COMPETITION DETAIL

We have gone to Groove year after year because the judging has always been fair and consistent and the competition has always run smoothly. this year left much to be desired. Thecompetition was all over the place compared to what we’ve come to expect from Groove and the awards have gone down hill with cheap disc things. We also felt the judging was way off base across the board (and no I’m not just referring to our own studio). The competition was held at a high school and the dressing room spaces were very minimal and crowded compared to venues they’ve been at in the past. The dressing rooms were also a good ways away from the stage and dancers were missing their call times left and right so the schedule was completely off jumping around numbers so it was near impossible to know when it was your turn to take the stage. Unfortunately it was our last go at Groove. We will miss the overall energy but that’s about it.

I didn’t get a chance to comment earlier this year, but we had a wonderful experience at Groove this season. Always great staff and great awards!

We were new to Groove this year and it was our absolute favorite competition. It was sooooo organized and professional and the judges critiques were so good. I even made a point to message them a thank you. It was really nice to hear judges actually enjoying themselves and give positive feedback along with the negative. The only thing we didn't like is that we were made to wear masks on stage. It was the only competition that made us do so. I understand why, but it was not something we liked.

Groove is by far my favorite competition that we attend. It is held at the same performing arts center every year that is nice and spacious. My only reason for giving the venue 4 stars this year is that due to COVID, they crammed all of our studio (~50 kids) into a tiny dressing room which was super chaotic. And since it was block scheduling, there was no reason for this really. We should have been placed in a larger classroom adjoining the center. The judges' critiques, for the most part, are useful and we have found the judging to be fair. There was one judge this year who gave very little feedback on his critiques but this was not the norm in years past. I read in a previous review that someone was complaining about the awards. I actually love the Groove awards. The kids get pins they can add to their dance bags and I do not have to go home with a trophy! That is a win in my book. Great job to the Groove team!

Hands down, Groove is one of our our absolute favorite Competitions! The staff, structure and memories are top notch! For anyone who may be considering Groove, highly recommend it. They don't disappoint!

My daughter and I attended our first Groove this weekend, and she had a blast. They were able to keep everyone safe while still allowing the kids to have fun. They were beyond thrilled to be on a real stage again!! We can’t wait for next year!

This is my 4th year competing at Groove!! I highly recommend!! Except for this year due to Covid, they give out a free gift to all the dancers!! The critiques are very fair and I LOVE the upbeat atmosphere Groove provides!! The staff is wonderful as well!! I have so many great memories at Groove!!! They also have an amazing livestream and give you free quality pics and videos in a timely manner!!

This was my daughter's second time competing at Groove. The staff was wonderful and it was very well organized. It is one of our favorite competitions to attend. We can't wait to go back next year!!

My daughter is a competitive dancer and Groove is one of our favorites! Great atmosphere, friendly staff, helpful judging critiques! Definitely recommend!

I have been taking my dancers to Groove for 5 years now and we always look forward to their events. They are always so professional, kind, welcoming, and fun! We love their staff. They know me and my teachers by name. The competitions always run very smooth. Their judges always give the best feedback and really help the dancers understand things that should be fixed as well as giving great complements that boost their confidence. I would highly recommend Groove to any studio that is looking for a new competition that will end up being the competition you go to very single year.

I think Groove gives quality critiques. I know the judges are vetted and have the highest of qualifications. The competition is upbeat, fun, organized, and FAIR. At our recent competition the director came out to greet us prior to our comp and clearly outlined all the rules and expectations. Even in Covid times they managed to put on a safe and fun event, and we are grateful for that. Can't wait to come back next year!

Groove is always professional and so fun! We look forward to this competition every year and the judges are fair and very knowledgeable in all styles of dance.

Groove is always so much fun! My daughter has been attending Groove competitions for four years and we always have the best time! The staff is always energetic, supportive and courteous. The judges feedback is always age-appropriate, kind and fosters growth for our dancers. Thanks for providing this awesome outlet for our dancers!

"Review is Disputed"

My daughter as competed at Groove this is her 3rd year. They have grown into a big competition around here now. We love it. Its very well ran. Usually on time or early. The kids have fun its like a party on stage and backstage. This year was a little bit different with COVID but still they had a blast! We went to Groove Tampa this past weekend scoring was tough but that was good because it seemed fair across the board. I really liked it and hope we continue to go back.

me and my studio love Groove!!!!!! One of my favorite things about Groove is the livestream! My family lives all over the U.S. and rarely are able to come to see me perform. The livestream has also come in handy if my teamates are performing really late at night or really early in the morning so I never miss their routines! Groove is very organized and constantly communicates with studio directors. Groove's staff is the best comp staff I have ever expierienced. I struggle with an anxiety disorder so backstage jitters are living nightmares for me. Last season when my studio went to Groove, I performed my very first solo. One of the backstage crew memebers noticed me freaking out and did breathing exercises with me. I kept asking her what entry number we were on and I apologized so many times bc I felt like I was annoying her lol. She was so kind and helpful and I wish I knew her name so I could give her a shoutout! Groove is very welcoming and always try their absolute best for every ones situation for example, my best friends mom has MS and for the past 4 years of going to Groove they have given our studio a wheelchair accessible room on the same floor as the auditorium. Overall, Groove is an amazing Competition/Convention and I always look forward to it!

This was our first time competing at groove. My kids have competed for over 8 yrs. I was extremely disappointed in this competition. The positives were that they ran on time or ahead of schedule, the web streaming was fantastic. That’s it for the positives. The venue was horrific. The stage was very small, this was a problem for soloists and groups. The dressing room for us new people was a very small high school cafeteria that had roaches running around. Certain special studios had their own classrooms for dressing rooms. Our studio was large but since we were new were not given this consideration and had 50+ dancers, their stuff and staff confined to an 8ft by 6ft space. There were over 500 numbers competed and the same 3 judges judged them all. The same 3 judges judged from 8am-10pm what good could their opinion actually be by that time? For the amount of money that was made by groove this weekend they should have the decency to have more than one judging panel. The judges were not diverse, and their bio were not impressive. This was reflected in the judging where entertainment and tricks took precedence over actual technique. The Saturday started with a 7 am class for the 12 and unders, then all 12 and under groups, followed by all junior d/t’s and solos. So 10 yr olds were expected to compete and dance from 7 am until 10:30 at night when the awards finally started. For the amount of money that we parents spend it is clear that groove is not interested in the well being of the dancers or their experience. Awards are pathetic. Again for the amount of money parents spend there was not one trophy awarded to any one. A bunch of pins the size of a dime, a few medals to the very top placements and some large plastic discs to the very top groups. Bang for the buck groove was a horrible investment for our studio and for my kids.

