So You Think You Can Dance

In this two-hour episode, we watched the first and second auditions in both New York and Chicago. We saw the good, the bad, and the ugly. In the first stage of auditions, the three producers from American Idol screened the contestants fairly leniently because the second audition was far more "telling." In the second audition, a choreographer gave them two pieces: one set as a solo and one set on a male/female duo. If they couldn't keep up they were sent home. Those that made it through will go to Hollywood. Throughout the premiere episode, they also gave small video vignettes of a few of the contestants at their homes.

In this special 90 minute episode, the auditions take place over 2-days in Los Angeles, CA. The dancers perform a number, solo or with a partner, for the producers in order to move on to the next round. The producers let several creative, attention-getting dancers through regardless of how well they can actually dance, but heavily weighted on their "likeability" for a TV show. In the next round, the dancers are given choreography to perform in smaller groups for more talent-related judging. They are to learn a solo routine as well as a partner routine, but the first day of LA auditions put so few people through that they skip the solo routine. Several dancers are put through to Hollywood, and a few husband/wife teams are broken apart as one part of the team makes it through and the other doesn't.

The dancers are divided into 5 groups to attend class with each choreographer. Alex's salsa class, Brian's hip-hop class, Dan's hip-hop class, Mia's contemporary class and Mary's ballroom class. As the week draws to a close the choreographers meet with Nigel to decide who will be cut out. The choices are made and announced to cut the group down to 24.