Maddie Ziegler of Dance Moms joins So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation

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LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 02: Maddie Ziegler attends Teen Vogue's 13th Annual Young Hollywood Issue Launch Party on October 2, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

So is Abby Lee Miller proud … or jelly? (And what does this mean for Dance Moms?) FOX announced today that the Lifetime reality show’s breakout star Maddie Ziegler will join Nigel Lythgoe, Paula Abdul and Jason Derulo as a judge on So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation.

So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation — which premieres Monday, May 30, at 9/8CT on FOX — features multi-talented dancers between the ages of 8-13 strutting their stuff in a variety of dance styles, including contemporary, tap, hip-hop, ballroom, animation or breakdancing.

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So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation — Maddie Ziegler (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

And since she’s been there, done that for most of her life, the thirteen-year-old Ziegler is uniquely qualified to lend them advice. Since rising to fame on Dance Moms when the show launched in 2011, Ziegler parlayed the exposure — and her formidable talent —  international fame via a trio of controversial Sia videos and scripted roles in a host of kid-centric shows. She’ll make her feature film debut in the upcoming drama The Book of Henry starring Naomi Watts and Room‘s Jacob Tremblay.

If you think you — or your kid — has what it takes to win Maddie’s praise, auditions for So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation will be held March 11 in Chicago and March 18 in New York. You can find out more here.

According to FOX, prospects will compete for a place at “The Academy,” where the top ten junior dancers will eventually be chosen and paired with a SYTYCD all-star. The action then moves to the So You Think You Can Dance studios, where they’ll work with world-class choreographers and the judges will do their thing, eliminating competitors until the first So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation winner is chosen.

So what do you say, Ziegler fans? Are you happy to have a weekly dose of Maddie away from Dance Moms? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation premieres  Monday, May 30, at 9/8CT on FOX.

8 Comments

  1. Hi, pals. They can’t get me screeners until day of, so I’m SOL on the recaps. I’m sorry!!

    • Awwww dammit, that’s okay. Thanks again Lori, and let us know when you maybe will get the chance to do them again. Or just make personal ones for self amusement, heh.

    • Awwww dammit, that’s okay. Thanks again Lori, and let us know when you maybe will get the chance to do them again. Or just make personal ones for self amusement, heh. Well, I guess we’ll see for ourselves.

    • My name is John Linen and I have been Dance Moms free for 90 days. When my enabler was cut off from her supply of Dance Moms, I was finally able to kick it for good.

    • You’re missing an INSANE season Lori….I’ve come thisclose to picking up my tv and throwing it off my balcony LOL.

  2. I have known about this for a while. I’m excited. But… Uh Lori, will we have old recaps soon? You’re missing out quite the dramatic season hahaha.

  3. Lori!!! Where have you been?????? I think this could be a hot mess or something that will leave Abby’s show in the dust, depending on how Maddie comes off. I really don’t think she has it in her to be hard-ass and nasty, but I could be totally wrong. She definitely knows her stuff, and the contestants are likely to want to impress her so they’ll pull out all the stops. If it’s anything like the junior version of American Idol back in the day, it’ll be full of “you put so much heart into your performance, you’re so much fun to watch, you’re adorable, look at that smile” kind of frou-frou and that’s not very entertaining to watch. Now, that being said, some of those little kid singers were freaking amazing (PLL Lucy Hale got her start on that show, and look at her now) but there was no real harsh critical opinions and feedback. But if the producers are looking for a feel-good, let’s let everyone feel like winners so no one gets their feelings hurt, type show, then this will probably be it.

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About Lori Acken 1195 Articles
Lori just hasn't been the same since "thirtysomething" and "Northern Exposure" went off the air.