We went to this competition this past weekend. It was sold out which make for early mornings and Late nights for some of our dancers. They made the competition fun for the kids had a backstage photo booth. They made awards like a party. I liked how you had to have a pass to get back stage that only teachers and directors had. I disliked how a lot of audience members including a director from another studio would walk in and sit front and center in the middle of another persons dance. Which isn't the competition's fault but they didn't once announce to not do it. But all in all we loved this competition and I see us coming back in the future!

So disappointed. We’d heard wonderful things about Groove and were looking forward to trying it, but couldn’t have been more of a let down. They handed out almost nothing besides ONE medal placement, essentially stating that every single entry deserved to score the same? Why even have multiple medal placements if you aren’t going to use them? It got to the point where I actually started to question whether or not they even had the pins for the higher placements on hand. Greatly dislike that the “choreography award” goes to an entire studio and not a routine- talk about completely taking away the excitement of a choreographer/teacher and making a very general statement. I also had a few soloists disappointed that all they received was a pin- no medal, no trophy, no nothing. My students don’t care THAT much, but talk about making yourself look so cheap it takes away a fun element for the kids. There was at least one studio that was absolutely lying about their level, and the owners of the competition did nothing about it; hurting the kids who belonged in that level and taking away high scores that were rightfully theirs. I understand they can’t control it if a studio director chooses to cheat, but as the comp director, it is your job to monitor and rectify the situation. The judges bios left much to be desired and a bias towards “classic” jazz and lyrical was evident. Speaking for other dances I watched as well, and not just my own, anything even remotely creative was blatantly ignored regardless of technique. I think it was a classic case of judges forgetting they are judging children and not professionals. I am now stuck with the task of explaining to my advanced kids why they scored exactly the same as everyone else- should be a fun conversation. We will not be back

Friday competition started at 4PM and went until 11:30PM for start of awards - felt this was too late for this, they should have stopped earlier or broken it up into two. Felt like they rushed through awards because it was so late and they had so many to get through. Master classes at 7AM are a bit too early to attend. The venue was a very old high school with a small stage - we had trouble with our larger groups to be able to dance without hitting their scaffolding at the back of the stage. I did like that they took backstage security seriously - our teachers had a lanyard to wear to identify them otherwise no one else allowed backstage.

We love Groove, just wish they would go back to two levels instead of three. It seems the leveling down when there are three levels is so much worse then when there are only two. But otherwise it is a good competition. Judging is tough which we like and competition is well ran. It was a little confusing this past year as they revamped their awards but still a solid competition.

Such a positive dance competition. Which needed to be amplified more in the competitive world ! Loved the communication between staff , studio owners , and students! My parents love the experience! Thank you so much GROOVE 💜

First time attending Groove Buffalo and sent only 2 soloists. Staff is absolutely amazing. Benjamane was great about returning emails and accommodating a schedule request. Tap judge on staff which is important and rare! Free master classes, photos and videos. Fair judging. Both our dancers placed in the overalls so obviously no favoritism for larger studios. Dressing room was a large gym but needed some folding tables and chairs. Will definitely return and register my dancers for the one of the fall conventions.

Our studio has attended this competition for the past two years and we love it. They seem very organized and the staff is friendly and helpful. The awards sessions are always a lot of fun and they really do make each studio and kid feel special. They give a free gift to each dancer and this year they had the free media fees. They really put on a wonderful event and a positive experience. We wish their nationals were closer to us!

:)

Our favorite competition the last couple years! Great staff and fun environment.

I have always loved dancing at Groove competitions. Always so well run and SO much fun during awards. I am so excited to go back because this year all photos/videos are free!!! Edit: after this past comp, everything went well (our studio did really well and comp ran ahead of schedule) but, our younger dancers struggled with the new awards system. It is harder to compare how we improve through the season when at one comp you get diamond but at others you get platinum. It’s confusing. I suggest putting it back to the way it used to be.

This is always one of our favorites! My daughter always goes as an optional for her solos! The media package alone makes it worth it but the staff is always so friendly and the venue is beautiful!

My DD has attended Groove 2 years in a row and she had the best time of her life. Groove is full of energy and passion!!!

Very excited to see my oldest compete in this competition never have done this one before

Groove always puts on a well run event. It typically runs ahead of schedule which is nice when the days can get long. My only complaint, and this is across all competitions, is the use of 3 levels. You see more leveling down when there are 3 to choose from and it leaves our team with no competition at the highest level. I think our teen small group had maybe 4 other teams to compete against. If a routine would have scored a platinum in the higher level they should automatically be bumped up.

