get them through the tour.
Changes for the 2022 Tour
In summer 2022, So You Think You Can Dance returned after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The show introduced a new “one night only” format filmed live on stage, with contestants eliminated each week.
Fans wondered if there would still be a tour in 2022 with this new format. The show did announce a tour featuring the Season 17 top 10 dancers:
- Ralyn Johnson
- Alexis Warr
- Beau Harmon
- Keaton Kermode
- Essence Wilmington
- Jackson McQueen
- Olivia Reyes
- Kimmie Tarantino
- Benjamin Castro
- Waverly Epperson
However, the tour will be more limited, with around 30 stops instead of 70+. Stops are concentrated on the East Coast and Midwest, likely due to uncertainty from the pandemic.
The tour will also be shorter, running just 5 weeks in October-November 2022. But fans are thrilled it’s happening at all after 2 years without live dance performances. The 2022 tour will keep the SYTYCD tradition alive even with a modified season and give these talented dancers a chance to shine.
The Future of SYTYCD Touring
As long as So You Think You Can Dance stays on the air, it seems likely the live tours will continue. The popularity of the tour and revenue it generates make it a valuable part of the SYTYCD brand.
If the modified “one night only” format continues in future seasons, tours may remain more limited than the sprawling 70+ city tours of the past. But even with a scaled-down version, the energy and excitement of seeing SYTYCD favorites dance live is here to stay.
Watching extraordinary dancers perform genre-blending routines live is an unmatched experience for dance fans. The tour allows the show’s magic to extend beyond the TV screen. For 18 seasons and counting, SYTYCD has continued touring to deliver thrilling live dance entertainment to dedicated fans nationwide.
Conclusion
Despite format changes over the years, So You Think You Can Dance has managed to go on tour after almost every season since 2005. The live tour gives fans outside of LA a chance to see their favorite SYTYCD dancers perform routines from the show in their hometowns.
The tour has grown from small theaters to huge arenas as the show exploded in popularity. Recent tours have grossed millions, showing the continued devotion of SYTYCD fans. Producing a 70+ city tour is a massive undertaking, but being part of it is a dream come true for contestants.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced some downsizing of the traditionally massive tour in 2022. But the fact that a tour is happening at all is a testament to SYTYCD’s longevity. As long as fans still eagerly await the chance to see these dancers live, it’s likely the tours will endure as an essential SYTYCD tradition.