So You Think You Can Dance (American TV series) season 7

So You Think You Can Dance is an American television reality program and dance competition airing on the Fox Broadcasting Company network. Season seven premiered on May 27, 2010. In the August 12 finale, contemporary/jazz contestant Lauren Froderman was named "America's Favorite Dancer" and received the grand prize of $250,000, as well as an appearance on the cover of Dance Spirit magazine and in print advertising for Gatorade. Contemporary dancer Kent Boyd was named runner-up.

Judging panel

and Adam Shankman returned as permanent judges and Cat Deeley returned to host. Mary Murphy stepped down from her judging position, but guest judged during Las Vegas week and made an appearance at the finale. Mia Michaels became the third permanent judge for this season. During the auditions, various guest judges joined Lythgoe, including Shankman and Michaels along with others. This was Michaels' only season as a permanent judge. It was announced in early 2011 that Murphy would return as a permanent judge for season 8. Michaels left because she felt she didn't fit well on the panel and wanted to do her own work without being linked to the show.

Auditions

Open auditions

Audition	City	Date	Guest judges
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts	Miami	January 18, 2010	Sonya Tayeh, Jason Gilkison
Paradise Theater	The Bronx, New York City	January 25, 2010	Mia Michaels, Adam Shankman
McFarlin Memorial Auditorium	Dallas	March 10, 2010	Tyce Diorio, Toni Redpath
Acuff Theatre	Nashville	March 14, 2010	Adam Shankman, Joey Dowling
Cadillac Palace Theatre	Chicago	March 18, 2010	Adam Shankman, Stacey Tookey
Orpheum Theatre	Los Angeles	March 26, 2010	Adam Shankman, Hi-Hat

Las Vegas week

Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Adam Shankman, Toni Redpath, Lil' C, Tyce Diorio Day 1 kicks off with individual solos, Day 2 is hip-hop, Day 3 is cha-cha, Day 4 is broadway, Day 5 is group routines, Day 6 is Contemporary, and the final day is individual solos.
The Las Vegas callbacks were held at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Task/style	Music	Choreographer
Individual Solo	Music Chosen by Contestant	The contestants
Hip-Hop	"OMG"—Usher ft. will.i.am	Tabitha D'umo
Cha-cha-cha	"Just Dance"—Lady Gaga	Toni Redpath
Broadway	"Charleston" from Billion Dollar Baby	Tyce Diorio
Group routines	Picked out of a hat	The contestants
Contemporary	"A Beautiful Mess"—Jason Mraz	Travis Wall
Individual solo	Music chosen by contestant	The contestant

Finals

Format changes

Executive producer Nigel Lythgoe has stated numerous format changes for this season.
Instead of naming a top 20 to compete in the finals, the show planned on selecting a top 10 - they ended up accepting an extra contestant to create a top 11. The contestants were informed of their inclusion in the finals by the judges either traveling to each dancer's home or personally telephoning them to reveal their fate. This is in contrast to previous seasons where the contestants walked down a long corridor to face the judging panel.
Rather than partnering up the contestants with each other, partners were chosen at random each week from a pool of All-Stars composed of former top contestants that have appeared in previous seasons of the show, and the contestants performed in their All-Star partners' specialized style. Additionally, rather than sending home a pair of contestants each week, contestants were voted on as individuals from the beginning of the competition, and only one was sent home per week. Only three contestants were featured in the finale, as opposed to the usual four.
On June 16, 2010—the first performance show—host Cat Deeley revealed that the phone numbers viewers needed to dial to vote for their favorite contestant were changed to 1-888-6BEST## from the usual 1-888-TEMPO##, ## being the numerical order of the contestant. This year also marks the first season in which, just like the results shows in all seasons prior, the performance shows were aired live, as opposed to being taped earlier in the week. This is also the first season to be broadcast in high-definition video.

Top 11 contestants

Female contestants

Male contestants

Elimination chart

Female

Male

Bottom 3 contestants

Bottom 2 contestants

Injury

Performance shows

The contestants that are marked in bold are the Season 7 contestants.