I dont know if anyone has ever posted a review about a competition, before they attend an event, but Im going to give one any way. I will try not to stretch this out.....but I cant promise that......so dont hold me to it!! LOL!! I am a small studio, that just started its second season, and we are gearing up for an amazing season. However, last week I was involved in car wreck, that has given me a slight concussion, upper and lower back damage, spin damage, fractured foot and sprained ankle. To say the least, my days have been filled with endless pain. So this week, I received an email from my Landlord that she has a package for me. Well, I went by her office, after leaving my physical therapy session, which always leave me hurting. Anyways, I open the package to find out, that I had received a gift from Groove National Dance Competition. You see my shock and suprise, is that I have never attended a Groove Competition, at any time. I was further suprised to see that the gift was a portable blue tooth speaker, that also answers your phone. Lets just say the words............"Who does this?!!!!!!" I had to call the office and personally thank them for taking the time to validate the existence of clients that dont even attend their events. So I can only image the love and care they put into their present clients. I spoke with a gentleman by the name of Daniel and OMG.......this man is truly an amazing sole and took the time to have a conversation with me. At one point, I felt like we had known one another, simply because he and I do mean Daniel and Groove are a First Class Act!! I immediately called my competition manager and informed her that we will be attending a Groove Regionals in Dallas or Austin. I am excited be apart of a competition system, that does not hide their love for their clients, by truly allowing the celebration of dance to be their foundation!! Once again, Thank you Groove National Dance Competition for being such an amazing company and caring for your clients. The Company Project looks forward to seeing you all, really soon! Much Continued Blessings, JB

If it wasn't for the staff I would give this competition a one star review. We had read amazing things about this competition and were very excited to give it a try but with the exception of their staff nothing was good about this competition. It started with their schedule. They had all dancers 12 & under on one very long day and all 13 & up on the second very long day. These kids were expected to dance at 730am with some of their dances at 11pm while they had been dancing throughout the day. These were not elite dancers or younger dancers that danced with older dancers. The dancers were exhausted. They had master classes which seemed wonderful because the staff said if the dancers go they can get scholarships, will get tips and tricks and special recognition from the judges. So dancers in the first few dances of the day couldn't go to these classes to get special tips from the judges. This was definitely not right. Also, the master classes added to the already obscenely long day. This competition hated modern styled dances. Every single dance in the entire competition entered in modern or that used more modern style open or contemporary got a gold score. There were amazing dances in this style that people were talking about from all different dance studios that got golds because of the style. Dances that multiple people commented on how sad it was their teacher put them in elite because they looked like novices won over dances that were actually at the elite level. When listening to our critiques dances with tons of critiques got platinums and dances with golds had very little to say. One of our gold scoring dances had two of the judges comment on what an amazing dancer she was. This is not the competition for intermediate level dancers. They score intermediate and elite the same way which means your intermediates will not come out feeling good about themselves. This competition does not believe in going in any sort of order. They ran ahead which was great but you had no clue when your dancer was going to go on. Lastly, this competition has clear favorites. There were a few schools doing tap and one school had a very specific style of tap. Whenever this school was on they lowered the music. Whenever another school was on not only did they not lower the music they blasted it. One dance was still managing to have their taps heard despite the loud music so in the middle of the dance they turned the music up higher until you couldn't hear the taps!

This is our 2nd year in a row at Groove in Utica, NY. Pros: they run on time, awards are fun and lively for the dancers and audience, dressing rooms at our venue were adequate. I didn't have much communication with anyone from the actual competition so we were kind of in the dark on when to do things. I purchased a program from the merch stand and that's kind of the only way I knew when it was time to bring my dancer backstage. My biggest gripe: the media package is a great idea in theory but this year the cameras were located at the back of the theater which changed the aspect of the photos and videos. It makes it look like all the dancers are looking down, there's not one good head on shot of my dancer whatsoever, out of hundreds of photos taken!! I am pretty dissatisfied that the media package is a mandatory fee but I'm not really able to do much with the photos this year because they're from far away and from above eye level. The video is ok but my dancer did tap numbers and since they do not put microphones on the stage, there is no sound to her taps at all, it's drowned out by her music. If groove wants suggestions for the future: put camera back at stage level!! a straight on shot is what most people would like!

We went to Groove twice. The first year it good. The dressing rooms are tight and have terrible lighting. Our studio ended up bringing lamps to be able to do makeup or went outside in the heat to do makeup. The venue was great- plenty of parking and there was food for purchase. The second year the fittings rooms were uncomfortable. The competition felt rushed.. the previous year they had a parent dance off and so much interaction and they totally left it out the following year. I really hope our studio doesn't return.

We attended the OCMD Nationals this year and had a blast. Not only did my daughter perform but I entered in the parent dance battle. It was fun for both of us. Love the live stream for out of town family as well.

Our studio attended Groove for the first time this year. We attended Indianapolis regionals and Myrtle Beach Nationals. The competition is well organized and ran ahead of schedule. Unlike some other competitions that judge dances on entertainment value, and props; Groove is professional and judges the kids on technique and dance ability. My kids really enjoyed the convention classes and the extra activities like the Beach Bash and Gala. The awards ceremony at Groove is fun and rewarding for all the kids. Every child walks away with a good feeling regardless of how they scored. The only draw back with Myrtle Beach SC is that they have out grown that building. It was way too busy and there were never enough seats for parents wanting to watch. All the girls were crammed in one room to dress and they boys were supposed to dress on the second floor of the hotel next door. This was definitely not an option for quick changes. Overall, Groove was an amazing experience and I would recommend it to anyone.

I loved that we received a video of the dances. We had a great time!

Had a great time at Groove as usual but I don't like the 3 levels they started this past year. I find that when competitions break out 3 levels as opposed to 2, studios level down. We basically competed against ourselves the entire weekend as there were no other studios in the advanced division. There were plenty of amazing routines in the intermediate division that could have easily competed advanced.

Had a great time last month at Groove Nationals in Myrtle Beach even though my cell phone didn't work at all at the Hilton for some reason. As a parent, I love the picture/video package. It is totally worth the registration fee to receive a link to everything. The staff is very quick to get that link out too. Can't wait to attend again in 2018.

Probably one of the favorites for my daughter. The stage was nice and big and the announcer and awards were well organized. Also I didn't mind at all paying the media fee to be able to have access to photos and videos after the comp. So much easier than doing it right at the comp.

I heard nothing but good things about this competition. They are always sold out... & since we attended I really can't understand why.... Loved the staff & the technology. Great video & photo deals. But otherwise I'm not a fan of this competition. Favored lyrical & contemporary. Like 5 platinums were given out the entire weekend we were there. They double up in the top 10 which is ridiculous. Nobody does that really anymore. And I wish they acknowledged the top 10 in all levels. Judging was inconsistent for us compared to everywhere else we went this past year. Until they change their scoring rules we will not be back.

