It’s easy to forget how weird TV was in 2005. American Idol was a juggernaut, and Fox basically decided they needed the exact same thing but with dancing. That’s how we got So You Think You Can Dance Season One. Honestly? It was a total experiment. If you go back and watch those early episodes now, it feels like a different universe compared to the polished, high-production spectacle the show eventually became.
The stage looked smaller. The lighting was slightly harsh. Lauren Sánchez—yes, that Lauren Sánchez—was the host before Cat Deeley took over and became the face of the franchise. It was gritty. It was raw. And frankly, nobody knew if it would work.
The Chaos of the First Format
Most people remember the "Top 20" format. You know the drill: couples get randomly paired, they draw a genre out of a hat, and they pray they don’t get stuck doing a Samba if they’re a B-boy. But So You Think You Can Dance Season One didn’t start that way. It was a bit more disorganized.
The show premiered on July 20, 2005. Instead of the tight structure we see now, the early weeks were focused on a massive open call. It wasn't just about finding the best technical dancers; the producers were looking for "personalities." That led to some legendary, if slightly cringey, audition footage. Remember, this was the era of the "bad audition" montage. We spent a lot of time watching people who clearly couldn't dance a lick try to convince Nigel Lythgoe they were the next big thing.
Nigel was there from day one. He was the "mean" judge back then, playing into the Simon Cowell archetype that was so popular in the mid-2000s. Alongside him was Mary Murphy, though she wasn't quite the "Queen of Scream" yet. She was loud, sure, but the Hot Tamale Train hadn't fully left the station. The chemistry was still being figured out. They even had guest judges like Dan Karaty and Carrie Ann Inaba before she became a staple on Dancing with the Stars.
Nick Lazzarini and the Birth of a Winner
If you want to talk about the legacy of this season, you have to talk about Nick Lazzarini. He was 23 years old, a contemporary dancer from California, and he basically set the blueprint for what a "SYTYCD winner" looks like. He had this technical precision that was undeniable, but he also had that "it" factor. He was likable.
Nick wasn't just good; he was consistent. While other dancers struggled when they were forced out of their comfort zones—like when the street dancers had to do quickstep—Nick seemed to glide through everything. He eventually took home the $100,000 prize and the title of "America's Favorite Dancer."
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But here’s the thing. The competition was actually pretty stiff. Melody Lacayanga, who came in second, was arguably just as technically gifted. The finale wasn't a blowout. It was a genuine toss-up. Other standouts like Jamile McGee and Ashlé Dawson proved that the show could successfully bridge the gap between "street" and "stage," which was the whole point of the show’s existence.
The Performance That Changed Everything
We have to talk about the choreography. In the first season, the choreographers were still testing the waters. They didn't know how much the audience could handle. Would people sit through a contemporary piece about heartbreak? Turns out, they would.
One of the most pivotal moments in So You Think You Can Dance Season One wasn't even a specific dance, but the realization that the "Contemporary" genre was going to be the show's bread and butter. Mia Michaels hadn't reached her peak legendary status yet, but her influence was already felt. The show proved that dance could tell a story on primetime television without needing a flashy Vegas backdrop or a dozen backup dancers.
It was intimate.
That intimacy is why people kept tuning in. You watched these kids get bruised and exhausted. You saw them cry in rehearsals because they couldn't get the footwork for a Mambo. It was "struggle porn" for the artsy crowd, and it worked brilliantly.
What Most People Forget About Season One
There’s a lot of revisionist history when it comes to early reality TV. People think it was an instant hit. While it did well, it wasn't the monster success right out of the gate. It was a summer replacement show. Fox used it to fill the gap while their big hitters were on hiatus.
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- The Voting Was Different: The way fans voted wasn't as streamlined as the app-based voting we have now. People were actually calling in.
- The Styles Were Limited: They leaned heavily on Ballroom, Jazz, and Hip Hop. The more "niche" styles like Bollywood or African Jazz didn't really show up until later seasons.