Meet the Top 11 (June 10, 2010)

Performances:

Contestants	Style	Music	Choreographer
All Contestants	Jazz	"Fame"—David Bowie	Wade Robson
Kent Boyd Lauren Froderman Mark Kanemura Kathryn McCormick	Jazz	"Paris is Burning"—St. Vincent	Travis Wall
Alexie Agdeppa Lauren Gottlieb Allison Holker Melinda Sullivan	Broadway	"There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" from Sweet Charity	Tyce Diorio
Stephen "Twitch" Boss Comfort Fedoke Jose Ruiz Dominic Sandoval	Hip-Hop	"Din Daa Daa" —George Kranz	Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo
Anya Garnis Pasha Kovalev Cristina Santana	Samba	"Work" —Kelly Rowland	Jason Gilkison
Billy Bell Ade Obayami Alex Wong	Contemporary	"This Bitter Earth/On the Nature of Daylight"—Max Richter and Dinah Washington	Mia Michaels
Courtney Galiano Ashley Galvan Neil Haskell Robert Roldan AdéChiké Torbert	Jazz	"Freak"—Estelle feat. Kardinal Offishall	Sonya Tayeh

Week 1 (June 16, 2010)

Performances:

Contestants	Style	Music	Choreographer	Results
Billy Bell Lauren Gottlieb	Broadway	"Footloose"—Kenny Loggins	Tyce Diorio	Safe
Mark Kanemura Cristina Santana	Jazz	"Starstruck"—Santigold	Sonya Tayeh	Bottom 3
Comfort Fedoke Jose Ruiz	Hip-Hop	"Beautiful Monster"—Ne-Yo	Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo	Safe
Kathryn McCormick AdéChiké Torbert	Jazz	"Addicted to Love"—Florence and the Machine	Travis Wall	Safe
Pasha Kovalev Melinda Sullivan	Jive	"L-O-V-E"—VV Brown	Tony Meredith Melanie LaPatin	Bottom 3
Allison Holker Alex Wong	Contemporary	"Hallelujah"—Jeff Buckley	Sonya Tayeh	Safe
Alexie Agdeppa Stephen "Twitch" Boss	Hip-Hop	"Butterfly"—Jason Mraz	Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo	Eliminated
Lauren Froderman Ade Obayomi	Pop-Jazz	"Oh Yeah"—Yello	Mandy Moore	Safe
Kent Boyd Anya Garnis	Cha-cha-cha	"Lady Marmalade"—Diva Invasion	Tony Meredith Melanie LaPatin	Safe
Ashley Galvan Neil Haskell	Contemporary	"For All We Know"—Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway	Tyce Diorio	Safe
Courtney Galiano Robert Roldan	African Jazz	"Norweg" from Saltimbanco	Sean Cheesman	Safe

Week 2 (June 23, 2010)

Performances:

Contestants	Style	Music	Choreographer	Results
Pasha Kovalev Cristina Santana	Paso Doble	"Ira Deorum/Sanctus"—James Dooley	Jean-Marc Généreux France Mousseau	Eliminated
Allison Holker AdéChiké Torbert	Contemporary	"Listen to Your Heart" —DHT	Mandy Moore	Safe
Lauren Gottlieb Alex Wong	Broadway	"Summertime"—Sylvester	Tyce Diorio	Safe
Ashley Galvan Mark Kanemura	Lyrical Jazz	"Wonderful"—Annie Lennox	Travis Wall	Safe
Billy Bell Comfort Fedoke	Krumping	"So U Think U Can Krump"—Tha J-Squad	Lil' C	Safe
Anya Garnis Robert Roldan	Argentine Tango	"Libertango"—Bond	Jean-Marc Généreux France Mousseau	Bottom 3
Ade Obayomi Melinda Sullivan	Contemporary	"Squander"—Skunk Anansie	Stacey Tookey	Bottom 3
Kathryn McCormick Jose Ruiz	Bollywood	"Marjaani Marjaani Kasama" from Billu	Nakul Dev Mahajan	Safe
Lauren Froderman Dominic “D-Trix” Sandoval	Lyrical hip-hop	"If I Were a Boy"—Beyoncé Knowles	Tessandra Chavez	Safe
Kent Boyd Courtney Galiano	Jazz	"Amy Amy Amy"—Amy Winehouse	Tyce Diorio	Safe