COMPETITION DETAIL

Attended for years and always had an amazing time. However, things went downhill fast and have had a nightmare of an experience dealing with them, or more accurately being ignored because they owe us money. Excuses and their "passion for dance" doesn't replace families hard earned money.

We really love this event! Everyone in management and staff has always been super helpful and made the registration process relatively easy. Kristen Plant especially. The teacher/ studio owner meetings, class, and discussions are all really valuable experiences each year. Camp Pulse is great to be able to make it fun for the younger/ newer dancers.

My daughter loved Camp Pulse! This was the second year for her to go and she keeps learning more. We hope to continue to attend Pulse on Tours.

My daughter attended Camp Pulse Junior division. Venue was great, Staff was personal and the teachers were excellent. She has a great time. Awards were given out with many chances for kids to be recognized. My daughter attended on a scholarship and won a scholarship again for the upcoming year. She had a blast and met some of the best choreographers in the business including Beyonce\'s backup dancers and Molly Gray from Teen Beach movie.

We love the pulse! We have attended every time it has come near us for the past 5or 6 years. The caliber of teachers is amazing and the choreography is beautiful and fun. The only problem is that this convention is becoming increasingly more about the kids that travel from city to city attempting to become part of the tour. Now don\'t get me wrong- they are amazing dancers, but it kinda takes away from the local kids having a chance to get noticed. Some of these kids have hit every stop and have learned some combos a few times already. So, if you are looking for a chance for your kid to get recognized- this may not be the convention for you. But if you go in knowing this and just take an opportunity to learn from some amazing dancers you will be ok. Even the pics posted from the classes focused on the same kids from the previous city. Was hoping to catch a glimpse of my girl- but same kids every time! Even so- we had a great time and will be back next year!

Just did The Pulse in Chicago this last weekend. 1st time ever and wish we could attend and fly to each one in the tour!!!!!! That awesome!!!!!

AMAZING!

good convention. Great energy.

The only thing that would have made this convention better is a change of venue. San Diego is a great city with lots of options but the Town and Country is just too outdated for a convention like Pulse! The staff, dancing and everything else were awesome!

Great convention. No audition process for scholarships which makes dancers work hard throughout the convention rather than just learning /perfecting audition combo. This was first year for the competition element \"battle royale\". Lots of work needed in this area. Backstage workers were very unorganized. Told my daughter they didn\'t have her music when I had emailed it and turned in extra cd when we checked in. Of course she was upset as she was about to compete. Secondly , the lighting was dark and the use of lasers was blinding not only to audience members , but dancers as well. The photos were so dark that we couldn\'t find one that was worth purchasing (and we do like to have a couple pics from each competition just for memories ). Also, several dancers & teachers complained that the music backstage had a very bad echo. Lastly, after finally getting email with judges critiques , we couldn\'t get in with our password. Called the office and while they were very nice, we couldn\'t open the video once we finally got into the system. After another series of calls, we got a video critique, but it was another dancer that had the same song as my daughter. Funny, in her critiques, one of the judges knew the studio and dancer by name and made sure the other judges were aware of this , which I believe is sort of a persuasive technique whether intentional or not. Still trying to get judges critiques as now the pulse crew is out of the office. While they are very nice when you call, they have a lot of work to do on the Battle Royale Competition

Amazing to see your child learning from a great staff who had great advice and techniques to teach. Downside is that the rooms are way to crowded and kids are pushing kids out of the way to get noticed.

Although they have high quality teachers, it feels more like they are there more about the money than the kids. Rooms are packed and the photo ops are rushed through. Style is very hip hop and contemporary, not a well rounded convention.

The pulse is a good convention with some very great teachers. Although they say that they offer jazz, contemporary, and hip hop classes, I have found that pretty much every class is the same type of choreography over and over (usually a contemporary/hip hop fusion). I have attended three pulse events in the past and have had the same experience each and every time. If you are looking for an event that actually offers a wide array of dance training, this is not where you should spend your money.

