We do Fly every year and it’s first class!
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Great staff at event! Has been running smoothly!
I love this comp! All of the people and teams are so good and very kind. Everything is so so efficient and fun to watch!!
Amazing competition it’s super fun! I love the environment and it’s very organized. The merch is super cute as well.
I loved fly dance competition!! The staff and other studios were so kind and helpful! They chose such a nice venue. I also love organization of this comp!!
This is my daughter’s first competition and everything is going great! Everything is very organized and so fun for the dancers. Love the improv contest!
Loved. Been fun thank u so much
We love fly! Great atmosphere! Always awesome judging. Very competitive!
Great energy throughout the competition! We love the atmosphere! And all around a great competition!
Awesome venue. I had a great time, easy access to the bathrooms. The judges were fair and overall very entertaining. Great experience
Very well run event! Staff was amazing and customer service was wonderful- kids had a blast!
We attended fly for the first time this last weekend and our studio had a great time. It was well organized and ran on time. All the stuff was super friendly and we are definitely going to be competing with them again in the future
Very organized competition, everyone feels like a winner at the end. Love this competition
Friendly staff. Venue was good considering the last minute change. Can’t wait to come back.
Very professional competition. Ran on schedule and kids had a great time. Definitely looking forward to coming again next year.
Fly is such a welcoming and talented environment. The staff are super friendly and helpful. The competition is always on time and runs smoothly!!
Such a great environment! The staff is great and so helpful! Have never had a bad experience here!
We love fly dance competition! I love coming here with my studio! I have been coming to this competition since I was 10 and I am now 14 and I love it so much! Everyone here is so kind and friendly!!
Fun competition. Very well run!
We are so glad our studio got in on short notice! They have such a fun theme, and everyone I talked to was positive. :-)
Amazing environment and the staff was amazing! Such a great way to start off the competition season!
Fly was such a good atmosphere, the Colorado competition was smaller with not many studios but it was great for our first competition of the season, I was a dancer and a coach of a younger team and we all enjoyed it and had so much fun!
We loved the fly dance competition! Great judges, high energy, very organized. Love the improv options that give kids a chance to be creative!
Fly has been so accommodating and kind with schedule changes. Fly has been so encouraging to all the dancers. We love going back to Fly every year!
One of the most welcoming competitions we’ve been to. Kids at all levels feel appreciated. They also do a great job at staying on schedule- a big win for all the parents!
My kid is having a ton of fun! The competition is well organized and moving quickly which is great with little ones.
Fly was so well organized. The commentators were great. Venue was laid out nicely. Everyone was so friendly! We are so excited for a tap judge!
Had a real nice time at Fly in Youngstown. We will be back. We attend Fly every year
Top talent on the stage! High energy!
Best competition this year. I’m having so much fun. The vendors have so much cool stuff. The stage present is amazing and the location. #letsgoflydancecimoetition
Very organized and fun! Sound was great. Love the feedback from staff. They are all friendly
Our first time at fly! The staff is so nice. The presenter is very engaging with the audience members too. Very organized and great lighting. We are excited to be here.
amazing competition! very nice staff, fair awarding, fun activities, awesome judges, and great venues! overall 5 stars!
We had the best experience at Fly Youngstown this weekend! Super well organized and such amazing staff! We will be back!
First time we have done Fly and it was an amazing experience. The competition was smoothly run and the staff was upbeat, helpful and kind.
I’m a dance mom who’s a former dancer and I’ve been in this industry a long time. There were so many things wrong at the Fly competition we went to, it’d be hard to name them all, so I’m just gonna share the one thing that’s inexcusable. I was backstage with my dancer fixing a costume malfunction and walked up behind a guy who was on a laptop CHANGING SCORES! I stood there for a minute just baffled and he did it to three other routines! I know what their program looks like because I judged for a comp a few years ago that used the same program. I left it alone because one session already did awards and after seeing him change more than one score, I’m sure he changed scores there too. Why have judges if you’re just going to fudge the numbers? How is this justifiable? This same guy was seen walking around through the day, not watching dances. Then he went on stage and did the most rushed and boring awards ever. The awards coordinators tried signaling him to slow down but he was in his own world. It wasn’t until our next comp practice that I found out the guy is the OWNER and he has ZERO dance experience! I’m sorry. WHAT!? Needless to say, we won’t be back. And maybe it’s just me being jaded, but does anyone honestly believe that all of these 5 star reviews are actually written by parents, dancers, or SOs? Yeah, me neither. He fudges scores, so writing fake reviews definitely isn’t below him.
Thank you so much for your review. What you witnessed was the owner and director for that event bumping a few routines to get the higher adjudication without changing the overall standings, at the direction of the lead judge. Dancers that are close to achieving the higher placement are sometimes elevated after all routines have performed in that category while not changing any placements. If you have additional questions please have your studio director reach out. I do apologize that was done in front of you.
My Mom and I absolutely love Fly Dance Competition because as a young dancer, Fly has given me opportunities that most competitions don’t offer. For my level of dance they offer a Regional Title Competition and a National Title Competition. You have the option to participate in the opening number of their Turbulence Showdown at Nationals, which is a huge honor, especially for someone who’s in the First Time Flyer division. At Fly Dance Competition everything is based around their flying theme. Which is so cool! If the dancer is in the Novice Level, at Fly they are known as First Time Flyers, Intermediate Dancers are Business Class, and Advanced Dancers are First Class Flyers! Even their awards ceremony is based off their theme as well. They also offer amazing workshop classes and a super fun Improv Competition. At Fly they recognize no matter if you’re a First Time Flyer or a First Class dancer, we all put in the same amount of hard work and dedication. They give us all fair opportunities to succeed in the dance world.
We LOVE fly! The competition is extremely well run! We love the awards and dancing even got to learn a line dance from the staff! To add on to that the staff is so welcoming and is so helpful if any issues! Not to mention extremely kind, the judges are extremely fair and give amazing feed back especially love Ms. Harper! The floor and back drop are very nice and good quality! One of our favorite competitions since covid!!
Fly has historically been a hot mess for many. But we were left disappointed and frustrated. Regionals was a mess- tons of issues with their sound, forgetting to give awards, mixing stuff up. The MC was treating it like her own personal comedy show and every single time someone got a Million MIler, she made obnoxious airplane noises that drove everyone in the audience insane (maybe that was the point?) Nationals was a let down. First, one of the judges/the teacher for the master class was stuck at the airport trying to rent a car. They had to combine the teens and juniors/minis for the first class (1pm-2:15pm). The second class was supposed to be from 2:30-3:30, where they would be properly split up. The teens then left to do their second master class, while the 11 and under kiddos sat around having ZERO update or idea what was going on from 2:15-3:45. Studio owners/teachers were trying to track someone down to figure things out rather than Fly coming and communicating, or just combining the classes. They sat around doing nothing, the teacher suddenly showed up and they did a very rushed class from 3:45-4:30. The opening number rehearsal was supposed to be from 4:00pm-6:30pm but they pushed it back to 4:30, so kids who didn’t opt to do master classes had to wait to start the opening number, and the kids had no break between the master class and opening number. No compensation was offered. There was not a lot of diversity chosen for the Turbulence Showdown (some studios didn’t get routines chosen at all, while others had a lot of routines and were basically competing against themselves). They had routines with the exact same kids in both placing in overalls (usually only the highest scoring can place in overalls if it’s the same exact kids). Every Title winner was already the 1st Overall and the MC would literally say “Okay let’s do this again except with a crown!” When honoring them. What in the point of Title if you’re just going to give it to who got 1st Overall? For a Nationals event we expected so much more. They had a PJ party Thursday night and that was the only “special”/different thing besides the Turbulence Showdown and the master classes you pay extra for. Other than that, it’s the same as regionals. Bottom line is- there are better comps out there that provide a more diverse, fun, and organized experience for Nationals. Spend your money with them. Also do some research in the various FB groups to read other experiences— especially from past employees/judges/etc— who will never work with Fly again because of the way they run the business.
Thanks for a great Nationals in Seattle. Everyone with Fly Dance was so positive and supportive. My daughter is beyond shy and the love she received was amazing. My daughter loved her classes and fell in love with her very first opening number routine. She loved the energy of the judges and felt so confident in class and on stage. We can’t wait to Fly again next year.
This is our daughters first year of dance competition and our experience has been incredible. The Fly Dance judges are so positive and welcoming and all of the dancers have such a positive attitude. We love the Fly Dance atmosphere and are honored to be part of Nationals.
In the heart of Tacoma the Fly Dance competion was held with such professionalism, in a a spectacular venue that had an amazing stage setup. The schedule was right on time and information communicated out was in line with the event.
We love attending Fly Competitions. It's one of our most favorites!!!
The competition was so well organized and such fun staff!!
Such a fun competition to be at!! Love the staff!
This competition was amazing! Loved the hard working staff
This is our first Nationals with Fly! Classes and show rehearsals have been intimate and so positive! We will be back!
The experience so far has been very positive. The staff are helpful and informative, the classes are fun, and they truly care about the dancers. We’ve been to a number of competitions and conventions, and Fly is definitely one of the BEST!
We love this competition and all it has to offer!
What a great comp we love bringing our studio here!
Very inclusive and fun awards.
We love Fly! This is one of my favorite competitions to compete at!
Coming with my daughter as an independent entry was hard and we were all alone but all the staff was so welcoming and amazing to work with and even went above and beyond to make her feel comfortable and less nervous since she was there by herself sometimes it can get a little overwhelming and lonely especially also taking convention classes.
Friendly and great pacing.
Wonderful event! Daughter had so much fun!
Great competition! Great time!
Would rather a Nationals competition be held somewhere more accommodating than a high school
Fasten your seatbelts for a high-flying spectacle that will leave you soaring! This dance competition truly took off, with performers executing gravity-defying moves that had the audience's spirits in full ascent. From the moment of takeoff, it was clear we were in for a first-class experience, with routines so smooth they seemed to glide effortlessly across the stage. By the time this aerial showcase touched down, there was no doubt that these talented dancers had truly earned their wings.
Amazing venue, instructors and experience with Fly Dance Competition !!
This is my first time with this competition for Nationals and I just love the energy the staff, the judges, the backstage crew— everyone brings it and makes this event about the kids and how hard they have worked. The events they host bring all of the studios together and i have made so many new friends. The master classes were probably my favourite part of the whole weekend!
This is our first Nationals competition and I can’t even begin to explain how great Fly has been. Everyone is so friendly and helpful. The Fly National Competition is second to none when it comes to an incredible experience both for dancers and parents!
Amazing staff! Very organized and this is the third fly dance comp. Love it every time!
We love coming to Fly! It is a fun atmosphere and we have enjoyed the locations they have chosen. The awards are always fun to watch! All of the staff have been wonderful when we have had questions or even buying gear at the merch tables. We are exited to be here!
We love Fly! Staff was great and venue was nice. Great weekend.
We love Fly! At nationals right now and everything is awesome as always. We look forward to everytime we get to go to a Fly comp!
Our family loves Fly. They have always done a fantastic job with our dancers.
Love it
We love FLY!
This is the worst competition we have been to in 10 years of competitive dance. We attend at least 6 competitions a year. They say they have a tap judge? Just because you can do a few tap moves, doesn’t make you a judge. Our teachers wouldn’t even let us listen to the judge’s comments because they said there was no point. Fly Competition thinks they know a dancers level from the 2-3 minutes they see them on stage and the number of dances they are in. Our studio will try and put the dancers in as many dances in their level as the parents request. So the number of dances a child is in has nothing to do with the ability of the dancers, but Fly thinks so. There was an AMAZING dancer with elite capabilities in turns, leaps, and other techniques. This dancer had 3 solos, but was allowed to remain in the primary or intermediate division and of course took 1st. There were songs with the n- word and other vulgar language and still placed in the overalls just because it was a hip hop number. There were highly suggestive dances with inappropriate costumes that did not get disqualified and placed in the overalls. We have attended Fly for 2 regionals and a national in Las Vegas and it didn’t get better. Three strikes, we are done. Don’t bother paying cash for title because they will forget to call your dancer and since it was cash there is no way to get your refund. The ninth place banner was spelled incorrectly ALL 3 TIMES WE ATTENDED. Our dancers and parents didn’t want to even attend this year, but our studio wanted to give them another chance. Please read all the comments about this competition. The staff rude to the dancers. I could keep going, but if you got this far you get the point. I will say the awards are cute.
Amazing dancers, judges and staff. Everyone was very helpful and made the experience great!
Great variety of dances and a great atmosphere!
I love this competition so much! They were so nice to all of the dancers and studios and were really helpful to the teachers! I can’t wait to attend this competition more in the future!! I really recommend coming to this competition!!
We have attended Fly each season since they started, and we have had a great time each year. Communication is good leading into the event and the event runs on time or a little early. Our daughter loves attending and looking forward to attending again next season!
So much fun, good organization and loved the theme!
Fly was a first class experience all the way! 😊 As a parent I enjoyed this competition tremendously and so did my dancer. We loved how they switched it up and instead of a dance party they brought up coaches/studio owners to show their talents! Our girls are still talking about Fly two weeks later! Thank you to the staff for being so accommodating. We will be Flying 😉 again soon!
Love this dance competition. Everyone is so friendly and love how many opportunities it opens for our girls !
Wish it was in Tulsa, but venue is great!
My daughter and I had a great first experience at Fly! The staff and environment were amazing! There was a few mix ups back stage but the staff helped to get things straightened out in a timely manner . We needed to leave early due to timing and travel and accommodations were made so my daughter could receive her awards. Can’t wait for nationals !
We attended the Dallas competition as an independent with my 8 year olds solo. The staff was amazing and super kind. They let us know promptly where to go and guided us since we were without a studio. The backstage help was Chris and he was OUTSTANDING!! Competition ran on time and my daughter loved how relaxed they made her feel. Awards were amazing, and she walked out with her head held high! Thank you for an amazing time, we will definitely Fly again next season.
One of the worst competitions I've been to. My daughter has been competing for 5 years now. Last year was horrendous at Fly. This year we decided to give them another shot and were disappointed again. They pride themselves on "supporting the underdog" but they punish kids with good technique and skill. And if they think your studio director placed another kid in the wrong level THE ENTIRE TEAM pays for it. There isn't even me tap judge yet they pride themselves on having a dedicated tap judge. One of the judges is engaged to the announcer. But then that same judge also passes out awards during adjudicating. NOT the specialty awards judges give out, the adjudications and overalls the judge was passing out. I've never seen that before in all the years I have gone to competition. It seems like a conflict of interest. The announcer Dixon was unprofessional and classless. I get having a "laid back" attitude, but we also pay a lot of money to have a professional competition. If you are a small studio that has newer dancers, this is your competition. But if you are a larger studio that focuses on technique and putting on a performance, DO NOT WASTE your time!!!! Good dancers want to see good dance. They won't adjudicate appropriately and in the end will never have the larger well-known studios competing there. Complete waste of time and money.
Hello and thank you so much for writing in. We did have a tap judge at the event and at every event. We pride ourselves on keeping everything fair which is why we limit the number of routines a dancer is in for the beginning division. Unfortunately, some studios placed some dancers that were in 5-10 routines in the beginner division which isn't fair for the true beginners. The director and judge being engaged did not effect the scores at all and nothing was communicated in regards to favoring one routine over another. I do apologize that you did not have a good time. I would definitely talk to your studio director to ensure your dancers are placed in the correct level. Keep challenging yourself and no matter where you end up make sure the kids are having a good time. It is about the journey and not the destination. Please listen to the critiques for your routines and you will be able to see why the judges gave the scores that they did. We hope that you will give us another shot in the future and can not wait to FLY with you in the future.
I’m loving how chill the atmosphere is.
We are new to this competition this year. Very appreciative of how the competition has kept us in the loop with everything that's going on. I'm very Impressed.
They have been very communitive. And this is a new comp for us! We will def be back! FLY!!!
This competition has been great! Friendly staff and have communicated with parents as they have had technical difficulties with a truck breaking down and not having all the things they need!
Fly is by far one of our favorite competitions. Not only is the scoring actually fair but they have great merch too! The staff is so helpful and kind. Very professional. My daughter and I absolutely love the whole experience! We will be back!
