Season 17 Finale, Now What? What tWitch Said | SYTYCD | Inside Dance

Season 17 Finale, Now What? What tWitch Said | SYTYCD | Inside Dance

The 17th season of So You Think You Can Dance wrapped on Wednesday, Aug. 10, and it wasn’t an easy season. However, viewers can say that this was one of the most memorable finales with two talented finalists, winner Alexis Warr and runner-up Keaton Kermode. Despite the controversial voting and format changes, the show figured out a way to make a two-dancer finale feel like a high-stakes win since there was no clear frontrunner coming into the last episode. 

Judge Stephen “tWitch ” Boss and All-Star (and wife) Allison Holker were fired up after the final taping because they were riding the emotions of the show. Holker believes Warr fought for every moment of her win that night — she put it all out there with no regrets. “There’s something that changes in a dancer when they’re in the bottom a few times, it changes that fight in you,” Holker explained, “Alexis comes back stronger and stronger every single week, even though from the top she’s already one of the strongest dancers. This finale was hers.”

On that last night, Warr and Kermode didn’t do it alone. tWitch was tremendously impressed by Carter Williams and Anna Miller “sliding into All-Star energy” to support Warr and Kermode. “They’re no longer in the competition, but what you are there to do is be the strongest partner for the contestant,” he shared. “Carter showed up saying, ‘Not only am I here for you tonight, but I’ve been here for you your whole life and I’m about to give you that support to help you win.’”

Holker also chimed in to praise choreographers Emma Slater and Sasha Farber for the work they put into Warr and Williams’ Samba. “That is one of the best ballroom routines that’s ever been on the So You Think stage ever — choreographically, performance-wise, costumes, everything about it,” she gushed. “It was one of the most difficult routines on the show and well-executed.” 

With the series wrapped, Holker advised that the Top 12 now “get their ducks in a row” to help ride the momentum from the summer series. “This is your moment; this is the biggest platform for dance that you can have right now. Right, so you did it,” she said. “Now you have to write that next goal, go to those auditions, meet with the choreographers, and tell your agent where you want to go next.  You have to be the one steering your ship in the entertainment field.”

tWitch also wanted to remind this cast to get out there and use social media to their advantage because he felt that they didn’t take that full opportunity during the season as much as they should have when they were in TV viewers’ living rooms each week. “There’s almost a bit of a stigma when you start to push your stuff on social media,” he advised. “It’s not about that. You can’t pay your bills with other people’s opinions, so do what you do and promote yourself.”

The dynamic dancing duo are both hoping that So You Think You Can Dance has an 18th season, and tWitch confirmed that he is “100%” committed to returning to the judges’ panel — and gestured to his wife that she should join him there. It’s a solid idea since they are both fantastic ambassadors to the dance community — now we just need to get FOX network onboard. Before we wrapped, Holker also wanted to make sure that choreographer Brian Friedman got a shoutout for his “fantastic opening number” with the Top 12 and all three judges. It was something that capped off another magical season for tWitch. “It’s still an honor every time I get to touch the stage,” he summed up. “Just like I did when I competed.”