The event staff were incredible. Friendly, professional and very well organized. Love the look of the stage. I would like to see them reconsider the top 3 for novice and top 5 for intermediate. Also, when you allow solos to place more than once, it is really limiting. (no sour grapes, my DD placed twice, but I kinda felt bad for the others because she took 2 places).

We loved everything about Groove, except for the adjudications and the scoring system... The event was awesome and very high-tech. The staff was super easy to work with and very friendly! The photo/video collection you receive after the event is a really nice feature. Their judging was poor and bias, and overtly favored Contemporary and Lyrical routines. The judges obviously did not know how to score Hip Hop properly, and their comments regarding our Advanced Tap dancers did not make sense. Our diamond/perfect platinum/high scoring routines walked away with golds and high golds. Being the end of the season, we expect our dancers to be their best, and they were exceptional all weekend. We feel like we wasted good money and awesome performances at a poorly judged competition. If your studio is geared towards Lyrical and Contemporary or Modern, this is the competition for you... However, passion in dancing can be reflected in all styles of dance, and we did not see so many other styles earning accolades.

Groove is always a great competition. I enjoy how the Groove Crew is always so accommodating with quick changes and back to back routines. The thing I never like is the limited changing room space. Girls are always so cramped. At this particular venue I was walking around the school and bumped into a few girls who made their own changing area down a dimly lit hallway just to have a little more space.

Groove is such a great competition. Thanks all Groove staffs, judges, officers to make San Diego CA Regional Competition possible. It's my first time to attend Groove's competition. I really enjoyed it and had a great experience. The competition was effienct, well-organized, and inspiring. Groove staffs were very patient and responsible while planning the competition. When I had a schedule request and some questions about the the competition, Groove staffs and officers were all very willing to help. After the competition, I got the video critiques, score sheets, photos online in one week. Thanks Groove team coordinated the competition very well. And I will encourage more dancers for attending this competition. Thank you!

We attended groove regionals this past weekend in Escondido, CA. I have always loved groove and will continue to take my studio each year. The staff is wonderful and ran very professionally. From online registration all the way to the actual event. Judging is hard and platinums aren't just given out. I like that the dancers have to work hard for one. Dressing rooms have always been my favorite here. Each studio is assigned a separate room and I love that they added an additional level (competitive) this season. You also receive videos and pictures for all of the routines within the week. I give groove 5 stars and love that they are inspired by passion. Highly recommended. -Jaqualyne Montenegro

First experience with Groove & we really enjoyed it! Ran very ahead of schedule. Love the Xtra awards given. My two biggest issues: I wish awards were broken out more. Maybe solos/duet/trios can have own awards & not have to wait for hours. Stage was so overcrowded with 100s of dancers onstage. 2nd issue & biggest disappointment: only top 5 for intermediate solos. There were 33 girls in Junior level. Sad that there wasn't a top 10 at least. These girls work so hard every day. Just would be nice to acknowledge them. Top 5 just wasn't enough. ( My daughter did make top 5) but again just feel it's better to acknowledge more dancers. I do know that is in Groove rules that intermediate is only top 5.

Lots of fun fornandance competition! Ty kids always have fun

Loved the staff and how this competition ran, only down fall way to many kids on the stage for awards that they all didn\'t fit. First time this competition was in our area so hopefully it was a one time thing.

One of our favorite competitions. They almost always run ahead of schedule. Their awards are full of fun and the MC\'s are energetic and entertaining. Their judging is fair and they give good, constructive feedback.

This is one of our favorite competitions, regional and nationals! They have the kids dance education and growth at heart coupled with helping them have an amazing time!

Great Competition!! Very organized & friendly staff. Competition was running way ahead of schedule, but they never made the dancers feel rushed. LOVE the live feed that they offer for friends & family that aren\'t able to be in attendance!! Looking forward to many more competitions with Groove!

Love groove!! our favorite of the year!

competed as an independent - we LOVE Groove - I wish we can always come to Groove!!! So personable and so friendly!!!

Once again, Groove Nationals was wonderful! The sets were more simplified and less obtrusive. It ran smoothly and on time (or early-even better!) The judges were very tough but fair. Very few Platinum Awards handed out, the kids really had to work for it. The best part was the judges at the Jam Finals were different than the judges during the week. So there was no chance of favoritism or repeat scores. My only negative comments (otherwise-5 stars) are that I wish the stage was bigger. Some of the production performances could not fit on the stage well. Also, the problem is that the lighting during the Jam Awards was way too dark. You could not see the girls faces when the trophys were given out. You really want to see those smiles when the pictures come out and they were so dark you couldn\'t tell who\'s who. This is a once in a lifetime moment and its obscured by darkness. Please turn up the lights next year!

I will admit that I did not enjoy the regional event we attended but nationals was an entirely different ball game. Our girls had an absolute blast. The judging was extremely tough but I think Groove is known for that. If you received a platinum it was definitely earned. The master classes were great, the beach bash was a lot of fun, and ending with the JAM was great way to end an amazing week. My one complaint was how early they ran. I know that should be a good thing but at one point they were trying to send our girls back stage, an hour and a half early, and we were still missing a dancer and the dance teacher. Also, the girls complained a little about the configuration of the stage. There were some ill placed lights which made one dancer unable to complete a combo due to her position on the stage or she would have burned herself on the light. Otherwise the week was fantastic and we would definitely recommend coming back to Groove.

I love this competition!!! I highly recommend it to everyone for its professionalism and friendly staff !! We went to that\'s entertainment and they were HORRIBLE!!!! Rude and disorganized !! But this competition made us feel welcome and definitely had a better flow with awards and overall event ! I love them judges they are sooo knowledgable

REFRESHING! Finally a competition that has its act together, great staff love the awards and I feel very fair not like some competitions that give every studio something to make them happy, years ago when we started competing you only won if you deserved it now they do not want to offend anyone because they want them to come back to them with their thousands of dollars,the amount of competitions out there now so I feel they reward so they can benefit NOT Groove they are fair and great to every dancer but in my opinion they reward the dancers who deserve it. When we started we would ( after losing) get in that studio and work harder, and we did and we reached that level just when the competitions started to reward everyone, hey competition owner we are dance teachers some of us may have more experience than your judges that is what is insulting and I am not talking about us winning all the time but we know when we watch a number also who is technically trained, we almost stopped our competition team till we found Groove so thank you for keeping it real!!! Also not charging so much soon parents are not going to be able to afford to have their children to compete, wonderful job Groove we love everything about our weekends with you and will be at every regional in our area! Thank you!!!

