Competition dance trends become popular for a reason, but even the most exciting fads eventually run their course. Four competition judges discuss the dance trends they believe it’s time to leave behind, and offer suggestions on how to refocus routines on clarity, safety, and individual artistry. Nonstop Gymnastics While a well-executed tumbling or gymnastic element […]
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 […]
When Kamille Upshaw arrived at The Juilliard School in 2007, she’d been a competition dancer for a decade. “There was still a bit of a stigma about competition dancers,” says Upshaw, who attended Baltimore School for the Arts and trained at Spotlight Studio of Dance in Millersville, Maryland. “We were seen as being all about […]
While full of excitement and fun, competitions are also mentally and physically taxing. It’s easy to find yourself run down after months of rehearsing and performing for hours on end every week. How can both teachers and dancers keep normal fatigue from turning into burnout? By recognizing the telltale signs and making small but meaningful […]
For many dancers, being part of a competitive team is just a short chapter in a long dance journey. But the personal bonds built at competitions and conventions can last a lifetime. These three pairs of dancers who forged their friendships on the comp circuit show that having a tried-and-true teammate in your corner can […]
With virtual learning and Zoom training as not-so-distant memories, an academic year free of pandemic interruptions is an especially exciting prospect this fall. But as dancers stack their calendars with in-person classes, competitions and social commitments, they may be asking themselves: How much is too much? “Coming out of the pandemic, an unusual number of […]
For decades, the worlds of ballet and commercial dance were considered separate and distinct, with little overlap between the two. This conventional wisdom has been challenged by the success of artists like Tiler Peck, who participated in competitions as a jazz dancer before joining New York City Ballet and becoming one of its stars. Ballet […]
For the first time since the coronavirus hit the U.S., competitions and conventions are meeting in-person once again (brimming with safety precautions, of course), and dancers couldn’t be more thrilled. We asked five standout comp kids about their recent experiences attending competitions around the country—and how they’re taking advantage of these long-lost opportunities. Hailey Bills […]