Too many kids in each room

Rooms were extremely packed this year! I understand that they need to make money but when the kids can\'t even do the combos it makes the entire experience useless . The instructors should take into consideration that the rooms are packed and choreograph with that expectation . Floor work in a packed teen room, where the kids are standing practically shoulder to shoulder is next to impossible . Add another date if you are that full because parents are starting to ask directors not to attend conventions that are too full .

Great! Everything about the Pulse makes my students better. They receive wonderful feedback and have a great experience. We will keep going back!!

My students love Pulse and Excel in Motion the most! We love that the teachers are great with really wonderful feedback that is relevant. It is not a competition so the kids can relax and focus on learning. There is something to be said about the energy of a good convention. It cannot be matched at a studio and my kids come back feeling inspired and work harder for me. I\'d rather my students go to a larger convention with GREAT teachers than a small convention with people who are less inspiring. I know my kids will improve their technique by repetition and hard work and sometimes they just need to hear Brian Friedman tell them to do that. I don\'t underestimate the value of taking from the best even if the room is a little crowded!

This is a different type convention in that the teachers have their own quirky styles. My daughter is an extremely good dancer and picks up choreography quickly, but was not in her comfort zone, which was a good learning experience. They have a few popular choreographers and they have a large group of kids who follow every city trying to make \"Pulse Protege\'\" so if that is not you, don\'t think your dancer will be noticed. Some of their choreographer/teachers are a little vain and it sometimes felt like we were outsiders in this Pulse club... Rooms were dark and stage was high and large at the convention we attended. I doubt they could see anyone not directly in front of the stage. My daughter could take it or leave it.

Love the critiques rather than competition, the classes are well run and challenging, makes my dancers work. Definitely a favorite.

Definitely a favorite of my daughter! We\'ve gone two years now and are looking forward to next season. I love that you can perform pieces for critiques (rather than competing). We\'ve used this feature the past two seasons to get early critiques of her solos and the feedback has been really good. Pam Chancy and her team are a class act! My daughter LOVE LOVE LOVES the classes. She\'s usually sore after PULSE weekend. I consider that a good things because I know she\'s working hard and in ways that are different from what she\'s getting at her home studio. Love PULSE!

This is my daughter\'s favorite convention. If she could, she would go to everyone that is scheduled!

If you are looking to be pushed and to break into the LA dance scene there is no better place than Pulse. The staff is amazing - dances are very challenging. We also love the showcase. It is a great place to try something new and outside of your comfort zone. Cannot wait for next season.

Really enjoyed it

Our dancers LOVE LOVE LOVE The Pulse. We don\'t go every year but every time we do the kids have a wonderful time and I personally love the teachers forums/discussions Very nice to have the opportunity to \"chat\" with other studio owners to get fresh/new ideas from all other areas of the US! Great experience for everyone

Definitely a favorite. High energy. Excellent, courteous, helpful staff. EXTREMELY ORGANIZED! The faculty is so incredibly talented; it was a pleasure to watch.

My absolute favorite! My daughter has done amazing at camp pulse for the last 2 years! The team is professional and amazing!!! Most choreographers with pulse favor improv and support creativity! Love love love it!!!!

Always enjoyed this one but have been disappointed in the last couple years.

Definitely feel it is overrated but my teens enjoyed it for the most part. I think they enjoyed being their with their friends more than the actual convention itself. The classes were extremely crowded. The music quality was awful but maybe this was the venue\'s fault, not sure. Less focus (compared to other conventions) on the dancers and more focus on the staff/guests but to some, that is what they are looking for I guess.

We have been doing PULSE for four years now and it\'s aways been well run. Anytime I\'ve emailed with a question the response is almost immediate. Since they recently added Camp Pulse to the same venue I brought my younger daughter this year and the kids had a great time. Typically we did not experience the lateness that has been mentioned below. However, I do remember a few years back during the photo session Mia kept everyone waiting for her to show up so we had to hang around for quite awhile before she swept in with her entourage. She is no longer with PULSE, but that was my only experience with lateness. As for Protege awards, I have learned typically it\'s given to those who attend multiple conventions and really work on building a relationship with the choreographers. I\'m not saying you can\'t win one your first go round, but if you want to increase the odds that\'s what it supposedly takes. To that end it can be fustrating for some and with this in mind we usually skip the awards altogether and get an early start driving home. So my advice is, have fun working with famous choreographers, enjoy the time there with your friends and buy some cool stuff to wear to the studio when you return.

Seems like the past bunch of reviews are questionable. All AMAZING, all 5 stars, all within 2 days. This was not our experience. Pulse might be ok to attend ONCE. Definitely not a continuing learning experience for my kids. I felt like it was an ego-driven autograph-signing hip-hop event. Definitely not up to the caliber or quality of a Jump, Nycda, Nuvo, etc. Just my opinion, we won\'t be back.

love, Love, LOVE, The Pulse on Tour! Amazing staff and choreographers!

The Pulse On Tour is by far the BEST Dance Convention!!!! I have attended the Pulse with my daughter for the past 6 years. My AWESOME first Experience with Staff and Faculty is what I experience in each City we attend... and we attend MANY Cities! The Staff is Welcoming, Friendly, Professional and Very Organized. The Faculty is comprised of the most current working Choreographers in the Industry!!! They are focused on changing a Dancer\'s Life..... Booking Dancers For Jobs, Perfecting Their Technique, Improving Performance Level, etc. The Faculty not only Teach Choreography, They Mentor The Dancers That Are SERIOUS about their craft. My Daughter\'s Life has Changed because of the Pulse. She has become an AMAZING Dancer Who is Constantly being Challenged and Pushed To Be Better By The Faculty. The Faculty and Staff genuinely care about ALL the Dancers. The Life Long Friendships We Have Because Of The Pulse is Truly a Blessing. The Pulse is a Convention by Title but a Family by Choice!!!! We LOVE Our PULSE FAM:))))

I have been attending the Pulse on Tour with my daughter since right before she turned 11 and this is by far our favorite convention to attend. I do have to say our first experience was overwhelming at the same time exciting. We attended our first city in Atlantic City with dancers attending from all over the east coast. The staff was wonderful to work with and are the best in my opinion of all of the convention circuits. They were responsive and helpful and truly were there to make this first weekend and continue to make this an amazing experience for my daughter. One of the great things about this convention is that it is really here to make you a better dancer, from the caliber of the teachers and the combos they are teaching your kids, to the overall environment in the classroom which is driving each of the kids to want to do their best and to come home being able to say they really learned something new and valuable during the weekend. They also work hard to instill an understanding in the work that goes on outside of the classroom, by having their scholarship winners, work registration, check in, and during the showcase. By taking this time to develop responsibility in these young dancers,they are showing them the reality of the business world and giving them tools to help them succeed on and off the dance floor. In addition, these kids who work together and dance together build amazing lifelong relationships. My daughter gets so excited for weeks up to a Pulse weekend, talking with her friends and preparing for an amazing weekend, and comes home exhausted, sore and fulfilled from the learning that she absorbed over the weekend. The faculty are the best in the biz, they are working currently with top artists and love to share what they are learning but are honest with the dancers about what is expected in the commercial dance world. The Pulse on Tour brings an energy to the convention world that can not be duplicated

