COMPETITION DETAIL

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. In the second round I was able to sit up front and saw a delightful musical theatre ‘Nicest Kids In Town’ who did a classic Hairspray song. The judges commented on how inappropriate the phrase ‘negro’ was, even though all tastefully done and I couldn’t help but see this rated lowest in their category. When I complimented a little girl on the dance, she said “thank you, but the judges looked like they hated it”….how hurtful. 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.

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!!

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.

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!

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!

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.

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!

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.)