Maddie Ziegler Lands New TV Show; 'Dance Moms' Star Becomes The Youngest ‘SYTYCD' Judge

Maddie Ziegler isn’t done with reality TV just yet. After she filmed her last episode of Lifetime’s “Dance Moms” last month, it’s been confirmed the 13-year-old performer is headed to Fox for “So You Think You Can Dance.”

While the series is changing things up this season by hosting contestants ages 8 to 13, Maddie will not be among the competition. The network has announced that Maddie, "Dance Moms" star Abby Lee Miller’s longtime star student, will be on the judges panel for “SYTYCD: The Next Generation." She will be joined by Paula Abdul, Jason Derulo and Nigel Lythgoe, who also serves as executive producer.

“Ziegler will lend her expertise as a young dancer to critique and praise the contestants as they battle it out during the studio shows this summer,” the network announced Thursday.

Unlike previous season of “SYTYCD,” the 2016 installment will audition juvenile dancers of all genres. The top 10 performers will make it to "The Academy," where they will pair up with a former “SYTYCD” all-star. From there, the four judges will critique their weekly performances in the studio until one participant is named America’s Favorite Dancer.

While Maddie is considerably younger than her fellow judges, her resume is impressive. She has 10 years of dance experience, has competed in six seasons worth of award-winning numbers on “Dance Moms” and was featured in several Sia music videos, including 2014’s wildly popular “Chandelier.” Maddie also won the DailyMail.com's Seriously Popular People’s Choice Award in January. She will showcase her acting talents in director Colin Trevorrow’s “The Book of Henry” alongside Naomi Watts and "Room" star Jacob Tremblay on the big screen later this year.

Lifetime has yet to confirm Maddie’s official departure from “Dance Moms.” But a video of her goodbye speech at a dance competition in Riverside, California, on Feb. 27 has leaked.

“So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation” premieres Monday, May 30 on Fox. Catch Maddie on "Dance Moms" on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. EST on Lifetime.