# So You Think You Can Dance (American TV series) season 15

So You Think You Can Dance, an American dance competition show, returned for its fifteenth season on Monday, June 4, 2018. The season's judge panel once again features series creator Nigel Lythgoe, as well as the return of ballroom expert Mary Murphy, and Vanessa Hudgens, while Season 4 runner-up Stephen "tWitch" Boss is the new fourth judge during the auditions and the live shows. Cat Deeley continues in her role as host for a fourteenth consecutive season. This is the last season to feature Hudgens as judge.

## Auditions

Open auditions for season 15 were held in two cities beginning in March 2018. During the auditions, the judges were joined by special guest judge, Stephen "tWitch" Boss.
| Air Date | Audition Venue | City | Audition Date |
| June 18 & 25, 2018 | Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet | Brooklyn, NY | March 2–4, 2018 |
| June 4 & 11, 2018 | Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts | Los Angeles, CA | March 26–28, 2018 |

## The Academy
### Top 20 contestants

Below comprises those who have advanced into the initial top twenty contestants (both gender: ten female contestants and ten male contestants), until this year's "twist" which ultimately cut the contestants roster going to the live shows in half.

### Female Contestants

| Top Ten Female | Dance Style |
| Dayna Madison | Jazz |
| Brianna Penrose | Tap |
| Stephanie Sosa | Latin Ballroom |
| Sydney Moss | Contemporary |
| Emily Carr | Contemporary |

### Male Contestants

| Top Ten Male | Dance Style |
| Justin Pham | Contemporary |
| Peyton Albrecht | Contemporary |
| Kyle Bennett, Jr. | Animation |
| Dustin Payne | Animation |
| Allen Genkin | Ballroom |

## Contestants
### Top 10 contestants
#### Female contestants

| Contestant | Age | Home town | Dance style | Placement |
| Hannahlei Cabanilla | 18 | Anaheim Hills, California | Contemporary | Winner |
| Jensen Arnold | 20 | Provo, Utah | Latin Ballroom | Runner-Up |
| Genessy Castillo | 18 | Jamaica, New York | Contemporary | 3rd Place |
| Magda Fialek | 27 | Nowy Sacz, Poland | Latin Ballroom | Top 8 |
| Chelsea Hough | 24 | Nashville, Tennessee | Jazz | Top 10 |

#### Male contestants

| Contestant | Age | Home town | Dance style | Placement |
| Slavik Pustovoytov | 19 | Poltava, Ukraine | Hip Hop/Animation | 4th Place |
| Jay Jay Dixonbey | 20 | Detroit, Michigan | Jazz | Top 6 |
| Darius Hickman | 19 | Green Acres, Florida | Contemporary | Top 6 |
| Cole Mills | 24 | Ocean Township, New Jersey | Latin Ballroom | Top 8 |
| Evan DeBenedetto | 19 | Ansonia, Connecticut | Tap | Top 10 |

### Elimination chart

Contestants are listed in chronological order of elimination (TBD).
| Result show date: | 8/13 | 8/20 | 8/27 | 9/10 |
| Contestant | Results | Results | Results | Results |
| Hannahlei Cabanilla | | | | Winner |
| Jensen Arnold | | | | Runner-Up |
| Genessy Castillo | | Btm 4 | | 3rd Place |
| Slavik Pustovoytov | | | | 4th Place |
| Jay Jay Dixonbey | | | Elim | |
| Darius Hickman | | Btm 4 | Elim | |
| Cole Mills | Btm 4 | Elim | | |
| Magda Fialek | Btm 4 | Elim | | |
| Evan DeBenedetto | Elim | | | |
| Chelsea Hough | Elim | | | |

