So You Think You Can Dance (American TV series) season 8
So You Think You Can Dance is an American television reality program and dance competition airing on the Fox network. The show's eighth season premiered on May 26, 2011. It features the return of Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe as permanent judges and Cat Deeley as host. Also returning is the selection of a Top 20 for the finals, in contrast to season 7's Top 11. This is the final season to feature Results Show episodes. Contemporary contestant Melanie Moore won the season and Sasha Mallory was the runner-up. This is the first season where both the winner and runner-up were female.
Moore and fellow grand finalist Mark Germor, who were paired as a couple from the first performance episode, became the fourteenth contestants in the show's run never to face elimination from being among the bottom six or bottom four contestants, became the eleventh contestants to be in the grand finale, and 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.
Judging panel
returned and replaced Mia Michaels as a permanent judge after being absent in season 7 due to contract disputes and to undergo surgery to remove a thyroid tumor. Adam Shankman's permanent judge spot—to which he was unable to return due to conflict with directing the film Rock of Ages—was filled with rotating guest judges Robin Antin, Lil' C, Tyce Diorio, Toni Redpath, and Jason Gilkison.Auditions
Open auditions for this season took place in the following five cities:| Air Date | Location | Audition Date | Judges |
| May 26, 2011 | Paramount Theatre - Oakland, California | October 13, 2010 | Nigel Lythgoe, Tyce Diorio, Toni Redpath |
| May 26, 2011 | Fox Theatre - Atlanta, Georgia | February 19, 2011 | Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Lil' C |
| June 1, 2011 | Brooklyn, New York | November 15, 2010 | Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Jason Gilkison |
| June 1, 2011 | Capitol Theater - Salt Lake City, Utah | February 2, 2011 | Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Robin Antin |
| June 2, 2011 | Orpheum Theatre - Los Angeles, California | March 12, 2011 | Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Tyce Diorio |
Las Vegas week
Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Debbie Allen, Tyce Diorio, Robin Antin, and Adam Shankman, who was replaced by Jason Gilkison on Day 2 due to a conflict with his schedule.The Las Vegas callbacks, which started on April 8, 2011, were held at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Thirty-one dancers made it through to the final stage before the selection of the Top 20.
| Task/style | Music | Choreographer |
| Individual solo | Music chosen by contestant | The contestant |
| Hip-Hop | Napoleon and Tabitha D'umo | |
| Broadway | "I Gotcha" from Fosse | Tyce Diorio |
| Jive | "Blue Suede Shoes "—Elvis Presley | Jason Gilkison |
| Group routines | Picked out of a hat | The contestant |
| Contemporary | "Yellow"—Vitamin String Quartet | Travis Wall |
| Individual solo | Music chosen by contestant | The contestant |
Finals
Format changes
This season featured a combination of the Top 20 format from seasons 2–6 and the All-Star format from season 7. The finals began with a Top 20. When the show reached Top 10 week, contestants from previous seasons partnered current contestants in individual dance genres. Lythgoe has noted that although fans of the show complained about season 7's format and missed "the interconnection between people who had never been in competition before," "putting with an All-Star lifted their game immensely," which informed his decision to combine the two formats and try to "have the best of both worlds." This season also marked the first time that the public was able to cast their votes by SMS or online, in addition to calling in, with a limit of 50 votes per viewer.Top 20 Contestants
Female contestants
- Jordan turned 19 on June 15, 2011.
Male contestants
- Robert was 30 at the time of application. His age on the website is 31 years old.
Elimination chart
| Female | Male | Bottom 3 couples | Bottom 4 contestants | Injury |
The judges elected not to eliminate anyone the first week. As a result, two couples were eliminated the following week.
Due to Mitchell Kelly having an elbow injury, he was barred from performing the routine. See below for more information.
