Wow. Still in disbelief. In all the years our team has attended Groove comps, we have never experienced the extremely skewed adjudications of this years nationals. Sure thru the years theres been the usual talk of the the large studios who are highly favored. And if you've been in the comp world long enough you know its true and it happens. It's just how it goes. But that isn't even my complaint here. The judging at the 2024 Nationals was just horrible. Low scores all around for many, many of the studios attending. And I mean LOW. It was all you heard dancers and teachers and directors talking about in the audience in the elevators in the restaurants. It was so disheartening for everyone. The complaints were not about the big studios sweeping, or even overall placements. It was about the individual scores. Entries that earned elite diamonds in Groove regionals were now diamonds. Diamonds in Groove regionals were elite sapphires at nationals. With many saying their dancers performed their numbers so much better at nationals!So many studios were voicing this during the week that it quickly became apparent that this was not isolated incidents. I have never seen so many elite sapphires and diamonds in the competitive division. So I waited until we got our judges critiques before posting this. And now I can confirm. The judging was absolutely skewed. The low ball scores did not correspond with the judges comments at all. AT ALL. Few to no corrections. Empty useless comments, and gushing compliments that did not match the scores. It was a horrible way for dancers, ours included, to end their season. We are so over you Groove.
Hello, We are sorry to hear we did not meet your expectations and that you were disappointed in our Nationals this year. Dance, as an art form, is inherently subjective. Each panel of judges brings their own unique perspective and expertise to the table. They strive to provide fair and constructive feedback while also offering encouragement to the dancers. We understand that there can be variances in scoring from one event to another. We would like to discuss this matter further with the studio's director, as we are always open to hearing feedback to help us improve. Thank you for sharing your concerns, and we hope to have the opportunity to restore your confidence in Groove.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to your team . My team and I had a truly memorable and enjoyable experience at the recent Groove Dance Competition. First and foremost, I want to extend special thanks to the judging panel. Their professionalism and fair judgment ensured the integrity and competitiveness of the competition. They provided thoughtful evaluations of each dancer's performance, which made us feel respected and valued. Secondly, I want to commend the choice of competition venue. The facilities were excellent, with impressive stage setups and lighting effects that provided us with an ideal platform to showcase our dance skills. Additionally, the organization and management by the staff were impeccable, ensuring a smooth and orderly competition process without any delays or confusion. Lastly, I want to thank all the staff involved in the Groove Dance Competition. Their warm service and professionalism made us feel right at home. Whether it was providing competition information or resolving issues, they were always patient and responsive, making our competition experience more enjoyable and seamless. Overall, the Groove Dance Competition provided us with a challenging and passionate stage to showcase our talents and compete alongside other outstanding dancers. Once again, thank you to your team for their hard work and excellent performance. I look forward to the opportunity to participate in your future competitions!
Hello, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this review! We are ecstatic that your team had such a wonderful experience at a Groove event. We can't wait to see you in 2025!
We were so excited to try Groove for the first time. It was our first comp of the season which is never our “best”, so of course we keep an open mind with judging and scoring. This is the most important thing for us as a studio. You can have the best merch, nice gifts for studio owners, be 2 hours early, but if the judging, scoring, and critiques seem off then we don’t want anything to do with it. Unfortunately, after seeing bigger studios consistently being the only ones that placed in the Top 3, we realized there were way more politics involved than we’d hoped. After many of my parents and teachers noticed, we read other reviews which proved our theories correct. We then received our critiques and they were slim to NONE. We got about 3 critiques from each judge…THREE. But then we didn’t place high? If we’re only getting 3 critiques, then I’m assuming my kids did AMAZING! There were 2 male judges and (to no one’s surprise) ANY dance with a male dancer, won. Did not matter how they performed, that dance won. The photos cut off after about a minute into the dance. No ending pose photos. Pricing is INSANELY high compared to all other comps we attend. The awards are also these huge circles and that’s just a personal opinion that they’re unnecessary and no way to aesthetically display in a studio. Needless to say, if you’re taking under 30 dances, don’t have any male dancers, and actually care about good critiques to improve your dancers and choreography, don’t bother attending Groove.
Hello, Thank you for taking the time to leave this review. We are very sorry that this is the impression you have after attending a Groove event. We strive to create a fun, welcoming and fair environment at each one of our events where politics and favoritism is out of the picture. Our judges are selected and trained through a rigorous hiring process that we put in place. This situation you are describing is certainly out of character for our Judges. If you are willing, we would love to discuss this and the experience you had at our event further. Please email us at information@groovecompetition.com
I have to say for the first time attending Groove Competition this weekend I was not pleased. I will say it was organized and ran early, although we waited an hour to start back so couldn’t even get out early. What I do have the major issue with is it seemed very political, the studio with the most dances won over technically trained dancers. I’m not one who believes everyone deserves a trophy or should win because they are my routines, in fact every single one of my routines goes in competitive so they can compete against good dancers. I’m also not blind to how the competition world works, I know it is very political. However, when my dancers are doing clean in sync a la seconde turn combinations with 6 or more dancers, and the other studio is falling out of double pirouettes, that does not make sense to me. You can’t deny clean technique over “movement”. Meanwhile I had some routines with mistakes and the kids knew it wasn’t a good run, but they were the highest placements from our studio. I have a dancer who is consistently 1st or 2nd overall with their solo since they were a mini (now 15), and they were 6th (even competing against the same studios that were there before). My group routines are typically top 5 and they weren’t even placing in the top 10. In favor of the big studio with messy routines that weren’t together and sloppy technique. There was a studio there that had phenomenal routines, they should’ve won over my own routines, and they also weren’t placing over the big studio either. They didn’t even try to hide the favoritism. Overall, very disappointing competition and will not be back.
Thank you for your feedback. We appreciate all insight shared with us so we can continue to grow and create fun, fair and inspirational events for all in attendance. We are very sorry to hear you had a less than ideal experience at your event. Our judges, who have an extensive background in dance, score all routines based on technique, execution & showmanship, as well as costume & choreography. Our judging panel's are unable to view any information about a routine other than its level, age and division. We strive to create a fun, welcoming and fair environment at each one of our events where politics and favoritism is out of the picture. If you are willing, we would love to discuss this and the experience you had at our event further. Please email us at information@groovecompetition.com
We have been competing at Groove since 2012 and have always had the best experience. The staff is amazing, professional, efficient, and fun! I love how they keep the backstage organized so only the dancers performing and the teachers are backstage. The dressing room had designated spaces for each studio so we could all stay together. We had an amazing time and the dancers left inspired and excited. Thanks for another great year!
Hi! Thank you so much for your kind words. We are so glad you enjoyed spending part of your competition season with us. Looking forward to seeing you in 2025!