### Performances
#### Top 10 Perform, Part 1 (August 6, 2018)

* Group dance: Top 10: "Dream State" — Son Lux (Contemporary; Choreographer: Travis Wall)
* Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Vanessa Hudgens, Stephen "tWitch" Boss
| Couple | Style | Music | Choreographer(s) |
| Jensen Arnold Jay Jay Dixonbey | Samba | "Mad Love" — Sean Paul & David Guetta feat. Becky G | Jean-Marc Généreux |
| Jensen Arnold Jay Jay Dixonbey | Jazz | "Ex's & Oh's" — Elle King | Mandy Moore |
| Hannahlei Cabanilla Cole Mills | Contemporary | "They Won't Go When I Go" — George Michael | Tyce Diorio |
| Hannahlei Cabanilla Cole Mills | Paso Doble | "Heroes of Chaos" — Tybercore | Jean-Marc Généreux |
| Chelsea Hough Evan DeBenedetto | Pop Jazz | "Make Me Feel (EDX Dubai Skyline Remix)" — Janelle Monáe | Ray Leeper |
| Chelsea Hough Evan DeBenedetto | Tap | "Singin' In The Rain" — Jamie Cullum | Anthony Morigerato |
| Genessy Castillo Slavik Pustovoytov | Hip-hop | "Round & Round" — Fabolous | Luther Brown |
| Genessy Castillo Slavik Pustovoytov | Contemporary | "An Evening I Will Not Forget (Acoustic)" — Dermot Kennedy | Talia Favia |
| Magda Fialek Darius Hickman | Contemporary | "Glass Heart Concerto" — Blondie & Philip Glass | Travis Wall |
| Magda Fialek Darius Hickman | Cha-cha | "I Like It Like That" — Pete Rodriguez | Val Chmerkovskiy |

#### Top 10 Perform, Part 2 (August 13, 2018)

* Group dance: Top 10: "Yummy" – Gwen Stefani ft. Pharrell Williams (Hip-hop; Choreographer: Luther Brown)
* Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Vanessa Hudgens, Stephen "tWitch" Boss
| Couple | Style | Music | Choreographer(s) | Result |
| Magda Fialek Darius Hickman | Bollywood | "Badri Ki Dulhania"—Badrinath Ki Dulhania Soundtrack | Nakul Dev Mahajan | Fialek Bottom 4 Hickman Safe |
| Magda Fialek Darius Hickman | Jazz | "Fever"—Peggy Lee | Mandy Moore | Fialek Bottom 4 Hickman Safe |
| Chelsea Hough Evan DeBenedetto | Lyrical Hip-hop | "Love on the Brain"—Rihanna | Christopher Scott | Both Eliminated |
| Chelsea Hough Evan DeBenedetto | Contemporary | "Snowing"—Sonya Kitchell | Travis Wall | Both Eliminated |
| Hannalei Cabanilla Cole Mills | Hip-hop (Stepping) | "Pump It Up"—Joe Budden | Joe Brown | Cabanilla Safe Mills Bottom 4 |
| Hannalei Cabanilla Cole Mills | Disco | "Last Dance"—Donna Summer | Doriana Sanchez | Cabanilla Safe Mills Bottom 4 |
| Jensen Arnold Jay Jay Dixonbey | Contemporary | "Lost Without You"—Freya Ridings | Jaci Royal | Both Safe |
| Jensen Arnold Jay Jay Dixonbey | African Jazz | "Run"—Hybrid Core Music + Sound | Sean Cheesman | Both Safe |
| Genessy Castillo Slavik Pustovoytov | Jive | "Jump, Jive an' Wail"—The Brian Setzer Orchestra | Sharna Burgess | Both Safe |
| Genessy Castillo Slavik Pustovoytov | Broadway | "Someone to Watch Over Me"—Ella Fitzgerald & London Symphony Orchestra | Al Blackstone | Both Safe |

