COMPETITION DETAIL

We have been going to Act 1 for about 4+ years and this company is awesome! They are super responsive to emails and phone calls and are PROBLEM SOLVERS to their core! I appreciate their attention to detail so much. As we all know, competition seasons can be rough to navigate but this company does such a wonderful job balancing competition and running their business communications simultaneously. Their judging system has always been fair and appropriate to age, genre and level. Their awards run quick and they actually give beautiful and colorful awards to the kids and studios! I am always eager to see what the year's awards will look like for the season. I am also always super excited to see what shoes they host and crew will have on as they deliver the awards! It's always such a wonderful surprise! I seriously love this competition and I high recommend it as a studio owner!

We have always loved coming to Act 1. This is a high quality competition that invests in the extras to make the dancers feel special. It has also grown quite a bit in the last few years. This year, comp was way overbooked, a Thursday was added, and the venue (a hotel) could not accommodate the number of people. There were also multiple issues in dressing rooms with other studios moving our stuff around to grab more space. Because of these issues the vibe was a little tense - not the usual positive, family-like atmosphere that I know the owners really value and promote. Still, I would recommend - we always get quality feedback from judges at Act 1.

Act 1 is top notch! They are so organized! The awards are quick and fun. The staff is so incredibly friendly! They have a ton of extra little touches that set them apart! We have been attending their competition since they started coming to our area, and it is the one competition that is always on our rotation! Our dancers look forward to their “favorite competition” every season!

Ok. I don't post very often because today's internet world is so dang negative, that I don't want to hear negative feedback in return. So here it is - my unsolicited opinion. If you don't agree, don't respond. I don't care. But for those of you looking for a great competition to take you kids to - Keep Reading! There are no words to express what an awesome experience we had at Act 1 Talent this weekend! I've been in business for for 28 year and taught competition dance for 32 years. So for me to be so impressed (before overall awards are announced!!) with a competition, you know I'm serious. We competed with Katie Rustowicz at Act 1 Talent. We walked into the school greeted by the smiling faces of Katie and her staff. She helped us check our kids in, get organized and rolling. Then competition started - In a theater, with full stage lighting; Shannon working backstage is funny, sweet, organized and lovely!! We were rolling along and then the Act 1 staff came up (with monogrammed napkins) and said “I’m so sorry to Interrupt. But is it time for our Act 1 Talent Teacher Cookie Break”. Giving all of us soft, fresh baked cookies. REALLY??? Who doesn’t need/love a little sugar in the middle of a competition day. Our kids performed “ok”. It was apparent that is was our first competition. And their placements were spot on! A lot of them need more work! But all of it was in a setting that every dancer felt comfortable and secure. I just seriously do not have enough words for how awesome every aspect of Act 1 is. It had been A VERY LONG TIME since I’ve gone to a new competition and have been instantly impressed with the staff, the set up, the concepts (unique aspects) and how well the Comp Is run. If you are looking for a new competition to try, do NOT HESITATE to try Act 1 Talent. We loved it and cannot wait for next year. Thank you so much Katie and staff for an amazing weekend!!

This was a quick day. Not to many entries. Went by really fast. Stayed organized. Kids had fun and that is what matters.

We really love this event! Can't believe how much their Portland event has grown in just a few years. The event ran smoothly and about 40-50 minutes ahead of schedule, which is good, but we were a tad late for the master class because of it. The staff is super friendly. Love the venue they use. Everyone is so welcoming and it is such a positive environment. Love how they offer a master class before the awards ceremony. We also loved watching how into the dances the judges were!!! So nice to have judges that look like they are enjoying themselves instead of the ones that just sit there with blank expressions on their faces. Also really love the special awards they give out. I really wish all comps would do this because the dancers love to be recognized for something other than medal/placing. My only tiny gripe is when they are giving the scholarships for master class, it is obviously random and the gal picking the dancers literally just picked 5/6 dancers that were standing in the front row next to her, but not a huge deal. Otherwise, this is one of our faves and can't wait for next year!!!

We very much liked this competition and liked they had a lot of Ballet. I have never seen so many pointe solos at any competition I have ever been too and a lot of the ballet students won the top scores. I do wish the teen category actually included only teens. There is a big difference in what 12 year olds and 14 year olds are taught at a ballet school. More and more comps are putting 12 in the teen category and it shouldn't be, there should be an 11-12 range. I have never been to a comp and seen a 12 year old win or place high when there is a range like this.