This was my first time back at Groove in nearly a decade, and it’s even worse than I remember it being. We could tell the judging was inconsistent from the first night of competition, and things only continued to escalate throughout the rest of the weekend. It was incredibly unclear what the judges were looking for, or how they were judging each routine. This was true for my own studio, as well as others, and across all levels and age groups. There seemed to be no standard for adjudications, and there was such a wide range between dances that were given “diamonds” versus “elite sapphires.” It’s extremely disheartening and disappointing when you feel the judging is skewed based on the judges’ own personal likes and dislikes, rather than what is just good dancing. As our first competition of the season, our team and parents left feeling confused, frustrated, and ultimately, disappointed — not even for poor outcomes, but just the general randomness that seemed to be happening at the judges’ table. On top of that, the judges were constantly taking breaks, the backstage staff weren’t communicating well with each other, and the schedule was absolutely INSANE for a regionals event - there were over 500 routines, the days were packed out from 6:30AM to 10PM, and according to Groove’s website, there was still room for more entries??? Overall, this was a wildly unpleasant, frustrating, and disappointing competition, and we unfortunately won’t be returning.
Hello, Thank you for your feedback. We are very sorry to hear you had a less than ideal time at your event. Our judges score all routines based on our scoring system and their extensive backgrounds on dance. This includes technique, execution & showmanship as well as costume & choreography. Please feel free to email us regarding any concerns you may have: information@groovecompetition.com
I just competed at Groove for the first time and I was pleasantly surprised by the supportive environment they foster, even competing alone without my studio. The staff were very responsive, friendly, and helpful both in person and virtually in the registration process. Phoenix specifically was a great competition to build my confidence early on in the season, and these details added on to that. Thank you Groove, I hope to be back!
Hello! We are so glad you enjoyed competing with us. We hope to see YOU again soon. :)
Friendly staff, well organized and awesome merch! My kids loves Groove!
Thanks for your kind words!
My dancer loves the merch- Groove by far has the best merchandise; their staff is friendly and helpful; and they seem to have plenty of youth sizes and fun surprises. Overall we found this to be a very organized experience, and I still remember just how friendly every Groove staff member was to both me and my dancer.
Thank you so much! We hope to see you and your dancer in 2024!
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.
Hello! We are so sorry that your experience this season was less than ideal. Here at Groove we strive to have a fun, welcoming and fair environment for everyone competing. Please feel free to reach out to us at information@groovecompetition.com to tell us more about your experience.
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!
Thank you so much for your kind words. We are so glad that you had a great experience!
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.
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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!
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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!
Thank you so much! We really appreciate you taking the time to write this! It means the world to us! Hoping to see you in 2021!
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!
Thank you so much for joining us and for taking the time to share your thoughts :) Hope to see you soon!
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
Hello. Thank you for the feedback. I am so disappointed to hear that your experience was anything less than excellent. Please feel free to contact me personally asap @ daniel@groovecompetition.com. I would like to hear more about your experience.
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.
Hello. Thank you for the feedback. We would certainly welcome you sending us a message to let us know which event you attended so that we can look into the details and try to improve. We are always trying to improve venues so your venue suggestions are welcome. Thank you.
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.
Hey! Thank you so much! This is really good feedback and actually something we debate in the office frequently so I really appreciate hearing this! Thank you for your kind words!!!
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 💜
Yay! Thank you so much for your kind words! We can't wait to see you next season!
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.
Thank you so much! We are so excited to be back in Buffalo in 2020. We hope to see you there again.
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!
Thank you so much! We try so hard to put on a good show so knowing that we are hitting the mark is amazing to hear!
:)
Our favorite competition the last couple years! Great staff and fun environment.
Thank you so much! We hope to keep impressing you.
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!
That is so wonderful to hear! We hope we see you again this year. Also, this year our media is FREE!!!!
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!!!
That is so great to hear. We hope to see you again in 2019!
Very excited to see my oldest compete in this competition never have done this one before
We can't wait to see you!
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.
Thank you for the review. You are right. Levels can get tricky. We do our best and are always looking for ways to improve. If you have any ideas please DO share them with us: information@groovecompetition.com. Thank you for the review :)
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
We can't wait to see you! Thank you so much for the review! We hope we don't disappoint :)
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!
Hello. Thank you so much for your feedback. We really appreciate it. I did want to clarify that we DO use tap mics at all of our events. I have personally sampled several tap performances from our Utica event to ensure that the microphones were working properly. Since I do not know which studio and entry you are referring to, I was unable to test the specific video that you are referencing. If you would like to contact me with this information I would be happy to look into it for you. daniel@groovecompetition.com
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.
Hello. Thanks for your feedback. Please feel free to email me and let me know which venue you are referring to so that I may look into the specifics. We are always changing/improving venues so we would be happy to consider your input knowing which event it was. daniel@groovecompetition.com. Thank you.
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.
Wahoo! Thanks so much!
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.
Thank you. We are always looking to improve venues and locations. That is really great feedback!
I loved that we received a video of the dances. We had a great time!
Thank you so much! You rock!
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.
Thank you so much and thank you for the feedback. That is an issue that we revisit every year. It is not an easy decision and the placement volume really varies by regional. Thank you for this input and we WILL seriously consider it for the future!
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.
Thank you so much! We had a blast as well. We are so excited for convention season and 2018 regional competitions!
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.
Thank you! We can't wait to see you again soon!
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.
Thank you for your feedback. We do take pride in limiting the number of Platinum awards given out. We do this to make that top award even more desirable and harder to obtain. We feel that the value of the award increases with scarcity. If you would like to speak personally we would be happy to hear any and all feedback. 732 579-0737 x 101
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).
Thank you for your feedback. We reconsider and revisit our rules EVERY year. This is something that will definitely be on the table. Thank you!
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.
Hello, thank you for the review. Feedback is always appreciated. We are consistently trying to improve our events on all fronts. We would love to hear more specifics as to what you felt could be done better or improved upon. Feel free to reach out at 732-579-0737 x 101.
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.
Thanks for the review. We are always working on better/new venues. If you ever have venue preferences or ideas, please feel free to share them with our Executive Team. We WILL look into those venues and hopefully we can improve every year.
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!
Thanks so much! We can't wait to see you again this year! #staygroovy
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
Thank you so much Oceansdanceco! We love our California friends! Thank you for your appreciation of the difficult scoring. It is 100% intentional! Have a great competition season and we will see you soon! #staygroovy
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.
Hey dancermom2! Thank you for the review. We didn't like the setup of the long awards either. This event just happened to fall that way and we hope it will be different in the future. Thank you for your feedback on the Intermediate levels. Each year we review our rules and take into consideration feedback like yours so do not think that your voice goes unheard! Have a great competition season #staygroovy!
Lots of fun fornandance competition! Ty kids always have fun
Thanks so much! We can't wait to see you soon!
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.
Thank you so much and thank you for your constructive feedback. We are always looking to improve. Hope to see you this year :)
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.
Thank you thank you!
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!
That is so amazing to hear. We can't wait to see you soon!
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!
Thank you so much! See you soon!
Love groove!! our favorite of the year!
Thanks! We love you too! We can\'t wait to see you in 2017! #staygroovy
competed as an independent - we LOVE Groove - I wish we can always come to Groove!!! So personable and so friendly!!!
