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The All-Stars Season.
The All-Stars mechanic, a reduced Top 11 field, and the format's first live HD broadcasts make season seven the boldest structural swing the show has taken since its debut.
A rhythm worth tracking.
Season seven reinvents the format around All-Stars — instead of pairing with each other, the Top 11 finalists draw a rotating pool of former-contestant specialists each week, one per style. The field shrinks from the usual twenty to eleven, and Mary Murphy steps back from the permanent panel to guest appearances only. Performance broadcasts go live for the first time, and the season airs in HD for the first time as well.
The #04 slot.
Slot #04 of 18 in the So You Think You Can Dance Editor's Canon. Season seven earns its spot for sheer nerve. Instead of pairing finalists with each other, the season partners each dancer weekly with a rotating pool of former-contestant All-Stars, one per style — a mechanic bold enough to become a recurring fixture in seasons after. The finalist field shrinks from twenty to eleven, tightening the competition considerably, and Mary Murphy steps back from the permanent panel to guest appearances only, opening the third chair to rotation again. Performance broadcasts go live for the first time, and the season airs in HD for the first time too. It's the format proving it hasn't run out of new ideas by its seventh season.
5 moments, no spoilers.
- Ep 1 · the smaller field
The finalist count drops from the usual twenty to eleven, the tightest field the format has run to date.
- Ep 4 · the All-Star pairing
Instead of pairing with each other, finalists draw a rotating pool of former-contestant All-Stars each week, each one anchoring a specific style.
- Ep 6 · a familiar face steps back
Longtime panel judge Mary Murphy moves to guest-only appearances this season, with a rotating panel filling the second seat.
- Ep 9 · going live
Performance broadcasts move from pre-taped to live for the first time, alongside the show's first season broadcast in HD.
- Ep 16 · genre by draw
Every performance runs in the All-Star partner's home style, forcing dancers out of their own specialty most weeks.