Performance shows
Meet the Top 20 (June 9, 2011)
- Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Tyce Diorio, Lil' C, Robin Antin
- Performances:
| Contestants | Style | Music | Choreographer |
| Ricky Jaime Miranda Maleski Sasha Mallory Melanie Moore | Contemporary | "In This Shirt"—The Irrepressibles | Stacey Tookey |
| Tadd Gadduang Wadi Jones Chris Koehl Robert Taylor Jr. | Hip-hop | "Everyday "—Swizz Beatz feat. Eve | Dave Scott |
| Iveta Lukosiute Pasha Kovalev | Ballroom Medley | "Ven a Bailar "—Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull | Jason Gilkison |
| Jordan Casanova Marko Germar Missy Morelli Clarice Ordaz | Jazz | "Vanguardian"—Steed Lord | Sonya Tayeh |
| Jess LeProtto Nick Young | Broadway/Tap | "Funkier Than a Mosquito's Tweeter"—Nina Simone | Christopher Scott |
| Alexander Fost Mitchell Kelly Caitlynn Lawson Ryan Ramirez Ashley Rich | Contemporary | "Moth's Wings"—Passion Pit | Travis Wall |
| Top 10 male contestants | Hip-hop/Contemporary | "Velocity"—Nathan Lanier | Christopher Scott |
| Top 10 female contestants | Jazz | "Pop Drop & Roll"—Chonique Sneed & Lisette Bustamante | Sonya Tayeh |
| Top 20 | Jazz | "Little Bird"—Annie Lennox | Tyce Diorio |
Top 20 Perform (June 15, 2011)
- Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Megan Mullally
- Performances:
| Couple | Style | Music | Choreographer | Result |
| Jordan Casanova Tadd Gadduang | African Jazz | "Riding the Waves"—Afro Celt Sound System | Sean Cheesman | Bottom 3 |
| Sasha Mallory Alexander Fost | Contemporary | "Stupid" —Sarah McLachlan | Travis Wall | Safe |
| Clarice Ordaz Jess LeProtto | Broadway | "Me and My Baby"—Liza Minnelli | Tyce Diorio | Bottom 3 |
| Ryan Ramirez Ricky Jaime | Lyrical hip-hop | "Ain't No Sunshine"—Lighthouse Family | Christopher Scott | Safe |
| Caitlynn Lawson Robert Roldan | Jazz | "In For the Kill" —La Roux | Sonya Tayeh | Safe |
| Miranda Maleski Robert Taylor Jr. | Jive | "Runaway Baby"—Bruno Mars | Jason Gilkison | Bottom 3 |
| Missy Morelli Wadi Jones | Pop Jazz | "Judas" —Lady Gaga | Sean Cheesman | Safe |
| Melanie Moore Marko Germar | Contemporary | "Turn to Stone"—Ingrid Michaelson | Travis Wall | Safe |
| Ashley Rich Chris Koehl | Hip-Hop | "Forget You"—Cee Lo Green | Christopher Scott | Safe |
| Iveta Lukosiute Nick Young | Quickstep | "The Ballroom Blitz"—Sweet | Jason Gilkison | Safe |
Due to a shoulder injury, Mitchell Kelly was barred from performing in his routine. He was replaced for the evening by season 7's Robert Roldan and was automatically in danger of going home.
Top 20 Perform Again (June 22, 2011)
- Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Debbie Reynolds
- Performances:
| Couple | Style | Music | Choreographer | Result |
| Ryan Ramirez Ricky Jaime | Jazz | "Addicted to Love"—Robert Palmer | Mandy Moore | Bottom 3 |
| Caitlynn Lawson Mitchell Kelly | Contemporary | "Turning Tables"—Adele | Stacey Tookey | Safe |
| Missy Morelli Wadi Jones | Cha-cha-cha | "Cannibal"—Kesha | Jean-Marc Généreux | Both eliminated |
| Iveta Lukosiute Nick Young | Bollywood | "Baawre" from Luck by Chance | Nakul Dev Mahajan | Both eliminated |
| Miranda Maleski Robert Taylor Jr. | Hip-hop | "Break Ya Neck"—Busta Rhymes | Nappytabs | Safe |
| Clarice Ordaz Jess LeProtto | Contemporary | "Cathedrals"—Jump, Little Children | Stacey Tookey | Safe |
| Jordan Casanova Tadd Gadduang | Viennese Waltz | "Fade Into Me"—David Cook | Jean-Marc Généreux | Safe |
| Melanie Moore Marko Germar | Jazz | "Sing, Sing, Sing " —DKS | Mandy Moore | Safe |
| Sasha Mallory Alexander Fost | Hip-hop | "Coming Home"—Diddy-Dirty Money feat. Skylar Grey | Nappytabs | Safe |
| Ashley Rich Chris Koehl | Broadway | "Please, Mr. Jailer"—Rachel Sweet | Spencer Liff | Safe |