We LOVE you too! #staygroovy
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!
Thanks so much for the feedback! We have ordered new stage decks for next season to add to the wings and make the stage the perfect size! See you soon #staygroovy
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.
Thanks so much for the feedback. We greatly appreciate it :) We actually switched two years ago to all LED stage lights which do not emit much heat if any for dancer safety and environmental reasons. See you soon!
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
Hey! Thanks so much for the review. Hopefully we will see you again next year #staygroovy
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!!!
Wow thank you so much! I think this is one of the nicest reviews we have ever received! We can\'t wait to see you next year #staygroovy
Absolutely loved this competition. Very well put together - the judges critiques were extremely helpful. Hopefully we can go again next year.
Thank you so much for attending. We are glad that you enjoyed yourself. We hope to see you again next year in Houston! #staygroovy
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!!!!!
Awesome! Glad to hear that you had a great time. We strive to create the best experience we can for dancers, parents and teachers! #staygroovy
We give you five stars as well! *****
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.
Awesome! That is what we love to hear. We can\'t wait to see you next year! #staygroovy
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.
Thank you for the review. Please reach out to me so we can look into the specifics of the judging so that we can look for areas to improve. daniel@groovecompetition.com (732) 579-0737 x 101. I am glad that your dancers had fun #staygroovy
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!
Thank you so much for your review. We always appreciate feedback so that we can continue to improve. I would absolutely agree that our judging is difficult. We try to reserve our highest awards for only a few dancers. We feel that if the highest award is given out too often, it tend to degrade the meaning and value of those awards. Our goal is not for any child to feel defeated but rather to go back to the studio, work hard and come back with a new drive and passion for the art of dance so that they may improve and grow. If you wish to discuss further I would be happy to chat. daniel@groovecompetition.com (732) 579-0737 x 101.
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!
Thank you so much! We love you too! #staygroovy
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.
Thank you for your feedback. We have considered adding a third level and it is something that we discuss in detail every year. I appreciate the feedback and we are glad that you enjoyed a majority of your competition experience. Thank you again for joining us and we hope to see you again in the near future.
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.
Thank you so much for the review. We really appreciate the feedback. We are glad that you enjoyed a majority of the competition experience. I am sorry that you felt our scoring was low and inconsistent. Regarding low scores: I would have to agree that our scoring is much tougher than most competitions. Part of our vision to create a fair and competitive environment for every dancer. We do not want our top awards to be given away to every dancer. That is a key part of our philosophy. Regarding the inconsistency, I would encourage you to reach out to me personally regarding any entries of concern. I would be happy to review the judges critiques, scores and comments with you to sort out any discrepancies. My email is daniel@groovecompetition.com and my phone number is (732) 579-0737 x 101. I look forward to hearing from you.
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.
Thank you so much for the review. We are glad that you could join us. We hope to see you again in the future #staygroovy
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.
Thank so much for the review. We apologize for the distance from stage to dressing room. Lancaster, PA actually has a limited number of good venues. There certainly are venues with closer dressing room space but unfortunately we would have to sacrifice things such as stage size, audience size, etc. Choosing venues is always difficult and we do appreciate your input. Have a great competition season and hopefully we will see you next year!
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!!
Thank you so much. We were so happy to have you and look forward to seeing you in the future! #staygroovy
We are excited to return to this event in 2016, we loved them in 2015!
We are excited to see you as well! #staygroovy
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.
Thank you so much. We are constantly adding shows. If you would like to see us in a particular location, please let us know and we will certainly consider it! #staygroovy
Great competition, well run and organized. I love that we received all photos and videos.
Excellent! Thank you for the review! #staygroovy
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.
Amazing! Thank you so much for your kind words and joining us year after year #staygroovy
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.
Awesome! Thank you so much for the feedback. That is always our goal...fair but competitive! #staygroovy
We love groove!Fun through the whole weekend!
Thanks so much! We love you too! #staygroovy
WE LOVE GROOVE!!! Super fun staff, and teachers! The competition ran ahead schedule but ran smoothly. So much fun, can\'t wait compete again!
Yay! Thank you for the review. We love you too! #staygroovy
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
Thanks so much. We will actually be adding a live stream for many of our Regional Events this year as well. We are very excited! Thanks for the review!
Very accommodating! Wonderful staff, and such a fun competition. We will definitely come back!
Thanks so much. We love our staff too! Thank you for recognizing their passion.
Great staff and well run. Kids have fun!
Thank you. We hope to see you again soon! Thanks for the review.
Really great competition !! Kids have a blast . Very professionally run .
Thank you. All we want is for you to have fun. Mission = accomplished!
Great competition and conventions! Kids always have so much fun, which is what it\'s all about!
Amazing! That is what we love to hear! Thanks so much!
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.
Awesome! We put a LOT of time into detail and when it comes across in our events, that is the best thing we can ask for. Cheers!! #staygroovy
Love this competition!!
Thanks! We love you too!
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.
Thanks so much for your comments and feedback. We really appreciate it. We will NOT be returning to Ocean City next year and instead will be heading to Myrtle Beach for the exact reason you mentioned. Our venue down in SC is FANTASTIC and we can\'t wait!
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!
Thanks so much! Your comments are MUCH appreciated :)
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.
Thanks so much! We love having you at all of our events!!!! #staygroovy
Great comp. Organized and fair. Hoping we go back next season!
Thanks so much! #staygroovy
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.
Thank you for your comments. They are greatly appreciated. I apologize about the videos. I have looked into the issue personally and we are looking into some additional lighting for next year. At times, certain venues have certain fixtures out that can cause dark spots. Nonetheless we will work on solutions for your venue for next season. All of our judges have diversified backgrounds and to my knowledge, we had no panels this year made up of exclusively Musical Theatre performers. Feel free to reach out to let me know the specific concerns you had regarding judges and I would be happy to look into if further. Regarding the students falling; if you can send over specifics, I would be happy to look into it further. Thank you again. (732) 579 0737 x 101. daniel@groovecompetition.com
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.
Thanks for your comments. We appreciate your feedback. At Groove, every single competitor that crosses our stage is given a fair and even playing field in which they are scored on. It is important to remember that dance is an art form and as such is very subjective. What one panel of judges scores very well, another panel may dislike. If you have any further input we would be happy to hear from you! (732) 579 0737 x 101. daniel@groovecompetition.com
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!
Thank you! We appreciate you making the long drive to join us! We may even have a VA event for you next year...Stay tuned!
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.
Thank you for your review. We are glad you enjoyed yourself and we cannot wait to see you soon!
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.
Thank you for your feedback. We are working on a new venue for your city as we speak. Thank you for the input. We think you will like it :)
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!
Thank you for the review. It is much appreciated. Also, thank you for the suggestions regarding awards. We always consider that. The catch 22 is whether or not to add it (as it adds an extra 45 minute-1 hour to the day) or if we should power through. You feedback helps in our decision making process so thank you again :) #staygroovy
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!
Thanks so much! We had a great time in Houston, TX! We hope to see you again next year!
