The time has finally come to flaunt those dance skills and compete against some of the best teams and solo performers nationwide at Believe National Talent Competition! Contrary to conventions that focus on evolving skills and teach new styles of dance, this talent competition purely focuses on who will win championship trophy. The director, Matthew Dillard and his team of judges think it should be “all about awarding YOU the performer,” so get to the studio, work on your routine, and prepare for the spotlight to shine on you! But before walking out the door to a touring city near you, below are 5 things to know about this convention to help you prepare for the big day.

Believe National’s group division 

Like most dance competitions, Believe National divides groups based on performance level and age.  For performance level, they separate dancers into 3 groups based on two criteria:  the amount of time spent in the studio each week and performance/ competition history. For example, if an individual receives high scores in other events and has been dancing for years, they would place in the advanced level. If there is little to no experience performing and hardly any studio time, the novice level is most appropriate. People in between would place in the intermediate level. In regards to age division, there are a couple things to note: single age divisions will only apply to jazz, tap, open, lyrical and contemporary. All other dance categories have multiple age divisions and those divisions are 4 and under, 5-6, 7-8, 9-11, 12-14, 15-16, 17-19 and 20 and over.

Believe National wants to see your many talents 

Believe National judges more than 20 styles of dance, including less commonly seen styles like baton, clogging, folkloric, pointe, pompon and drill team, in addition to the more common forms like jazz, ballet, hip hop, tap and contemporary. Also, if you have been blessed with a beautiful voice, this is your lucky day because singing is permitted but only in the Song and Dance, Vocal, and Musical Theater Division. To know where and when you can flaunt your singing and dancing talents (for instance at the historic Raleigh Memorial Auditorium), please see the end of the article.

Get to know Believe National’s director, Matthew Dillard

Unlike most directors of conventions, Matthew Dillard is not a dancer, has no dance history and leaves the judging to the professionals. When he is not organizing talent competitions, he works at his own business Dillard Property Management and Investments. But don’t let his lack of a dance background fool you, Matt runs a tight ship and is known for his organizational skills and presence. Recognizing Matt’s capabilities, dance studio owner Andrea L Tornabene-Donza says “Matt is amazing! He runs an extremely smooth and professional competition! I am always happy leaving the competition as well as my parents and dancers!”

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Critically acclaimed professional judges

It’s quite common for conventions to have a staff of professional dancers leading workshops and teaching various techniques and styles. However, Believe National does not have any of that-only judges. Although Matt is not involved in the judging, the people he appoints to this task are applauded for fairness and know what to look for in each category. In reviews, parents and teachers have this to say about judging; “on time organized and fair judging”,  “judging seemed pretty spot on,” and “the event runs smoothly, on time, and most of all fair judging, which is something so rarely seen anymore! If you’ve been to a competition where the judging seemed biased, inaccurate, or just simply wrong, knowing you can expect accuracy from judges is a huge relief.” Needless to say, scoring is not a concern here at these competitions.

Don’t worry about hitting the snooze button

To ensure optimal performances this convention “believes” in no late award ceremonies or 7am start times. Believe National wants dancers to get the proper amount of rest before crushing it on the floor. Finally there’s a convention that understands the value of well-deserved rest! Once rested, utilize free time to enjoy the beautiful cities on tour, like Fresno, CA and create long lasting memories with fellow dancers.

Understanding the basics of how Believe National organizes their events is definitely an important component of making sure the studio will do well. More than anything, this is a talent competition designed to find and award the best artists in various age and performance divisions. While it is exciting to think about bringing home a medal or trophy, keep in mind this quote from American sports journalist Howard Cosell, “The ultimate victory in competition is derived from the inner satisfaction of knowing that you have done your best and that you have gotten the most out of what you had to give.” All anyone can ask for (parents, teachers, and judges) is that what they see on stage is a reflection of hard work, skill and dedication to the art of dance. If that is what they see, in their eyes you will be the best dancer.
February

Believe National – Fresno – Saroyan Theatre – Fresno, CA

Believe National – Providence – Veterans Memorial Auditorium – Providence, RI

March

Believe National – Albemarle – Stanly County Agri Civic Center – Albemarle, NC

Believe National – Baltimore – Chesapeake Arts Center – Baltimore, MD

Believe National – Long Island – West Islip High School – Long Island, NY

Believe National – Orlando – Osceola Performing Arts Center – Orlando, FL

Believe National – Rockford – Rockford Theatre at the Rockford Women’s Club – Rockford, IL

Believe National – San Antonio – Lila Cockrell Theatre – San Antonio, TX

Believe National – Greenville – McAlister Auditorium – Greenville, SC

Believe National – Hackensack – Bergen County Tech Center – Hackensack, NJ

Believe National – Sewell – Investors Bank Performing Arts Center- Sewell, NJ

April

Believe National – East Brunswick – Jo Ann Magistro Performing Arts Center-Hammarskjold Middle School – East Brunswick, NJ

Believe National – Raleigh – Raleigh Memorial Auditorium – Raleigh, NC

Believe National – Buffalo – Center for the Arts at University of Buffalo – Buffalo, NY

Believe National – Baton Rouge – Independence Park Theatre – Baton Rouge, LA

Believe National – Upland – Highlander Auditorium – Upland, CA

Believe National – Ft Lauderdale – Omni Auditorium – Ft Lauderdale, FL

Believe National – Louisville – Memorial Auditorium – Louisville, KY

Believe National – Little Rock – Maumelle Performing Arts Center – Little Rock, AR

Believe National – Spartanburg – Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium – Spartanburg, SC

Believe National – Supply – Brunswick Community College – Supply, NC

Believe National – Woodbridge – Forest Park High School – Woodbridge, VA

May

Believe National – Denver – PAC at Pinnacle Charter School – Denver, CO

Believe National – Detroit – Kettering High School – Detroit, MI

Believe National – Indianapolis – Warren Performing Arts Center – Indianapolis, IN

Believe National – Wheeling – The Capitol Theatre – Wheeling, WV

Believe National – Murfreesboro – Tucker Theatre – Murfreesboro, TN

For updated tournament information, please visit Believe National Dance Competition.