Remember Sophie Pittman? That talented teenager who wowed audiences on So You Think You Can Dance Season 16? She just kept dancing; she has built an impressive career that has taken her from small-town Tennessee to the biggest stages in entertainment. At 24, she’s working with A-list artists, performing on national television, and proving that finishing fourth on a reality competition can be the beginning of something extraordinary.
Biography
Sophie Pittman was born on December 12, 2000, in Collierville, Tennessee, a suburb just outside Memphis. From the moment she could walk, she was dancing. Her parents enrolled her at Studio 413, also known as 413 Dance Studio, when she was just three years old, and that’s where the magic really began to take shape.
Growing up in Collierville meant Sophie had community support behind her dreams.
Sophie’s father, Jeremy Pittman, appeared on So You Think You Can Dance to support his daughter during her Season 16 run, and both her father and her hometown community rallied behind her throughout the competition. Her high school and Studio 413 actively posted updates and encouraged fans to participate in voting.
She spent 15 years training at Studio 413, mastering a range of dance styles, including ballet, pointe, hip-hop, jazz, and contemporary dance. Her primary speciality became contemporary dance, though she developed equal comfort in ballet and hip-hop styles. The studio, which opened in 2004, became her second home during those early years.
She graduated from Collierville High School in May 2019 with an incredible 4.5 GPA. After graduation, she faced a choice many talented young people encounter: college or career? Sophie chose to bet on herself and pursue dance full-time. And it paid off.
SYTYCD Breakthrough
At 18, Sophie auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance Season 16. She initially auditioned in Dallas before heading to Los Angeles for her televised audition, where she performed a stunning contemporary piece to “Girl Crush” by Little Big Town. Despite some initial criticism from judges, she earned her “Golden Ticket” to the Academy and never looked back.
Throughout the competition, Sophie consistently delivered performances that had judges reaching for superlatives. Her contemporary routine with Eddie Hoyt, choreographed by the legendary Travis Wall to Billie Eilish’s “When the Party’s Over,” became one of the season’s most memorable moments.
Judge Mary Murphy called her “liquid gold” and “brilliant,” which is high praise indeed from someone who has seen thousands of dancers grace that stage. The performance was so impactful that producers featured it again in the finale as one of the season’s highlights.
Sophie never landed in the bottom until the Top 4, ultimately finishing fourth overall behind winner Bailey Munoz, runner-up Mariah Russell, and third-place finisher Gino Cosculluela. But placing fourth in a national competition at 18 years old?
That’s not losing. That’s launching a career. She capped off her SYTYCD experience by joining the So You Think You Can Dance Live! Tour, performing in over 40 cities from October through December 2019. Those months on tour provided her with invaluable experience, performing night after night while building connections in the industry.
Career
After SYTYCD, Sophie made the move that every aspiring entertainer dreams about: she relocated permanently to Los Angeles.
BLOC Agency represents her through both their Los Angeles and New York offices, while Xcel Talent handles her dance and acting opportunities. She’s also signed with T&T Talent LLC for modelling work. Landing representation with agencies like BLOC isn’t something that happens by accident. These agencies represent the industry’s top tier, and they don’t sign just anyone.
Here’s where Sophie’s career gets really interesting, and where we need to talk about something most people don’t understand about backup dancers. Even when they’re working with the biggest names in entertainment, their work often goes uncredited in public databases. It’s just the reality of commercial dance. That doesn’t mean the work isn’t happening or isn’t valuable; it’s simply the nature of an industry where the spotlight focuses on the leading performer while the supporting cast remains anonymous.
Sophie’s most recent verifiable work dates back to 2025. On March 17, 2025, she performed as a backup dancer for Nelly at the 12th Annual iHeartRadio Music Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The performance was broadcast live on FOX nationwide, and it came as Nelly received the prestigious iHeartRadio Landmark Award. That’s the kind of high-profile gig that means you’re working at the industry’s highest levels.
She also appeared as “Dancer #3” in Apple TV+’s dark comedy crime drama “Your Friends & Neighbors” starring Jon Hamm. The show premiered on April 11, 2025, and was subsequently renewed for a second season.
A notable recent development is her work with the Knicks City Dancers, the official dance team of the New York Knicks.
According to her Instagram bio, Sophie has worked as a backup dancer for some prominent names, including Doja Cat, Lenny Kravitz, Quavo, Shaboozey, and Ne-Yo. She’s also appeared on The Masked Singer, The Ellen Show, and Good Morning America.
Her acting credits include dance-focused roles, such as the one she appeared in Netflix’s “Senior Year” in 2022, alongside Rebel Wilson, playing a Cheersquad Dancer. That same year, she danced in HBO Max’s “The Staircase,” though her role went uncredited. She also had a role in the film “I Want You Back” as a Bar Dancer. Beyond commercial projects, Sophie played Harper in the short film “Angels” and portrayed Girlfriend Kayla in Blake Proehl’s music video “Falling Into You” in March 2022.
Personal Life
Sophie has also found happiness in her personal life. She’s been dating Jordan Travis since April 2024, and their relationship has become social media official in the best way possible. Who’s Jordan Travis? He’s the former Florida State quarterback who was drafted by the New York Jets.
The couple celebrated their first anniversary in April 2025, with Sophie posting supportive messages when Travis made the difficult decision to retire from professional football, following medical advice.