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.
Thank you for your review. I just checked the schedule for Toledo, OH (which I believe is the event you attended) and there were two award ceremonies that day. The first one was scheduled for 6:00 PM but took place earlier and the second one was later at night but ahead of schedule as well. Thank you for all of your feedback and input. We always love our Toledo event and we can\'t wait to see you next year! #staygroovy
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.
Thank you for your input. We are definitely factoring in your suggestion for the future. Thank you for joining us in Houston! We love TEXAS! #staygroovy
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.
Thank you so much. We have a blast at every event we run and we are glad that you felt the same way. #staygroovy
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.
Thank you for your input. I am sorry you felt that way. Our judges are incredibly qualified individuals all of whom take much pride in their job. Our Novice division has always received a smaller number of overalls as there are a smaller number of Novice entries v Competitive entries. Your feedback will definitely be taken into consideration for the future. We do send custom studio plaques after the event with all of your entries for you to display at your studio. You should be receiving yours soon. Feel free to reach out to me personally at anytime with comments, questions or concerns. 732 579-0737 X 101. My name is Daniel and I would be happy to discuss any of your concerns further.
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!
Thank you for joining us and for your kind words. We hope to see you again soon! #staygroovy
*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.
Thank you! We love having you in Maine. It is one of our favorite events. We pour our hearts into Groove and the fact that it shows means a lot! See you soon!
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!!!!!
Thank you! #staygroovy
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).
Thank you for the feedback. I really appreciate it. It is great to know that you see the improvements we are try to make all the time. Whether it is front-end or back-end, we are ALWAYS trying to do what we do better :) I am so happy that this shows! We are always looking for suggestions with regards to scheduling (one of our biggest challenges). Feel free to shoot me your thoughts via email or phone: daniel@groovecompetition.com or (732) 579 0737 x 101.
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.
Thank you for the feedback. We always love our Chester event! See you 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.
Thank you so much for the feedback. We really enjoyed this past weekend. See you soon.
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!
Thank you so much. We really enjoyed having you and look forward to seeing you again in the future! #staygroovy
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.
Thank you for the feedback. I appreciate the input. I would love to know which event you attended so that I can address the concerns. All of our events this season have run on time or early so I would love to see if I can correct the error that we may be unaware of. I assure you that all of our judging is blind, fair and as objective as possible. Keep in mind that a different set of judges on a different day would yield different results. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me personally at anytime. (732) 579 0737 or daniel@groovecompetition.com.
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.
Thank you so much for the review. I appreciate the feedback. We will definitely take this into consideration for next year. We recognize a few less novice because the divisions are usually smaller. Most of the time, Novice makes up about 10%-20% of our total competition as opposed to the Competitive division which makes up 80%-90%. We do appreciate the feedback and I thank you again. See you soon!
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!
Hello, this is Daniel, Artistic Director of Groove. Thank you for the review. We always appreciate feedback. I welcome you to reach out to me personally via phone or email to discuss any areas of improvement further at (732) 579-0737 or daniel@groovecompetition.com. I assure you that all scores are raw scores and I invite you to come to our facility located in Central NJ and take a look at the system we use. Not only are scores recorded digitally but are also backed up on paper to guarantee accuracy. While I welcome feedback and criticism, I do not think I should be forced to entertain attacks on my character and motives. We started Groove to inspire young dancers and because we have a collective passion for the art of dance. If there is something you think we can do to improve, I would welcome constructive feedback. Thank you.
Such a fun weekend! Runs on time!
Thanks for Groovin\' with us! #staygroovy
We are big fans of Groove! Nice staff and fun event!
Thank you! We love having you! #staygroovy
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!!!
Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it! Please feel free to reach out to me personally so that I can look into the particular dance that you are referring to. It is difficult to know the situation without know the entry of concern. As soon as I hear from you, I can listen to the critiques of both your entry and the inappropriate entry. Email: daniel@groovecompetition.com Phone: (732) 579-0737 x 101. Thank you.
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.
Thank you for the feedback. We always appreciate hearing your thoughts so that we may consider them for the future. We will be looking into this for future seasons. Thank you for joining us!
I think this is a great convention.! I\'ll go back every year!
Thank you! We are excited to see you again soon :)
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!
We are in Atlanta right now! We would love to have you here! Thank you for the review and #staygroovy
Love the GROOVE! Dan & his staff are great! My dancers & parents always look forward to attending the GROOVE! I recommend it to all my friends!
Thanks! We love you too! :)
Love Groove competition! We have been to their regionals and Nationals last year in Atlantic City. Top notch competition. One of our favorites. On time, very professional.
Thank you so much! That is because we have top notch studios, dancers and parents like yourself! #staygroovy
I LOVE GROOVE!!! Just attended the competition in Voorhees, NJ. We had a great time, as always and our studio won the GROOVE AWARD.
Thank you and congratulations. We love our Voorhees NJ family.
We attended Grooves fall conventions 2014 in both Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The most special part of these conventions was the Q & A with the teaching staff. Dancers were able to ask them anything about dancing, the industry, training, auditions ... You name it!!! What a fantastic opportunity! It was intimate (there were not 1000+ attendees) so anyone with a question got the opportunity ask it. The class size was such that everyone could see and hear the instruction.
Thank you so much. We loved having you!
We went to both regionals and nationals last year. This competition has potential, the people who ran it were upbeat and did a good job. On the positive side , there was a lot of strong competition. It\'s fun to watch the other dancers. However, unlike many other competitions which announce a top 20 when the number of solos is over 100, they did not. Additionally, the same dancer can have up to 2 dances in the top 10. Consequently there can be situations where a few dancers take up most of the high score. They should award a top 20 when the pool of dancers is greater than 100. They don\'t have to spend any money on a pin or trophy ...they can spend a nickel on a ribbon or a penny on a piece of paper for those in the 11-20 spots. The dancers work hard and would like recognition. We are going to give them one more try this year; I\'ll let you know. Also, despite there being a number of studios with a strong tap presence, none of the judges seemed versed in the intricacies of tap.
Hello. I am happy to report that we will be expanding our overalls for Nationals this coming year. Last year was our largest Nationals ever and to put it simply, we are learning :) Thank you for your input and know that this will be corrected for 2015.
For our studio it was OK. It was out first ever competition. Levels seemed pretty fair, and the judging was pretty fair too. They said they \"ran an hour early\" usually... and they did...kinda.... But You can\'t tell me that our dance that was supposed to go on at 8:09 and our other dance at 10:09 should be back to back. We had just gotten off the stage for the first piece and the woman lining us up comes in to tell us to hurry the heck up because we\'re on... What happened to the 2 hours of people in between us? The competition started at 8! Then they made us feel like we were the bad guys for not being ready.... did you have that many cancel on you? OK fine, but give us a heads up when we arrive then we can be ready faster. Even a new order on the day of would be helpful.Cut out those that aren\'t coming, etc. Same thing happened between the second and third performances except all of a sudden there was a \"break for the judges\", and that became a \"technical problem\" which had my girls who had just been crazy rushed by someone sitting around for 3 hours!! 3 hours to fix it! Plus i\'m sorry PINS?! You give us PINS?! We pay all this money for PINS?! Thanks for the 5cents of self esteem for my girls. At least a ribbon they can hang on their walls, they almost all tossed or lost the pins. Their judges however seemed good, intelligent and happy, though not all well rounded as the ballerina had no comments on our tap number. And I like that they are green with everything they do. Pictures and scores and judging videos were up SUPER fast! Everyone involved from the top down is very nice, professional, and ready to help.
