TWitch explained why judging So You Think You Can Dance season 17 is a full-circle moment for him. The show launched his career when he auditioned for season 3 and got cut before the live voting rounds. He returned for season 4 and became the runner-up, defeated by winner Joshua Allen. TWitch went to appear frequently as a guest performer throughout the years on SYTYCD. Also, in season 12, which saw the dancers split into two categories, tWitch mentored the Street dancers. SYTYCD season 2 runner-up Travis Wall mentored the Stage dancers. Then in season 15, tWitch joined the judging panel during the live shows. Most recently, he was announced as a judge for season 17, which comes after a three-year hiatus. He will be joined by brand-new judges JoJo Siwa and Matthew Morrison.

TWitch's time on SYTYCD led to another big career opportunity. Talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres appeared in an episode that he was a part of, and their meeting led to him being the DJ on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2014. He first appeared as a guest DJ before getting the job permanently, and he even filled in for Ellen as a guest host from time to time. In 2020, he was named as a co-executive producer. It was announced last year that The Ellen DeGeneres Show would be ending, and the already-filmed series finale is just over a week away.

Related: What tWitch Is Up To After So You Think You Can Dance Season 4

Now tWitch explained to The Buzz why judging the upcoming season of SYTYCD is a full-circle moment for him. "This show has changed my life in so many different ways, and the fact that I'm able to come back and sit on the judges' panel and be part of the team that can help do that for these young...aspiring dancers...it's the best full-circle moment that there is." In addition to making sure the contestants have a great experience, he is also focused on helping his co-judges feel welcome and getting the audience excited about So You Think You Can Dance's long-awaited return.

TWitch also addressed how working with Ellen is another full-circle moment. "I met Ellen on [SYTYCD], then I went on to The Ellen Show...and as that show is closing out, I'll be coming back to So You Think You Can Dance." He went on to say that the series finale of Ellen will include everything that fans tune in for, including "love, laughs, light," and he looks forward to celebrating Ellen as she "moves on to her next chapter."

While SYTYCD fans have expressed mixed feelings about the new judging panel, there's no denying that tWitch is extremely qualified to judge the next generation of dancers. The show surely won't be the same without original judges Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe, but tWitch has spent plenty of time working on the show previously. The addition of JoJo Siwa raised some eyebrows, considering her age and polarization among some people. But JoJo and Twitch will bring the combined experience of competing in multiple dance competition shows. Glee's Matthew Morrison even judged a dance competition in the U.K. called The Greatest Dancer, created by America's Got Talent judge Simon Cowell. Overall, tWitch may be the most qualified judge considering that he is one of the biggest success stories from So You Think You Can Dance.

Next: Why So You Think You Can Dance Won’t Be The Same Without Nigel Lythgoe

So You Think You Can Dance season 17 premieres May 18 at 9 p.m. EDT on FOX.

Source: The Buzz/YouTube