We are big fans of Act 1, we attended for the first time last year and will be attending again this year. We felt the judging is fair and no one studios is favorited. The judges actually know how to judge across the board, including ballet, which we tend to find many competitons lack judges with a background with enough ballet training to honestly judge it. This competition doesn't only award to hip-hop which many of mainstream competitions do. Communication is easy, people are kind, and the competition runs on time, if not early and we appreciate that.

We did Act 1 Talent this weekend, and I highly recommend it. The owner was kind and professional. Awards were well run. My girls really enjoyed the classes before awards. I felt the judging was fair, and not favoring towards any one studio. I like the age break downs. I really appreciate the rules, and the fact that they follow them. Pictures and videos (though outsourced) are great quality. My favorite part of this competition were the judges' comments. Every single one of them were positive yet constructive at the same time. We were very impressed with the whole competition. Thanks so much!

We have only attended this competition once and it was okay. I can't really say anything negative because we had a pleasant experience, but it was definitely smaller, so wasn't one we went back to.

We attended Act 1 in Portland a few weeks ago. It was an amazing time. Everyone was so friendly. The emcee was great. The retail ladies were great, and the judging was fair. The awards ceremonies were tons of fun for the dancers. Loved all the special awards. I think it is wonderful how they offer a free master class too. I do wonder how scholarships are chosen since there are no judges judging and no numbers worn. Is it just random? Either way, it is a wonderful thing to offer. Loved your merchandise and the location. The vibe is very positive. Event also ran smoothly. Can't wait for next year! I hope you do a nationals soon!

Once again you did not disappoint. It is so rare that we attend a competition where are parents, teachers and dancers, are so excited to go to. Well organized, the friendliest and most helpful staff you will ever meet at a competition, professional judges, and a scoring system that is fair. One of my parents summed it up best when he said, "I wish all competitions were like this, this is what I want for my dancer." We have been competing for 30+ years and Act 1 is definitely the new bar we compare other competitions to. Thank you Act 1 - see you next year!

We had a great time at Act 1 this year. It was our first time attending. I really appreciated that the scoring was tough. They have free master classes that our kids loved. They have a great "equal chance bump rule". The deciding factor for us is always the judges tapes. They were super helpful and specific as to what they would like our students to work on. They were encouraging but did not sugar coat the areas that they wanted to see improvement in. Overall a great comp!

It was ok. Hard to understand what the judges were looking for. Shaky holds and bouncy turns scoring high.

We love attending ACT 1. The only issue we had last season however, was during the awards ceremony. Results were not updated prior to handing them to the announcer and our high point overall was awarded to another routine, from another studio. This was a mistake that I am sure the director will not let happen again, as it was very tough on my kiddos simply knowing they had won but weren\'t announced as the winners. Overall though, it wasn\'t enough to make us not return. We love that they still give trophies. ACT 1 is a very organized and well run event.

We have only done this competition once, and it was okay. The venue had a very small stage, which was also difficult with the master class. Overall, it seemed organized and the staff was very friendly, but unless it was in different location, I don\'t know that I would do this one again.

I loveee this competition and can\'t wait to compete at act one this season in February!! This companies so fun!

Fabulous competition - our girls felt very comfortable with the staff and the entire competition so that they really could perform at their highest potential. The awards were done timely and professionally. Our girls got recognition where appropriate but also felt competitions in the rankings. Excellent competition all around - highly recommend this competition for seasoned dance troops and studios.

We had a great time at Act 1. The staff was very friendly and the competition ran right on schedule.

5 Stars all around! We were nervous about attending a new competition, but decided to give Act1 Talent a try and we are GLAD we did! We were surprised to learn that this was only their second year and hope that they decided to return to Portland again. This competition was very well organized and run, backstage was well controlled, ever staff member was helpful and the master classes were a great touch. A special thank you to Jamie(?),the blonde lady at the registration. My daughter wanted an Act1 Talent bear (so cute!) with a blue tutu, but the girl before us had taken the last one off the shelf. Jamie dug to the very bottom of both huge boxes o bears to find my daughter the very last blue tutu bear of the season! Jamie and the other registration lady interacted with everyone that came by, dancers, parents, brothers, grandparents. Always with smiles and always positive and fun. Many of my fellow dance moms commented on how nice this competition was. Hats off to the owner of this company for such an amazing job! I meant to comment earlier, but thankfully I remembered while I waited for my daughters class to end.

