Why I Believe Dance Competitions Need a New Direction

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I began competing in 1973, and from that moment forward, dance competitions became a major part of my professional life. I have been a teacher, studio owner, judge, coach, and competition director. I also owned and operated my own dance competition, American Dance Invitational, until 2006, so I have seen this industry from almost every side. I know the excitement competitions can bring to students. I also know the pressure they can place on teachers, families, studio owners, and young dancers.

Over the years, I have watched dance competitions grow into large, expensive, exhausting weekends. Many teachers today are not saying they dislike competition. They are saying the model has become too costly, too time-consuming, and too draining. Families are tired of travel expenses, hotel bills, long award ceremonies, and weekends that revolve around waiting. Teachers are tired of unclear levels, inconsistent judging, and events that do not always support real dance education. Students may leave with trophies, but not always with a clear understanding of what they need to improve.

That is why I created American Sport Dance Games®. My concept is not simply another dance competition. It is a new design model for competitive dance teams, built around local participation, team development, educational standards, and clearer feedback. Instead of focusing only on placement and trophies, American Sport Dance Games® is designed to help students understand performance, technique, teamwork, and progress.

The model is for teams only, because I believe team development is one of the strongest ways to build studio loyalty, student confidence, and long-term retention. A team-centered event changes the conversation. It becomes less about one dancer winning and more about a group of dancers learning, improving, and representing their studio with pride.

American Sport Dance Games® is also designed for studio owners and teachers who want a new source of professional growth and income. Through membership in the American Association of Dance Instructors, and the Expectations For Dance Curriculum Frameworks, which is a dance classroom educational site license, teachers and studios can own and operate this concept in their own geographical areas. This gives dance educators the opportunity to host a structured, branded, educational event while keeping the benefit within their own studio community and with other like-minded AADI members.

For me, this is about more than creating another event. It is about offering a smarter alternative to traditional competition weekends: less burnout, clearer feedback, team-centered participation, and a model that allows qualified dance teachers to build profit from an educational concept they believe in.

To introduce this concept directly to studio owners and teachers, I am offering in-studio American Sport Dance Games® seminars. These are four-hour sessions, preferably scheduled on Wednesdays in the New England states during the summer, with plans to expand into other areas of the USA in the fall. Host studios may invite up to 20 attendees, and studio owners will be compensated through a commission based on seminar attendance. This allows studio owners not only to learn the model, but also to bring like-minded teachers together, create professional conversation in their own community, and benefit financially from helping introduce a new direction for competitive dance teams.

After more than five decades in dance education and competition, I believe the industry is ready for something new. American Sport Dance Games® is my answer to meet that need. To schedule a seminar in your studio please use our contact form on this website.

Ms. Davis presents professional development seminars to dance educators throughout the USA who are searching for a new model, a 21st century approach to dance education at conventions and at private in-house workshops. Please use our CONTACT FORM for further information to book Jann, she is also available to consult virtually.

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