▁place ▁in ▁ 2 – 6 ▁major ▁U . S . ▁cities ▁each ▁season ▁and ▁are ▁typically ▁open ▁to ▁anyone ▁aged ▁ 1 8 – 3 0 ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁their ▁aud ition , ▁although ▁season ▁ 1 3 ▁focused ▁on ▁a ▁younger ▁class ▁of ▁compet itors , ▁ages ▁ 8 – 1 4 . ▁ ▁The ▁cities ▁where ▁aud itions ▁are ▁held ▁change ▁from ▁season ▁to ▁season ▁but ▁some , ▁such ▁as ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁and ▁New ▁York , ▁have ▁featured ▁in ▁most ▁seasons . ▁ ▁During ▁this ▁stage , ▁d anc ers ▁perform ▁a ▁brief ▁routine ▁( typ ically ▁a ▁solo , ▁but ▁du et ▁and ▁group ▁rout ines ▁are ▁allowed ▁as ▁well ) ▁before ▁a ▁panel ▁of ▁dance ▁exper ts ▁usually ▁head ed ▁by ▁series ▁cre ator ▁and ▁executive ▁producer ▁N ig el ▁L yth go e . ▁ ▁This ▁panel ▁then ▁dec ides ▁on - the - spot ▁whether ▁the ▁dan cer ▁demonstrated ▁enough ▁ability ▁and ▁performance ▁value ▁to ▁proceed ▁further . ▁ ▁If ▁the ▁dan cer ▁exhib ited ▁exception al ▁ability ▁in ▁their ▁performance , ▁jud ges ▁award ▁" a ▁ticket ▁to ▁Veg as " ▁( or ▁in ▁more ▁recent ▁seasons ▁" a ▁ticket ▁to ▁the ▁Academy "), ▁moving ▁them ▁instantly ▁one ▁step ▁forward ▁in ▁the ▁competition . ▁ ▁Alternatively , ▁if ▁jud ges ▁are ▁on ▁the ▁f ence ▁about ▁the ▁dan cer , ▁they ▁may ▁ask ▁the ▁contest ant ▁to ▁wait ▁until ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁that ▁day ' s ▁aud itions ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁a ▁short