<P> Following Vegas Week--- which has, through video vignettes, made many of the dancers increasingly familiar to the audience as it observes their attempts to cope with the challenges of the week ---the judge's panel selects their finalists from the remaining dancers, breaking the good or bad news to each dancer . Since Season six, the series has also featured a showcase episode that takes place immediately before the main competition . In this episode, dancers compete for the first time on the main SYTYCD stage in Los Angeles before a live audience, dancing duet or group routines, but only in their own styles . In seasons eight through ten, the finalist announcement episode and the dancer's showcase were combined into one episode, with groups of dancers taking to the stage for the first time immediately after they are revealed . In seasons six through nine, no dancers were in danger of elimination at this point and the first round of viewer voting and judge eliminations occurred the following week . In the slightly more compact format of the more recent seasons, the dancer showcase is often the first episode to be accompanied by viewer voting and a resulting elimination . </P> <P> Following the finalist selection process, the show transitions into its regular competition phase, which lasts the rest of the season . The competition stage is typically divided into 8 weeks, generally with two contestants eliminated per week . Dancers are paired - up into male - female couples that will sometimes stay paired for half of the remaining competition if neither is eliminated . These couples perform 1--2 duets per week in randomly selected styles . These duets, as with all non-solo performances at this stage in the competition, are choreographed by professional choreographers . Prior to most duet performances, a video packet of clips of the couple preparing to perform the routine is shown; these packets are intended not only to demonstrate the couple's efforts to master the routine, but also to give glimpses of the personalities of the dancers as well as to allow the choreographer to give insight as to the thematic, narrative, and artistic intentions of the piece . Following each duet performance, the week's panel of judges gives critical feedback, often emphasizing the two key areas of technique and performance value . Duets and their accompanying video packets and critiques typically take up the majority of a competition show but may also be supplemented by solos or group numbers . Each competition show ends with a quick recap of the night's routines accompanied by voting prompts--traditionally by phone, but increasingly through online voting processes . Performance shows typically last around two hours, commercials included . </P> <P> In seasons 2 - 8 the show's weekly format was split between two episodes, a performance episode, as described above, and a results show which reveals the outcome of the at - home - viewer voting . Results shows typically aired on the night immediately following that of the performance show of the same week and usually opened with a group routine from the remaining contestants . The main purpose of this show was to determine which of the dancers are eliminated that week, but these episodes generally also featured guest dance performances or guest musical acts, and sometimes further video packets that provide insight on the dancers and their journey on the show . More recent seasons have moved to a one - show - per - week format, combining elements that used to be found in both varieties of show . Regardless of how many shows air per week, a "bottom three" couples (those that garnered the fewest votes from viewers--in some seasons it is a bottom three of individual dancers rather than couples) are typically revealed weekly at this stage in the competition . Each of these dancers are then in danger of elimination and must perform a solo for the judges as their last effort to impress and stay in the competition . The judges then retire briefly (typically during the night's headlining musical guest performance) to determine which man and woman (which are not necessarily from the same couple) will leave the competition . The eliminated dancers are then announced and given a brief send - off via a video montage . On very rare occasions, the judges have been unwilling to send any of the bottom dancers home on the merits of their performances that week amd have abstained from making an elimination and instead allowed all competitors to proceed to the next week (often to be followed by a double elimination the following week). Since Season 7, dancers have also been routinely paired with "All Stars", returning dancers from previous seasons who partner with the contestant dancers, but are not themselves competing . </P> <P> The total number of hours shown in a given week during the performance phase of the competition has varied from two to four hours . In season one there was no results show and the dancers' eliminations were pre-recorded the week they occurred and then broadcast at the beginning of the next week's episode . Seasons 9 - 14 have also utilized one show per week, but with votes from the previous week being revealed later in the show . Voting has varied by season (and often within seasons) with regard to whether the voter selected individuals or couples . There has also been variability in how long couples are kept together and how the at - home - viewer votes are balanced against judge decisions, though ultimately at some point in every season, the judges give up their power to save dancers at this point, and eliminations are determined exclusively by viewer votes, with judges serving in only an advisory capacity . Each season undergoes one final format shake - up in its last week, which typically takes place when the show reaches a Top 4 . In the final performance show, the remaining dancers typically each dance duets with all of their remaining fellow finalists as well as perform solos and participate in group numbers . The following night's season finale episode is often the most elaborately produced show of a season and features the last performances of the competitors, encore performances of many of the season's most acclaimed routines, guest dancers (including returning past season competitors and cast - members from other international versions of the franchise), musical performances and multiple video packets chronicling the course of the season's events, all culminating in the announcement of the winner of the competition, as decided by the previous night's vote . Some seasons have featured a singular winner, while others have allowed for a male and female winner . Following the closure of the season, the Top Ten dancers often go on tour for several months, performing hit routines from the season amongst other performances . </P>

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