Absolutely loved this competition. Very well put together - the judges critiques were extremely helpful. Hopefully we can go again next year.

Went to Groove for the first time last weekend in Phoenix. I wasn\'t sure what to expect as most of what I had read was that the judges scored hard. I agree the scoring may have seemed hard to some but I believe they were fair across the board. The best part were the judges comments. They actually provided several useful, and accurate feedback which I feel most competitions lack. THANK YOU Ashley, Matt and Mark!!!!!

Really enjoyed this competition the scoring was tough but fair. Loved the instagram option, and the videos of the girls on the screens when they posted stuff. The MC and people working the competition were very nice and made awards fun.A girl got asked to prom during awards, and they were accomondating and nice to the young man doing the asking. My child scored well, but for the life of me, I don\'t know what she recieved for an award, (Trophy, bracelet tiara....what have you). After so many comps, that stuff starts to pile up, no matter what you get. The venue was convenient, and we didn\'t have problems with dressing rooms like some people from other states had. If this comp comes back to our area, I would be very happy if we went again.

Our girls had a great time dancing this past weekend with Groove. The competing studios made for a challenging but fun weekend. Our only complaint was that the judging seemed to be all over the place, it had no cohesion. Routines you thought would score well didn\'t and those that lacked good technique scored high. This didn\'t happen with every category though so nothing was consistent. They had a great setup for going backstage but the dressing rooms were far away making it difficult for quick changes. The staff was great and very accommodating. They kept us updated as the comp ran early so there were no surprises.

I have to say this was a well run and organized competition. The staff was extremely friendly & helpful. We actually enjoyed the competition until awards! The judging here is astronomical...I still haven\'t figured out how they were judging not only our kids, but other studios as well?? One of my children described it like this \"defeated\" & \"lost my confidence \". These children put a lot of time, effort, blood sweat and tears only to be knocked down so harshly seemed so cruel. I understand that judging is subjective, but the kids aren\'t \"ballet teachers\" or have worked at Radio City Music...they are children that love the art of dance and should remember such. It\'s a sad day when my child was so defeated they have decided to no longer participate in competition. This is not what we signed up for at Groove, it was supposed to uplift the child to work harder. I suggest you make a novice, middle of the road, & competitive categories. Also, this competition started on Friday night at 5:00 forcing us who have very long drives to take our children out of school. Then ended around 9:30 or so forcing the kids to be tired for school the next day. So to reiterate please think about adding 3 levels and maybe employing judges who don\'t expect some of the children to be \"professional\" dancers!

We are just returning from a great weekend at Groove in Toledo, Ohio! This was our first time with the competition and we are so impressed. It was well run, organized, and went above and beyond in terms of customer service, fun for the kids, and overall impression. They had an info desk at the front entrance that was always staffed for people who had questions and they had lots of very clear signage for dressing rooms, backstage, etc. . . We LOVED that the backstage had a holding area. Only directors and teachers backstage, too- which was awesome. It allowed the kids to focus and kept traffic to minimum- allowing everyone to do their best. Awards went fast and were fun. We were thrilled to see some tough judging and no levels- it pushed our kids to be their best! Platinums were reserved for only the very best, which is the way it should be. Groove is a class act and we would highly recommend it!

We had such a great time at Groove until the awards. Lol. We are truly a \"middle of the road studio\" - not top level dancers and certainly not beginner level. Our dance parents wouldn\'t like nor would we feel comfortable entering everything in the novice level but our dancers are certainly not ready to compete at the top level. This competition, while fun and very organized and professional isn\'t for the \"average and good\" studios - we were left with almost no overall placements. If Groove ever added an intermediate/third level we would go back but until then...:(. Too bad because our parents and instructors loved it. Again until awards. For other studio owners reading, we typically place In the top 3 at the middle level at other competitions.

We had a mixed experience at Groove. We loved so much about the competition until awards time. That\'s when disappointment set in. The actual stage, lighting, sound, technical elements of the performance space were very nice. The live stream was fantastic -- in terms of quality and clarity and sophisticated integration of multiple camera angles. This strength of the competition yielded very good images and videos. The media fee of $22 covered images and videos for dancers, which was an outstanding aspect of the competition. It was a very economical way to provide quality media products at a reasonable price for everyone. I think that benefit of Groove helped me not care so much that the actual awards/trophies were minimal at best. The pace of the competition ran smoothly, although there were times dances were put on stage so quickly that I wasn\'t sure the judges were completely focused on the dance on stage (perhaps still processing the dancer before). Our daughter, a seasoned dance competitor, was distracted by how loudly the judges spoke into their microphones. After listening to the audio files, I don\'t think that was on purpose, but it was loud. Our primary concern came during awards. We were floored at how low and inconsistent the scores seemed to be -- especially for competitive dancers. Gold was awarded for dances that did not appear to have significant issues. Certain styles of dance seemed more favorably scored (especially more edgy dances). Large studios dominated with dances that weren\'t more technically solid/skillfully performed. We waited to listen to the judges\' remarks to try to understand the Gold scores our daughter received --only to be more perplexed. The judges who scored her the lowest had virtually nothing corrective to say. The judge who gave the most corrective feedback also awarded the highest scores. It was very hard for our dancer to understand how her dances were scored so much lower than usual when she did her personal best that night.

Loved this competition. Even though the first night ran pretty late, everything was professional and the venue tried to stay on track. Even though program stated there wouldn\'t be much jumping around, after the first set of awards, there were quite a lot...but still overall, staff was nice and friendly...and judging seemed very fair.