- The Host Factor: Lauren Sánchez was a professional news anchor, but she didn't have the "big sister" energy that Cat Deeley eventually brought. The vibe was much more formal and a bit stiff.
The transition from the Top 50 to the Top 16 (not 20!) was brutal. They cut people fast. If you weren't memorable in the first ten seconds of your solo, you were gone. This created a high-pressure environment that resulted in some truly desperate, high-energy performances.
Why It Still Matters Today
You might wonder why anyone should care about a season of a show that aired over twenty years ago. The reason is simple: it changed the career trajectory for professional dancers in America. Before So You Think You Can Dance Season One, if you were a dancer, your ceiling was usually "backup dancer for Britney Spears" or "ensemble member in a Broadway show." You were background.
This show made the dancer the star.
Nick Lazzarini went on to help found ShapeSide and has had a massive career in dance education and choreography. Travis Wall, who was in Season 2 but influenced by the first, became a household name. The show created a pipeline. It legitimized dance as a competitive sport in the eyes of the general public. It also forced the dance world to stop being so snobby about different styles. A ballerina had to respect a popper, and vice versa. That crossover was revolutionary at the time.
The Evolution of the Judges' Table
Watching Nigel Lythgoe in Season One is a trip. He was trying so hard to be the "bad guy." He would make comments about dancers' bodies or their "marketability" that probably wouldn't fly as well today. But he also clearly cared about the craft. He was a producer who actually knew what he was talking about, having been a dancer himself in the UK.
Then you had the guest judges. It felt like a rotating door. Sometimes they’d bring in someone who knew everything about ballroom but nothing about hip hop, leading to some very lopsided critiques. It was a learning curve for the production team as much as it was for the contestants. They had to learn how to judge "potential" versus "perfection."
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The Finalists: Where Are They Now?
Nick Lazzarini is still very much active in the dance community. He’s a regular at dance conventions like JUMP, teaching the next generation. Melody Lacayanga also stayed in the industry, performing and teaching.
Jamile McGee, who brought that incredible popping and locking energy to the first season, continued to work as a professional dancer and choreographer. These weren't just "reality stars" who faded away; they were working professionals who used the platform as a springboard.
Interestingly, the "failure" rate of Season One contestants was remarkably low. Almost everyone in that Top 8 found a way to stay in the arts. That speaks to the quality of the scouting, even in those early, chaotic days of the "summer replacement" experiment.
Practical Takeaways for Fans and Dancers
If you’re a fan of the show or a dancer looking to understand the industry, there are a few things to learn from the inaugural season of SYTYCD:
- Versatility is King: The dancers who survived Season One weren't the ones who were the "best" at their own style. They were the ones who were the "least bad" at everyone else's style. This is still true in the professional world today.
- Personality Trumps Technique (Sometimes): You can have the best extensions in the world, but if the audience doesn't connect with you, you won't get the votes. Nick won because he was both talented and likable.
- Adaptability: The schedule for the first season was grueling. Dancers had days, sometimes just hours, to learn complex routines. Success in dance often comes down to how fast you can pick up choreography under pressure.
- The "Reality" Factor: Remember that SYTYCD is a TV show first and a dance competition second. The stories told in the rehearsal packages matter just as much as the performance on the stage.
To truly appreciate where dance is today—from TikTok trends to multimillion-dollar tours—you have to look back at that summer in 2005. It started with a shaky camera, a few kids in baggy sweatpants, and a title that felt like a dare: So You Think You Can Dance.
Check out old clips of Nick and Melody's contemporary routines on YouTube to see the technical baseline of 2005 versus today. It’s a fascinating look at how much the "standard" of professional dance has skyrocketed over two decades. Compare the Season One finale to a more recent Season 17 or 18 performance; the athleticism has evolved, but the heart of that first season is still what makes the show work.