I was very hesitate to write anything but I just can't get over what a disaster of a dance competition this was. I have been in business for over 20 years bringing dancers to competitions each year and I have never experienced anything like this. And we have been to some crazy ones. But nothing like this. We attended the Atlanta competition on May 4th. We arrived at 7:15am (when they stated the doors would open) as we had our first dancer scheduled to take the stage at 8:05am. There were no Fly Staff anywhere to be found which I initially thought was strange and my first red flag. I thought surely there would be a check in table or something like other dance competitions have but nothing. We waited so long that I actually started thinking if the competition was actually happening or not. At around 7:50am, doors opened and we all walked in to the area where the competition was which is an open type convention hall. The competition staff were still setting up, laying wires down, putting tables out, lights, etc. I was floored and knew this was about to be horrible. No one told us what to do. There were no announcements letting us know where to go , where to change, what was going on, or anything. We just found our way where they had constructed dressing areas. If this had been my first time ever doing a competition I would have been very lost. From experience doing this as long as I have I knew what and who to look for but there were no representatives from Fly walking around checking on dancers or anything. I would think if you are starting as late as they were when you had Parents and Studio Owners walking in someone should have A. Been greeting people letting people know what is going on and B. Make an announcement letting people know when you planned to start etc. But they couldn't do that because their sound system wasn't hooked up yet. The reps that we did see were sat a table and you had to go find them. Once you found them they weren't welcoming or friendly at all. Once we actually got into the area where the competition was we waited for an hour and a half before the competition even started. My first dancer that was suppose to start at 8:05am did not go on stage until 9:30am. You would think that since they started LATE that they would be trying to catch up and get back on stage?? Nope. After about 8 dance routines they took a judges break. We were floored. I understand that Judges need to take breaks, I have been in that position myself but you dont take a break after you have only started 15 min ago. AND you especially don't if you are running behind an hour and 30 min late starting. But the amount of judges breaks that they took were unbelievable. There were a lot of them all day long. Because of all of the judges breaks combined with numerous technical issues by the end of session one we were a little over 2 1/2 hours behind. After Session one ended the rep for the comp made an announcement for all Studio Owners to meet her at the merch table . At this point It was around 4:40pm. She proceeded to let us know that the stage was broken and that we would have to wait for someone to come and fix it. She couldn't provide any time line for us other than it would take an hour for even someone to get there to access it and then additional time for them to fix what was wrong with it. All of us studio owners agreed that we didn't want to wait as at this point because by this time it was already 5:30pm/5:45pm and technically we were suppose to start Session 2 AWARDS at 6pm! We had not even started the Session 2 competition yet! None of us Studio Owners had had a good experience at all and truthfully we didn't trust what we were being told. Our faith in what they were saying was broken. We all asked could we be refunded for the fee's for Session 2 that clearly weren't going to happen. Finally after much pleading and begging for some sort of answer we were told we would be refunded for the Session 2. I received an email Saturday night stating apologies and that the comp would be refunding us for Session 2. I inquired Monday about when we could expect a refund and was notified by the Director that we should expect it within the next day or two as the office was traveling . If Fly plans to stay in business lots of things need to change with customer service being one of the top priorities! Along with organization. I had a Senior who this was her last competing and I hated that this was the type of competition she finished her competitive career with. We will not return ever again. If I could give zero stars I would.
To say that this was the worst experience at a dance competition would be an understatement of the century. Doors were supposed to open at 7:15am and dances were supposed to start at 8am. At 7:15 the director poked her head out of the door and said that they are not ready and that they needed 20 more minutes. It took them over 30 minutes to open the doors and then they didn't communicate anything for nearly two hours with the dancing not starting until 9:30am. Once they finally got started they kept having all sorts of audio issues with the wrong music playing and audio going in and out. The stairs to the stage were not properly attached with large gaps between the stairs and the stage. The stage itself was not super even and extremely wobbly/unstable. They setup giant lights on huge tripods on each side of the stage, which kept tripping the kids up as they were coming on and off the stage. Even though they started extremely late they made no effort to try and catch up on some of the time, continuing to take breaks and stopping for no apparent reason. And the only communication we got was a "We appreciate your patience. Obviously we are sorry" one second statement at the beginning of awards. The awards were strange, to say the least. The mic was not working properly, it was either super muffled, not working at all or it was screaming, which they laughed off once and never tried to correct. You couldn't hear or couldn't understand most of what the director was saying. No one could follow the awards to the point that some of the kids were not coming up when called because they (and the rest of us) didn't understand that they were being called. They literally took one of the judge's tables, dumped all of this poor woman's stuff on the floor and put her table on the stage so that the director could spread out all of her papers, which she had trouble following during the awards (partially, probably, because the table was so low that she was fully hunched over for the entire awards ceremony). But what made this an absolute disaster is that during that awards (the only awards that occurred) a big part of the stage literally collapsed in on itself, with one of the legs bending out of shape and sticking out like a little mountain in the middle of a big, collapsed valley. There was little to no communication to everyone in the ballroom. At one point they called up all of the studio owners to the back of the room and basically kept them there with little to no information for hours. Two hours after the 2nd session was supposed to start, which was actually 4 hours delayed already (at this point almost half an hour before the whole day was supposed to end per schedule) they announced that there was an issue with the stage (DUH!) and they were trying to work with the 3rd party vendor to possibly come out and fix the stage. The stage was not safe to dance on! One of the crew actually came on the stage at this point and tried to jump on top of the collapsed area and over the leg that was poking to, seemingly, show all of us that it was not all that unsafe. Personally, I thought the man was going to fall through the stage with the broken leg going straight through him but I am thankful that it did not happen. I have to give props to all of the studio owners there who, together, said that enough was enough and the safety of their students, as well as their mental state (as they were all being held in limbo and have been there for nearly 12 hours at that point) was more important and they pulled the plug by pulling all of their dancers. My hat is off to the studio owners and their leadership! Once the studio owners did that, the comp finally cancelled the rest of the event. Hugely disorganized, totally uncommunicative, careless competition! I would not recommend this to anyone.
This was our second year at Fly in Vegas, and our second season competing with our studio. My daughter's technique was horrendous from her previous studio and had recently been recovering from a hip injury. So naturally, she was in an appropriate level in ALL of her dances but because of some arbitrary rule they HAD to be moved up because of the amount of dances they are in. They were being punished for wanting to be better dancers and improve their technique. This is nearing the end of the dance season, so of course they are better than they were in August. Two of my daughter's dances are choreographed to Novice level dancers and stood no chance in the intermediate division, yet they were forced to compete in that level. Fly's IG bio clearly states "we have a tap judge!!" I beg to differ. None of the bios on their website state any tap experience, one judge wasn't even listed on their site. If they did, then some of the tap numbers (primarily the solos) would have scored higher than Private Charter. They seemed to prefer the extremely inappropriate, sexually suggestive, sassy jazz numbers. To Be honest, with two male judges that is very questionable that the barely there outfits, heels, and lyrics that were sexual innuendos were getting the highest adjudication and placements left and right. Very creepy and disgusting. Not very family friendly AT ALL which is a rule they say they strictly enforce. They did last year. They docked a routine 20 points for it having the B word, but a hip hop solo this year was praised and given Million Miler with absolutely no editing of the B word, S word and N slur at least 2x each. I paid for and entered my daughter in the Title competition, they completely skipped over her, didn't adjudicate her for it but gladly took my money that I will most likely never get back. The girl backstage said she would check on it, she didn't move from her chair. This competition follows the rules they want to follow. Not family friendly, completely unorganized, and definitely not qualified to be scoring certain genres of dance.
Based off last year I was dreading coming to the competition this year. My clearly novice level dancer was forced to move to intermediate because she’s in a lot of dances… honestly very stupid. Wasted my money because she had ZERO chance going in from the beginning. If you can’t control how many hours someone practices then base it on what you can control and see (the type of moves and tricks as well as the amount people make etc…) Some routines and outfits were a little too sexy for their ages in a “family friendly” competition… Awards are BS banners (cmon we pay similar price at other comps and get actual trophies) award show was extra long my child fell asleep on stage. And improv should’ve been more fun. We paid $40 for her to be on stage for a few minutes. What’s the point. Schedule was all over the place with entries that weren’t even in the program and dancers dancing one day and then another day for the same category… if you know your competition is during prom season, schedule accordingly. Overall money DOWN THE DRAIN.
Absolute worst competition we have been to… and we have been to MANY! No organization, comp always started late, breaks were taken at times other than advertised, comp order was very different than the program order, people paid for title but weren’t scored for title, and one of the judges is the fiancé of the director so make sure not to have an honest conversation with the director or your scores will suffer. Also, the judges wouldn’t know technique or movement quality if it slapped them in the face. They are incredibly unqualified to be judging dance. No real industry professionals here. Just a bunch of people that probably never did well at comps growing up so now want to allow studios with poor technique one opportunity in a season to place. Dance competitions are not a charity, and we pay a lot of money for fair and valid critiques and adjudications. I guess moral of the story is if you are an “underdog” studio this is the comp for you, but if you are a studio that has incredible technique, choreography and performance, you want to search elsewhere.
We attended the Atlanta Competition May 4th, over 2 hours behind schedule. Very unorganized.. audio was horrible couldn't understand anything that was being said during the competition or during awards. I did not like the way they did the imrpov portion, it was not the same way they had done in previous years. During the awards my children weren't given two of their awards... they said they would announce 2nd session but that never happened 2nd session was canceled. It was just all around a disappointment, I'm sad this was the last competition of the season for us and this is how it ended for the kids! I tried to talk to someone while we were there but the people that worked there kept disappearing. I would like a refund for the title competition that i paid for. I know i probably wont get one. I mean my girls were not scored for it, they said they forgot about it during awards....The only good thing was it was a nice venue. This is the third time using Fly but this will be our last. I wasted $150 on extra stuff there the improv and title and it was just that... a waste...things need to be changed on your website...if that is not the kind of quality and care being used to represent your business
This was the most unorganized competition I have ever attended, The atlanta date started two hours late and continued to have multiple music and staff issues, There was little to no communication between staff and studio owners, teachers, or parents. The stage broke during session one and caused a cancellation of session two, however it took them over an hour to provide any information about the situation, and this was only because of complaints. Staff was impossible to find and unhelpful when found. The microphone at awards was not working so you could not even understand what was being said. half a star.
Never in my life have I been to such a terrible event. We attended the Atlanta competition. They started an hour late stating the venue people did not let them in. However, we are all let in and no Fly staff was present. From there it got worse, technical difficulties galore. Then of course two hours behind. Then the stage literally broke and was unusable for the rest of the competition. After 3 hours of waiting we were sent home. My kids are so disappointed, hotels were paid for,costumes not to mention the time and effort the kids put into the routines. Yes we were offered refunds but that’s not the point. Staff was on their phones or reading the whole time. The poor director was completely frazzled, kept losing her place at awards and saying things out loud like “is that right “? But with all the stress the poor girl endured no wonder she was in bad shape at awards.
Friendly environment, great music quality for the kids. So far so 😊.
I love this competition. It is well organized,the judges are so positive,and the venue is spacious. Staff is super friendly as well.
We absolutely love Fly! It’s our favorite competition of the year! The staff and show is amazing!
This is our 2nd Year and we Love Fly! The people are so friendly and welcoming.
Such friendly staff on site! Loved the selection of apparel
Everyone was very friendly and helpful! Great atmosphere and large selection of apparel!
This is our second year at FLY and we have enjoyed the hospitality and flight related puns as we travel through the comp. We also love the great selection of merch!!
This is a fun competition. My daughter loves to participate in the improv contest. She loves it and the staff really cheer them on while they dance!
The Fly competition employees were so helpful and kind!
Spent the weekend in Davenport, and had a blast!
This competition is the best competition I’ve been to. So much fun! Nice merch and fun judged.
This was a very nice dance competition. We had lots of fun being able to dance and preform here! I cant wait to come here again!
I love this competition so much, the people the judges, the staff, the support is amazing! It’s definitely feels like a second home here! I would definitely recommend this competition!!
Bring on the energy!! Love all the judges, makes everyone feel so welcomed in a place where we have 1 thing in comment! We all love to dance!
Very fun competition and kept things flowing!
Well run competition. We always have a great time at Fly!
We always have so much fun at Fly competitions!
Fun competition! Great Judges!
Have not even gotten to the competition yet ...and the office staff comes across as rude! Can't wait.
I am so sorry you are having a hard time with the office. I am the owner and my cell phone number is 818-675-6525 and you can give me a call. I’d love to hear what’s going on so I can address it with my staff.
It had a great time there with my team , all the judges / hosts were so nice and helpful to all of us and made it a very memorable day !
Staff was nice
You guys say really fun stuff introducing dances and I love your merch and how you work things here!!
Staff was friendly and sweet
My daughters absolutely love Fly!!! This was our second year coming to Fly and it did not disappoint, my daughters both won title , (Teen business class and junior business class title winners). The judges are also always amazing and very qualified!!!
We love FLY dance! Our girls are excited to shine on stage! The venue is fantastic, stage is great and staff are great!!
Great venue and excited to see the improv comp and all tge dances. Cute merch!
So far love the venue! Dressing room is huge. Like that I can purchase with my Venmo account.
I love attending Fly Dance Competition each year. The crew and faculty are always so sweet throughout the entire weekend! Fly always makes sure to create an encouraging and safe atmosphere for their dancers and that is one of the things I love most. I am so excited and cannot wait to be coming back this year!!
Just DONT. Save your time and money.
I would like to preface this by saying that I have never written a negative review for a company in my life, but our experience warrants it. This competition was our most expensive non-convention circuit competition this season, but by far the least professional. The competition was unorganized, so far off of schedule, and the event director even came up to our kids asking if they knew when the judges break was supposed to be. Additionally, they lost several critique videos and it has now been over a month and we have not received them. After many weeks of communication, FLY has not rectified the situation. There were also several studios competing in the intermediate category that clearly should not have been and none of the pieces were moved up in level, even one with synchronized front aerials, even though their rules state otherwise. Our kids were the only group pieces in the advanced category and I wish they would have moved others up so that we had someone to compete against and the actual intermediate level dancers could have placed. The only redeeming quality was the judges critiques, which were wonderful, though I wish we would have gotten them for all of our pieces. In over a decade of attending competitions, FLY stands out as the worst experience.
This is one of our favorite competitions, the staff is friendly and super helpful, the judges are top quality and always have great feedback, awards ceremony are quick and to the point but also fun, adjudication and placements are always fair. They are also one of the few competitions that allow adults to compete and take adult dancers seriously!
This competition was great and I had a lot of fun. The staff was extremely kind and so were the dancers. I think the whole experience was amazing, the only confusing part was the communication towards my dance teacher. The venue and city kept getting moved and we had to sign wavers in order to get our schedules. Other than that we had a very good time.
REVIEW UPDATED 04/14/2024**** This makes me so sad to update because this has always been one of our favorite competitions to attend and have done several location each year in the past but I don't think we will be returning based off of last month's experience. We attended their comp this year under a new studio owner due to some ableism/toxicity that was occurring at our previous studio. Our previous studio also attended this competition and it felt like because they were the biggest studio there, they were able to do whatever they wanted. Their "first time flyer" group won a million miler rating with the overall highest score of the session. Based off of how fly does their leveling-- 0=disabled, 1=novice, 2=intermediate, 3=advanced with no averaging- this routine alone should have been at minimum in intermediate/business class, with most of the others in advanced/first class off of hours alone (almost every dancer with this studio has 6-8 competitive routines this season plus regular class time). When our SO brought this to the competitions attention, no remedy was offered. And just to make it clear, this dance/dancers are phenomenal and would have most likely had the same adjudication placement/overall had it been appropriately placed, but another novice team's placement was unfortunately taken from them due to the egregious decisions of this studio director to incorrectly place their students. This was also in addition to this studio receiving a sportsmanship award after the director ignored a dancer on our team that used to dance for her backstage, attempted to solicit a dancer backstage (where's the class in that???) and told all of her dancers they were not allowed to speak to us-with several ignoring my child backstage right before she went on in front of staff. And for the record, I don't think it was the children's fault in any way as they were previously speaking to her earlier that day in the hallways when they were not in front of this director or her "teachers." At the end of the day, it just feels like because they brought the most dancers to this competition, that they could do whatever and that the other studios and dancers did not matter. I hope policies are updated in the future to prevent this from happening -- especially when one of our truly novice dancers (1st year to competitive dance and is only in 4 routines TOTAL which 2 of are solos and neither are practiced in studio weekly) was told that they could not perform a second solo in the first time flyers level. I hope Lewis does better in the future because this was one competition we always looked forward to.