Pro: Very friendly staff, nice awards ceremony (not over bloated with fluff stuff), tough judging but not unfair. Our studio did not do as well as we usually do but I think that was a good thing to bring perspective on the dance world. Con: Dressing rooms were a 5 minute walk from the stage and up a flight of stairs (I\'m not exaggerating). Surely there are better venues in Lancaster or nearby? Because of this distance everything ran out of order so you couldn\'t leave to get lunch or dinner for fear of missing your call time. Comp also ran over an hour ahead which may sound good but when you set arrival times for routines having a comp run this early invalidates them. We had girls dressed for one routine but because not all the dancers had arrived yet made them change into a different routine to keep things moving. Very proud of how are girls handled this, but really didn\'t make for a fun experience.

LOVED this competition! Brought two dancers as independents and had a great experience! From registration to competition day everyone was so professional and helpful. We were a bit unorganized to say the least and yet everyone assisted us and was so kind! Competition was very well run and organized. We will definitely be recommending Groove to our dance studio and hope we can attend again with our studio competition team next season!!

We are excited to return to this event in 2016, we loved them in 2015!

I must say I really enjoyed attending this competition. The staff were friendly in person and over the phone. The awards were pretty good as well. My only issue is that they are popular in our area and they don\'t offer enough venues so they sell out quickly. I guess that\'s also a compliment lol.

Great competition, well run and organized. I love that we received all photos and videos.

Groove remains a favorite year after year. Amazing consistency in all aspects from judging, to customer service , to the atmosphere and just being really well run.

I was impressed by this competition. The judges were tough, and gave helpful comments. It was run quite smoothly and were quite accommodating with our back-to-back dances.

We love groove!Fun through the whole weekend!

WE LOVE GROOVE!!! Super fun staff, and teachers! The competition ran ahead schedule but ran smoothly. So much fun, can\'t wait compete again!

One of our Favorite Competitions, staff is always great ! Love that TVs outside of room so you are aware whats going on without going into the room. the Livestream was AWESOME for nationals everyone was able to see my daughter dance without physically going to nationals the Jam was SO much fun! cant wait to see my daughter perform this up coming year. Lots of other greats schools / dancers we met while we were there

Very accommodating! Wonderful staff, and such a fun competition. We will definitely come back!

Great staff and well run. Kids have fun!

Really great competition !! Kids have a blast . Very professionally run .

Great competition and conventions! Kids always have so much fun, which is what it\'s all about!

Love this competition. They run on time and have state of the art equipment. Love how you can watch the performance on stage from the tvs outside so you know what number they are on between costume changes. The staff always appears happy and the backstage crew is always having fun with the kids.

Love this competition!!

Wonderful experience! The judging was tough but fair. I really loved that they brought in 2 extra Guest Judges for \"The Jam\" so that way, the same judges weren\'t the only ones scoring the same dances they had just seen a few hours earlier and during the week. One Judge was from the tap group Syncopated Ladies who also preformed before \"The Jam\". The best part was the live stream video so our family back home could watch and share in the excitement. I was texting family as our kids were being announced so they could run to the computer and watch. I\'m told the video was crystal clear and the sound was great. I dont know if it was the venue but the lighting was much better than it was at Regionals, I can\'t wait to see the video. But during the Jam Awards, they must have shut the lights off because all our pictures are dark and it was hard to see. I\'m also hoping they filmed the awards ceremonies during the week and at The Jam. That\'s something you really want to have on dvd. I\'m hoping if they do Ocean City again, they find a better hotel to have it.

We had a great time, once again, at your competition. We had some really quick changes on the schedule, but the staff was accommodating, allowing us to put a number or two earlier on the schedule to minimize later delays. Family who were unable to join us at the competition loved the live feed. The kids also liked being able to go back immediately to review their performances. It also allowed us to gauge arrival times at to the venue. The judges seemed to be fair and were personable. One of the judges stopped my daughter in the lobby, giving her some additional feedback and thoughts on her solo. That meant the world to my daughter. Because of the size of the venue, seating for the Jam was a little crazy. But we didn\'t have the disturbance of all the conversations in the back of the room like there was at nationals last year. Thanks for running a great week!

What an amazing time I, my staff, my dancers and their families had at GROOVE Ocean City Nationals this week. Parents could not stop talking about how well run and organized the competition was, how friendly and accessible the staff was, and how much they enjoyed the overall experience. The dancers were so excited by the positive atmosphere that GROOVE created and are still talking about what fun they had at the Beach Bash and Gala in addition to the actual competition. My staff and I had such a stress free experience each and every day as a result of their impeccable attention to every detail. I am continuously amazed at what GROOVE has created in just four short years in an industry that is filled with long established organizations that are no where near this caliber.

Great comp. Organized and fair. Hoping we go back next season!

My first criticism on this comp is the videos. The lighting is awful and the videos come out very dark every year. Especially the girls in the back row, you cannot see their faces.The background is dark, the lighting is dark and if the costumes are dark, its a mess. I know there may be some limitations because of the venues but cant they either bring in lights or choose a better venue with decent lights? I cannot see the kids faces in the video. Its SO not worth the money if I cannot see my childs face. My other peeve is the judges. Not only did they score low but the weekend we were there-all 3 judges were Musical Theater performers. So naturally, all the other categories like Lyrical, Tap and Contemporary were given crap scores and the Musical Theater acts were bumped up. Why can\'t these comps have more well rounded and versatile judges. Please don\'t tell me that there are NO dance judges out there who know more that ONE style of dance and can judge accurately. Also, our kids routines were clean and no mistakes and they got equal scores as routines where one of the kids fell on stage. I\'m not a judge but I have eyes. If someone answers these comments, please explain to me why a routine that someone falls down can score the same as a clean routine? Its not possible that all three judges blinked or passed out at the same time and didnt see a kid wipe out.

