If you’ve been around the dance comp world for a while, you’ll know one thing for sure: it has changed. A lot.
There was a time when printed programs were the norm, music was handed in on CDs, and everyone spent half the day trying to work out whether the section was running early or late. If you go back even further, apparently cassette tapes were involved too — which feels both ancient and slightly impressive.
These days, the standard is sky-high, the talent is unreal, and the kids coming through are doing things many of us couldn’t have imagined at their age. But with that growth has also come a big question for studio owners:
Are dance comps still giving dancers what they actually need?
That’s exactly what came up in this week’s podcast chat between Beck and Ellie from Carnival Dance Challenge.
And honestly, it’s a conversation worth having.
Ellie’s story is one a lot of dance professionals will relate to in some way.
She started dancing young, trained full-time at Brent Street, and went on to work professionally, including contracts in the US. But when COVID hit, plans changed. Travel stopped, life shifted, and like so many women in our industry, Ellie found herself in a season of rethinking everything.
Then motherhood entered the picture too.
And in that in-between space — the one where the old path no longer fits and the new one hasn’t fully revealed itself yet — Carnival was born.
There’s something really powerful about that. So many great business ideas don’t come from a neat five-year plan. They come from real life. From pivots. From disappointment. From being forced to ask, “Okay… so what now?”
For Ellie, the answer was creating something better for the dance community.
The comp world has levelled up… but at what cost?
Let’s be honest: the standard of dancers right now is incredible.
Kids are stronger, more flexible, more committed and more technically advanced than ever before. Many are training huge hours every week and chasing big goals from a very young age.
That’s amazing.
But it also means the pressure is bigger. The expectations are bigger. And in some cases, the routines are becoming more about the tricks than the actual dancing.
This was one of the most interesting parts of the conversation.
Because yes, tricks have a place. They can be exciting, dynamic and impressive. But as Beck and Ellie both pointed out, they can’t become the entire routine. They need to support the performance, not replace it.
And beyond that, there’s the bigger industry truth: most professional contracts don’t require endless competition-style tricks. What they do require is versatility, performance quality, stage presence, consistency, musicality and the ability to work as part of a cast.
That’s where the conversation gets really important for studio owners.
Because sometimes we have to ask ourselves not just what wins now — but what actually serves our dancers later.
One of the most exciting things Ellie shared was Carnival’s new Broadway Bound section.
And honestly? It feels like such a smart move.
For a long time, many comp environments have naturally highlighted one kind of dancer more than others — often the highly technical contemporary or lyrical performer. And while those dancers absolutely deserve recognition, they’re not the only talented kids in the room.
There are also the performers. The storytellers. The musical theatre kids. The ones who can sing, act and dance and light up a stage the second they walk on it.
Those kids need a place to shine too.
Broadway Bound is designed to celebrate exactly that. It gives young performers a chance to be recognised not just for one skill, but for the full package.
And that matters.
Because in the real world, triple threats are incredibly hireable. If a dancer can move well, sing confidently and perform with authenticity, they open far more doors for themselves long-term.
It also sends an important message to studios and families: singing isn’t an “extra.” It’s a skill worth developing.
Another part of the conversation that really stood out was the focus on experience.
Not just flashy branding. Not just scores. The actual experience of being there.
Anyone who has ever taken students to a comp knows how stressful it can be when communication is unclear, schedules are messy, or families are left confused all day. It affects everyone — teachers, parents and especially the kids.
What Beck loved about Carnival was how calm and organised it felt.
The live program. The easy music system. The communication. The friendliness.
It sounds simple, but these things make a huge difference. They reduce stress, build trust and create an environment where people can actually enjoy the event instead of just surviving it.
And really, isn’t that what we all want more of?
Maybe the best part of the whole episode was the reminder that comps don’t have to be purely competitive to be meaningful.
Kids can work hard, aim high and still connect with one another.
Studio owners can respect each other, cheer each other on and still bring strong work to the stage.
The industry has shifted in some beautiful ways here. There’s more openness, more connection and more willingness to say, “We’re all doing our best, and we actually have a lot in common.”
That’s healthy for us.
And it’s even healthier for the dancers watching us.
Because when they see adults choosing community over ego, they learn to do the same.
Dance competitions are evolving. And that’s a good thing.
The best ones aren’t just rewarding talent — they’re shaping culture. They’re helping dancers feel seen, helping families feel supported, and helping studio owners remember that excellence and kindness can exist in the same room.
This episode is such a good reminder that the future of dance doesn’t just belong to the most flexible kid or the biggest trick. It belongs to the artists, the storytellers, the hard workers, the triple threats and the leaders willing to build something better.
And maybe that’s the real opportunity in front of all of us.
Not to keep doing things the way they’ve always been done.
But to ask how we can do them better.
If this one got you thinking, pop the episode on for your next drive or studio admin session — and don’t forget podcast listeners can grab two weeks free in Dance Principles United Tribe through the show notes.