We had an unforgettable experience at the Fly Dance Competition in Tampa, and we couldn't wait to share our thoughts on this event. As a new dance studio with just 15 passionate dancers, every competition holds a special place in our hearts. Fly marked our fourth competition this season, and it undeniably stood out as one of the most memorable ones yet. Despite our initial nerves about having all our dancers perform on the same day, Fly National Dance Competition ran like a well-oiled machine. The fact that it was a One Day event astonished us, given the seamless organization and execution. We were pleasantly surprised by how everything was spaced out flawlessly, accommodating dancers of all ages and levels without a hitch. It was a testament to the meticulous planning and dedication of the organizers. One notable aspect was the stage size, which was smaller than what we're accustomed to, as it was a high school auditorium stage. However, everyone involved, from performers to crew, adapted seamlessly, making the most out of the space available and ensuring that each performance shone brightly on stage. The staff at Fly deserves a special shoutout as well, for their exceptional hospitality and professionalism. Whether it was the brief but sweet exchanges with some of the judges or the infectious energy of the MC, every interaction left a lasting impression. The finger snaps from the MC added an extra touch of charm to the event, creating an atmosphere of camaraderie and excitement that resonated with everyone at our studio. We appreciated all the sauce!!!! Our time at Fly National Dance Competition was nothing short of amazing, and it left us eager to return in the future. The memories we made will remain in our hearts forever. Thank you, Fly, for an incredible experience—we'll definitely be spreading our wings and flying back again soon! Huge thank you from your friends at Revive!
The Savannah, Georgia, competition this weekend was a complete disaster. For starters, there were problems with the venue location as the location they had originally selected was a new building that was not even finished with construction during the weekend of the competition (they're months away from completion). So they had to choose a different location which was not finalized until 2 or 3 days before the competition date. (This should have been finalized months before the competition.) Being in the competition circuit for 6 years, every competition we've ever attended has ALWAYS had 1 or 2 host hotels lined up - but not Fly Dance Competition. The flight concept of their competition was very, very cheesy and got old real quick. Their category of awards was completely different from all other competitions which caused confusion. Competition attendants could purchase an app to follow along with the competition order BUT the app didn't work. The competition got started late and then had 1 dance before they had to take a 45-minute delay break because of technical issues. The technical issues pertained to the judges not being able to record their comments which left the first dance group not being able to get the judge's comments on their dance. There were also multiple other delays throughout the competition. The director of the competition did not have a single clue as to what she was doing as the whole thing was tremendously unorganized and chaotic. The event was also severely understaffed. With Fly Dance Competition having to scramble to find another location for the competition, they ultimately settled on the competition being in the gym of a local school which was tremendously less than optimal. Having the competition in the gym created a completely unsafe environment for the dancers as the portable stage moved several times during the event creating an unstable platform. Secondly, the gym had recently been painted and paint fumes could still be smelt which caused dancers with asthma issues to be concerned. The awards that were given out were the cheapest of the cheap as some of the dancer's awards were coming apart before the competition was even over. The judges were ok although their scoring seemed rather inconsistent as some routines received higher awards than they should have gotten while other routines, which were better, received lower awards. The competition itself ended 2 hours later than projected due to the many delays. Honestly, they don't even deserve a 1-star review as the competition was that bad. I didn't come across a single parent or dance competition owner who was pleased or ok with the event as everyone was expressing this displeasure. I even made a post on Fly Dance Competition's Facebook page about how the Savannah event was a total disaster, only to get blocked - no apology, response, or anything. The best part was that the competition only lasted 1 day as the director would not have known how to handle a multiple-day event (she barely was able to handle a 1-day event). Please don't waste your time with this event - this event is a pure money draw for the owner as they do not care about the dancers or their safety as everything was extremely low quality.
This was our first time in fly! Loved the energy. Veniew was great staff was super nice. The quality of the awards is amazing. Loved the concept of being on an airline / airport. It was fun ! Hope next years dates will acomodate the schedule and be back soon
This is our dancer's first Fly Dance Competition!! So excited and happy for them perform! Really like the friendly staff and welcoming venue!
This is our first time competing with Fly! The staff was super nice and the energy was great!
Fly Competition was fun!! Great experience!
This is my daughter’s first competition ever and she’s having so much fun!
Great dance competition! Fast paced and fun atmosphere!
Great origination very helpful team
Merch people are really awesome
We had a great time at Fly! This was our first time attending, and we hope to compete with them again in the future! A studio scratched which changed the schedule, but the staff was very supportive and helped things run smoothly regardless of the change. We also loved the improv competition!
2nd year at FLY Great Competition
Amazing
Fly is hands down our favorite comp! They are all about the dancers!
My dance team had a very amazing time at this competition! The competition was so much fun both on and off stage! Fly's merch is so adorable and is some of the best merch that I have ever seen at a competition. The environment is very supportive and comforting! We LOVED this competition and will definitely be competing at this competition again in the future! I have danced at many different competitions, and I very highly recommend attending this competition!
Really enjoyed my daughters team competing at this competition and how chill it was there. Not chaotic like most we’ve been to. Thanks for a great competition and can’t wait for Nationals!
loved it ! competition went by smoothly and the staff was lovely!!✈️ Definitely would recommend getting adult sweatshirts though too cute for just kids sizes !!
This competition was very fun and had a very nice environment! The reason I don't give it a 5 star is because the ranking is kind of confusing but they do explain it during the awards. They did run a little late but only a little. But the awards were pretty cool and I really like the idea.
best competition I’ve been to in awhile. LOVEDDD the whole airport theme!! and everyone was so nice and tech was very friendly the whole time
We loved the environment & positive atmosphere that was there.
Doesn’t follow their own rules. Lets dancers in the lowest category compete in multiple solos then instead of being bumped up per their rules, they overall in the first flight category. Much less the line in the rules about tricks and being bumped to business for turn sequences and flips. Complete waste of money and discouragement to actual recreational dancers looking for a fair competition MC has no idea what is going on. Skips numbers during awards. Apparently videoing is allowed in the audience and songs about finding your drug dealer are allowed. Not the family friendly recreational competition we were sold. Very disappointed. Memphis competition 3/23/24
My daughter is super excited and loved it last year!
My daughter loves Fly. It is our favorite one to attend
Awesome comp! Recommend!
Great company! Very well organized!
This is our FIRST Fly Dance Competition and we are so excited to be here!! Such a great event! Very lively and entertaining.
Fun and enjoyable experience at competition in Chattanooga
So excited for Fly Comp! Everyone has been so helpful. Great competition. Great staff. So much fun!
So excited for comp today!! We love Fly!! Good luck to everyone!!
Nice laid back competition. Very friendly staff.
We like that there’s an improv component, good judging, fun event!
Timely communication, organized backstage, & fun/creative awards/branding.
Fly Dance Competition has a great vibe! Nice venue!
Amazing experience!!
Our 2nd year at Fly - not very smooth start but good so far!
This is our first time at Fly. They chose a beautiful venue! The venue is easy to navigate. The staff have been helpful and friendly. I love that there is improv, which is an opportunity for dancers to do something that may be a little out of their comfort zone. I understand why our studio continues to participate in Fly competitions!! The director came back to check on us. I’ve never seen that happen at any other competition! We appreciated that so much! We are so excited for the weekend!!
Fly has been such a great competition in the past. So are so excited to be here again! We love Fly and how friendly, organized, and FUN it is!
One of my daughters first competitions. It ran smooth but was not much girls dancing at a young age.
Thank you so much for making our first time at fly so amazing! We loved your positive energy and kindness throughout the competition and how everything ran so smoothly and right on schedule. I especially appreciated that fact that you were more than willing to change the order that my daughter’s two solos due to her having a pulled back muscle and being in serve pain that day, I can’t thank you enough! You and your staff are top notch and truly are a First Class Competition. We will definitely be returning and can’t wait to fly with you again.
All of our nightmares over the dreaded negative reviews about this competition came true. They didn’t start until almost an hour after entry #1 should have started and consistently ran 1 to 2 hours behind. They had tech issues on and off all day long. There was a lot of pausing and dead silence between every routine and had to ask multiple routines to come off stage to fix said tech issue. They almost played an explicit song in the in between times before quickly switching it. The MC kept mispronouncing things, stumbling over words, repeating things and forgetting awards and routines. The videos sent in with our critiques are quite laggy, some of the audio is very quiet and we’re missing a routine all together. I give a low score for staff because whoever they have running the behind the scenes for tech, playlists, video etc. were not it. However, our backstage manager was one of the nicest people I have ever met! Awards started promptly which was nice, but again just very all over the place and unorganized. Most communication prior was prompt but they were very indirect with some answers. The best part was the venue. It was beautiful and we had adequate dressing room space with bathrooms very close by and right across from backstage. Stage was an appropriate size. Our judges critiques, although low quality technically, were actually helpful and our panel was very friendly. Their airplane concept is cute. If they could just smooth out the issues it’d be a better fit. It was also very short and small, they probably do not need to have as many dates as they do. Quality over quantity.
I had a fantastic time with my studio at this competition. The concept was super fun and the judges and staff were so interactive. It was truly such a cool expirence.
I have gone to a LOT of competitions and I have to say this was one of my best experiences ever! The judges were super funky and friendly and I had a great time getting to dance for them and seeing them get into it with me like they want to jump on the stage immediately!
After everything I have read and experienced with Fly in the past, I was very hesitant to register my dancers this year. Because of a scheduling conflict, it ended up being our only choice. We should have stayed home. I was thankful for assigned dressing rooms, however, a studio was assigned to the main green room and commandeered the entire space, the only way to get backstage and the bathrooms. Everyone was forced to walk through their stuff to get backstage. This should have been kept clear or even used for a warm up area. The competition ran 25 minutes behind. This happens. But instead of getting through awards and trying to catch up, they had a mom dance off (which included the unedited song, Baby Got Back) and several rounds of a worm race across the stage. I appreciate the attempt to make a fun atmosphere, but the actual awards didn’t even start until after the next session was supposed to start. The next session ran 45 minutes behind. One studio had their routines entered in the wrong levels. Every routine. It was clearly on purpose and everyone noticed. Aerials are listed as a skill that is not allowed in the “First Time Flyer” level, and yet, this studio was allowed to do it with no punishment, or being bumped into the next level. This was brought up by myself and another studio owner and we were told “we will reach out to the studio” what is this going to do after the fact?! They’ve already won! The studios who followed the rules have already suffered from their cheating! This needs to be taken more seriously. It’s not fair to the kids who are taught to follow the rules. The only reason this is 2 stars and not one is because the director and the backstage manager were super nice. The merchandise lady was very nice during check in as well, but I didn’t have any other interaction with her.
Our first year at FlyDance! Everyone is so helpful and kind!
Our second year at FlyDance and really enjoy this competition! The girls have a lot of fun! Well run! Thanks!
Staff is great! Everyone is friendly and so helpful. Our studio felt very welcome and the girls had a blast!
I love how organized and helpful Fly Dance has been. Your staff is very friendly and have gone above and beyond to ensure our dancers were properly registered.
We love FLY! All of the judges and staff are always so energetic and encouraging!
We had a great experience at Fly! So fun!!
Where do I start? Merch employee was extremely rude to our dancers and acted like he was annoyed to get off his phone and work. I thought the director was a backstage employee because she wore a t-shirt…then added a blazer for awards which came across as very unprofessional. Very understaffed. Lots of conflicting answers to simple questions about the flow of the event and about results make it look very shady with zero transparency. They were annoyed that we brought props even though we set up and took down in less than a minute per dance. And the overall comp was SO SLOW. Heard many studios complain about the number of and length of breaks. Our event only got through 360 dances in 24 hours of dance time. The awards were totally scripted which made it feel very insincere. Even reading the script to thank parents and teachers. Overall impression was it is a very niche and quirky competition that is extremely cheap and understaffed but wants your money and doesn’t care about you otherwise. And awards at 9:30PM on Saturday followed by 6:15AM doors on Sunday is insulting to the dancers.
Great competition !!
Fly was great again this year! The venue felt somewhat small but was beautiful and we fit and were all comfy just close. The judging was a little hard. But it was a great way to open the year for our kids—they had fun, got good feedback, and the awards were wonderful. The staff was helpful and communicative and the event flowed nicely.
Me and my whole company loved Fly! We had always had a great experience with it. The staff is always wonderful, and they know how to have a good time. Everyone is so kind and understanding.
We loved Fly Dance Comp! All the puns that are tied in throughout the weekend make it unique and fun for the kids. We registered as an independent dancer and the communication was wonderful and very detailed. Highly recommend!
Attended Fly this weekend and loved it! The venue, staff, and all were so wonderful!
Had a great time at Fly! Friendly staff, awesome awards, great atmosphere!
I love flying with fly! Awards are so fun always
I love the awards and all the puns!
This is our third year attending Fly. We have never had a bad experience. The competitions are well organized and have a positive and encouraging vibe. We will continue to participate in Fly!
The event is always organized and very knowledgeable with awards.
This event is always so much fun. Very organized and I love the different awards given at this event!
Awesome company, wonderful performance. Production and music sounded great. Such a happy and safe environment for our children.
The spirit airlines of dance competitions.
This competition is perfectly organized with clear directions on where specific rooms are and when the dancers are to check in. A great first experience with Fly!
Everyone is so friendly! Great atmosphere!
Our team had a positive experience at FLY Dance. The team kept everything running smoothly and on time. My daughter’s second time at FLY!
We had a great time at Fly in Boca/ Plantation. We had a variety of levels and were used to big competitions with thousands of entries. It was great to be at a competition where you felt valued and more than just a number. Staff was professional, we were able to stay close to the time frame allotted, and our families had a great time.
Thank you Fly Dance Competition for a competition we will never forget. As a parent of two tiny dancers (boy/girl twins), who are just starting their dance journeys with solos for the first time this year, we were honored to dance among so many talented dancers and feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to perform on your stage and earn our wings. Thank you to all the judges for your feedback and encouragement. Thank you also to all the staff who were so friendly and helpful along the way. It might just be one competition out of many for some but for our tiny dancers you recognized what they were trying to convey from their hearts, inspired them to continue to aim high and dance from within, and helped create memories that will last a lifetime. We are so grateful. 🙏🙏⭐️⭐️💖💖
Attended this past weekend. Fly must pay for all these positive reviews, there is no way this many random people are coming here to praise THIS competition. It was terrible!!! The themed "Fly" awards categories are tacky, you couldn't understand a single thing the announcer said, and they ran out of awards!!! I felt like I was a passenger on an amateur airline...flying into the ground!
W. Bloomfield, MI. 2/10/24 Can't even get the date right, that should say alot. No organization, very amateur event. Terrible it is one of the most expensive events, wouldn't be worth it if it were free. Acoustics were terrible, ran out of awards, judiciary awards were something of airline terms, tripping over words, studdering, couldn't pronounce the songs, allowed third place award to speak instead of first place....the list goes on. Save your money but moreover, save your time!
We attended FLY in Green Bay Feb. 2024 and the Convention Nov. 2023. Well run, great staff, attentive to questions and concerns, fun for the dancers and making it a positive experience. Thank you for coming to Green Bay….. and yes we will FLY with you again.
We had so much fun here!
Get competition! Freindly helpful staff and great atmosphere.
This was our first time at Fly and it was amazing 👏 Everyone rhat was part of the staff was incredibly kind and helpful! It was my kiddos birthday weekend and everyone congratulated her and during awards even wished her a happy birthday. There was a few problems with music but staff handled it very well. This will definitely be a competition we come back to many times in the future!
Fly was a great competition. The staff was very friendly. I loved the way everything was “fly” related!
It was first time competing at FLY and it was awesome!!! I was also so honored to win Teen Title!! I can’t wait until the next regionals in March and Nationals in July!!!! 💙
We loved our time at Fly for our first competition and simply being in a great environment to put our new work onstage. The emailing process whenever I had questions, concerns, or requests was seamless, I always received a response within less than 24 hours which is rare in the dance world. The backstage staff was great, the dressing rooms were huge, and plenty of space to rehearse. My only complaint however, would be that the stage flooring was not the best I felt it could be. There was tons of wrinkles and bumps in the marley that were not rolled out properly, including thick tape that was raising and cut one of my dancer’s shoulder blades. Overall, it was a great experience for our first time trying Fly!
Lovely facility, venue and competition.
First time dancing at fly and it was a great experience. Competition ran very smooth and on time. The staff was very friendly and it was a great experience. Will definitely be back.
Great Team of Staff members and such a fun competition!
Fly…great competition and fun experience!
Fly has become one of my daughter’s favorite to compete at. They treat everyone amazing!
We love Fly Dance! They are always so good to our dancers! We look forward to flying with them every season.
Wonderful dance competition! We always have an amazing time with Fly!
Love this comp! So fun , great experience for our girls
Such a fun competition!!
We All at The Dance Factory had fun time at Youngstown. It was really a great competition. We can’t wait to FLY again
Venue was way too small, parents having to stand due to no seats. Couldn’t hear when people were speaking on the microphone. Scoring was messed up and had to take back a first place. They were also way off schedule ( fell behind). The only positive was the judging!
My first time at Fly!! Loved it! I will definitely be back!
Great competition!! Fun awards!
First time competing at Fly! We are having a blast! Love the announcer, she is making it very fun for the dancers! :-)
We love FLY. Our second time here today. On schedule and lots of good energy.
Loved the venue! The announcer had loads of energy and the staff at the merch table was friendly and professional!