Always wanted to try Groove and after nearly 19 competing with my kids I did. The staff was super nice and it ran ahead of schedule. We had a few celeb dancers from tv at our venue. Which as I predicted was not going to be good for anyone. I was right. Deservedly so for one circumstance. An absolutely amazing hip hop # to die for. Not so much for the others. But whatever. Our studio still placed well, right behind, considering we should have scored better. Our routines were cleaner. Judges were partial to celebs studio, acro tricks, contemp dances, and not well versed in tap or lyrical or entertainment value. Awkward acro tricks do not make a dance. But it is odd that one studio received most platinum awards in competitive. I like contemporary but comps need to judge fairly. Or you will have a boring competition with only that because anyone can do it. Not everyone can do an amazing platinum worthy tap (which he usually gets)or an emotional technical lyrical or even an action packed musical theatre piece. I read the judges bios and predicted our scores and said we won\'t place here for solos. I was right. We always have fun though.

I LOVE this competition. this year was my first year competing her and it was absolutely wonderful i loved it sooo much everyone was so nice and friendly. definitely worth the drive from northern va to NJ for this comp, will be returning!

We had a good experience at Groove. I loved the fact that there were very few platinums. Dancers had to earn it!!! My dancers loved the social media aspect -- every photo you tagged was posted on screens throughout the venue the entire weekend. We will return to Groove if we can work it into our schedule.

Friendly staff, positive energy. They make getting a platinum tough and rewarding. The judges were fair and used the range of adjudication well. Awards were upbeat, moved quickly but still included plenty of \"judges awards\" as well as a quick parent dance-off. The venue was not ideal, but overall, a very strong experience.

First time at Groove, and we loved it! Schedule ran on time or ahead all weekend. The organizers were very accommodating when we had a scheduling issue. My favorite part of this comp, however, was the scoring - they did not hand out Platinums like candy, and quite a few dances were adjudicated as High Silver. Those that received Platinum definitely deserved it. Out of about 26 competitive teen duo/trios, only 3 got Platinum, and out of about 47 competitive junior solos, only 5 got Platinum. So nice to see a comp where the scoring means something! The MC ran awards smoothly and quickly. Our dancers didn\'t seem to miss the trophies at all, and as a parent, I am happy to have one less piece of hardware to stash somewhere at home. Only suggestion with awards is to possibly not hold all awards for dances from 8 am to 6 pm in one session - perhaps add one mid-point award around 1, and keep the two later ones. Regardless, it was a wonderful experience and I hope my studio chooses to return next year. Thanks, Groove, for a great weekend!

This was our first time to attend a Groove competition. It was a very positive experience. From the registration to the awards, everyone on the Groove staff was very helpful and kind. Thank you for making our final regional competition a great one!

We attended Groove for the first time this weekend. We had a good experience. The back stage people, and all the staff, really, were terrific. The biggest thing I didn\'t like was that on Saturday, there was only one awards ceremony for the whole day and it didn\'t start until 11:00 pm. My daughter had been at the venue since 6:30 am for the master class. It was just a long time for her to be at the venue. I liked how the whole competition ran a little bit ahead of schedule. Also, the staff was very accommodating when my daughter became ill. I would have like for trophies to be given out (especially since my daughter won her solo category) but I heard several people say that they liked the \"greener\" approach with no trophies given.

Love this competition. Ran early all weekend and the entire staff was great. This was our second year to attend Groove and it has been a great experience for my daughter both years. I would like to see the girls in the novice level recognized the same as the girls in the competitive level and have a top 10 overall as well. The judging seemed to be fair and consistent.

Attended Groove for the 1st time this season and it\'s already on our must return list. Well run, nice energy, friendly staff. Their judging was spot on and critiques extremely helpful. Keep doing what you\'re doing.

Overall Groove was a good competition. We ran two hours early most of the time, the backstage staff was amazing and the director answered all my questions with a smile and genuine concern. However, we do not feel the judging was fair. I know that it\'s one set of opinions on one particular day, but there wer dances that won overalls that were NOT good and even people from other studios commented. The Novice division is a joke. They shouldn\'t even have it. Our dancers are brand new and they only give a 1st overall. This isn\'t fair, as our dancers put in the time and pay the same amount of entry fees. It was heartbreaking, as our dancers performed awesome and there was NO recongnition except for a pin and no plaque or trophy for a small town studio to display for the community. Definitely will not attend again and disappointing as this is a platinum rated compeition, but not for small studios.

Attended a Groove convention in the fall. The faculty were inspiring and great with the kids. Recently attended a Groove competition. Reputable judges, who in my opinion, judged fairly. Talented group of kids competing. Groove Director and staff are friendly and approachable. Well organized, and efficiently run program. Overall competition was ahead of schedule. Fun and exciting awards ceremony. Will definitely attend again!

*As a studio owner, attending a competition that allows the use of ipads is a bonus! Burning 80 cd’s and 80 back up cd’s vs. submitting 1 ipad is a huge time saver… and no worries about the possibility of a cd skipping. *Parent dance-offs at awards are always fun and our whole studio looks forward to being involved in the event. The emcee for awards in New England deserves a Platinum ! (Annette?) She never misses a beat and she is just a “real” person /funny, and not scripted. * At a GROOVE event they expect dancers follow dance etiquette and I love this!.. NOBODY storms the stage for awards and I am so happy to see a competition take a stand on this. Dancers must enter the stage through the audience. I have attended many competitions where the last number is performing and dancers are packed into the wings while the performance is going on . This is distracting to the dancer(s) performing and just disrespectful. Kudos to Groove for teaching dancers to be respectful. *Groove offers a free master class for all dancers at their competition. It’s a great way for the dancers to start out the day, the teachers have been great, and our students have always enjoyed the classes. *Critiques have been useful with good comments. *Groove is “current”. For instance this year if you took a photo at the event and tagged it on instagram with their GROOVE hash tag it would appear on a big screen in the audience during breaks. Our dancers loved this! They had so much fun taking pics backstage then seeing them while the were in the audience. They also have a huge screen in the hallway where dancers line up indicating what number is performing and what number is coming up after that! No more rummaging through my bag trying to find my program. I really have enjoyed watching this competition grow and love the direction they are taking.

