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'SYTYCD' Season 17: Essence blows judges away, JoJo says she can 'choreograph for Doja Cat'

Essence Wilmington, the hip-hop dancer and rapper, gave not one but two performances, both of which won over fans and judges alike

'So You Think Can Dance' is back with a brand new episode and this week's auditions introduced us to a bunch of talents, with most of them getting a unanimous nod from the judges. For those unaware, here's the official synopsis of the show: "The upcoming season will feature highly skilled dancers between the ages of 18 and 30, showcasing their talents in various dance styles, including contemporary, tap, hip-hop, ballroom, animation, breaking, and more. Those who are selected to move on to the 'SYTYCD' studio will work with world-renowned choreographers and compete each week in a variety of styles, with brand-new twists and turns introduced into the competition."

The dance reality show, currently in Season 17, saw some breathtaking and moving auditions last week, resulting in the bar being set pretty high for upcoming auditioners by Keaton Kermode, Beau Harmon, Zyiasia Knighton, James T, and Brianna.

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This week began with a rather mysterious performance by Thiago, who auditioned without revealing a single detail about himself but ended up making it to the choreography round. A pulsating set by Essence Wilmington followed this, and the hip-hop dancer and rapper was so good that tWitch asked her for an encore. The second set made JoJo Siwa say that she saw Essence choreographing the likes of Doja Cat in the future. So what did fans have to say? Read on to find out!

"Essence is adorable and bodied!!! #SYTYCD," a fan tweeted. Another seconded, tweeting "Essence gave range! You cannot say she is not versatile #SYTYCD."

Fans were equally impressed with her second set, tweeting "Essence just blew me away a second time!!! I really like her #SYTYCD" while another was of the opinion that it was better than her actual audition piece, sharing "Nah cause WHY was her freestyle so much better chica you shoulda just opened with that!! #sytycd." 

What did you think of Essence's audition? Let us know! 

'So You Think You Can Dance' Season 17 airs on Wednesdays at 9 pm ET/PT.

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