#### Top 8 Perform (August 20, 2018)

* Group dance:
** Top 8: "Runaway" – Nathan Lanier (Hip-hop; Choreographer: Christopher Scott)
** Top 4 Female Contestants: "Wanderlust" – Empara Mi (Contemporary; Choreographer: Talia Favia)
** Top 4 Male Contestants: "Juice" – Yo Gotti (Hip-hop; Choreographer: Luther Brown)
* Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Vanessa Hudgens, Stephen "tWitch" Boss
| Couple | Style | Music | Choreographer(s) | Result |
| Jensen Arnold Jay Jay Dixonbey | Jazz | "I Got You (I Feel Good)"—Jessie J | Sean Cheesman | Both Safe |
| Jensen Arnold Jay Jay Dixonbey | Hip hop | "Cookin"—Fat Joe, Remy Ma & French Montana ft. RySoValid | Randi & Hef | Both Safe |
| Genessy Castillo Slavik Pustovoytov | Contemporary | "Fall For You"—Leela James | Mandy Moore | Castillo Bottom 4 Putstovoytov Safe |
| Genessy Castillo Slavik Pustovoytov | Jazz | "House Work"—Jax Jones ft. Mike Dunn & MNEK | Ray Leeper | Castillo Bottom 4 Putstovoytov Safe |
| Magda Fialek Darius Hickman | Hip-hop | "Killa"—Disto | Pharside & Phoenix | Fialek Eliminated Hickman Bottom 4 |
| Magda Fialek Darius Hickman | Contemporary | "Undertow"—Ane Brun | Jaci Royal | Fialek Eliminated Hickman Bottom 4 |
| Hannahlei Cabanilla Cole Mills | Broadway | "Get Happy (Live)"—Judy Garland | Travis Wall | Cabanilla Safe Mills Eliminated |
| Hannahlei Cabanilla Cole Mills | Cha Cha | "Sing It Back"—Moloko | Sasha Farber & Emma Slater | Cabanilla Safe Mills Eliminated |
* Top 8 contestant's solos:
| Contestant | Style | Music |
| Cole Mills | Jive | "Jailhouse Rock" – Elvis Presley |
| Hannahlei Cabanilla | Contemporary | "River (King Kavalier Remix)" – Bishop Briggs |
| Jay Jay Dixonbey | Jazz | "Clear Air" – Sevdaliza |
| Slavik Pustovoytov | Hip-hop | "Separate" – whereisalex |
| Magda Fialek | Samba | "Marchina (Samba/50 Bpm)" – TNN |
| Jensen Arnold | Cha Cha | "Ain't Your Mama" – Jennifer Lopez |
| Darius Hickman | Contemporary | "Strange Fruit" – Nina Simone |
| Genessy Castillo | Contemporary | "Yours" – Ella Henderson |

#### Top 6 Perform (August 27, 2018)

* Group dance:
** Top 6: "Spring 1" – Max Richter (Contemporary; Choreographer: Mia Michaels)
** Top 3 Female Contestants: "Bump" – Trish (Hip-hop; Choreographer: Luther Brown)
** Top 3 Male Contestants: "Violence Broken" – No Mono (Hip-hop; Choreographer: Christopher Scott)
* Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Vanessa Hudgens, Stephen "tWitch" Boss
| Couple | Style | Music | Choreographer(s) | Results |
| Jensen Arnold Kiki Nyemchek | Cha cha cha | "Bailar (Radio Edit)" — Deorro ft. Elvis Crespo | Jenna Johnson | Safe |
| Genessy Castillo Lex Ishimoto | Jazz | "Be Brave" — My Brightest Diamond | Mandy Korpinen Elizabeth Petrin | Safe |
| Slavik Pustovoytov Jana "Jaja" Vaňková | Hip-hop | "Beggin' & Pleadin'" — Brandy | Comfort Fedoke | Safe |
| Hannahlei Cabanilla Marko Germar | Contemporary | "Welcome Home" — Joy Williams | Robert Roldan | Safe |
| Jay Jay Dixonbey Lauren Froderman | Jazz | "Runaway Baby" — Bruno Mars | Mandy Moore | Eliminated |
| Darius Hickman Taylor Sieve | Contemporary | "It Takes A Lot to Know a Man" — Damien Rice | Travis Wall | Eliminated |
| Jensen Arnold Jay Jay Dixonbey | Tahitian | "Lugahiva" — Te Vaka | Tiana Liufau | Arnold Safe Dixonby Eliminated |
| Genessy Castillo Slavik Pustovoytov | Salsa | "Machika" — J Balvin, Jeon & Anitta | Jonathan Platero Oksana Platero | Both Safe |
| Hannahlei Cabanilla Darius Hickman | Argentine Tango | "Tanguango" — Ryota Komatsu | Miriam Larici Leonardo Barrionuevo | Cabanilla Safe Hickman Eliminated |