Thanks for the input. We are always looking to grow and progress. We try our best to keep the event moving for everyone. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused. Please feel free to find a director next time and we will be sure to assist you with time/scheduling concerns. I know lots of dancers like to collect pins on their jackets. We will definitely be considering all options in the future.
My dancers just returned from the Annapolis,Md convention and they had a lovely time. They enjoyed the day of dancing and really enjoyed hip hop and ballet. The only reason that I did not give 5 stars is because the competition needs an intermediate level during competitions. My students only take three hours a week and they have to competete against students who take more frequently. We do love the competition. Great job!
Thank you for the input. We really appreciate it. It is something we have discussed and will be looking into for future seasons!
My son had a great experience and came away from the Convention with a renewed spirit. He leared new things and was greatful for all the great teachers.
Thank you so much. We hope to see you again soon!
Went last year and enjoyed it! Very friendly staff and our kids had fun. looking forward to next year.
Thank you for the review. We are really excited to see you again in 2015! #staygroovy
This is my second rating; and I still like Groove. Nice staff, fair judging... But I had to take away 2 stars for this past year because there were a few things that I didn\'t like; 1) The venue this year (Huntingtown) was not remotely nice. The dressing rooms were in a separate building for smaller studios with less entries and walking outside on a windy day toggling dance shoes in your hands or putting plastic bags on your feet to protect dance shoes wasn\'t fun. Of course, the big studios were not only in the same building, but got the dressing rooms beside the stage. I get that they have more entries and have quicker changes but you can\'t help but feel like the ugly step child. 2) The Saturday competition had WAAAAAYYYYY too many categories for one awards ceremony...there were so many kids on stage they almost fell off! No room to walk to the front an get your award...it was chaotic. Also on that note; my dancers were done by 9am yet there were no awards until night...we literally left and drove an hour back to our homes, and met back up that evening for awards. My parents didn\'t appreciate the driving back and forth and we aren\'t exactly close to Huntingtown. But it was better than just staying ALL DAY on Saturday in the middle of nowhere. Especially when we had entries for Sunday as well. They needed to break that schedule up. The petites and juniors and seniors cannot all have the same awards at the same time! It was a bit of a nightmare. 3) They need more awards for the Novice category...recognizing only the 1st place overall out of like 20 entries is crazy...those dancers deserved to be recognized; they should get a top 10 as well. That\'s ridiculous. If it\'s a budget thing (because they don\'t have too many physical awards...just plaques for top scorers and ribbons for special awards; no trophies;I think they want to save money) then at least get some extra pins for 2nd-10th place. My girls just felt left out.
Hello, thank you for your review. We will be adjusting our award ceremonies in MD this upcoming year. We had some extra ordinary circumstances that led to the long scheduling. Please accept my apologies for the inconvenience. In addition we have a new venue for 2015. We hope to see you again. Please feel free to contact me personally at any time: Daniel (732) 579-0737 X 101. Thanks!
I will now eat my words! Groove Nationals were amazing. Well organized, perfectly timed, no rushing, no stressing, no tears. The stage was sized right and plenty of flooring.Judges were still tough but in a good way - it made the dancers try harder to bring up their scores for \"The Jam\". This was not like other Nationals with 2 rooms going on at the same time from 7am to 1am. One stage, one set of judges, ended on time or early. The only late night was the night of The Jam - 11pm. The kids were able to go outside between dances and get some fresh air between some of the dances. The directors were always available to talk to everyone and gave you their full attention. The. Judges took a few more breaks then other competitions (only like one or two more) which were very short but helped them stay fresh and focused and the parent were able to make a coffee run. Definitely going back!
Thank you for your kind words. We really enjoy our National Finals and hope you will be joining us again! #staygroovy
I disagree with the last review. We found the critiques very useful. It was nice to finally have some good TAP feedback! We will go back.
Thank you so much. We love our tappers! #staygroovy
Groove is a class act. The Director Daniel & Assistant Director Kim are very nice people too! We just returned from Nationals and our entire crew of dancer\'s, parent\'s, teacher\'s and guests enjoyed it!! Parent Dance Battle was da BOMB! Very fair judging and the level of talent that came was incredible. Everything ran on time (and even a bit early at times.) One of the great things Groove does is charge an additional $20 and you get a copy of your studio\'s dances and access to all your pictures! Nice touch. Free workshop for the kids with awesome teachers and a Zumba class for anyone that wanted to go (also free.) I\'ve been doing competitions for 10 years including 5 Nationals. I highly recommend Groove! PS they are very generous too! A Non-Profit called The Dancer\'s Dream Fund gave out 2 cash scholarships of $250 and Groove MATCHED IT! So cool!
Thank you so much! It was a fabulous event. We only bring half of the event, the other half is created by great studios, teachers, students and parents! #staygroovy
Love Groove. Staff is really fun and upbeat. Lots of positive energy at Groove. Very few platinum awards given out which makes the awards seem very well deserved. Love the Groove Award and Studio Award. Also love the plaque that they give to the studio directors with all the awards and dances listed. Love, Love, Love! The master classes were well worth the time as well!
Thank you so much! Your kind words are very much appreciated! #staygroovy
my daughter and her friends enjoyed Groove Competition, this was our first year, they really enjoyed the work-shop before hand
We loved having you guys and are excited to return to Texas next season!
This is our new favorite competition. Very well run with friendly and helpful staff. Loved that the judging is fair and platinums are awarded to dancers/routines that truly earned and deserve them. The award ceremonies are very organized and do not drag on like other competitions we have attended. Looking forward to next year!
Thank you for Groovin\' with us! We really enjoyed have you guys!
Groove Comps are the best of the best that we do. They are very organized, always run on time if not early. They get through awards efficiently. We are attending their Nationals this summer..Cant Wait!
Thank you so much. We are excited for Nationals this year as well! #staygroovy
I thought we loved Groove last year. This year it was even better! I can\'t say enough about the positive, energetic and friendly atmosphere we experienced. It was a sold out event and the talent was tremendous. My dancers thoroughly enjoyed the free master classes, and loved the staff in general. The event was very well run and stayed ahead of schedule all weekend. This I would assume is due to how hard the staff worked to keep things moving with minimal delays. This was a much bigger event than last year in our area. I see word about Groove is getting around and people are showing up to check it out. It is now our favorite competition. The venue was AMAZING. The judging was tough and it\'s nice when Platinums are reserved for truly deserving dancers/routines. I don\'t have a single negative comment or even any constructive criticism. The few little things that I did notice last year are improved this year. The customer service is outstanding. We had the BEST time this weekend and can\'t wait until it\'s time to attend Groove again next year. It\'s a top notch dance competition. Love Groove!