Our dancers had a great time at the Fly Convention in Green Bay this weekend. They learned a ton and made new friends! We appreciated the smaller class size and the great teaching. The teachers and staff were passionate, friendly and knowledgable. Parents and students alike appreciated that all the classes were part of the final showcase! I observed the Teen/Senior room. The four teachers each had their own style and brought out different energies and elements of dance. Miss Rebecca taught outstanding choreography with an attention to intricate detail. Mr. Chris encouraged the students to dance at a higher level than they were accustomed to. Miss Jen combined fantastic choreography and energy with space for the dancers’ individuality and a deep dive into Hip Hop technique. Miss Tiffany brought out the love and joy of dance while pushing the dancers to work on their technique, try new dance styles, and learn new moves. All four teachers combined personal excellence in dance and teaching with a love of dance and an interest in the students. Fly was the first convention that we have been to without assistants to demonstrate for the teachers, and our kids really appreciated the positive difference. They felt that they were able to learn more directly from the teachers, and they learned to trust their ability to pick up choreography instead of relying on an “expert” assistant onstage to copy.
My group attended the Green Bay convention and had a fabulous time. The instructors were great - especially Rebecca and Chris with the minis. My dancers loved performing in the closing showcase and the parents were happy that they got to see what went on in class all weekend. Nice venue and we will definitely be going back next year.
Our studio really enjoyed the Fly convention/competition! The classes were really immersive, with great instructors who cared about the students’ success. The choreography was fitting for each age group in difficulty and was well explained. I specifically liked how the teachers would walk around the room during classes to see ALL the dancers, not just the ones in front. The competition was also well managed and went off without a hitch. We are going back next year to a competition only Fly event in Green Bay again and we can’t wait!
This was an amazing experience! Some of the best teachers. I loves that the classes were small and the teachers spent time with each student. The event was well structured and allowed time to change shoes and get water. I would 1000% recommend. Can't wait to fly again next year.
Attending Fly Dance’s convention in Sacramento and was not disappointed! The teachers were enthusiastic, fun, and made trying new styles not so scary! Fly does a great job and bringing out the joy in dancing!
I attended Flys convention/competition this past weekend and had an overall amazing experience. They offered so many classes that you don’t see or experience at your average dance convention. They ran their competition just like they would have a regionals also. It was a great learning opportunity and I had a lot of one on one time.
We have been to both Fly’s competitions and now conventions. Both were so enjoyable to be apart of. We will definitely be returning to attend more of each!
The best convention we’ve been too. The staff was so friendly and helpful. All of the instructors were amazing! They were on the floor with the students giving hands on instructions and corrections. We will definitely be going back again!
I attended Fly convention in Sacramento with my daughter. She had a great time and loved the teachers. They were very knowledgeable about the industry and very supportive and encouraging to all the kids. We would attend another of their conventions
By far the "WORST!" dance competition I have ever attended. To begin with, they allowed one of their judge's dance studio to compete at their competition and it was obvious they favored and gave them special treatment, they were not fair when it came to level placements, they allowed advanced dancers to compete against novice dancers. their awards were cheap and to save money they only gave awards to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in the top 10 overalls. honestly do not waste your time with this competition I do not recommend it to anyone!
Such a fun competition! Very friendly and welcoming staff members as well as very kind and cheerful judges. I 150% recommend this competition. The names for their awards are also very unique!
Review has been removed. TOU violation
We attended both Fly Regionals & Fly Nationals in Las Vegas this season. While the regionals was by far the worst we've experienced in a decade of competitive dance, we remained hopeful for Nationals, and were determined to make the most of it. Fly Nationals exceeded our expectations. Albeit, the expectations were not high. We had a good time, and everything ran smoothly. There was excellent communication and my daughter partook in the extra activities offered - including an opening number, master classes, and a pajama party. These were all fun things for the kids and we appreciated them. In an honest review, my issues with Fly stem from the fact that Nationals felt like how our regionals should have gone. Other than the showdown (which chose 3 dances from each group, it was confusing all weekend) it didn't feel like Nationals; and even that was miniscule. My daughter won 1st overall for her trio for the very first time at Regionals for Fly, and she also won at Nationals. Her medal and "license plate" (I do love these by the way) were exactly the same. No trophy, no banner, no mention of Nationals or the big win she worked for hard for. Furthermore, while I respect the judges and admit I am far from a dance teacher, I don't know why these judges were so hard on the kids. Listening to the critiques, for both regionals and nationals, they just didn't seem as constructive, lacked explanation but sprinkled in several compliments (leaving her confused with her low Private Charter score) and left my daughter feeling down. Overall, it left a 'meh' feeling for us. It takes a lot to grow a competition circuit and I think smaller and steadier wins that race. If Fly is on our list of competitions next season, we'll have an idea of what to expect and I've no doubt they will make adjustments and grow, as I have seen them so, but we will not be doing another Fly Nationals.
I would not choose a Fly competition again. It was extremely underwhelming. The award ceremonies were filled with bare minimum. Could have easily celebrated more dancers, given out more awards, made the dancers feel ten times more celebrated. There should also be an easy process of bumping dances to the next category when they enter as a beginner and then have multiple aerials, back tucks, hand springs etc. It couldn't have been more obvious that these groups weren't beginners and it shouldn't be rewarded. The entire Vegas Nationals felt so extremely bias to the local studios, even to the point where parents from those studios made comments about it. In four years of competing it was the worst competition experience I have had. Leaving kids feeling defeated and sad is not the way to end a season. And choosing to do absolute bare minimum is absolutely the responsibility of the competition.
We absolutely LOVED the regional event we attended for Fly - so much that we almost immediately booked our Nationals event! Overall, this was a phenomenal event and we had a great time. The venue was okay - it was very hot in both the competition room and the dressing room (at least the girls room). We were disappointed with the photos and video - several people witnessed the photographer often texting during routines and as a result, the amount of photos routines received were incredibly varied (some of our team's solos received over 100 photos while other solos during the same block received less than half that). The judges were AMAZING and so kind! I love how they give out their own judges awards - that's a rarity and really special for the kids to get the awards from the judges directly. The event coordinator/emcee/announcer extraordinaire was SO GREAT! They really made the event fun even through the heat. It would have been cool if the awards could have been stepped up slightly from the regional (trophies for 1st place and/or title winners maybe), but my dancer was thrilled with what she came home with, so that's not a huge concern. I know this is a newer competition, and we are super excited to see it grow because it's already wonderful!
We were in Vegas for Fly Nationals! We had a blast! Our team had 3 dances that made it to Nationals! My daughters team “Shortys” WON NATIONALS for their dance LEGENDARY!!!! We LOVE FLY! Can we have a competition or Nationals in Hawaii lol
We love Fly! The judging is fair, awards are nice and everything ran according to schedule. Lewis is great to work with. Very flexible and reasonable. Communication was great. We attended Nationals in Vegas and the pajama party was definitely a highlight. The judges were very personable and took time to make the kids feel special/seen. We'll be back next year for sure!
Had so much fun! staff and judges 10/10
We absolutely love fly regionals and nationals. We have been with fly for two going on three years now. And while many reviews will tell you about the judging and awards and the like, I will tell you the one thing that I appreciate most is seeing the improvements they make each year. Every time we attend an event, we see a positive change in something… this year awards looked different and we thought that was really cool. Nationals had a pajama party which was also super fun. Now for the other items… we appreciate the fact that they allow us to send an email if we have a conflict for a dancer, such as prom or graduation - and they do their best to resolve that issue. We appreciate the judges going out of their way before and after competition to talk to the kids and tell them they are amazing. We enjoy the positive energy the other studios bring, so much so that at nationals we decided to buddy up and make a sister studio that we did things together with. Our venues have been spacious and clean. Thank you for providing a wonderful experience for our dancers!
Excellent, attentive staff and highly engaged, experienced judges. I am excited for Fly to grow its presence in San Diego and I was thrilled to see that next season they will be returning in April, which will help bring in more studios. This year there was a last minute venue change that was a pretty significant downgrade. Everyone made the best of it but it was just not good - so I didn't really want to pay extra for a live stream, or buy any merch or media from this event. I'm sure it was not planned, so I hope we do give Fly another chance.
We had a wonderful experience at Fly Competition! Organized, On Time, beautiful venue, kind staff and super awesome judges. The complete package. Thank you so much for giving my dancers such wonderful opportunities to shine. They will remember FLY with very fond memories!!!
We attended Fly Dance Competition in May. Very well organized. Everything was set up great! Beautiful stage, sweet and fun staff. The judges were awesome and so fun! They were dancing along to music and routines and it really made the dancers feel comfortable up on stage. Improv contest was another plus! Awards announcer was very upbeat and fun as well. We will be attending again for Nationals!
My daughter was with her team at the Duluth, MN show and it was our first time attending FLY. Her coach had them do improv for the first time and she was SO nervous. The announcer started playing games with the children to get them to relax. In my opinion this was far above and beyond what she needed to be doing, it was simply because she cared. Then it was time for awards and she was so friendly, and energetic. We will be attending the Dells Nationals and I do hope that she is there! Fabulous job!
I was extremely happy with this competition! The judges were actively engaged in every single performance down to the last one of the night. I enjoy the commitment to the unique theme. Great pins, merch, backdrop, awards! They made sure to recognize more than just the first place winner, they care about making the kids feel empowered. Quick turn around for judges critiques and scores. I was so happy and my families were too!
We are finishing up our flight here at fly dance competition and overall so far it is super fun! There may be some disadvantages but hey no one’s perfect am I right! The stage is nice and big but I will say it is quite slippery but we made do. The stage is hallow but it feels pretty much sturdy but was a lill load. The improv competition was nice and I liked that everyone got to dance together at the end. One thing that was a little confusing was the names of the awards but the announcer did say what the awards meant and I thought that was helpful. Another thing that was just a bit confusing to me was the price of the merch, it is a bit overpriced for $50 on a sweatshirt but most competition clothing is so it’s alright. Over all this competition was very fun and I would defiantly do it again! I had such a great time flying with you guys and can’t wait to do it again at nationals!
We recently FLEW with this competition and not only our studio but multiple studios were highly disappointed. The dressing room was complete nonsense (too small and essentially back stage so you couldn't hear what was happening on stage) the staff looked lost and overwhelmed and under prepared. The stage was small and a weird shape with a cut out in the back that made it hard for the dancers to navigate, it was hotter inside than it was outside, not to mention it was so small this had to be breaking more than 1 fire code. I've never in my life heard more kids get middle of the road adjudications, Million Miler is 20 points away from a perfect score (which is standard) but here at Fly they make getting a Million Miler adjudication harder than getting a seat in this venue. You aren't judging at the top of the line dance competition, being a dance teacher myself I saw plenty of kids from all studios that deserved better. The pricing of your merchandise is way too high, your sweatshirts aren't any better than any other comp, yet you price them like they were spun with gold thread. Overall, we were highly disappointed and will never return to this competition again.
Love FlyDance! The staff is so sweet and fun to be around. Also, props to the owner Lewis Hatkoff for building such a massive competition in the aftermath of the pandemic!
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Fly was such an amazing experience ! Staff members were beyond friendly and helpful. Their announcers were full of energy. They really know how to make dancers feel special!
I loved the convention, you guys showed my daughter it’s ok to break out your shell you never know what can happen she went to title and received runner up which made me so proud. So thank you for seeing her talent
Fun exhilarating experience
If you have not yet attended FLY, I cannot recommend it enough! The judging and scoring was spot on, the staff were extremely welcoming, and they all made us all feel like celebrities! From the second we walked in, the competition director was kind and welcoming, along with the back stage staff and the merchandise sales person. My dancers all did beautifully, and we left with so many titles, and first overalls, but we left with the studio award, because my students demostrated kindness towards the staff and other studios, and each other, and just always went out with a bang every time, and that award always means the most to me! We are also doing FLY for nationals, and we cannot wait! There was no favoritism between larger studios vs. smaller studios. Please consider adding them to your next season of events. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT! Lewis Matthew Hatkoff- seriously, thank you for all that you do! Let’s get ready to FLY!
Lewis Hatkoff is probably one of the worst competition owners I have ever been in contact with. Our girls had prom and we asked for them to be moved to a different date. He replied with, “the world doesn’t revolve around you”. I was taken back for a second and was shocked. I never met a more unprofessional character in my life. Decided to pull my whole studio from this competition. Heard this competition is money hungry and mediocre so thank god I did what I did. Do better Lewis.
Hello Kylie. This is Lewis Hatkoff. Can you please message me directly. My email is FlyDanceCompetition@gmail.com. I have never said the phrase "the world doesn't revolve around you" so I am very surprised to see your review. We do our best to accommodate all schedule requests and would have allowed the dancer to perform on another day or time for adjudication only. We also may have only had the venue for one day depending on what date the event was. We also have no emails from a Kylie or a Korver. I am so sorry to hear you wont be joining us but I would love to do everything I can to resolve any conflicts your dancers may have as we do with any studio
Ok so where do I start?? This competition is the worst competition that I have ever been to. There were MULTIPLE issues with this competition. The first issue was the attitude and communication of the staff. There were various issues brought up to competition staff throughout the weekend, including the director. When a question was asked or concern brought to a staff member, there were blank stares given because there was no communication between the competition staff that studio directors or parents were upset. You would think that working in customer service, if the director knew a studio was upset, this would be communicated to other staff members so they knew what was happening, etc. When concerns were brought to the attention of the director and staff members, our studio director was met with communication that was completely unprofessional. During awards, there was multiple times that there would be a pause in the awards because either staff didn't have the correct scoring or the wrong awards/banners were given out. They attempted to use a microphone that was only partially working all weekend (not sure if this is the venues fault or not) so you could not even hear the numbers being called during the awards. You could also not hear any of the names of the numbers being called onto the stage so this causes confusion in the crowd and among dancers backstage. They forgot to get the correct judging sheets for one of our dancers that was competing for the title and told our director that she was not registered for this. When they were shown proof of registration, they awkwardly announced her title at the end of the awards and announced her as MR. title winner. You would think that if you knew you messed this up, you would make sure this was perfect for the dancer. It was anything but that. They had two rooms going with stages and allowed an improv competition (which cost extra $$$) to be happening in one room while dancers in this said improv competition were missing their group awards that were going on in the other room. The dancers were called to go backstage for this improv competition about 25 minutes before it actually happened, causing my dancer to miss a small portion of her awards that she could have actually attended with her group. We had dancers that were competing in duets. As an award for a duet, they gave out ONE pin as their award. Not only is giving out just pins, completely cheap but then you can’t even give two to a duet?!?!? There were some attempts to make up for the MULTIPLE screw ups that happened over the weekend, but it was very apparent that it was just to shut us up. I have had my kids in competitive dance for 10 years and have never had complaints like this about a competition. Please don’t waste your $$$$!!!
Everyone was so kind, awards were fluid, and location was great!
Fly Dance Competition is one of the best competitions I’ve ever been to. I have attended the Fly regionals in Minneapolis with my studio for the last 3 seasons and even though it is not a huge competition or venue, it is always so much fun and the staff is so nice. This year the competition moved to a different venue for our city and the dressing room was extremely far from the stage, but the backstage staff were so kind and helpful when we had quick changes or issues that caused delays for our pieces. The emcees talked to me and my teammates and the judges interacted with us and were visibly invested in our pieces more than any other judges i’ve ever come across. At the final awards ceremony for our competition this past weekend, all of the dancers from different studios were dancing together and cheering each other on and taking pictures together, and the fly staff is majorly to thank for creating that welcoming atmosphere between dancers. Overall, Fly is a fantastic competition!
Fly is absolutely a amazing competition!! I love the energy all the employees have and my studio absolutely loves fly! The only thing is I wasn’t checked in and I wasn’t ready and they still called my solo out on stage. But it was okay I still did good :) I love fly and their awards are fun and unique and we will def be back next year!
Very disappointing overall experience. The venue was massively too small for this size of competition, but the hotel did its very best to accommodate everyone. I got the impression that they had not been made aware of the number of people that would be attending. There were also A/C issues that caused it to be either SUPER cold or overwhelmingly hot. As far as the competition itself, I was surprised at how much we disliked it considering the number of positive reviews I had seen and heard. Staff was too small for this size of a competition and was lacking the professionalism we are used to. A couple of things I have never seen before...there were no judges bios to show their credibility and the highest score of the session went to a NOVICE HIP HOP? My mind is blown. For a company that says they cater to newer dancers and smaller studios, I was appalled at how they allowed certain studios to completely abuse the levels. I don't know any young dancers that can execute perfect aerials, double/triple turns and beautiful advanced leaps that dance less than three hours per week. Overall, a disappointing event.