#### Top 4 Perform (September 3, 2018)

* Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Vanessa Hudgens, Stephen "tWitch" Boss
| Couple | Style | Music | Choreographer(s) | Results |
| Genessy Castillo Slavik Pustovoytov | Hip-hop | "Poke It Out" — Playboi Carti & Nicki Minaj | Luther Brown | |
| Hannahlei Cabanilla Jensen Arnold | Jazz (Heels) | "Dem Beats" — Todrick Hall ft. RuPaul | Brian Friedman | |
| Genessy Castillo Jonathan Platero | Samba | "Watch Out For This (Bumaye)" — Major Lazer | Elena Samodanova | 3rd Place |
| Slavik Pustovoytov Melanie Moore | Contemporary | "Gun" — Mas Ysa | Travis Wall | 4th Place |
| Hannahlei Cabanilla Slavik Pustovoytov | African Jazz | "When Rivers Cry" — Somi ft. Common | Sean Cheesman | |
| Genessy Castillo Jensen Arnold | Broadway | "Maybe This Time" — Liza Minnelli | Travis Wall | |
| Hannahlei Cabanilla DuShaunt "Fik-shun" Stegall | Hip-hop | "Move Something" — DJ Quik & Problem | Randi & Hef | Winner |
| Jensen Arnold Robert Roldan | Contemporary | "Can't Help Falling In Love" — Kina Grannis (from "Crazy Rich Asians") | Mandy Moore | Runner-Up |
| Genessy Castillo Hannahlei Cabanilla | Contemporary | "Numbers" — Daughter | Talia Favia | |
| Jensen Arnold Slavik Pustovoytov | Cha-Cha | "Boom" — Tiësto & Sevenn ft. Gucci Mane | Oksana Platero | |
Top 4 contestant's solos:
| Contestant | Style | Music |
| Genessy Castillo | Contemporary | "Cried" – Candice Glover |
| Slavik Pustovoytov | Hip-hop | "Some Minds" – Flume ft. Andrew Wyatt |
| Jensen Arnold | Cha Cha | "Where Have You Been" – Rihanna |
| Hannahlei Cabanilla | Contemporary | "Back Again" – Party Favor & Gent & Jawns |
* all top 4 contestants were safe from elimination on September 3, winner was declared the following week on September 10, 2018.

## Ratings
### U.S. Nielsen ratings

| Show | Episode | First Air Date | Rating (18–49) | Share (18–49) | Viewers (millions) | Rank (timeslot) | Rank (night) |
| 1 | Auditions #1 | June 4, 2018 (2018-06-04) | 0.7 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 3 (tied) |
| 2 | Auditions #2 | June 11, 2018 (2018-06-11) | 0.7 | 3 | 2.96 | 3 | 3 (tied) |
| 3 | Auditions #3 | June 18, 2018 (2018-06-18) | 0.8 | 4 | 3.17 | 2 | 3 (tied) |
| 4 | Auditions #4 | June 25, 2018 (2018-06-25) | 0.6 | 3 | 2.85 | 2 | 4 (tied) |
| 5 | Academy #1 | July 9, 2018 (2018-07-09) | 0.7 | 3 | 2.73 | 3 | 3 (tied) |
| 6 | Academy #2 | July 16, 2018 (2018-07-16) | 0.6 | 3 | 2.42 | 3 | 5 |
| 7 | Top Ten Women | July 23, 2018 (2018-07-23) | 0.6 | 3 | 2.60 | 3 (tied) | 4 (tied) |
| 8 | Top Ten Men | July 31, 2018 (2018-07-31) | 0.6 | 3 | 2.61 | 3 (tied) | 4 (tied) |
| 9 | Top 10 Perform, Part 1 | August 6, 2018 (2018-08-06) | 0.6 | 3 | 2.49 | 3 (tied) | 4 (tied) |
| 10 | Top 10 Perform, Part 2 | August 13, 2018 (2018-08-13) | 0.6 | 3 | 2.59 | 4 | 5 |
| 11 | Top 8 Perform | August 20, 2018 (2018-08-20) | 0.5 | 2 | 2.39 | 4 | 5 (tied) |
| 12 | Top 6 Perform | August 27, 2018 (2018-08-27) | 0.6 | 3 | 2.68 | 3 | 3 (tied) |
| 13 | Top 4 Perform | September 3, 2018 (2018-09-03) | 0.5 | 2 | 2.43 | 4 | 4 (tied) |
| 14 | Season Finale | September 10, 2018 (2018-09-10) | 0.6 | 3 | 2.60 | 4 | 5 (tied) |