The first season of So You Think You Can Dance, a Dutch adaptation of the American show by the same name, premiered on RTL4 on September 4, 2008. Unlike following seasons of the show, the first was broadcast in the Netherlands only and features only Dutch contestants. The finale aired December 11, 2008 and concluded with latin dancer Ivan Paulovich as champion. Paulovich won a choice of free dance study opportunities in the U.S., €20.000, and a role in the musical Footloose.
The first season featured permanent judges Jaakko Toivonen, Euvgenia Parakhina, and Dan Karaty. Additional guest judges included Albert Verlinde, Penny de Jager, Kim-Lian van der Meij, Wendy van Dijk, and Eszteca Noya.
Auditions and bootcamp
Open auditions for the first season were held exclusively in Amsterdam. Those dancers which impressed a panel of judges were sent forward to a "bootcamp," a several-day-long series of dance workshops (held in London, England for the first season). After observing the dancers over the course of the workshops, the judges then selected a Top 18 group of finalists for the main competition phase of the show, referenced as "The live shows."
From the top 18 to the top 10, the bottom three couples, based on each week's vote, were in danger of elimination from the competition and were required to "Dance for their lives" (perform a solo) to avoid being the one of the two dancers dismissed. From the top 10 to the finale, dancers received votes as individuals, and not couples, and eliminations were determined solely by home viewer votes.
Judge panel: Jaakko Toivonen, Euvgenia Parakhina, Dan Karaty, Albert Verlinde
Results show 1
Group Choreography:"Don't Stop the Music"—Rihanna (Jazz, choreography by Mandy Moore)
Dance for your life couples:
Alessandro & Dapheny (Both dancers eliminated)
Giorgio & Marielle
Bram & Julia
Solo's:
Dapheney: Onbekend
Alessandro: "Vivo Per Lei"—Andrea Bocelli ft. Laura Pausini
Marielle: "Come on Girl"—Taio Cruz ft. Luciana
Giorgio: "Renegades of Funk"—Rage Against the Machine
Julia: "Blessing Dance"—Nomak
Bram: "Sex, Love, &Money" - Mos Def
New couples: None
Judge panel: Jaakko Toivonen, Euvgenia Parakhina, Dan Karaty
Results show 2
Group Choreography: mix by "It's me, Bitches"—Swizz Beatz and "Don't Touch Me"—Busta Rhymes (Hip Hop, choreography by Eszteca Noya)
Dance for your life couples:
Boris & Eline (Eline eliminated)
Giorgio & Marielle Constancia, (Giorgio eliminated)
Uri & Anuschka
Solo's:
Eline: "7 Days to Change Your Life"—Jamie Cullum
Boris: "Bamboo Banga"—M.I.A.
Anusckha: "Secret Place"—Danity Kane
Uri: "Rock Your Soul"—Elisa
Marielle: "Ice Box"—Omarion
Giorgio: "Que Se Sepa"—Roberto Roena
New couples: Marielle and Boris
Judge panel: Jaakko Toivonen, Euvgenia Parakhina, Dan Karaty, Penny de Jager
Results show 3
Group Choreography: "Wow"—Kylie Minogue (choreography by Roy Jonathans)
Dance for your life couples:
Ceraldo & Giotta (Both dancers eliminated)
Ivan & Sigourney
Bram & Julia
Solo's:
Giotta: "Green Light"—Beyoncé Knowles
Ceraldo: "High Tide"—Pete Philly & Perquisite
Julia: "Free Chilly"—Lupe Fiasco (ft. Shara Gree & Gem Stone)
Bram: Onbekend
Sigourney: "Sucka for Love"—Danity Kane
Ivan: "Jump, Jive an' Wail "—The Brian Setzer Orchestra
New couples: None
Judge panel: Jaakko Toivonen, Euvgenia Parakhina, Dan Karaty, Kim-Lian van der Meij
Results show 4
Group Choreography: "Kijk Naar Mij"—Fame met Kim-Lian van der Meij (Broadway, choreography by Martin Michel)
Dance for your life couples:
Gianinni & Anne-May (Anne-May eliminated)
Uri & Anuschka
Boris & Marielle (Boris eliminated)
Solo's:
Anne-May: "Teardrop"—Massive Attack
Giannini: "Hot Music"—Soho
Anuschka: "Imaginary"—Evanescence
Uri: "All You Gotta Change"—Alain Clark
Marielle: "Viva La Vida"—Coldplay
Boris: "Superman"—Robin Thicke
New partners: From week five forward, new couples are assigned each week.