Thank you so much for your review. We do take every review very seriously and use each review to make improvements and to grow as a company since we are only in our 4th year. We do agree with you that the venue was too small and have already secured a larger venue for next year to avoid this moving forward. We are also expanding the number of staff we have on site to have a better customer service experience. As far as the highest score for the session I believe you are referring to the takeoff to nationals award and each level and age division is scored on a different scale. So while they may not be the most advance dance they may have scored higher because their score ranges are different. We are also speaking with our team to keep a more careful eye on levels to ensure we bump them appropriately if all three judges agree. I do hope you will give us another shot down the road with a bigger and better venue and staff improvements and hope you will accept our sincerest apologies.
We just attended the Dallas competition and it was an awful experience for the team, Director and parents. The venue was too small for the amount of attendees, it was so hot everywhere, and I am pretty sure there were fire codes being broken left and right. Our team arrived and had no dressing room, they basically changed in a closet. No room to practice or run through dances, Schedule was behind, communication lacked from organization, stage was small and lighting was awful. Emcee was rude. Judging was sub par, they seemed more interested in entertainment than skill level. Awards were very general, I guess most of the scoring fell in a big range since 95% of all dances were awarded Private Class (2nd tier) . The kicker... they charged $12 for Live Streaming!! The price the dancers paid on top of the crappy venue, you would think they would provide free live streaming like some other competitions. My husband had to pay the $12 because he could not be at the competition (lucky man) and said it was bad quality and amateur hour video streaming. Very disappointing overall! Our studio has thankfully agreed to never attend again.
Thank you so much for your review. We do take every review very seriously and use each review to make improvements and to grow as a company since we are only in our 4th year. We do agree with you that the venue was too small and have already secured a larger venue for next year to avoid this moving forward. We are also expanding the number of staff we have on site to have a better customer service experience. We did unfortunately fall behind on Saturday due to the large number of props and dancers not checking in on time but we were on time on Friday and Sunday. The livestream is charged by a 3rd party company and ever since covid, venue have been charging out the roof for an internet or livestream signal so instead of not offering it we allow parents should they choose to watch it to have that option. I do hope you will give us another shot down the road with a bigger and better venue and staff improvements and hope you will accept our sincerest apologies.
My studio absolutely loved Fly!! It has been our favorite competition so far this season! We are a smaller studio and often get overlooked but not here. We were definitely seen and heard and had a wonderful experience competing!
Our dancers had so much fun at FLY in Buffalo. The staff was great and the Judges gave out wonderful awards to our dancers. We look forward to our next comp in Rochester with FLY. We will be coming back next season!
To start off, the venue was so tiny and the stage was only 3 slabs of Marley. It was so hot in there i thought we were all going to explode. The emcee took forever to announce the next dance and ended up running an hour behind. They did end up getting back on track towards the end of the day but it was obvious the emcee was taking her sweet time doing god knows what considering the judges were sitting there staring at her waiting for her to announce the next dance while she was on her phone. Judging overall was fair and I loved the names of the special awards. There was a dance that was a large group of all white kids (average age was probably 10) that did a musical theater dance to Nicest Kids In Town and they kept the part in that said “nice white kids who like to lead the way, and one a month we have our…negro day” I personally was disgusted that an adult would allow a group of white children to go on stage and not only dance to that but SING THE WORDS AS WELL! That is on the studio owner but, to my surprise, they were still announced at awards. I thought it should have been disqualified but they were scored the lowest adjudication they give out. This is why people think they can get away with this stuff because competitions let it slide. I understand that is the entire story of Hairspray but beyond inappropriate this day in age for little white kids to go on stage singing and dancing to that. Hopefully it doesn’t come back to haunt them in the future because as a mother and teacher I would never have allowed that on stage. I thought the judges handled it well and did what they could but I don’t think that dance should have been recognized at awards. Studio owners…DO BETTER…don’t put your kids on stage yelling negro….I feel like that is self explanatory. Competitions…DO BETTER…don’t recognize dances with children screaming negro…disqualify it and move on. Other than that blatant racism, my kids had a blast and enjoyed their time at fly. We will be back in hopes they do not allow things like that on stage again…
Thank you so much for your review. We do take every review very seriously and use each review to make improvements and to grow as a company since we are only in our 4th year. We do agree with you that the venue was too small and have already secured a larger venue for next year to avoid this moving forward. They also felt terrible about the temperature and definitely failed us there. We made numerous calls to the departments that handles that, but they said there was something wrong with their ac unit and couldn't have anyone out there to fix it until Monday. We are also expanding the number of staff we have on site to have a better customer service experience. This routine also did spark a conversation in our staff and we have since changed our rules to have a better way of handling this. We do agree with you in regards to that line being removed but didn't want to take it out on the kids who had been working so hard to learn the routine, parents who had paid for the costumes and for the entry fees for a mistake the studio had made. We are speaking with the studio to ensure that doesn't happen again. I do hope you will give us another shot down the road with a bigger and better venue and staff improvements and hope you will accept our sincerest apologies.
Hi! Was just in Dallas this past weekend and we honestly had a mediocre time. The venue was okay in my opinion. Stage was huge but there was no where to rehearse dances. Our tour director makayla was very accommodating and professional the entire time! Our emcee and backstage person were very nice and outgoing. Very helpful with music and getting us help with props. Being able to move stuff around to accommodate for our children was overachieving level. BUT, I talked to the owner lewis? I believe that was his name. He tended to get very sassy at times with me on the phone because we wanted to move our line since girls had prom. I understand that what I wanted was very overwhelming but we paid a lot of money for this competition and we didn’t get what we expected. The merch was absolutely ridiculous. Bought a 45 dollar sweatshirt that is poorly made (from shein) and is not even comfy or cute. Such a cheap competition in my opinion. They NEED to make changes. Awards were meh. The director did a very good job announcing adjudications but everything else like the overalls were pretty unorganized. There’s no special reward for getting the highest adjudication. It’s pretty easy to get the highest award with a score of 280 and above. Our studio will never come back because the lack of effort put in this competition was atrocious.
Thank you so much for your review. We do take every review very seriously and use each review to make improvements and to grow as a company since we are only in our 4th year. We do agree with you that the venue was too small and have already secured a larger venue for next year to avoid this moving forward. We are also expanding the number of staff we have on site to have a better customer service experience and improving our merchandise. We do have merchandise from normal retailers such as District and Bella but many dancers gravitate towards the fun colors and designs Shein offers. We are moving away from Shein however as a distributer. If you have any issues with your merchandise please send it back to us and we would be happy to offer an exchange for a different item. We do give a Million Miler award for the highest adjudication if that is what you are referring to. I do hope you will give us another shot down the road with a bigger and better venue and staff improvements and hope you will accept our sincerest apologies.
We had an absolute blast at Fly!! Our studio is small but felt completely seen at this competition! Staff was very friendly and professional. The director on-site was amazing and loved by all. We cannot wait for the fall convention and coming back next year for comp!
The staff was awesome and the airplane theme was so fun, Fly Dance was truly the best competition experience i’ve had since the pandemic. Such a supportive and high energy environment!
We had so much fun. What a great experience for all the dancers. Everyone was very friendly and kind back stage and up front. They had plenty of attire for all dancers to choose from. Very family friendly staff. We loved it.
This is my first year ever dancing and I’m so grateful for competitions like FLY dance competition. It was such a positive and well organized competition. Thank you.
The site of the event was “very small”, there were not enough dreasing rooms. I liked the judges and the awards. Thank you!
Thank you so much for your review. We do take every review very seriously and use each review to make improvements and to grow as a company since we are only in our 4th year. We do agree with you that the venue was too small and have already secured a larger venue for next year to avoid this moving forward. We are also expanding the number of staff we have on site to have a better customer service experience and improving our merchandise. I do hope you will give us another shot down the road with a bigger and better venue and staff improvements and hope you will accept our sincerest apologies.
Friendly backstage crew and big stage. Venue was too small for the amount of studios that participated in this event. Judging seemed good and fair for some sessions and other sessions it seemed like the judges did not look at the technique of the dances for solos. Some solos that had non to very little technique or much of composition scored higher than dances that were full of movement and correct technique.
Had an amazing time at this competition!! Everything was organized great and our whole team had a very positive and calm experience! Awards were set up great and went quickly and the stage was great for dancing on!! We loved how unique the whole competition was and how the awards were all themed to Fly!
First time attendees!! We had a great time competing. We especially loved how the competition did awards…. Not too long and got to the point!! Love how they communicated with us in a timely manner. We will be back!
Fly is such a family friendly event this competition quickly became my favorite to take my students too. Positive feedback, welcoming environment, well rounded judges and awesome communication between the competition and studio!
Just left this comp and could not be more disappointed. Upon entry, the dressing rooms and auditorium were sweltering!!!! To pack so many bodies into such hot rooms was insane. We’ve been to enough comps to see a variety of stage sets ups, but there was no room backstage and people flooded the side entries and exits, gentle reminders to the audience and dancers on this would have done wonders. Programs were sold out by 8:30 and the only swag was expensive clothing, not a range of items for different income levels (pins, pens, trinkets are a few suggestions). The comp ran an hour behind in the first session and the pauses between songs were too long. During awards there was inappropriate music dropping multiple curse words (f***, b****), Multiple parents commented on how inappropriate this was. And while we were prepared from other comments here that this comp does less for overalls (only half a division), we were appalled when they randomly combined Junior and Petite Business class small groups…so less chance to place for a lot of groups…very disappointing. My daughter also commented on how boring awards were, even the improv piece because you had to pay to be part of it, try and make it fun for the girls who don’t have that extra cash because they already paid hundreds to be there. Overall, even if the studio elected to go again, we would forgo the comp and have shared this with the director.
Thank you so much for your review. We do take every review very seriously and use each review to make improvements and to grow as a company since we are only in our 4th year. We do agree with you that the venue was too small and have already secured a larger venue for next year to avoid this moving forward. We are also expanding the number of staff we have on site to have a better customer service experience and improving our merchandise. I do hope you will give us another shot down the road with a bigger and better venue and staff improvements and hope you will accept our sincerest apologies. The venue staff also felt terrible about the temperature and definitely failed us there. We made numerous calls to the departments that handles that, but they said there was something wrong with their ac unit and couldn't have anyone out there to fix it until Monday. We also spoke with Dance Comp Genie in regards to the awards issues and they have since corrected the problem. We also do not allow for nay curse words and the emcee took it upon themselves to play music from their phone that wasn’t approved. That staff member has since been let go as we have zero tolerance for that. We did unfortunately fall behind on due to the large number of studios having a large number props and dancers not checking in on time but we were on time on Friday and Sunday. We are adding more padding time into the schedule to hopefully avoid that moving forward.
We just competed this past weekend at Fly and what a major disappointment this competition was. First off the venue they choose was majorly way to small for the amount of people attending. There were many people who didn't get the chance to see their perfomers dance because of the overcrowding. There was only 1 small dressing room for everyone to use. Due to that there were people having to change and get ready in the lobby or in the one dirty Restroom the hotel had. There also wasn't a practice room, so dancers were having to practice in the lobby if they could find room. Secondly, the stage was very small. Several times dancers actually feel off and several actually stepped on the bars of lights that they had set up. This competition was not prepared or even ready to host. We will definitely not be going back to Fly.
This is our 2nd year attending Fly in Sacramento. We like it, but don’t love it. The staff was all super friendly! The judges really are some of the best we have received both years! The awards ceremony can be confusing. There seems to be no consistency on how many overalls they do (a top 2 for 3 in the category or a top 8 for 18). It’s just kind of odd! Judges only do 1 award each. Even when there’s 6 hours of dancing in that session. They awarded a studio spirit after 1 session. Just odd to me as those normally are awarded after the weekend has been done, or all the groups have been completed. None of that is such a huge dealbreaker that we wouldn’t go back, but nothing really stood out to make it our first choice. The venue both years they have been to Sac were pretty bad. The first year wasn’t as bad as this year. It was in a location no comp has ever attended and was literally raining on stage the entire 2nd day. It was tiny. We had parents who had to watch the livestream from the dressing rooms because there weren’t enough seats. It would be helpful it they would reach out the studio owners that attended and ask for better locations. I know I overheard multiple studio owners giving advice to the director of venues to look into, but it would be helpful when booking 2024. We won’t consider attending again until we know the location. The worst part for me was the fact that the livestream costs money and the staff running the livestream were talking badly of the dancers on stage, cussing, and having vulgar conversations. After I told the director, they toned it down, but we’re still so loud. You’d expect better paying for a livestream. So, we would consider coming back depending on venue!
This competition has been our favorite this season so far. The judges were kind and helpful in their comments, it ran on time and smooth, every member of the staff we encountered were professional and enthusiastic, and the team had so much fun. Even when the venue opened late through no fault of the competition, the staff helped make it work and kept to the timeline. We are so excited to join Fly at nationals!
We had a great time this past weekend! Critiques were the best we've received anywhere, comp ran smoothly and on time, all the studios were kind, and the all the staff was amazing to work with!
We had a great time at Fly Dance Competiton. A crazy snow storm made for an interesting start but so grateful for everyone’s understanding and patience.
We competed at Fly and it was a great experience. The whole competition was well run and they really made it fun for the kids. We will definitely be back ❤️
I really enjoyed how nice and supportive everyone was. It was overall a great experience.
As a studio owner, I wanted to love this competition so much. We don't have many competitions in our area, so when new competitions come, we always give them a try! However, I have to say, this competition was a hot mess. I 100% do NOT recommend your studio attending. But I'll start with the highlights: Staff was super nice and helpful! We really enjoyed working with the backstage staff. That's about it... Things to look out for if you do choose to attend: 1. The competition only hands out overall awards for half of the attendees. For example, if there are 5 people in the division, they will only award 2-3 overalls. I am not a "everyone deserves a trophy" type person, but, especially since this was our most expensive competition, we would really like something. A certificate, a medal, a ribbon, ANYTHING! 2. Judging was mediocre. We had one fabulous judge that definitely had lots of ballet training who was very helpful to our dancers. However, our critiques did not match the scores. I am all about deducting points for things, but when it's not explained on the judge's critiques it's super hard to make changes and justify to our students why they scored so low. 3. We have very novice dancers. 90% have never competed before and have less than 2 years dance experience. In the First Time Flyer Junior Small Group category, the first place dance had a team full of gorgeous fouetté turns and advanced leaps. The second place dance had back tucks and a team full of aerials. These two dances were WONDERFUL and deserved to win, but they should not have been in our division. It's impossible to have a group of kids who just began dancing compete against that. These pieces most definitely should have been bumped up to Business Class, and most likely would have won in this division. 4. For how expensive our picture and video package was, we are very disappointed. Our videos look great! However, our pictures are blurry, dark, and far away. Along with this, they have lots of organization issues with this system. I, as well as at least one other studio from my area, received a link to a different location's pictures from the same weekend. About a week and a half later, we FINALLY received ours with the correct link. Once you have the link, you only have 7 days to download the images and videos you paid for. 5. Our video critiques and scores took over a week to arrive back. We schedule our competitions so that we can have at least a week between, giving us time to listen to our critiques and see where we can improve. We didn't get to do that with Fly because we received our critiques so late. All-in-all, I wanted to bring light to the issues that Fly has as I really believe that if I would have seen a review like this I wouldn't have chosen to attend. My parents, instructors, and myself are disappointed and will not be attending next year. I also know that some of studios that did attend this year (there were 5-6, very small competition) will not be going back as well. All I can say is proceed with caution if you decide to attend Fly. And I hope my experience was just a fluke and everyone else has better experiences!!
Hello Dancing Queen. I am so sorry to hear about your experience. Can you please email me or text me when you have a chance? I would love to speak with you and make this right for you. My cell is 818-675-6525 or you can email FlyDanceCompetition@gmail.com. I would be happy to have your critiques re-critiqued and if you can let me know which event you were at we can review the judges critiques and talk to the judges to give constructive criticism to make them better judges. Also I am so sorry to hear about your media package issue. While this is an optional package, I know how frustrating that must have been. The media company allows 7 days but then they can renew it unlimited times for you to be able to download it. I would also be happy to look at the photos if you contact me so I can see if there is anything I can do to brighten them up for you. We do give every dancer a pin for each routine they are in and give the top 50% a overall award. I also would love to see the other two routines you mentioned so we can talk to that studio about placing them in the right division if they are placing them in the wrong one. Our first time flyer division is meant for truly beginners and it seems as though they were not leveled properly. I am so sorry your experience was not a positive one. We are in our 4th year and are always looking for ways to improve with our staff and procedures. I do hope you will contact us!
It was my first time attending Fly, and it was amazing! It was our first competition of the season, and the experience was the best. The staff was super kind, and I was so sad when the weekend ended! Yes the venue was small, but the awesome staff made it work! The theme of Fly is perfect as well! I hope my studio chooses to fly with Fly next year!!!
