join us for our NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS!

Spotlight Nationals is the highlight of every season! Our three annual National events are centrally located and offer everything from FREE Master Classes to more than $75,000 in cash awards and prizes. To be part of an unforgettable experience, look into one of our Nationals events and join us for a week of instruction, world-class competition and memories that will last a lifetime!

planning AHEAD? look no further!

branson

chateau on the lake resort and spa

JUNE 18-24

JULY 07-13

seaside

seaside civic + convention center

JULY 14-20

Contact our office for more information about our 2025 National Events

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NATIONALS NEED-TO-KNOW INFO

QUALIFICATION:

Receive a Diamond, Ruby, or Emerald Award at A 2024 Regional event or by video qualification. Dancer substitutions at a National event is permitted when 50% of the original participants are retained for duo/trio, groups, lines, and productions.

NOTE: Routines receiving the Overall High Score Award in the Diamond Class at 2023 National Championship Finals are ineligible to compete with the same or different dancers in 2024 Regional or National competitions.

VIDEO QUALIFICATION

If unable to attend one or our in-person events in the 2024 season, routines can qualify for Nationals by registering via Video Qualification. Routines will receive one judge critique and a digital adjudication award. Login to your DanceCompGenie account for rates and deadlines (when available).

PHOTOGENIC REGISTRATION

All Regional Photogenic Winners will be automatically entered for the National Photogenic Title! If a dancer was not chosen or did not compete at a Regional event they may enter the Last Chance Photogenic contest at our National Spotlight Boutique.

SHARING THE SPOTLIGHT

All Regional Sharing the Spotlight winners are automatically entered into our National Sharing the Spotlight contest – with a chance to win up to $10,000 in scholarships for continued dance education. If a dancer was not chosen, or did not enter, at a Regional event they may enter the Last Chance Sharing the Spotlight contest. Visit the Scholarship Opportunities page to apply. All Last Chance applications must be submitted by June 1, 2024.

TITLE CONTESTANTS EARNING A DIAMOND OR RUBY ON THEIR TITLE SOLO AT THE REGIONAL EVENT QUALIFY TO COMPETE FOR THE NATIONAL TITLE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THE CONTESTANT WON TITLE AT A REGIONAL EVENT. REGIONAL TITLE WINNERS FROM 2023 MAY COMPETE AT NATIONALS 2024 WITHOUT RE-QUALIFYING THE SPOTLIGHT TITLE PORTION IF THEY DID NOT COMPETE AT NATIONALS 2023; HOWEVER, THEY MUST QUALIFY THEIR SOLO AT A REGIONAL EVENT OR BY VIDEO QUALIFICATION. 2023 NATIONAL TITLEHOLDERS ARE INELIGIBLE TO COMPETE IN 2024 UNLESS MOVING TO A NEW AGE DIVISION. FIRST SOLO UPGRADES TO TITLE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED AT THE NATIONAL EVENT.

The National Title competition includes:

Solo performance and on-stage Title interview
Participation in the Spotlight Elite
An off-stage, group interview - participants should dress in business casual attire.
Title Promenade - participants attend all rehearsals and will dress in formal attire for the performance

National Title Competitors, Regional Junior and Senior Dance Down Finalists, as well as Regional Top 10 Elite Gems soloists are eligible to participate in Spotlight Elite. This exclusive performance team will be featured in the Championship Extravaganza on the final day of competition. A registration fee is required for Dance Down Finalists and Regional Top 10 Elite Gems soloists; however, this fee is already included in the National Title Competitor fee. Must be 8 years or older to participate. Dancers registered in the Novice Gems and Future Gems Divisions are ineligible to participate.

your 2024 spotlight elite choreographer

back by popular demand!

Mariah Spears is a professional dancer living in Los Angeles. Mariah just got of an international tour with Latin pop group “Rebelde” that consisted of 54 shows in stadiums and arenas across the US, Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico. She also is a jazz professor at Chapman University. Mariah has been featured on commercials such as Marshalls feat. The Voice Contestants, Allstate, Sonos Holiday Commercial, Hollister, SoFi, The Greatest Showman Live commercial, Fuji-film, and others. She also has danced for artists such as Kelly Clarkson and danced on TV shows like “Schooled.”

In 2013, Mariah was a featured performer as one of the top 16 dancers on Fox Television's Season 10 of "So You Think You Can Dance”. Mariah has choreographed for artists such as Warren G and Snoop Dogg. Her work is featured in the movie G-Funk and in the musical Teddy’s Café. She also has choreographed commercially for Mercedes, Nike, and the Oscars.

She graduated from Chapman University in 2016 with a BFA in Dance Performance and clusters in Theater Technology and Honors. Mariah is currently traveling and teaching around the world; having taught in Australia, Paris, Shanghai, South Africa, and around the US. She also owns a company called Artist Only that is an in-studio convention that bridges the gap between the studio and the professional world; teaching students on set experience.

CHECK OUT SOME OF MARIAH’S WORK (including last year’s elite performance)!

FREE MASTER CLASSES TAUGHT BY LEADING DANCE PROFESSIONALS WILL BE OFFERED AT ALL OF OUR NATIONAL EVENTS! AN EMAIL WILL BE SENT TO ALL STUDIOS WHEN REGISTRATION BECOMES AVAILABLE (APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE START OF THE COMPETITION). THESE CLASSES ARE EXTREMELY POPULAR AND FILL UP FAST; ONCE CAPACITY IS REACHED, REGISTRATION WILL BE CLOSED. DANCERS SHOULD REGISTER FOR ONE LEVEL OF CLASSES ONLY. IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN OTHER LEVELS, PLEASE ARRIVE AT THE MASTER CLASS AT LEAST TEN MINUTES EARLY AND SEE THE ATTENDING SPOTLIGHT STAFF. NATIONAL TITLE CONTESTANTS RECEIVE PRIORITY REGISTRATION FOR MASTER CLASSES AND SHOULD NOT PRE-REGISTER.