We first attended Pulse in 2008 & have since been to almost 30 of their events including their summer intensives and several Camp Pulse weekends. We have also attended numerous other conventions/masterclasses/workshops during my daughters\' almost 12 years of dancing and to say that the others don\'t even come close is an understatement! From the very beginning there has never even been a comparison... the Pulse faculty , staff, crew and even vendors are the absolute best around... hands down! Please listen carefully though... if you are looking for a competition please do not come to Pulse looking for that (try Open Call instead :)! Pulse is where you go to learn, explore, mature and grow... in a safe, supportive and loving environment. If your desire is to leave with the satisfaction that everyone in the room thought you were the best dancer there, please do not go to Pulse... that is just not what they are about. The faculty often call students out during class to dance for everyone but not because they are necessarily the best, instead they choose dancers that exhibit specific moves, or timing, or even emotion that the rest of the dancers can learn from. For us it has been very evident that The Pulse is much more about the big picture and the journey to become the dancer of your dreams rather than leaving each weekend with the biggest trophy or most prestigious award. The Pulse faculty & staff truly love their dancers and try to pull the best out of everyone in their ballrooms... they see these kids as the future of the world they love and try to nurture them thorough the process of someday maybe filling their shoes. Pulse is all about the passion to dance... if you feel like you were put on this Earth to touch lives through dance then please, please join us for a weekend that will change your life. As the faculty repeatedly remind the students... move away from your friends, take chances, push yourself and allow yourself to be inspired by everyone else there!!!

I have been a dance mom of 2 children for 17 years and have had the opportunity to attend many workshops and conventions. In 2007 I attended The Pulse on Tour in New York City for the first time. What stood out for me as a business owner as well was how organized and welcoming the Staff presented themselves to me. First impressions were a smile and a genuine interest in me as a customer. My daughter\'s left New York that year full of enthusiasm and every year since has been excited to attend more than one city (6-8 a year). The friendships created with other dancers has been a source of inspiration to my children and they feel like a part of the family. The faculty has grown in numbers over the years but one thing has always remain the same. They are always there for the kids by inspiring and motivating EVERY KID in the room! THe Pulse Faculty are not just convention teachers, they are today\'s most current working professionals in the industry. Because of there impressive resumes they are better able to provide life lessons, confidence to prepare the kids including my own for the real world. This sharing and caring attitude is why I give up my weekends to travel across the US with my children. I truly believe that the Pulse Faculty and Staff give all of themselves every weekend, its not just a job to them, they are educators, mentors and life time friends who care and I am proud to be apart of this amazing family!!!

The Pulse on Tour has been such a BUILDING BLOCK for my daughter and my dancers. It is challenging and can push you way past your limits but it is worth every minute, dollar and exhausted tear!!! Everyone harps on the \"CELEBRITY CHOREOGRAPHERS\" is if they are shallow and THEY ARE FAR FROM THAT!! They are there talking to dancers and telling them how to be better, sharing their experiences and sharing their LOVE for dance as well. THE STAFF is like FAMILY and are there WHENEVER you need them. 50,000 STARS for the PULSE ON TOUR!!

The PULSE has been a huge part of my emotional and professional life. I have been attending The Pulse since I was 12 and through The Pulse I have booked multiple jobs, met tons of new people, and advanced in my dancing more then I could ever imagine. The choreographers ate top notch and are great people all around. If if you have had a bad experience at The PULSE then please give it another chance. This weekend we are headed to ATL so please come experience the PULSE one more time before you make your decision on how you feel about the convention. Thank you for reading if you made it this far:) I\'ll hopefully see some of you guys in ATL this weekend and maybe in another city after that. If you do see me please don\'t be afraid to come say hi! Contact me when you get there and let us know if you are not learning and enjoying yourself.

The Pulse has provided a platform for my daughter to excel in the Dance Industry. It has provided life long friendships and mentoring from some of the best Choreographers. As much as the Pulse has grown, it still maintains an intimate setting for dancers to be challenged. The Pulse is family to us and to many others. Please use this as a site to voice honest opinions and to not lash out. Thank you

Sadly, I agree with some on here about the \"celebrity status\" thing. I thought it was organized. It does come across as a convention who caters to the well known dancers.

Yawn, I\'m sorry. The Pulse is overrated. Yes, they have big name teachers. Yes, they attract the most talented dancers. However, they run late with not even an apology (who are WE, anyway? Just simple no-name people taking class). My students get into the hype and we enjoy the weekend, however, from a business perspective I think they really need to work harder at being on time and should rely less on their celebrity names.

My son attended The Pulse in New Orleans. This was his first time attending and will definitely attend again. The classes were intense and pushed him to another level. Well worth the $$$.