This was our first time attending Fly! Overall it was a great experience. My daughter had a blast. I loved the improv portion, so fun! The venue was not our favorite compared to others. A little confusing to navigate, not nearly enough seating at times. The only other bummer was they forgot to announce my child’s title win so when they remembered awards were over, it was chaos on stage, and I missed the main announcement 😕. We would do Fly again!
We really liked FLY! Friendly staff, well organized, and fair judging. We were very happy with the awards we got. The judges were very nice and knowledgeable with their critiques.
This was our first time attending Fly Competition! Our students and families had a blast! The Fly staff was extremely friendly and supportive. We look forward to returning in the future!!
My dancer’s first time attending Fly with her studio and we had a fabulous time! The staff is extremely energetic and personable. We love it when comps have improv contests and this one was organized very well and gave dancers a great opportunity to showcase their skills. Overall an awesome weekend!
This was our first time at Fly. We loved it! Such amazing staff. The environment was very friendly and helpful. My daughter can’t wait to go back next year.
We had an amazing experience at Fly! From prior to registration, during registration, during competition, and on the last day of competition, the Fly staff was friendly, helpful, and super polite. We felt seen while being one of the smallest studios there and our dancers felt respected and had so much confidence in their abilities from the environment Fly created. Thank you Fly Team!
This was our second year coming to Fly! I could feel that the competition is expanding, but the staff was so helpful and kept up with the growth just fine! The judging and scoring seems very on par and I love that there are so many meaningful judges awards!
This was our first time at Fly. The staff was kind and professional! Such a nice smooth check in process that was organized. The judges had great energy and you could tell they loved being there! We can’t wait to Fly into nationals in Sandusky!
This was our second time dancing with Fly Dance Competition. The staff is always friendly as well as other dancers and parents. The competition was very organized and we liked how the schedule was set up. Judging was very fair and wasn’t favored toward 1 studio or 1 style. I also loved the fun judge awards that were given out. Can’t wait for the next one!
We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Fly this past weekend. We had some first time competitors and are happy to report that they cannot wait to get back on the stage! For that reason we are grateful that Fly ran a smooth, fair, fun, safe, and on time competition. We look forward to returning!
Fly welcomed me with open wings! It was my first time at a Fly Competition and I attended the competition on my own but I promise I never felt alone. The staff gave me all the information I needed to feel comfortable so thank you for that. Also, the dance studios who attended this competition were so supportive. They complimented on my routine and costume and even started conversations with me. I didn’t have my team with me so that was hard but I felt welcomed by everyone else. Thank you!
What an amazing flight we just had!! The judges were so interactive with the dancers and families. They truly made everyone feel so special! They have incredible incentives for the dancers!
Fly is a wondering Competition with great staff! We took Dancers and Vocalists and they were inclusive of both! It is very hard to find a competition that will not only include both but also not make it feel like it’s just a dance competition! They always made sure to speak to them as vocalists and even as they were announcing awards they announced them as vocalists and non dancers which is rare! What was also awesome is that they were able to be included for an overall which made the vocalists really excited because at a lot of competitions you have to have at least 5 or more qualify when they will give out overalls for if there is only 1 production or one mini solo. So THANK YOU FLY! the feed back was also awesome too and received very quickly so we are able to get right to work on Monday! The only thing we would say is watch the monitors onstage when you have vocalists to avoid feedback, but at the same time we know you have a tough job to do very quickly! All in all you guys rock! :)
Great competition! Had a very fun and positive atmosphere! All of the staff were so nice! Hoping we can go back next year!
Amazing staff! Well rounded competition. So happy we got the opportunity to compete with Fly!
As a dancer I always love going to competitions but fly dance has to be my all-time favorite
This was our first time with Fly and it is one of the best we have been to in a long time. We would recommend it to everyone! Thank you for coming to Spokane and hope to see you next year.
this was our studios second time at fly, but my first time. the atmosphere was so welcoming and fun! our studio had a blast!
First time going! Grand Rapids! Never have we ever gone to a competition where the whole audience cheered for the dancers on stage. From super customer service award. This was awesome.
This was our daughters first time competition and first time flyer. We really were not sure what to expect but this was an amazing experience for us. She absolutely loved it. It was literally what dreams are made of for her. Everything from the venue to the staff was great. The judges were awesome and the vibe was energetic. We really enjoyed how all the dance studios supported each other. Everyone did their best. Looking forward to next time.
This was our second year at FLY DANCE. We had the best time. Not only are the judges fun and lively but they know how to keep it moving along and engage the dancers very well. Beth respectful, fun, and complimentary to EVERYONE. and the merch is ADORABLE.
Tracie Stones Dance🙌 -Lexington, Ky These group of girls and their hard working performance paid off at flydance competition!!!
fly was awesome!! the judges were so fun and entertaining, and i cant wait for feedback!
This was our first time competing with Fly! Lewis and his staff were amazing throughout the competition weekend. We can't wait to try out their nationals too!
Our first time at Fly! HUGE SUCCESS! My parents and kids loved all of it! The backstage managers, the great judging, the professionalism; all of it was wonderful! The backstage managers took time to cheer for and celebrate our kids more than I have ever seen. We will definitely be adding Fly to our annual competition schedule! Thank YOU, Fly!
This was our first show and the staff was super nice and helpful. The staff backstage were very relaxed and accommodating. The energy was chill which I loved! My daughter enjoyed Judge Mady's enthusiasm and how she danced with her hands as she was counting the beats. We missed the awards ceremony due to an incoming snow storm, but Fly dance sent us all my daughter's awards and even hand wrote her a note. Thank you so much for making my daughter's first dance competition the best!
This competition was great! Fair judging, kind staff, nice theatre (Voorhees), not overly loud, quick awards ceremony, but made each child feel special. This was the perfect size, and it really felt like they acknowledged all studios, regardless of how many dancers they brought (we had 4, and felt seen!)
This was a small competition but was very impressed with the staff. Very fair judging. My daughter had an embarrassing mishap and they were great with her and helped her feel comfortable.
REVIEW UPDATED 04/14/2024**** This makes me so sad to update because this has always been one of our favorite competitions to attend and have done several location each year in the past but I don't think we will be returning based off of last month's experience. We attended their comp this year under a new studio owner due to some ableism/toxicity that was occurring at our previous studio. Our previous studio also attended this competition and it felt like because they were the biggest studio there, they were able to do whatever they wanted. Their "first time flyer" group won a million miler rating with the overall highest score of the session. Based off of how fly does their leveling-- 0=disabled, 1=novice, 2=intermediate, 3=advanced with no averaging- this routine alone should have been at minimum in intermediate, with quite a few others that should have been advanced. When our SO brought this to the competitions attention, no remedy was offered. And just to make it clear, this dance was phenomenal and would have most likely had the same adjudication placement/overall had it been appropriately placed, but another novice team's placement was unfortunately taken from them due to the egregious decisions of this studio director. This was also in addition to this studio receiving a sportsmanship award after the director ignored a dancer on our team that used to dance for her backstage, attempted to solicit a dancer backstage and told all of her dancers they were not allowed to speak to us-with several ignoring my child backstage right before she went on. And for the record, I don't think it was the children's fault in any way as they were previously speaking to her earlier that day. It just feels like because they brought the most dancers to this competition, that they could do whatever and that the other studios and dancers did not matter. I hope policies are updated in the future to prevent this from happening. The competition was ran well and the kids had fun. I don’t believe they were ahead or behind which was nice for us parents. Loved the banners that the teams got for overall placements. My kid had fun performing in the improv contest. The venue was nice and the dressing rooms were spacious, although there would bring a power strip next time if you need to utilize plug ins. We didn’t perform a solo at this competition but are signed up for one this year and we’re excited they are returning back to our area. Special notes**** As a mom of a SN dancer and first time experiencing competitions, I was super impressed/surprised with the fact they have a category for SN dancers. It introduced us to a whole new world of competitive dance that we didn’t know existed.
This was our first time attending a Fly Dance Competition in Los Angeles, CA on 01/15/23 and it was on schedule. Our SCPA dancer had so much fun as a first time flyer soloist! Looking forward to the next Fly Dance Competition.
Fly is so well ran! We competed in La, California and it was a ton of fun. The employees are super sweet. The competition ran on time and there were no music issues. The awards and theme are so fun!
Well organized, fun environment, engaged judges, and fair judging - that is what you get with Fly Dance Competition. We attended them this weekend and could not be happier with our experience. Also love the improv competition and how it is handled like a real world audition for these dancers. 100% recommend attending one of their events.
I loved the comp! All staff were extremely friendly and they were very organized overall. Thank you!!
Overall loved the competition! The staff were all very friendly and professional. And it was very well managed.
We have attended FLY for the past few years and LOVE everything about it. Fun, positive environment and staff. Hands down the most thorough and helpful critiques from the judges. Amazing customer service. Highly recommend and we can’t wait to go again here in CHS this February.
I cannot possibly say enough good things about this company! We attended the October convention and competition in Dallas. I absolutely LOVED that my daughter wasn't just another number in the crowd. The instructors took their time to get to know as many dancers as they could and they really showed their love of their profession. The instructors gave specific feedback in the master classes to truly help our dancers grow. They didn't just "teach a combo", they taught technique, passion, emotion, how to improv when you draw a blank, etc. This was by far the absolute BEST convention we have ever been to! The competition portion was extremely professional and very well ran! I am looking forward to getting back the critiques from the judges. We have been to so many competitions to only receive feedback of "point your toes" or "nice". I was seated behind the judges for this competition and they all seemed to be giving very specific quality feedback! I think it's safe to say we will see you again next year!
This is my Granddaughter's 1st year of competition and her first convention. Thank you so much for the wonderful experiences yall gave her! We can't wait till next year.
This was our first Fly Dance convention and my daughter had a blast! She learned a lot from each teacher and all of the staff was very friendly and professional!
I would like to express how amazing the Dallas Convention was for my dancer. She loved the master teachers, and learned so much from them. She felt welcomed, and all the studios were so supportive of each other. Making new dance friends is always a bonus, but I even made some new dance mom friends. Your team was the most friendliest, and welcoming. We look forward to attending a few Regionals for 2023. Again, thank you for an amazing weekend!!
Thank you to Lewis and Fly Dance for a wonderful weekend! Our dancers learned so much from the quality instructors provided. The passion was felt in all of their classes and it was so inspirational for our dancers! Convention and competition ran on time and I was very impressed with the level of professionalism. We have already marked our calendars for 2023!
We attended Fly convention in Dallas Texas this weekend. It was my daughters first ever convention. It was very impressive! We definitely look forward to next year. Not only did the teachers really make use of class time to really pack in good knowledge for the dancer, they also encouraged them to step out of the box. Thank you to all the fly staff and teachers for everything you do to inspire all dancers!
We attended the Fly Dance Competition in Houston for the 1st time. We sure like how efficient they were with the schedule and the teachers. All classes were great. Our dancers left inspired and motivated. Thank you for bringing a fresh way to engaged with them. We really appreciated.
Our first time at Fly Competition/Convention and a couple of my dancers attended. I was very impressed with the Convention classes and loved that there was a technique and improv class as you don’t see those often at conventions. The teachers/judges were very impressive, professional, and knowledgable! We will definitely be back with more dancers!
It was my daughter Andrea's first time at a convention, and she says it was her best experience. Thanks for the organization, the treatment with the children, the whole event was a success.
We have had the best experiences with FLY Dance competitions and most recently their dance convention as well! Always well organized, professionally and fair judging! My daughter attended their very first convention just a couple weeks back and the choreographers and staff were all too notch! We look forward to our next FLY events! Highly recommend!
My junior dancer just finished her first convention with Fly- she loved the entire event!!! Staff was great and super helpful! Teachers were amazing - great combos and great critiques during class all positive helping each child grow ! They have a showcase where some dancers are chosen to dance their combos on stage- my daughter was thrilled to not only be one of these dancers but to earn her first ever assistantship to help “copilot” the 2023 tour! Can’t wait to watch this company SOAR into the future of dance competitions and conventions✈️💙✈️. The stl location was amazing plus if your were staying off site parking th was validated . They have a competition you can do however my daughters solo was not ready. As stated above the awards given at the end of the 2 day event were assistantships to next years events- (2) juniors (2) teen and seniors and (1) mini/petite were awarded these
My daughter attended Fly Dance Convention this weekend. She loved every teacher and every combo. She was inspired and challenged the entire weekend. This was Fly's very first convention, but everything ran on time and very smoothly. I would highly recommend this convention! My daughter will be back.
My daughter, Jariana Figueroa, just completed Fly’s convention in St. Louis, MO, she truly had the time of her life! EVERYTHING about Fly’s convention was fabulous! Jariana enjoyed all the teachers (especially Sam! She couldn’t stop raving about him!) Jariana got picked to be in the showcase for lyrical and for technique! It was such an honor to dance in the showcase! My daughter really enjoyed everything about Fly’s convention! We look forward to dancing with Fly when you return to St. Louis in March and in May of 2023!
I just wanted to say thank you. You’re competition was the last one I ever danced at and it was an unforgettable experience. I will truly miss that stage more than anything, but that feeling of dancing one more time was so pure and amazing. You’re judges were fantastic and overall the experience was something I’ll always remember ❤️
I'm just curious on why you do not showcase other levels of dancers? I notice all over your website, it's nothing but advanced dancers all over, there are thousands of dancers that come through your competition doors every year, and all you choose to do is highlight the advanced dancers! These dancers that are as you would classify them as "business class", and all novice dancers do not get any recognition! Those dancers work just as hard! You even state you showcase "all level of dancers", well I'm not seeing it, and all levels should be showcased on your websites.
FLY dance competition was such a fun competition! My daughter absolutely loved it! Everyone working for FLY was very nice and it was such a great competition to start the season. Can’t wait til this coming season for her to compete at FLY.
We just attended our 4th fly competition and our 2nd Nationals with Fly and my students continue to have a great experience every time we fly with them! I appreciate when competitions have a great support staff who hyped up the kids and just overall enjoys their jobs. Fly’s staff are some of the friendliest people I’ve had the pleasure to be backstage with. I found the judging to be fair with good feedback and the dancers really enjoyed the convention classes they attended. I can’t wait to see Fly Dance continu to thrive and grow
We have competed with fly for the past 2 seasons and has come to be one of my favorite competitions. The staff and environment are friendly. It doesn't feel cramped or chaotic. Things have always seemed to run close on time and never late into the night for our younger dancers. Competed at our first Nationals with them and had an awesome experience. Good and fair critiques. Already planning to fly with Fly again next year.
Fly is one of my favorite competitions we have attended for Regionals and Nationals for the last two years. The energy from the staff and judges makes the whole experience fun! The judges provide great feedback for my daughter, and I love the energy that is displayed when they get onstage to pass out awards. Nationals in Orlando was at a very pleasant venue...parking was great, they sold actual meals for the kids, and everything was convenient. The energy from the other teams was also great. We had another team helping us cheer for our dancers, even ones in the same category as them, and they even ran to give them hugs when they got off stage. It was more than dance, it promoted sportsmanship and team building. It was beautiful to watch. Everyone was so friendly and kind. Definitely can't wait to go back next season. Some great dancers competed and the competition was tough, but I can say as a parent I really enjoyed it and so did my kid.
This competition is ran very well and smoothly! All the communication sent to studio owners is great. I think the judging is fair and very even, they have a tap judge which we love. We really love this competition as a small studio!
I love the staff, and environment of this competition! Everyone was friendly, the venue was easy to locate, and I’ve enjoyed dancing there both times I’ve been.
Loved this competition. The judges were so enthusiastic and happy to be there, plus they gave great feedback. It was a great experience for our whole dance team.
Such a family-friendly and positive Competition for all dancers. Definitely will be attending again, my dancer loved it!
Finally! a dance competition that judges fairly and honestly, I have been to many well-known competitions but have noticed that they favor studios that have the most entries, FLY, on the other hand, was fair with every studio and made us all feel like winners. We will be attending FLY Dance Competition every single year from here on out. Thank you FLY for such an incredible and heartfelt experience, all of us from Dance Urge appreciate it very much!
My studio attended Fly this season and we absolutely LOVED it. From start to finish Fly dance was a true class act! If you haven’t tried Fly, you must! We can’t wait to Fly with you again. Fly Dance is one of the best!
Great competition! Super fun for our dancers. Great awards, on time, improv competition was fantastic. All around great!!
ABSOLUTELY amazing. I have never been so impressed by a competition until now. This competition is so awesome. Their staff were so cool and very very kind to talk to. The judges were very fair too. The awards they give out are super cool and different. FLY supports all sizes of studios too which is great as a member from a small studio!
Just wanted to brag on the entire staff for Fly Dance Houston. They were amazing, kind, helpful, fun and fair. As a parent, I felt very welcomed and at ease for this competition. Everyone knows how stressful competitions can be behind the scenes, but your staff helped in every capacity. The location was also perfect for this competition. My daughter never expresses how much she loves competitions. She got into the car and the first thing she said was, I LOVE FLY! Thanks FLY for making this a great experience for her.