DANCERS, TEACHERS AND PARENTS ARE WELCOME TO OUR ANNUAL BLACKLIGHT DANCE PARTY HOSTED BY YOUR FAVORITE SPOTLIGHT DJS! ADMISSION TO THE PARTY IS A SPOTLIGHT T-SHIRT, AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT THE SPOTLIGHT BOUTIQUE. WIN AWESOME PRIZES AND DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY WITH SPOTLIGHT STAFF AND JUDGES!

SPOTLIGHT’S PARENT DANCE DOWN IS THE MOST ENTERTAINING ACTIVITY DURING NATIONALS! A THEME WILL BE ANNOUNCED PRIOR TO THE EVENT AND PARENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO DRESS THE PART. FREE TICKETS CAN BE PICKED UP AT THE SPOTLIGHT BOUTIQUE. COMPETE FOR THE PARENT DANCE DOWN CHAMPION, OR WIN FOR BEST COSTUME!

MASTER CLASSES, REHEARSALS, + PERFORMANCE:

DANCERS TAKING MASTER CLASSES HAVE THE CHANCE TO PERFORM IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP EXTRAVAGANZA AS A “CUT ABOVE” DANCER. INSTRUCTORS WILL INVITE DANCERS FROM EACH CLASS, DESIGNATED IN REGISTRATION AS “CUT ABOVE”, TO PERFORM THE CHOREOGRAPHY DURING THE CHAMPIONSHIP EXTRAVAGANZA. ATTENDANCE AT “CUT ABOVE” REHEARSALS IS MANDATORY AND PARTICIPATING DANCERS WILL PURCHASE AN EXCLUSIVE TOP FROM THE SPOTLIGHT BOUTIQUE FOR THEIR COSTUME. NATIONAL TITLE COMPETITORS WILL BE INELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PERFORMANCES, BUT ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MASTER CLASSES.

future gems championship finals + extravaganza

THE FUTURE GEMS CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS WILL OCCUR MIDWEEK PER THE SCHEDULE. TOP SCORING FUTURE GEMS GROUP AND LINE ROUTINES WILL BE INVITED TO RE-COMPETE FOR DIAMOND CLASS OVERALL AWARDS. FUTURE GEMS DIAMOND OVERALL SOLOS, DUOS/TRIOS AS WELL AS NOVICE GEMS GROUPS AND LINES WILL BE INVITED TO EXHIBIT THEIR WINNING ROUTINE AT THE CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS. IF UNABLE TO RE-COMPETE, THE ROUTINE WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE AWARDED THE LOWEST OVERALL AWARD. STUDIOS THAT DO NOT HAVE AT LEAST ONE GROUP ROUTINE COMPETING IN THE FUTURE GEMS DIAMOND CLASS, IN EACH AGE CATEGORY, MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO RE-COMPETE FOR RUBY CLASS OVERALL AWARDS. THE HIGHEST SCORING GROUP ROUTINE, RECEIVING A RUBY AWARD OR HIGHER, FROM UP TO three QUALIFYING STUDIOS, WILL BE INVITED TO RE-COMPETE.THE NOVICE GEMS DIVISION IS INELIGIBLE FOR THE RUBY CLASS.

THE FUTURE GEMS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP EXTRAVAGANZA TAKES PLACE FOLLOWING THE CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS. THIS FABULOUS AWARDS CEREMONY WILL INCLUDE JUDGE, STAFF AND STUDIO INTRODUCTION AND PERFORMANCES FROM THE CUT ABOVE DANCERS. VIP PRIORITY SEATING TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT THE SPOTLIGHT BOUTIQUE.

elite gems championship finals + extravaganza

THE ELITE GEMS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS OCCURS ON THE FINAL DAY OF COMPETITION. TOP SCORING ELITE GEMS ROUTINES FROM ALL GROUP SIZES WILL BE INVITED TO RE-COMPETE FOR DIAMOND CLASS OVERALL AWARDS AND CASH PRIZES. IF UNABLE TO RE-COMPETE, THE ROUTINE WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE AWARDED THE LOWEST OVERALL AWARD. STUDIOS THAT DO NOT HAVE AT LEAST ONE GROUP ROUTINE COMPETING IN THE ELITE GEMS DIAMOND CLASS, IN EACH AGE CATEGORY, MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO RE-COMPETE FOR RUBY CLASS OVERALL AWARDS. THE HIGHEST SCORING GROUP ROUTINE, RECEIVING A RUBY AWARD OR HIGHER, FROM UP TO three QUALIFYING STUDIOS, WILL BE INVITED TO RE-COMPETE.

THE ELITE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP EXTRAVAGANZA TAKES PLACE FOLLOWING THE CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS. THIS FABULOUS AWARDS CEREMONY WILL INCLUDE JUDGE, STAFF AND STUDIO INTRODUCTIONS, PERFORMANCES FROM THE SPOTLIGHT ELITE AND CUT ABOVE DANCERS, AS WELL AS OUR EXQUISITE TITLE PROMENADE! VIP PRIORITY SEATING TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT THE SPOTLIGHT BOUTIQUE – ALL NATIONAL TITLE CONTESTANTS WILL RECEIVE TWO COMPLIMENTARY VIP PRIORITY SEATING TICKETS.