Thank you for your kind words. We do our best to create a positive environment for students, parents and teachers and a positive review is the single best reward! #staygroovy
Large, outstanding, positive, and fun competition! Judges\' critiques have great usable feedback. Scoring tough, but very honest and fair. Lot\'s of opportunity for \"extra\" studio fun at awards. Our first year and we will definitely return next year!
Excellent! I am so happy to hear that you had a great time! We are looking forward to seeing you again in the future and hopefully at Nationals! #staygroovy
Really liked this one and cannot wait to go back next year. When will new tour dates be posted?
Excellent. That is great to hear. We are currently working on our 2015 tour dates which can be found @ www.GrooveCompetition.com. They should be up in their entirety no later than June 15, 2014. #staygroovy
Love this comp! We have gone to Groove for 3 years and the kids always enjoy this competition and look forward to it every year. The judging is tough, but fair in the end and it has always been a positive experience. I read a lot of the other reviews and would like to say that I have never felt the staff was rude or arrogant - they have always been friendly, approachable, and very nice to the dancers. I enjoy the quality and affordability of the photos and the DVD. It would be nice to line up at least the top 5 for overalls and to make sure the stage is large for productions for the safety and piece of mind of the dancers. I would highly recommend the competition as it is a true learning experience and an upbeat, energetic event. Honest feedback and constructive critiques that can be used to grow as a dancer and performer are more valuable and motivating than handing out platinums to everyone and going home with a plastic trophy.
This is my favorite review to hear. I love hearing that the scoring is tough but fair because that is EXACTLY what we set out to do. I do want to extend a personal apology for the venue. I believe you are referring to our Pittsburgh event. We had a last minute venue change due to another venue double-booking us. Since you have been with us for a few years, I can assure you that next year\'s venue will be up to the standard of years past. Thank you for the input and as always #staygroovy
I loved this competition. The judging was hard but fair and that was refreshing. The staff was great. The prices for pictures and video were fabulous - thank you thank you thank you. Overall it was a great experience!
Great to hear! Thank you for your review. We look forward to seeing you in the future! #staygroovy
This competition is my favorite. The kids, parents, and studio owners all win with this competition. 1) Awesome incentives for getting your deposit in early. 2) PIctures and videos are included for a very SMALL fee…(amazing quality). 3) Kids actually have to WORK for top scores. (When my students received Platinums they were over the moon!) 4) The director is available and VERY receptive to comments critiques and any issues that might take away from your experience. Being a new studio owner myself, I know there are growing pains and we don\'t do everything perfect (just yet), but attending both the competition and the conventions two years in a row, we are continually impressed. Some competitions are just money pits, this competition genuinely cares about your children and dance as an art. **I agree that some of the judges comments were a bit harsh…HOWEVER, it was those comments that I was able to use towards making those routines better. (You can\'t do that with all the other watered down \"ooh your costume is so pretty\" comments…)
:D Thank you so much! We love having you guys! #staygroovy
Pleasantly surprised at how well this competition was run. The back stage crew was extremely together and very polite!! Our team had dances very close together and they were quite accommodating. We will absolutely return to groove! Their were a couple of venue issues that they handled immediately! Loved it!!! Can\'t say enough good about Groove!
Great to hear! We love TEXAS! We already have some excellent venues picked out for our 2015 Houston event! #staygroovy
We enjoyed this competition very much. The dances were slightly out of order, but this made it possible for them to run ahead of schedule most of the weekend. The staff was enthusiastic, very professional and the judging seemed fair. Loved what the announcer had to say about scores, etc before the awards ceremony. There was a studio there that you could help but notice that the staff was VERY familiar with, but that happens. I didn\'t give it 5 stars because the venue location (lack of drinks, food, etc) and the stage was small. Overall, a great experience. I am hoping we attend this competition again in the future.
Thank you for the review. There are definitely studios that have done 3 years of regional events, national events and conventions and we cannot help but get to know them after seeing them so often. However, our judges are kept separate from all studio directors, teachers and students at all times. Hopefully we will get to know you guys just as well as time goes on. Thank you very much for your input! #staygroovy
Still not enough improvement over last year. Judges scored very low this year. Our best dancers who consistently won Platinum and Top 10 awards in other competitions every year, came home with High Golds. I also did not appreciate the judge in the blue sweatshirt who was stretching and playing with her hair while my daughter was on stage. Were you bored? (yes, I watch the judges when my daughter is dancing) Another issue, the same NJ venue was used. Besides the fact that its out in the middle of frigging nowhere, the stage is way too small for a dance competition. So why keep going back??? There are lots of high schools and colleges in New Jersey that have nice big stages. Use one of those. Groove attempted to extend the stage to make it deeper-BUT...not wider! There is still a 6 foot gap on either side between the extended part of the regular stage! I\'m dreading Sunday when our team does Production. They\'re going to be crashing into the Groove set decorations to keep from falling into the gap. AND...NO marley flooring on the extension~! WTF? The dancers were dancing on the very edge of the real stage where the marley ended and they were about 10 feet away from the judges. Clearly the dancers were afraid to dance on the extension. Not having a marley floor is hard for dancers, shouldn\'t a competition know this? Don\'t cheap out on the marley! We know what our kids need to perform at their best ability. Why can\'t Groove provide it? Another issue: When the Top 10 awards were announced, once again, they did not allow the winners 10-4th to come and line up when accepting the awards. (they\'re still not good enough to take a bow?) The excuse last year was that the stage wasn\'t big enough. Now that they extended the stage (for what its worth) they don\'t have an excuse NOT to allow the entire Top 10 to line up. At least they didn\'t give out photocopy awards this year. More cons then pros at this competition
I am sorry that you had a less than exceptional experience at Groove. I hope I can address a few of your concerns: 1)Please try not to compare scores across competitions. It is like comparing apples and oranges. There are many competitions that awards their highest adjudicated medals to a LARGE number of the entries and I can assure you that we are NOT one of those competitions. It was my intention when I started Groove to create and environment with HONEST and FAIR critiques and scores. I think my favorite review we ever receive is hearing that the judges were both TOUGH and FAIR! 2) I sorry that the judge who was stretching came across as \"bored.\" I can assure you that was not the case. I think during a 12-14 hour day of judging, stretching may be necessary. 3) There were four rolls of Marley on the stage. If you would like to discuss anything further, please email or call me @ daniel@groovecompetition.com or (732) 579 0737.
We loved Groove! The judging was tough but fair. Our kids got good and useful critiques. It was nice that they all didn\'t get platinums just for participating. The staff was extremely friendly. We will go back next year!