I am so impressed with this competition! solid technical judges with great feedback, organized and professional! Thanks for a great season Lewis! We will see you next year!
We recently attended FLY dance competition in Las Vegas. I really thought this competition was great!! We had a great experience. The staff, judges, and emcees were all super professional and supportive. I was very impressed with the judges. I felt like they judged fairly and respected all genres of dance, not just their favorites. Many different genres of dance placed, whereas at some other competitions one or two genres seemed to score better. Our favorite part of the competition was the Improv competition. It was so much fun and a real crowd pleaser! Even my husband had fun ( who despises dance competitions). Thanks FLY for an entertaining Mother’s Day weekend!!!!
While this is not our first time flying with Fly dance Competition - it is our first time flying with them during a normal competition season. For a competition that opened at the height of the pandemic they have gone well above and beyond all of our competition expectations. The staff is knowledgeable, kind, and always quick to respond. The events timing are smooth, early, and get you out at a decent time. The awards are simple. They recognize a lot of dancers - not just one studio or team. The scoring as an audience member seems fair and not subjective to one studio. The judges recognize the dances or dancers that deserve the highest score and you don’t feel like everybody is just getting a trophy. Karina, the Regional Director - is a gem to work with. Lewis, Flys owner, one of the nicest people you will ever meet! As a smallest studio it is easy to feel lost in the shuffle amongst a ton of large studios from time to time; At fly you never felt like you were small. Everyone was treated with kindness and respect from all the staff. I could really go on and on about all of the benefits of dancing at fly! I hope that our commitment and support to their competition shows our thankfulness and appreciation for their competition!
Venue: Holiday Inn Downtown Rochester. Dated, parking was not great, hotel was not staffed to keep bathrooms clean, onsite restaurant not staffed sufficiently. Not enough seating. Viewing stage was a struggle especially during dances with floor work. Please consider a change!! Judging: No points can be taken off for comp going off "fly" theme! However the vast majority of dances were "Private Charter". While I appreciate that the highest adjudication level "million miler" was not given out easily, it seemed that almost every other dance fell into the next lower level. If you have 4 levels of scores, 90%+ should not fall into the same category. I think that the scoring levels should be revaluated. Schedule/Program: we were given our studio's numbers/times, however there is NOTHING online, so without a program you have no idea what's going on. And when you buy the $12 program, it just gives you numbers, not the times. So still is tricky to figure out scheduling at times. Media: Livestream costs $12 (it's 2022, this should be complimentary). Pictures/videos aren't available until a few business days after, so I can't comment there. Staff: every Fly staff member encountered was extremely friendly and helpful.
Our studio attended a competition recently in Buffalo, New York. I can't say enough good things about Fly Dance Competition. We had an opportunity to compete with them last year virtually and gave them a shot this year for in person. We were very grateful for their virtual competitions as we were shut down for quite some time in New York. From the moment we walked in the venue to the moment we left, all of the dancers were smiling. Happy and just excited to be there. The backstage crew was kind, courteous and answered all our questions. The merchandise table attendant was so great! The judges were upbeat and smiling at the kids. Really gave them a sense of confidence and accomplishment. We didn't walk away with all the trophies and all the awards and all the medals... But our teams walked away with their heads, held high feeling like everyone was supporting them. We will no doubt be returning to this competition and can't wait to attend one of their conventions in the fall. Thank you for always answering our questions via email and customer service. You guys are top-notch.
I am extremely grateful for Lewis and the staff at Fly for taking a chance and bringing their competition to Sioux City. We couldn’t have been happier to have a big time experience in our own backyard. From start to finish, everything was top-notch. The staff was kind and professional and made the day completely stress free for all of us. Karina did a fabulous job keeping things organized and running smoothly and Makaihlah was one of the best backstage managers I’ve ever seen. I loved the reserved seating for studio directors/teachers and I loved that they gave a sportsmanship award!
FLY dance competition was a wonderful experience! The judges and staff were very kind and informative. Super proud of all the dancers hard work ethic, polite behavior, and professionalism. Having the pleasure of being one of the dancers to perform at the event I would know that the venue was spacious and very well put together. Over all a very organized, well executed, and pleasant experience.
This was our second time at Fly Dance Competition and we’ve had a great experience both times. Although a couple of issues came up, things were handled by the Fly team right away. The Fly team kept things moving smoothly and pretty much on time. Awards are short and sweet, which I love! Overall, great competition!
What a wonderful weekend we just spent with Fly! This is our 2nd time competing with Fly! Karina and her team (including stage crew, DJ and Judges) were absolutely amazing! They kept the schedule on track, were professional, friendly and fun! We are not with a mega studio and my daughter felt like the staff, and judges treated everyone equally no matter the size of studio or amount of routines. There isn’t a competition that doesn’t experience some surprises but Karina and team rocked handling anything that popped up with professionalism and grace as well as promptly. We enjoy the award and adjudication names, so much fun. The improv offered is great and such a wonderful bonus opportunity for your dancers! Awards ran smoothly and enjoyable! Thank you for an amazing weekend! Our dancer is looking forward to returning in 2023.
FLY was overall a wonderful experience for our SMALL studio (3 routines). We attended the St Louis 2022 regional event. The prices are honestly very high in comparison to what we see otherwise at competitions, but there were add on options like a media package and an improv competition for the dancers. What was most exciting for us was being able to have such SOLID and consistent feedback from ALL THREE judges at the event across the entire weekend! We had just one dance each of the 3 days, including 930am on Sunday with time change, and all judges remained consistent! Definitely not something that is seen a lot these days.
I HIGHLY recommend Fly Dance Competition! Fly is a top-notch dance competition company! As a 13-year dance veteran, it was only the latter years that our studio participated in their regional event in Denver. What an unexpected, beautiful surprise we had in store for us! A unique experience in the best sense possible! If you and/or your studio have been attending the same dance competitions over the years and Fly would be new for you, give them a try!
Highly recommend this competition. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Competition was very organized and ran very well. Pictures are amazing quality. Loved everything about it.
I just wanted to give a shout-out to Lewis Hatkoff with FLY dance competition. I’m a very small studio with an even smaller comp team (14 girls and not all of them could compete this weekend). I was so nervous as this was our very first competition. My kids don’t have any prior experience with comps- nor do I. We tried their virtual last year and loved it- but wanted the real in person experience. I walked in and instantly felt out of place. I didn’t see any other owners or dancers of color, I could tell the studios we were blocked with had so many more danders (40 plus) and so many more routines (60 or more!) but wanted to stay positive and focused on all my little team has worked on. And I’m so glad I did. My girls walked away feeling SO loved, SO seen, and best of all they felt like family. The other teams always had something kind to say as the girls walked off, the judges and backstage staff were so helpful to both myself and my girls- and I never felt like they were overlooked when it came to scoring. We got some platinums and I was floored!! They were excited but that wasn’t what was the best part of their weekend they said. As we walked back into the hotel exhausted, excited, and ready for naps one of my girls said “When I saw one of the judges smiling at me and dancing in her seat it made me feel like I was the only one in the whole room- I’ve never felt that before. When can we do this again?” 🥰😍 I cried! Although the pins and awards were exciting- there was little mention of that all night. It was how much FUN they had. In a world still so broken- this weekend put so many pieces back together in these girls hearts and mine- thank you FLY!!!!
A wonderful competition. I had so much fun on stage and the judges were so sweet and wonderful.
Overall , good experience. It is clear they are new and are working hard to make improvements where needed. They could use more staff to help run the Dancers from dressing room to stage so the competition stays on schedule and there is clarity between the studio, parents, dancers, and the competition. My daughter won title and i felt like the title winners could have had a more special announcement that did not feel the same as their overall award. Fly is brand new and i can certainly give them grace for this. My daughter and teammates had a great time regardless and it was wonderful to be back at live awards for the first time! I also had a great time anyway! Thank you, Fly, for choosing my daughter to be your petite title winner & giving her a wonderful judges award!
A phenomenal event at the Vorhees, NJ competition! Our dancers loved the airline theme and had a great time out on the stage. The judges comments were amazing! Each one had different corrections and were engaged for every performance our kids gave. A huge thank you to FDC for shipping our overall awards when we weren't able to stay.
It was our first time competing at Fly. We had a great time! Loved the improv section. Hoping it continues to evolve with different genres. Judging was pretty tough but I look forward to hearing the critiques! Overall liked it and look forward to watch her compete there again.
Hi Everyone! Dropping in to rave about FlyDance! We recently hosted them for an in-studio convention and we had a tremendously positive experience! It was all of the benefits of a dance convention but without the over crowded ballroom. Our students and parents were beyond happy with the experience. The loved the one-on-one attention they were able to get from the instructors. Speaking of instructors......Chris Wendhorff and Karina Browne were INCREDIBLE. I truly cannot say enough great things about them! We've already booked for next year and our students are adamant that they return as our instructors. As part of our experience we were able to get live feedback on our competition dances for this season. It was worth its weight in gold for our students to hear straight from experienced judges. They had insightful and useful feedback and the kids are eager to put their advice and critiques into action. If you're looking for a top notch event to host at your studio we 10/10 recommend hosting a FlyDance Convention!!
We truly enjoyed Fly dance competition this year!
If you’re looking for a new option for a dance competition that’s fair, clean, and accommodating FLY is the place for you. From the staff to the judges to the venues. The competition has a theme and every detail of the competition is laid out to a T! Lewis may be the best person on the planet. He is kind, patient, and supportive!
First time in Rochester this past April, FLY was amazing!!! WE had the best time. We felt the judging/scores made sense, and absolutely loved the venue they selected. Love the whole theme of Fly as well, you feel like you really are on an airplane. Great job FLY... we can't wait to see you back in Rochester, NY next season!!! Alaina Visalli Dance Company
We were first time flyers (and competitors in general at any competition being a new studio) and the experience was amazing and smooth. Having dancers compete for the first time in a very small town where competitions haven’t happened was also new to my studio parents. Adding in the strange year, a lot was stacked against everything. The event was running behind when we arrived due to the covid restrictions and having to have such large crowds be separated and they were very quick and efficient in handling it for us. We were given a private room fairly quickly after being told it would be a moment before we could check in and set up shortly after that. A woman from the event continued to check in with us and updating us multiple times as much as she could and I have no doubt it wasn’t an easy task for her considering the amount of studios she was working with and running up and down those stairs! The backstage access and dressing rooms were easy to access and we were on stage almost as fast as the parents were seated. The judges were enthusiastic and encouraging to a small group of incredibly terrified dancers that were completely overwhelmed by their nerves and truly helped to make them feel comfortable on stage for the first time! A million and a half thanks from this studio owner for that fact alone. One child said she was blown a kiss back by one of the judges in her routine and it was all she could talk about all weekend! We plan to attend next season as well and can’t wait to be slightly more prepared this time around as an extra bonus! *side note: improv was the absolutely best and I entered 3 of my dancers unwillingly and they were incredibly grateful after the fact! So amazing!
This was my first time at Fly Dance Competition. The backstage staff were awesome. The stage lighting and sound was really great too. I loved how they stuck to their theme of “Fly” with awards. Even with having to have covid precautions, I feel they did an amazing job at creating a great comp for all dancers. Thanks for such a fun, and awesome event ! I can’t wait to come back!
The judges were very animated with continuous great feedback on all routines! My daughter had a great time at this competition and loved showing the judges all her dances with extra sass!
I had so much fun when i went! The judges gave great critiques:) I am honored to be awarded as Senior Miss Fly in Vegas❤
My daughter had a great time. We enjoyed the event and loved that it ran on time. We will be back.
Great competition! Cute theme with the scoring too. Ran very smoothly. Clean venue! So nice to see dancers back on stage again!
This was one of the best, most professional team Competitions we've been to. From start to finish I felt FLY had really bright their "A" game. The judges were very knowledgeable, the venue very clean, and all the staff friendly. Can't wait to FLY with this company soon soon!
The staff was very friendly and accommodating. We were greeted and directed as soon as we entered the venue. The Airline them was fun and catchy.
Absolutely amazing! We had so much fun by far one of our most favorite!
FLY dance competition offered many opportunities for dancers throughout a most difficult time. The virtual competitions were amazing and so much fun. Today was even better as our dancers were able to participate in an IN-person cooperation with Fly!! The staff were so kind and helpful. The competition ran extremely smooth. The Improv was great. Parents and dancers alike had such a great time today!! Thank you for helping to bring some normalcy back and always thinking of the dancers!
You are too kind. We loved having your studio at our event and can't wait to keep flying with you for many years to come!
The first time we experienced FLY was virtually when everything was shut down. That was everything we needed at that time, but we couldn’t wait to experience them in person! This past weekend just that happened. Although it was just 1 hour for our studio, everything was ran so smooth, which made it so enjoyable! The staff was very friendly to not only parents but worked so well with the girls to! Thank you FLY for a fabulous competition! We can’t wait to FLY again soon!
My daughter competed the Fly Virtual Dance competitions in 2020 and we were very impressed with those. This weekend our studio competed at the Live Fly Dance Competition in Green Bay, WI. It was by far our favorite competition of the season so far! The staff was very friendly, patient and informative. The venue was super clean. The announcer kept everything running on time and smooth. It was super nice for the dancers to leave with their adjudication placements and pins. We loved the merchandise offered! Our favorite part was the improv competition, it was my daughters first experience with that and she had a blast, as did the other dancers and parents. There was a great energy throughout the entire event. We also loved the stage backdrop and the entrance photo backdrop- we got some great pictures today! Thank you so much for visiting our city, FDC can’t wait to Fly with you again next year!
I loved the entire experience! I really like the improv option and how much it is promoted. I also love how friendly and communicative everyone from the competition is. We will be back!
Thank you so much for FLYing with us! It really means a lot and we can't wait to see you on another flight very soon!
Loooooooved it! Really friendly staff, ran quickly, smoothly and professionally. Judges had great energy and were very positive. Highly recommend!
Our dance studio competed at Fly Dance Competition several weeks ago. What a great experience! The staff were all so supportive to our dancers throughout the whole competition weekend. Our family felt safe with the COVID protocols in place as well. Highly recommend this competition to others.
Thank you so much for flying with us!
We had an amazing time at Fly Portland. My 9 year old was able to do the Impromptu dance as well. Such a fun event!
Our studio attended Fly for the first time in Rochester NY! We had an absolutely awesome experience! The venue was great and very accommodating. The staff and judges were wonderful and provided a ton of constructive feedback for our dancers. Adjudication awards were the only part we wished were a little different, we wish the dancers could have been on stage for them. Communication between the competition and the studio as well as individuals was great. We will definitely FLY again!
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We would love for the dancers to be on stage for awards but unfortunately for the safety of the dancers and families we have to wait until next year! I’m so glad you had a good time and we can’t wait to FLY with you next year!!
We attended Fly for the first time last weekend. The entire staff was very helpful, even when technical difficulties arose. They did their best to honor requests while remaining fair to all involved. One of our dancers' favorite parts was the improv competition. We wish more competitions did this. What a fun way for our students to get on stage and show what they've got, separate from the regular portion! We only wish it was divided by age instead of all competing for the top 3, but hopefully if the program grows, that will be doable in the future. Thank you Fly, for the positive experience for our dancers! (The only reason we gave awards 4/5 stars is the long wait time and announcement on a school night when we are all in class on a Thursday evening. Please consider at the conclusion of the event in the future.)
Thank you so much for the positive review! We loved having you and love our improv competition!! That’s a great suggestion for awards. We would love to do it after the competition but not everyone would be there so we do it during a class time since most studios make it a viewing party in their studio. We can’t wait to go back to normal competitions!!
We went to FLY in Denver last weekend. We loved it, highly recommend this competition! Signed, a veteran dance mom of 13 years
We are so glad that you enjoyed yourself!! We can’t wait to FLY with you for many years to come.
Had an amazing time at our first “live” event with Fly! The judges looked like they were having a blast and the lady at the merchandise table was super sweet and helpful!
We recently went to the competition in Denver Colorado! We really enjoyed this competition and the judges were amazing. We were very impressed with everything!
We had the best time at our first Fly Dance Competition in Aurora, CO. The hotel venue was great with great open conference rooms and I loved the judges! They seemed so passionate about dance and were seen dancing a lot of times in their seats really enjoying each performance! My only wish is that awards would have been the night the competition was finished.
We can’t wait until next year when we can go back to normal awards. For the safety of the dancers and their families we do perform in studio blocks to keep everyone safe! Thanks for flying with us!