Really great choreographers! Hard classes but you learn a ton!

They had some big name instructors, supposedly, but they were not great at teaching. Geared to the top few dancers attending, if you weren\'t one of them, well forget it.

We love the Pulse but hate the overcrowding and the fact that studios are rewarded when they bump their students down. We had true beginners to the convention world at Camp Pulse and watched dancers who not only pushed the age limits of CP but were also veterans in the convention world win scholarships and get recognition. Its very frustrating to watch.

My son attended the Pulse when it first started, in 2 years time it went from good to bad. The rooms (although huge) were packed!! There was a TV so you could see the dancing if you werent close enough but after paying as much as you do for the classes it is a bit upsetting. Camp Pulse started this year for the younger groups so I decided to try this for my younger child. Its the same thing all over again. Too much of an age gap in the rooms and after being told by the director of the Camp Pulse that no one child will win multiple awards, watched as a child won 2 if not 3 awards. Will not be back to either Pulse or Camp Pulse.

Daughter loved it!

My daughter went to camp pulse for the first time last year and loved it. What a great opportunity for dancers. They meet people, learn new things, plus I watched my daughter come out of her shell last year at this convention. We will be attending each year as long as we can.

I was a big fan of THE PULSE. Would always bring my students for the convention and would perform in the showcase. After three years of doing that we stopped going and moved to JUMP. This convention use to be fantastic..but then Brian Friedman became full of himself moreso then he already was, Mia left, and everything became hip hopish...and then the showcase. Was always three hours long (we attended AC) and they pretty much picked the studio that they knew of..I will always remember this studio (I will not mention their name) who came with a Michael Jackson hip hop dance that my five year olds could do. They were a winner...but they were also familiar with the entire staff. But some of these beautiful contemporary or tap pieces were overlooked. And Ill never forget the year our studio was dancing and the few pieces after me and the judges didnt watch the performance. They were talking amongst each other...and then I laughed when I read their critiques..what performance were they watching???? We haven\'t returned since, moreso because their is no versitility with their classes, Tyce has become very nasty with the kids (there is a way to correct them without screaming at them and using language that should not be used with young children) teachers are late and very divaish..with the exception of Chris Judd who hasn\'t changed one bit in the few years we were there. BRAVO Chris. Ok I\'m done :)

My daughter loved it. It was not overcrowded. Staff was fabulous. Some routines were in my opinion a bit risqué but my daughter is younger than suggested age so can\'t really complain. Only negative is she did a solo in the showcase and I was disappointed at how few critiques were given. I think because she is so small perhaps they didn\'t want to hurt her feelings or know what to say but she can totally take it and that\'s what I am paying for when we do a solo at something like that. Definitely will go back.

There is NOTHING better than The Pulse. We have gone almost every year since the start of this convention. The teachers are honest, push the kids, and give them a real sense of what it would be like to work in the \"industry.\" The kids that you see as \"proteges\" are all working dancrs and this is the only convention I know that can directly connect young dancers into jobs in the commerical dance industry. It is edgy, high energy, and worth every penny! Can\'t wait to go to Dallas this year!

Loved taking my daughter to this event. She learned so much in one weekend. It is 2 LONG days without breaks besides 30 minutes for lunch. However the dancers love it. Can\'t wait till November to go back.

Teachers late to class. Act like they are above everyone else. I heard that they even have to stay at a different hotel?? I guess the celebrity thing appeals to some. Not me. I would avoid it completely.

Not a great experience for me as a parent. My kids liked it. Teacher was over 45 minutes late to the class. We had to go ask why the class hadn\'t started then it took another 15 minutes before they said anything. They didn\'t really apologize and didn\'t offer to make up the missed time. Some of the teachers were full of themselves. I think they set a terrible example for young kids regarding acceptable behavior from so called professionals. Dave Scott and Chris Judd were amazing and that helped.

The kids LOVED it and the teachers were awesome. They offered great messages to the kids and even signed autographs at the end of their sessions. Would go again.