Thank you for the review. We had lots of fun in Toledo, OH and are excited to come back next year. Thank you for Groovin\' with us! #staygroovy
It was just ok. The judging was very harsh. There were only 3 platinums awarded in the entire competition, the entire weekend. One of the judges at the Peoria, IL Regionals was unnecessarily intimidating to the dancers because he did not smile, really ever. He did not seem to enjoy the performances. He did not dance a little in his chair. The wrong music was continually played or the music was \"messed up\" and the dancers would have to exit the stage. This happened too often! Overall, the staff was nice. It ran on time or ahead of schedule. It was just ok.
Hi and thank you for the review. I really do appreciate the input. Please feel free to reach out to me personally at anytime. Here a few points addressed below: 1) I am assuming that you attended our Peoria, IL event. I just brought up the score sheet and there were more than 3 Platinum awards given out. I do agree that we do not give out a lot of Platinum awards but this is relatively intentional. We want a Platinum to be something that the students have to REALLY work for and when they do achieve it, we want them to feel amazing about it. 2) I am sorry that you felt one of our judges was intimidating. I know exactly who you are referring to and I believe he is just a very focused individual. I would urge you to listen to the audio and I think you will find that his critiques are incredibly positive and constructive. 3) Agreed 100%! The music was incorrect too many times. I investigated the issue and it turns out that two of the studios labeled their CDs using highlighters and the numbers wore off throughout the day. We have since corrected the issue and it will not happen again. Thank you again for your input. Please do feel free to reach out to me personally at anytime. Daniel DeFranco (732) 579-0737 daniel@groovecompetition.com #staygroovy
I love Groove. The staff is so friendly...even when I call their office or email them a million times a day they respond within an hour each time and are so nice & patient. The director is very personal and will speak with you at anytime which is awesome. The judges were nice and fair; they gave compliments along with critiques which I think is important. The competition ran on time...it was fun and the pictures were beautiful! The DVD they offer is a nice touch as well. And I loved that they had a TV screen outside the auditorium so you could see who was on stage without having to walk in and out of the theater. Hoping they add an intermediate level soon...We\'re returning to Huntingtown, MD this year and cannot wait!
Thank you so much for the review. We are excited for Huntingtown and cannot wait to see you there! #staygroovy
Competition was ok...Staff was very helpful back stage and the videos were wonderful. My biggest complaint is the lack of trophies given. They do send the studio a plaque of all of their awards but I think with how much people pay, they should give trophies..I\'m not going to accuse them of playing favorites with the bigger check writer but I did have a couple of pieces that definitely deserved higher than the judges gave them. Numbers that definitely hit that day and scored higher before and after we attended Groove so I feel that some of the judging was unfair...Overall though, we got what we deserved...I just don\'t understand how a soloist that blacks out on stage can receive the same score as one that doesn\'t....even if the technique had a couple of issues.
Thank you for your review. We always appreciate feedback. I would love to speak with you more about your experience if you would be willing to reach out to me personally @ (732) 579-0737 or daniel@groovecompetition.com. I would like to address a few points quickly: 1) Our judging can definitely be tough. There is no doubt about that. Sometimes I think numbers should have scored higher than they did but one thing we pride ourselves on is honest, uninhibited scoring. 2) Please please please let me know which soloist blanked out on stage (as I would like to review the videos for myself) and received a higher award. I am always interested in checking out these types of situations. I asked our directors from that weekend and they said they did not remember such a situation so I want to make sure we find out what number it was. If you could also let me know the number that you believe may have deserved a higher awards, I would like to check that out as well. Again, thank you for your input. It is much appreciated. I really would like to hear from you if you can find the time. We try really hard to listen to feedback to improve what we do every season! Daniel DeFranco Artistic Director #staygroovy
Our area was destroyed by a tornado last November (Washington, IL). It was nice to see our kids enjoy themselves and return to \"normal\" for a weekend. Thank you for putting on a great weekend.
Wow. That is really great to hear. I will be honest: our intention when starting Groove was never that intense but the fact that we can affect children in such a positive way is very inspiring. Thank you for joining us, sharing with us and I am really glad that we could give your children and positive experience! We will be back to Peoria next season! #staygroovy
We had so much fun! Everyone was so nice and we will go back!
Thank you for Groovin\' with us. We are excited to see you in the future! #staygroovy
This year was our first time attending Groove and I was very impressed. Our city was very small and there were very many quick changes. The staff worked with us when it came to the quick changes and they were very professional. They all were very approachable which made us feel right at home. We were even able to start the awards a hour early. I hope that we can attend this particular competition again next season. We had so much fun!
Thank you so much for joining us! We are excited to return to Indianapolis in 2015!
Love, love, love Groove!!! Very professional staff and crew. Provide great level of competition at both novice and competitive level. Always on time or early (in our experience). Best value for the money--master classes, DVD and photos all included in competition fees. Great staging, lighting and sound system. Across the board, TOP NOTCH!!!
Thanks so much! We put a lot of effort into what we do and there is nothing better than hearing that we are successfully executing our goals! Thank you for Groovin\' with us! #staygroovy
Everyone from our studio had a lot of fun this past weekend! We were happy with our experience (staff, judges, venue etc...). We will go back!
Thank you so much! We are excited to see you next season! #staygroovy
I will first say each employee I met was cordial, not always helpful (most seemed very tired) but at least they weren\'t rude. 1)The constant skipping around resulted in parents missing their children dance, this was not \"typical\" jumping around, there was no rhyme or reason, this made for complete disorganization within the audience. I had parents afraid to use the restroom for fear they would miss their child perform. 2) When your microphone is so ridiculously loud (between 93-95 decibels which is dangerous) that it is distorting what the director is saying.....TURN IT DOWN. Ive been to metal concerts that didn\'t hurt my ears as bad as this did. 3) the awards were again very disorganized, not just with handing them out, the way you allowed the children to \"bum rush\" the stage is not acceptable. There were small children there, what is one was trampled when you just opened the stage for all Dancers to join? Better organization will do wonders for this competition. Not completely unhappy, but there\'s a long way for them to go.
Thank you for your input. I hope I can address your concerns and take into consideration your advice. 1) Skipping around does occur at some events. While we try to avoid this, it is very difficult to stay perfectly in order and not run behind. As with any live event, we lack complete control of circumstances. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. 2) At the same event you were attending we had some complaints from the back of the audience that they could not hear what the announcer was saying which resulted in turning the volume up. Deep auditoriums always present a challenge with sound using an separate production system. We do not always have access to the venue\'s sound system which allows for better placement of the monitors, sub-woofers and overhead monitors spreading the sound in a cleaner fashion. We do our best with the circumstances in each venue. 3) We do our best to monitor the students as the approach the stage. I would love to hear any suggestions as to how to better approach this issue: daniel@groovecompetition.com. Thank you again for your input and we hope to see you again in the future. #staygroovy
Andover was fantastic! Everyone had a great time and we couldn\'t be happier with the event. Great staff and very organized! We will go back.
Thank you so much! We had a blast as well #staygroovy
Something I would like to add to my previous review, which I posted before receiving our DVD\'s. I couldn\'t be happier with the DVD quality. This year we will also have an inexpensive option with regard to pictures in addition to the DVD. Just another reason to love Groove. We are returning this year to their regionals and we are excited!!