Our studio competed today in Portland at Act 1. This was a very well run event. The staff was extremely friendly. The awards ceremony was fun. The owner is very friendly and did a great job announcing scores. Ceremony ran very smoothly. Judging was extremely fair. Our small studio scored several platinums and earned judges awards, which is nice that we weren\'t completely shadowed by the bigger studios. The master classes were great too. We came 2 1/2 hours away from Washington. We would love to see you come to the seattle/tacoma area next season

Love our experience with Act 1 Talent! Since it was the beginning of Spring Break we only brought a few solos from our studio. You\'d never known we were any different than the studios that brought their whole team. The professional bios of the judges had me excited. The critiques were a balance of corrections and praise. What a treat compared to many that are just great job, love your enthusiasm, pretty costume that you hear from many. The stage managers were great and so were the people running the gift area. The Act 1 bears are darling! I have already spoken to our competition director to put this on the radar for next year. My vote, if I get one, will be for Act 1 Talent. The master class was a great bonus. Great job!

I wish I could give this competition more stars! It was great from morning till night! It was smoothly run, judging was fair and dancers, teachers and parents loved the Master Classes! Our studio had nothing but rave reviews for this competition. Also, the staff...they were great! They met us in the morning with a smile and they were still smiling at the end of the night. Each staff member that we encountered was smiling, always willing to help & full of energy. Even the young lady that had to run back and forth getting trophies always had a smile on her face, even when they told her she would have to go back and get more. She was funny, great with the kids and again always smiling! Everything about this competition as Excellent! We can\'t wait for next year!!!!!

What a wonderful, wonderful competition. Incredibly caring staff, who made sure that every single dancer felt welcome and encouraged. Efficient, super organized, and full of amazing energy. Master Classes were fun, and a really nice touch. Overall, a very positive experience, excited to come back next year!

We really enjoyed ACT 1. It was such a positive experience. The studios and the parents that attend this event are so sweet and it really is a great event. The scoring was fair and the bump rule was a great idea. I really hope this event continues.

I absolutely love Act 1! I love what they stand for, I love that the owner has an amazing vision, I love that the judging is accurate and fair. The competition runs smoothly, every staff member is helpful and the atmosphere is fun! I encourage studio owners to to support this growing competition. My dancers actually enjoyed the competition so much in Upland last season, that we attended the San Diego one as well.

last season was our first time attending Act 1 , there were things I really liked about it. It went very smooth and I love the bump thing they do so that if you qualify for the next level up they will bump you :)

I asked my parents to pick the top three competitions they would like to attend. Act I was at the top of almost everyone\'s list. It was a new competition last year and we had an amazing experience. Professional judges are one of the reasons. Eddie Garcia, are you kidding me. The man has done everything and is so well known. That is the kind of judge I want. . . sorry, but studio owners should never be able to compete (even in another city) for a competition they judge for. \"You scratch my back and I\'ll scratch yours\" is all to common the case. I actually know studio owners that judge and won\'t go to any competitions that they do not judge for. They tell you that is they only way to win. We want professionally trained dancers and choreographers. Act I is a refreshing new take on the world of competition. They are professional, courteous, and above all there for the kids. If you haven\'t gone to one of their competitions, make sure you do!

I agree with everyone else BUT last year you had Eddie Garcia judging at a competition. He seemed ultra friendly with Adage dance center. It wasn\'t hard to find but that\'s because he\'s a teacher there. Having their teacher as a judge is completely unjust and bias.Other dance competitions would never let that happen. Not sure if you were aware but that makes you lose a lot of credibility in your competition. Will not be returning

Great Competition! The staff was wonderful. So friendly and helpful. Genuinely concerned with promoting all the good things about dance instead of just the money in their pockets. Judging was fair and not a cake walk which was a breath of fresh air. Our kids that did not take the master class were very disappointed with their decision as the classes were wonderful. We will definitely be back to this competition. It has moved to the top of our list!

Our studio had a blast at Act 1 Talent! It was our first competition of the year and it definetly did not disappoint. The judges were friendly and attentive, the backstage staff were helpful and patient through all of our quick changes, and we all agreed that the awards were fair! There was a great energy around Act 1 Talent all day, we will absolutely be back next year!

Refreshing! Finally a competition where the staff is wonderful and friendly to everyone. The judges are professional and every other dance does not receive a platinum, they are very earned. I hope we always go back. All of our numbers I felt were very professionally judged and both parents and kids loved the free master classes!

FRIENDLY STAFF

Very nice staff and environment but very tough judging and competition.