Groove is by far my FAVORITE competition. The judging is very fair, it always runs early and the staff are the nicest people you will ever meet! Before awards they bring parents or teachers onstage for a dance battle and that is very fun and different than most competitions. I love that they offer a free master class at the beginning of the day and I also love that you get all the pictures and videos of your studio for a minimal cost. They also have a harder scorer system and platinums are given out minimally. It is very exciting when you get a platinum because you know that you really had to work for it! This is my third year attending Groove and they just continue to improve as the years go on. I recommend this competition so everyone!!! Awesome!! Love Groove!!!!!

Our studio has been going to Groove for the past several years and have thoroughly enjoyed all the competitions. It seems like they are always trying to make improvements, year after year, whether it\'s a better venue, bigger stage, etc. This is the only competition I\'ve been to where the owner walks around to speak to not only studio directors but also to parents to get their ideas and opinions. I love that they have a large monitor outside the auditorium showing which dance is currently performing. New this year was a smaller monitor below showing the dance number performing and the next dance on deck. Super helpful! Got a preview of new technology for next year and I can\'t wait. The backstage group is genuinely concerned for the kids. When Cassie came to look for the next few performers, she always asked after the girls to make sure they were ok, ready to go on, not rushing them. I love that they keep the competition running smoothly, not cramming too many numbers into not enough time. This allowed us to run early each day. RE: the judging, it seemed like the judging tough, but consistent and fair, differentiating the dances a bit more than at other competitions. Absolutely love that the DVD of the studio numbers and access to the photos come with registration! My only suggestion would be to change the scheduling a little. While I understand the reasoning behind putting all the large groups, small groups, productions, solos, duos/trios of the same age group on the same day, it can be exhausting for the kids to start the day at 8 am and run until late into the night. While it\'s nice to get most numbers done in one day, it\'s physically and mentally exhausting for the kids (and the moms).

Chester was a blast. Great Competition with dancers of high caliber. Ran early. Fun awards ceremony and I love the fact that awards were kept short and sweet at night. Looking forward to Nationals in AC.

Wonderful as usual! Ran early, fair judging (with one exception) and new technology with a monitor showing the performance on stage and next upcoming dance. My exception to the judging was this. During more than one routine this weekend, a dancer had either tripped, or lost their balance or totally fell down. It didn\'t seem like any points were taken because they also received High Golds, the same score or higher as girls who danced their routine clean. Technique was not so extraordinary that would compensate for a fall. Were these extra points give as consolation? I heard some parents complain about this and wonder why bother even having a competition if everyone gets the same score whether they do well or not.

Going to Groove in Lancaster, PA was our studio\'s very first competition. I couldn\'t be happier that this was my students first experience with the competition world. We had an issue with one of our girls and as soon as I spoke with the Groove on the phone, they said come meet with Daniel as soon as you get a chance. I was so happy to be introduced to Daniel and he was so nice and personable and we couldn\'t be more thankful. The entire staff was more than friendly and wishing good luck and congratulating every number on and off the stage. they helped build confidence when our girls were nervous and were genuinely nice. Our girls had an awesome time in the Master Classes in the morning and during the awards ceremonies. It was truly awesome. We will definitely be back to Groove because they definitely helped fuel our passion for dance!

This competition is poorly organized, and runs late. The venue was not very nice. And the judging was biased. My studio determined we will not be returning.

Groove is fantastic from set-up and stage, to judging and communication to dancers, teachers, parents, & studio directors. It is one of the most professionally run competitions our studio has ever attended. The staff was amazingly wonderful and extremely helpful. They take the time to make the kids feel like they are special! The only one thing that I did not like was the fact that Novice dancers were not recognized like competitive dancers in awards. Competitive groups, soloists, & duets/trios all have a Top 10. For the Novice entries, they only recognize the Top 1st Overall. Novice dancers work just as hard and pay the same entry fee. I feel like they should be recognized just as the competitive dancers are...with a Top 10. I hope Groove is receptive to the feedback I have provided. I certainly hope that our studio continues to attend Groove. Overall, it was an amazing experience.

absolute worst comp i have ever been to in 12 yrs!it is clearly fixed so the owner\'s friends at studios score best.when u have dancers that score consistently in the same range for yrs it is not possible to come here and bomb for no reason!the judges this weekend were not paying attention most of the time&showed absolutely no emotion to the dancers on stage,but I guess that is bc they didn\'t have to since scores were most likely pre-determined. we saw judges interacting with dancers which should NEVER be allowed!as a studio that has some strong dancers and dances that have been that way for yrs it was an insult to perform for judges that had no idea what they were looking at. the only positive is that we saw so many other amazing talented dancers that were unfairly scored and after 3 long days u do begin to speak to others and so many other studios felt the exact same way!don\'t waste your money, your time and most importantly your talent on this competition bc at first you begin to question why the dance scored the way it did then you realize the pattern and that most of the amazing talent was getting consistently screwed as well, u realize what a joke this comp really is! my daughters last words on the ride home about this comp was...what a waste of time, energy & working hard! I second that! Oh and the owner is so full of himself and arrogant! He is clearly in this for the $$$. So many better ones to attend spare yourself the torture at this one with the fixed results anyway!

Such a fun weekend! Runs on time!

We are big fans of Groove! Nice staff and fun event!

Overall it was an okay experience.. Last year was SOOOO much better than this year. What was the most disappointing thing for me was the judging.. 1. I understand you can\'t win them all 2. I do believe that as a judge you should draw a line when there is inappropriate music, such as Anaconda and stick to the rules about disqualifying a dance from the category if it is THAT bad, which it was! 3. As a judge, you are to explain and give corrections... if you are going to deduct points from something explain to us why! Don\'t tell us \"Oh, cool\",\"Neat\", \"I like that\" critique our students!!! That\'s what you\'re getting paid for!!!

with the variety of genres we see at competition these days and over 70 soloists in a division, category winners should get better recognition. Without a category plaque or trophy, the soloists should get more than a pin.

I think this is a great convention.! I\'ll go back every year!

I think this is a great comp. Unfortunately, we could not attend this year, but last year was fabulous. LOVE that we paid a small fee for all the pictures. Who does that? So fabulous especially since we spend so much money on dance all year. I hope they still do that. Thanks GROOVE!