Judge panel: Jaakko Toivonen, Euvgenia Parakhina, Eszteca Noya, Albert Verlinde
Solo's:
Annemiek: "Breakaway"—Kelly Clarkson
Ivan: Onbekend
Marielle: "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See"—Busta Rhymes
Timor: Onbekend
Julia: "The Workout"—Utada Hikaru
Giannini: "Get Your Freak On"—Missy Elliott
Sigourney: "You Will Be Under My Wheels"—The Prodigy
Uri: "Dreaming With A Broken Heart"—John Mayer
Anuschka: "Angel"—Do
Bram: Onbekend
Results show 5
Group Choreography: "Llego la Hora"—Mercado Negro (Salsa, choreography by Brian van der Kust)
Guest performance: Dirty Dancing Musical Cast (Mambo, Music: "Johnny's Mambo", choreography by Kate Champion)
Result: Marielle and Uri vallen af
Judge panel: Jaakko Toivonen, Euvgenia Parakhina, Dan Karaty, Wendy van Dijk
Solo's:
Julia: "Promises (vocal mix)"—Bump&Flex
Timor: "Boogaloo Anthem"—Funkmaster Ozone
Anuschka: "Respect Remix"—Real el Canario
Giannini: "I Feel Good"—James Brown
Sigourney: "Amazing"—Kanye West
Ivan: "Nike Freestyle"
Annemiek: "Goodbye Is The Saddest Word"—Céline Dion
Bram: Onbekend
Results show 6
Group Choreography: "Smooth Criminal"—Michael Jackson (Hip Hop, choreography by Vincent Vianen)
Guest performance: Burn the Floor (Ballroom, Music: "4 Minutes"—Madonna ft. Justin Timberlake )
Result: Sigourney and Bram vallen af
Judge panel: Jaakko Toivonen, Euvgenia Parakhina, Dan Karaty, Kim-Lian van der Meij
Solo's:
Julia: "His Mistakes"—Usher
Ivan: "Kalinka"—Ivan Bodrov
Annemiek: "The Rose"—Bette Midler
Giannini: "Feels Good"—Tony! Toni! Toné!
Anuschka: "Brave"—Idina Menzel
Timor: "3 minutes"—DJ Fedde le Grand & DJ Funkerman
Results show 7
Group Choreography: "Galvanize"—The Chemical Brothers (Contemporary dance, choreography by Wies Bloemen and Yada van der Hoek)
Result: Anuschka and Giannini vallen af
Judge panel: Jaakko Toivonen, Euvgenia Parakhina, Dan Karaty, Albert Verlinde
Group Choreography Top 18: "Closer"—Ne-Yo (Hip Hop, choreography by Dan Karaty)
Solo's:
Annemiek: "I'm a Believer"—Christina Milian
Ivan: "From Russia With Love"—Matt Monro
Julia: "In The Closet"—Michael Jackson
Timor: "I Can Make You Shuooo...."—Fingazz
Results show 8
Group Choreography Top 4: "Footloose"—Footloose Cast NL (Broadway, choreography by Martin Michel)
Guest performance: Jaakko Toivonen & Euvgenia Parakhina—Showdance (Music: "Hoodjump"—Soundtrack Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Result:
4th: Julia Mitomi
3rd: Annemiek Suijkerbuijk
Runner-Up: Timor Steffens
Winner: Ivan Paulovich
