Shortly into The Next Generation season, it was obvious that the eliminations were going to be tougher than usual since the performers were so young on So You Think You Can Dance . However, their youth wasn't the only thing that made eliminations hard — it was their ridiculous levels of talent. So it was only right that during the season finale of So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation on Sept. 12 that all of the top 10 dancers had the opportunity to perform multiple times. Even though some of the dancers had been off of the show for weeks, they proved once again why they were chosen to be in the series' first kid-friendly season.
As the opening number highlighted, the focus of the season finale was not only on who would win out of the final four, it was also a celebration of the first Next Generation season. The final four of Kida, Emma, Tate, and J.T. began the show (as they should), but then the other six dancers who had previously been eliminated — Daniela, Sheaden, Jordan, Jake, Ruby, and Tahani — came out to join them in a joyous dance to Ben Rector's "Brand New" with their All-Stars following shortly after. And the acknowledgment of all of the kids' skills didn't end there since the top 10 dancers were featured in a freaky fairy-tale number by Mandy Moore to the song "Small" by Lamb. Fellow dance wunderkind and Next Generation judge Maddie Ziegler joined them for this routine since her massive success as a young dancer undoubtedly helped The Next Generation come to exist.
Then, depending on which style of dance the former competitors had specialized in, they performed in a piece with the remaining Next Generation dancers and the corresponding All-Stars, with separate routines for hip-hop, contemporary, and ballroom. Along with these group pieces, each competitor danced with their All-Star one last time, whether it was a favorite piece chosen by a judge or just a shorter duet.
Even though the final four had the most on the line, each Next Generation dancer gave it their all during the season finale. By the end, Kida was named the winner of So You Think You Can Dance , but each young dancer in the inaugural Next Generation season got the chance to shine one last time like the stars that they are.
Images: Adam Rose/FOX (2)
