For competition kids, pursuing a dance degree is a natural extension of the years of dedication they’ve put into their craft. But the transition from the fast-paced buzz of the competition and convention scene to the college classroom isn’t always seamless. As two former champions and a college dean share, once on campus, competitive dancers […]

Competitive dance routines are all over social media feeds these days. For choreographers, studios, and dancers, this kind of viral fame can be thrilling—and it can help a mainstream audience discover the brilliance of competitive dance. (Molly Long’s inescapable “Pop Muzik” choreography for Project 21 has even trickled down to school playgrounds.) What does it […]

It’s natural to feel emotionally attached to the final scores of a nonstop competition weekend. But a competition loss doesn’t have to mean that all is lost. “Just because you’ve lost doesn’t mean you’ve failed,” says Lyssa Wopat, a former professional dancer who is now a certified mental performance consultant. And mastering the art of […]

Competition routines can be opportunities to showcase stories from a range of cultures and perspectives. But without careful consideration, the line between inspiration and appropriation can begin to blur. Here’s how to avoid cultural appropriation and instead create routines that will help students of all backgrounds expand their horizons. What Is Cultural Appropriation? In a […]

In the competition dance world, with its high stakes and high tensions, difficult parental behavior—from complaining about scoring to offering unsolicited corrections—is especially common and can be seriously disruptive. Yet most dance parents believe they’re acting in their child’s best interest. So what can studio owners, competition directors, and students do to navigate problematic parent […]

Many competitive dancers are eager to land coveted convention scholarships. But why are these awards so sought-after? How can dancers increase their odds of winning them—and who might they not be right for? The Scholarship Advantage One of the largest benefits to convention scholarships is perhap­s the most obvious: financial relief. Attending conventions­ can be […]

Most dancers who participate in competitions and conventions attend with a dance studio. But each year, a small group of soloists opt to go for it as independents, without a studio affiliation. There are plenty of benefits to this approach—as well as a few possible drawbacks. Before you sign up, consider what you’re willing to […]

Strikingly few women direct dance competitions and conventions. “I think you could probably count all of us on two hands, and that’s out of hundreds of competitions,” says Starbound National Talent Competition founder and director Sandra Coyte. But the women who do make their way to the top are also strikingly influential. We caught up […]