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"So You Think You Can Dance" captains Travis Wall (left) and tWitch (right) flank judges Nigel Lythgoe, Jason Derulo and Paula Abdul at the first live 2015 episode on Monday night. Fox

“So You Think You Can Dance” is finally in the live portion of the competition. The stakes will only get higher as the kicks and flips do, and each dancer will be expected to wow the judges at every arabesque. Let the games begin for our top 20 “SYTYCD” dancers.

The live show intro really played up the stage vs. street theme, pitting each group against each other on opposite sides of the stage. The award-winning “SYTYCD” design team has revamped the stage for even stronger lighting options and opening the possibilities for higher-concept routines. This is only just the beginning.

Opening to the song “Revolt,” the two teams duked it out before working together in a duet of their respective styles. The first three members of Team Street stormed the spotlight with a Dave Scott superhero-themed routine. But the judges really wanted something more than just “good.” And the challenge was on to step up the night.

Next up were three of Travis Wall’s stage dancers in sync for a breathtaking Stacey Tookey modern routine. Christopher Scott choreographed the next round of four international street dancers for one sharp street routine that got all three “SYTYCD” judges on their feet. B-boy Asaf returned to the competition after Hurricane was sidelined for an injury, and judge Nigel Lythgoe was the first to say it was important for him to focus on his dancing.

Three female stage dancers performed a slinky film noir themed jazz strip tease from Brian Friedman that left the judges cold. Team Stage’s two professional ballet dancers, Darion and Jim, perform a pas de deux that was a technical marvel from choreographer Benoit Swan Pouffer. The last three “So You Think You Can Dance” hopefuls of Team Street took the stage for a Phoenix and Pharside number that placed one dancer in between the forces of good and evil.

Travis Wall went from mentor to choreographer for a moving modern dance between his remaining two contestants. Lythgoe called out the pair’s lack of consistent tone in their expression. And with two final group routines, it’s up to America to decide which dancers will stay and which will leave the top 20 in “So You Think You Can Dance.”

Find out who remains when “So You Think You Can Dance” returns to Fox on Mondays at 8 p.m. EDT.