Never again, not right. Parent of recent participant. They do not do the virtual competitions by style of dance, only by age. Awards are not given for ballet, hip hop, contemp, acro, duo, etc. Just one award for entire grouping of ages. I do not recommend this for anyone, go in person! Virtual awards are not separated at all by style. So a hip hop girl can win over contemporary or lyrical. Not right. Not fair. Very disappointed and will never do this again. Ever.
I am so sorry you feel that way. As a new competition we are always looking for ways to improve. If you send us an email we would be happy to let you know how your dancer placed in a specific category and style and even have our captain record a personalized video for your dancer! We wish we could announce an overall in each age division category and style but the awards would be hours and hours long. Our email is FlyDanceCompetition@gmail.com! We hope you will reach out!
Our studio’s competitive team loved the FLY Dance experience! This was our first competition, and we couldn’t have picked a better one. The owner welcomed our coaches right at the door, and the stage manager was incredibly gracious to our dancers. The judges were so positive, and the safety precautions were top notch! The communication, timeliness, organization, and theme created a positive, smooth event. The media options - including judges’ critiques - and ability for the rest of our studio (and extended family) to watch virtually really impressed me. We traveled a long way for this event, and it was so worth it! *Will Rate Judging and Awards after Ceremony this week!
I just attended Fly last weekend! It was my first time competing ever and we got so many awards! I’m very proud for my team and I can’t wait for nationals
We just attended Fly! We had a wonderful time at the competition! The staff is wonderful, judges are so enthusiastic and engaged. It made for an all around fun time! Very “Covid friendly”. Would definitely recommend and go again!! The venue stage was a little on the small side, but other than that, we loved Fly!
FLY Dance Competition was so fun!! The staff was very nice. The judges gave very good critiques, i just have a few notes. When disinfecting the stage, they poured rubbing alcohol all over it and when i was the first number, me and some other dancers were struggling to breathe. Also they started skipping over numbers without lots of people checking in. Since they put the alcohol on the floor, with the shoes it was really slippery but then without shoes it was very dry and i couldn’t turn. Butt overall it’s was amazing. Definitely wouldn’t mind going again!
Fly was an unforgettable regional for us. The event was timely, considerate of any quick changes caused by block scheduling, and took adequate precautions for COVID safety. We loved the theme of the competition and our team was overjoyed to get their adjudication pins. Judges were also knowledgeable and offered valuable feedback in their critiques. We will definitely be Flying again next season! The reason for the four stars on awards and communication: Our schedule was received a little late (4 days prior), but I DID have advance notice which day we would be performing. Secondly, I had to explain to many parents how the score system worked. I think if the scores were included in the program, that would alleviate some questions. Overall, I cannot say enough positive about this event. From great organization to a welcoming staff and valuable judge feedback, this is the event for ALL dancers. We absolutely love Fly and can’t wait to attend again.
I am a parent of a teen dancer and we recently participated in the Fly Dance Competition in Omaha. This was our first time "flying" with Fly in person. Upon arriving I was happy to see the precautions in place for Covid. They scheduled block schedules which is appreciated during these unprecedented times. The staff was very helpful and kind. My daughter raved about the backstage staff. We really enjoy the social media presence Fly has as well. The dancers always love to see their teammates or themselves pop up on social media. The fun atmosphere and the unique way that everything ties back to Fly and flying, very unique and brought energy to the room. The DJ/Emcee was very clear as was the sound so you knew whom was on stage. The music was at a good volume for audience and my dancer was happy with sound on stage. We enjoyed that even with block scheduling they still offered Improv Competition. It was nice to get the adjudications following completion of our block, we look forward to the awards. I did not rate awards at this time as we have not had out virtual awards yet. We are happy with the media as well. The merchandise offered many options, something for everyone. And staff was helpful at merchandise table. Anyone we interacted with was kind and helpful. Thank you for a great day in Omaha, Fly! I would also like to include that during the highest point of Covid in our area my daughter participated in the Virtual Competition offered by Fly and it was great. It helped offer some insightful feedback and ability to be part of a dance competition during odd times for all. My daughter and I would recommend Fly to any dance team, studio or independent. We hope to return next year. Thank you Fly Crew!
I am a parent at Stars R Us dance studio. We had an excellent experience at Fly dance competition! We felt they took great COVID precautions. We liked the studio blocks and how they clean the stage after each studio performs. Audience members all had to wear mask and family was limited to 3 per child. It really mattered to us all the precautions Fly had in place for this event! overall, we all had a fantastic time yesterday at the STL comp with Fly! Thank you Fly for hosting such a fantastic competition and for giving our children a place to shine! We look forward to flying with you again!
First time competing since covid and I have to say it was so great seeing the kids dance again. Fly staff was amazing and helpful. They did everything they could with this new block scheduling. We made it work. Thanks Fly
We participated in Fly Dance Competition’s virtual competition and it was such an awesome experience! We have a lot of dancers who have never competed before and this was a great opportunity for them to get a taste of the competition world! Some of my other dancers watched the stream of awards together and said it felt like they were at competition again. The judges awards were great too- they were so detailed and it showed that the judges really did put as much effort into watching the videos as they would a dance on stage in front of them. That meant the world to our dancers! I hope they will come to Long Island/Queens soon, we’d love to FLY with you in person!
This was our first time with Fly and our first time back on stage in over a year due to Covid-19. And let me tell you, what an amazing experience we had. Every staff member was amazing, kind and patient with all our questions. We could tell they really cared. The judges were so upbeat and engaged in each dancer. And Lewis!!! Well he takes the cake! He was amazing! Super helpful and made the day wonderful for all the girls! We will certainly be back when the come to Phoenix again! The venue was great and the whole Fly team made sure everyone felt safe and took necessary safety precautions. Can’t wait to “Fly” again next time!
This is our second year attending Fly. One of the most important things to me as a studio owner is the communication and the staff. Lewis, the owner, is personable and responds to emails, phone calls, etc. promptly. The staff on site is absolutely amazing and treats not only the adults with respect but also the performers. They are helpful and friendly. It feels like they are operating on joy and love for what they do, which in turn creates an atmosphere of just that. Since it is their second year, this comp is smaller in the Twin Cities (we are saturated with competitions every weekend). However, part of the charm is that it feels like a family. We are a very small studio and the feeling is much the same. It was impressive when I mentioned my friends studio in St. Louis and Lewis knew who they were. We are not just a check, we are a relationship. It is important. I appreciated that Lewis brought three adjudicators with different experiences and that this was consistent with last year. We operate from a perspective of dance is first and foremost an art form to be shared. This very much affects our choreographic choices. We want to know we are being adjudicated by others that understand our approach. When it is clear that they appreciate our art AND value it (whether we score well or not) then the feedback is helpful. Fly provides this for us. A couple of extra things that I love... they have a teachers lounge with food and beverages, their apparel, their media package, and their choice of venue being in a theater. Thank you Fly and Lewis for all you do!
Absolutely wonderful. Such a breath of fresh air in the dance comp biz. We had a wonderful time. Very professional and kind staff all around. We will def be making there stop here in minnesota an annual competition to attend.
For a Competition that has only been around for a few years, FLY is the BOMB!!!! FLY Dance Competition is truly one of the best competitions I have ever attended with my studio. It is so organized, so very accommodating and friendly, The entire team knows the dance world inside and out and makes the experience fun, easy, and truly worth every second a studio owner, teacher and student(s) put into a competition. Please check out FLY, because they so many different events, virtual and in person competitions, virtual conventions, online classes with professional instructors, they even have an ambassador program, and much more they have added to their business!!! Give FLY a try, it will be the best "flying experience" you have had in a long time!! We are returning to FLY this year because this will be one of the competitions we return to every year!!! We can’t wait and totally excited about flying with FLY again!!!!
Just had the best weekend in Biloxi for the Fly Dance Competition.....the event was flawless, my daughter performed incredible but most importantly everyone there working for FLY were professional and fun, superior event all the way around!!!!1
We cannot recommend Fly enough! We were supposed to attend in April, but our competition got pushed to May and then August. Every step of the way, we were kept up to date with information on date and venue changes. This was our first competition back during COVID, and Fly had everything in place to make the event feel super safe. Our staff loved it and so did the parents. The judges took time talking to one of our dancers after the event as well, and we got great critiques. We thought the scoring was good and the full range of adjudications was used. Only a few routines got the top adjudication, so it really felt like something special to receive. The giant banners for winning 1st-3rd for group routines are such a treat and our dancers had a lot of fun taking photos with those. Lewis is great to work with and we always get responses back to our emails or questions quickly. Fly is on our must do list now and we can't wait to be back in March!
My daughter loved Fly Dance Competition and so did I. Everything ran on time and was organized. The staff I spoke with was very friendly and seemed as if they really enjoyed being there. I bought the media package and was very pleased, the images were clear and the backdrop looked great in the photos with no wrinkles. We cant wait for next year!!
Thank you to Fly Dance for an amazing competition. And for putting all the precautions in place so we could safely dance on stage again. Everyone was so helpful and kind in answering our question and guiding us through this new type of competition. Fly is definitely a competition we want to return to.
My 8 year old daughter had so much fun performing ballet and jazz numbers at Fly! The venue was clean, the event was very well organized and the staff was super friendly! With all of the new precautions, we were concerned that the “fun factor” of a competition would be gone, but it wasn’t an issue at all. They were very professional, following guidelines...and it was a fun, seamless night! Thank you, FLY Dance. We are hoping to be back in 2021!
Such a fun, safe competition. So very thankful that fly put on such an amazing competition to get my girl back on stage. She loved being able to perform her beautiful solo one last night. Thank you so much!
Fly saved the day after 2 of our competitions had been canceled. After 15 years of doing competitions, I have never had a competition with such wonderful quick communication. They gave us a number to text if we needed anything and always answered in under a minute! They ran a safe and friendly competition and our dancers had a blast!
My daughter loves FlyDance!! When Covid hit and shut everything down, Fly was her first virtual convention and competition. She had a blast and learned so much! The online experience was great, feedback was valuable and helped her grow, the whole event was amazing and went very well! We highly recommend Fly! And we hope to Fly in Portland, OR in 2021. Thank you Fly!!
Fly Dance Competition was my daughter’s first solo experience and it was terrific. The staff was super helpful and welcoming, the competition ran well and we made some great memories! Thanks Fly!
In a time when all competitions were canceled. Fly really stepped it up and gave our children something to look forward to. My daughter is an Ambassador for Fly and was unable to perform on the stage in person in Tampa BUT was so happy that she was able to virtually! Great competition, great staff, great awards And very innovative with all the virtual competitions they have been able to provide to all the dancers across the world! We look forward to seeing what the future holds.... and we are ready to FLY!!!
Last year was my daughters first year being an ambassador. She loves it because she loves to take pictures and dance. Can’t wait for this year and hopefully she can compete!!!
My daughter’s first virtual competition was with Fly Dance and it couldn’t have gone any smoother. It was so easy to register & upload the video. Lewis would email the schedule well in advance and then send out reminders. I loved how everything ran on schedule and how detailed the judges’ critiques were. It was a great experience! Can’t wait to Fly live in 2 weeks!!
Thank you FLY dance competition for giving us dance competitions when there haven’t been any! My daughter has absolutely LOVED being involved in the virtual competitions and improv competitions. Her confidence soared when everything was taken away and everything was run so professionally. We will definitely keep coming back to fly for more virtual and in person competitions! Thank you so much!!
Thank you so much to FLY Dance for the great competition and awards ceremony the other day. It was our first virtual competition and my daughter was thrilled. It was great to see her renewed excitement after thinking the dance competition season was over for the year. For that, I am extremely appreciative!
FLY Dance Competition is amazing! Thank you so much for having virtual competitions!!! Communication was great leading up to the virtual competitions! The judges did an awesome job!!! We received all of our awards very quickly! We were very impressed with our experience at Fly and we can’t wait to be able to attend a live competition! Thank you for keeping dance a live and going for so many dancers!!!
Thank you Fly Dance Competition for the amazing competition experience . With the virtual platform , it allows competitors as far as SIngapore to get on the platform to compete and learn with dancers all over US . Amazed by the professional standard of the organizing committee making effort to overcome differences in time zone. A truely Borderless Dance Competition Journey you have here.
We participated in a Fly virtual competition when our stage competitions were being cancelled. Thank you Fly for a well-run competition experience - from streaming the videos to announcing awards, and helpful, positive critiques! We are attending a Fly stage competition next month and are so excited to Fly with you again!
The owner of FLY has done a great job offering virtual classes, conventions and competitions during the pandemic. My daughter is an Ambassador and has really enjoyed working with the competition. My daughter loved the virtual convention she attended with FLY especially hip hop with Fik Shun.... We look forward to dancing at a live competition in March 2021. I highly recommend checking out FLY dance! Stephanie and Gabby
After the very disappointing news of cancelled comps my daughter was ecstatic to hear she could compete her solo virtually. She competed her solo during the very first virtual comp and it was the best experience!! Registration was very easy, staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. The owner is very friendly, personable and very involved!! Judging and scoring was very professional and detailed!! My daughter took a lot of positive away from this comp!!
Fly came through virtually when we couldn’t compete live. It was a great experience all around. Definitely recommend!
FLY AMAZING, I am truly thankfully for the effort this competition has put into their virtual events. The live Improvs have been excellent and kept my daughter on her toes, dancing live in front of others. The Virtual comps, the awards, judging, and atmosphere (yes even virtual) have AMAZING. I truly hope to be able to attend Fly Dance Competition one day, as i am sure it will be even more amazing in person.
We attended Fly back in February before virtual competitions became necessary. It was so much fun! The “fly” theme is adorable and makes for a unique experience. It was smoothly ran and on time. Merchandise was so cute and not too expensive. The photos and videos were perfect. We loved every minute and will be returning.
Thank you for the opportunity to participate from different parts of the world! It is incredibly cool that while in quarantine, children had the opportunity to repeatedly appear almost on stage, even if it was a kitchen or a courtyard. You are a great organization, your ideas help us!
Fly Dance Competition is undoubtedly a smooth flight into the world of virtual competitions. The friendly online stage highlighting stage videos and studio recordings, the excellent service from the personnel, the constructive feedback from the judges, the frequency of the flying times of the competitions, and the flight oriented awards make it an experience worth flying. Delighted to have had this opportunity during these challenging COVID-19 times.
I recently signed my daughter up to participate in a Fly Dance Virtual Competition and I am so glad I did! The idea of an improv competition is brilliant. During the quarantine, my daughter has participated in lots of online classes and comps and Fly was one of her absolute favorites! It was engaging, fun and well organized. Highly recommended!
Greetings from Singapore, Fly, you have done an awesome job with your online platform, it was an amazing experience for my daughter. Excellent job! I must mention the judges were classic, their feedbacks were to the point and that was most helpful for my daughter’s way forward as well. Every comment and compliment have been taken most gracefully. We look forward to meeting Fly in person in time to come!!
I was very surprised, that to my knowledge Fly Dance was the first dance competition to go virtual, when COVID-19 shut everyone down. Who knew it would spark so many other competitions to follow suit. From the very beginning the Fly staff has been phenomenal! We have not experienced a LIVE comp, but the virtual competition was awesome!! To be honest, I think virtual comps should not go away. Don’t get me wrong, we should keep the LIVE comps, because the energy and excitement of watching our kids onstage is irreplaceable. However, use the virtual comps in the off season, so when studios want to test out new material.....it’s a great inexpensive resource to have. I recommend Fly Dance Competition to any studio, looking to break out of the norm.
My daughter has had such a wonderful experience at Fly's Virtual Improv Competitions. She has done 3 of the improv competitions and 1 Virtual Comp. All of them have been a wonderful experience. The competitions are very professionally done and very organized. The critiques from the virtual competition were very helpful and easy to hear. The improv competitions have been her favorite. We really haven't seen anything like it with other virtual competitions. She is able to dance live on zoom with other dancers and has grown so much in her confidence to do improv. It's been such a fun way to gain experience and confidence with improv. And it's been so fun to watch other dancers do improv live on zoom from all over the world. We look forward to watching the replay of the full event and awards. Thank you Fly for all you have done to keep dancers dancing, growing, smiling and having fun.
During all this craziness Fly was absolutely one of the best virtual competitions! Amazing layout, communication and knowledgeable judges. Highly recommend Fly!
Fly was a new experience for us, competing virtually. I must say that this experience was well planned, organized, and the organization is personable, with timely responses. Fly gave our dancers an opportunity to compete virtually. We were so pleased, we entered 3 events. I highly recommend the competition experience with Fly!!! Dream Makers
Excellent job on the virtual competitions! I love how everything is Flight related!! (Levels, adjudications, even the Judge's Awards!) Looking forward to attending a live event soon!
Fly has done an amazing job with online competitions during a worldwide pandemic. They’ve put on both conventions and competitions and have kept my daughter engaged. There is a different panel of judges for every competition, and I’ve been very impressed by both ownership and all of the judges.