Benji Schwimmer revealed that because of limited time with choreographers dancers sometimes had to invent the routines themselves. In particular he noted that he choreographed most of his La Salsa dance with Heidi Groskreutz-Burns as well as almost the entirety of his hop-hop routine with Travis Wall.
In Dec. 2023, Paula Abdul filed a lawsuit against Nigel Lythgoe, claiming that the American Idol (2002) and So You Think You Can Dance producer sexually assaulted her on two occasions. According to multiple reports citing court documents filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the GRAMMY winner claims the first alleged incident happened during one of American Idol's "initial seasons." Abdul claims Lythgoe sexually assaulted her again in 2015 when she was a judge on So You Think You Can Dance, this time at his home where she was invited to dinner "believing this to be a professional invitation." In a statement released Dec. 30, Lythgoe called the accusations an "appalling smear," adding that the lawsuit is "untrue."
Dancers skilled in everything from ballroom and ballet to salsa, jive, hip-hop and krumping, all compete to be named the best.