Thank you so much for the review. We have tried hard to make pictures and DVDs something that everyone can afford and I think we finally have it down. #staygroovy
We liked the organization of this comp. Glad to hear that the dancers will get pins this year. This was my DD\'s first comp where she did her solo and she was a little disappointed that she only got a bracelet.
Thank you for the input. After yourself and others had requested pins we decided it was a must do. Thank you for the input and the review. #staygroovy
Groove is one of my favorite competitions! The staff is amazing and very kind. I attended the Groove competition in Maine and the competition itself was an experience I will never forget. Their awards are like no other; they bring the dads on stage to have their own competition and it is very funny. The awards were run fast and clear. I also attended the convention in Mass and it was very well run. Again the staff was incredible and ready to answer any question you might have. The teachers were fantastic and it was overall a great experience. Groove is one of my FAVORITE competitions and conventions!
Thanks so much! Your support mean a lot and makes what we do very rewarding! #staygroovy
So I am delayed in reviewing this..we attended a regional Groove event in 2013 and had one student receive a scholarship that just attended the Needham Convention. I was not able to travel with her, but heard nothing but positives with the exception of the small size of the Junior room at the convention. As far as the competition, so many things I enjoyed about these folks. I LOVE GREEN!!!! Thank you thank you thank you for streamlining the awards process and issuing one plaque! I wish EVERY competition would do something similar. Thought the judges critiques were fair and knowledgeable. One criticism at our event was a particular studio taking forever to change, holding up the order, etc. At one point we waited 15 minutes for a routine and then waited another 20 minutes for their next routine. (after we had been ahead scheduling wise) I don\'t blame Groove as I am familiar with the studio having similar \"problems\" at other events we have attended, my issue is then that the staff of Groove penalize them in some way so that they cannot continue to behave so poorly. Whether it be by point deductions, not be welcomed back, etc. I don\'t know. Unfortunately, I do know most people will not learn from mistakes until it actually costs them something. I will say the staff was trying their hardest to get everyone moving. My only other criticism was the scheduling. I am assuming this was due to the venue, but the competition didn\'t start until late on a Saturday afternoon, and then continued late into Sunday evening. Our families, (and me) would MUCH prefer to start early on Saturday, even Friday evening, then go late on a Sunday. We had a very unfortunate accident at this regional and Groove was tremendous in working with us, getting me the information I needed, and allowing our dancers to take a moment to compose themselves. Overall a great experience and we have added it to our schedule again this year!
Thank you for the review! I would say that we also have a problem with studios taking too long to change :) #staygroovy
WE attended the Groove Convention in Needham, MA...best, by far, of all conventions attended over the years. The teachers were amazing, knowledgable, friendly and you could tell they loved what they were doing. Classes were a manageable size and all dancers were given an opportunity to perform and be critiqued. A convention where my dancer walked away excited,confident,but more importantly,learned and will grow from the experience. A very positive experience and will attend again next year.
Thank you for coming! #staygroovy
Attended Groove Convention in Mahwah. The event was great. My daughter had a blast. Loved the classes. The pricing was very reasonable. As were the parent bands. Groove maybe you can add a parent showcase?? Would love to see the dances they worked on. :)
Thanks so much! We actually just had our convention meeting and discussed some new things for next year. That is a really neat idea though. I will bring it up at our next meeting #staygroovy
Loved The Dvd, Very Fair Competition.
Nationals. Were. AMAZING!!!!!!!! Had a blast and can\'t wait to start it all againt his year...convention, regionals and nationals 2014 here we come!!! Thank you for everything!!!
Thank you so much! We had a blast as well! We can\'t wait until 2014! #staygroovy
Professional staff, low prices and love the DVD of all your dances!
Thanks so much! See you soon #staygroovy
Groove was one of the best competitions that we attended this year. Daniel and the gang backstage were beyond nice and helpful. It ran way ahead of schedule which was nice but sometimes it was so out of order that parents were upset that they missed their child\'s dances. We loved getting the DVD of all the studio dances for one price and looking forward to the all access photos this year. Hopefully this year the lighting will be better on the DVD\'s. Just a little bit dark. Would love to see pins for awards rather than the bracelets. Pins can be put on the bags and jackets. The bracelets unfortunately were found at the bottom of the dance bag :-( They had fun props in the lobby that were great for photo ops.
Hey, thanks for the feedback. 1) Sorry about the lighting. It is a problem that happened only in Andover. Our video department seems to have it all fixed for next year. 2) in 2014 WE HAVE PINS! Thanks for suggestion. We are always listening #staygroovy
Groove was a great experience all around. The backstage managers kept the dances running on schedule and were very positive and motivating for the students. As a teacher, I loved that we got a DVD with all of the dances on it. It gave me an opportunity to watch with my students and to see where improvements needed to happen.
Thanks so much for the review #staygroovy
An amazing experience! Very well organized. No problems with music and the staff was awesome ... even the ladies and gentlemen selling the brochures, etc. Can't wait for this year's competition!
See you next season! It will be a blast!
We had a blast this 2013 season! We are excited to be back for the 2014 season. The girls had so much fun, staff was very pleasant, and the music was rockin' in between all the numbers. Ran very smoothly. Enjoyed the DVD also!
Thanks so much. We have expanded our DVD program to photos this year as well. See you in 2014!
Big shout out to GROOVE...... competed at regionals for 2 years and at Nationals this past July........ Every bit of Groove is top shelf. They created such a great week for all at Nationals.... Can't wait to see what they bring next year.....
Thanks so much! We have some good stuff in store for next year @ nationals. See you there!!!!!
We have competed past two years at regionals and loved it! Staff is wonderful (shout out to Miss Annette!) looking forward to nationals 2014. Just wish there were trophies for top awards and plaques for maybe top 10. Ok with everyone not getting trophy for adjudication but for top 10 overalls they should get something more than a piece of paper.
Thanks so much for the review and the input. Thanks to input like yours and input from others...we WILL be adding medals for our 4th - 10th place awards this season! We have also changed our adjudicated awards to Pins this year thanks to all of the input we have heard! #staygroovy!
We loved their competition last year. The DVD for each dancer is nice touch. The competition ran on time (actually ran early which was awesome), was well organized, the judging was very fair (the studios who didn't deserve the win didn't win just because they spent so much $$), and the organizers were friendly.
We love you too! #staygroovy!
I find groove absolutely amazing to work with and attend. From the free gift for the dancers, to the built in DVD fee, not to mention the awesome area for our small town dancers to take fun pictures and feel like rock stars, Groove is on top of everything. After 14 years of attending competitions, I find the whole staff to be nothing but helpful and fun.
Thanks for the positive vibes! We love having you guys there...#staygroovy!
I have one thing to add to my previous review having since attended Nationals. I am not happy that ONLY the top 3 winners in the Top 10 get to stand up at the front of the stage. It took a lot of practice and hard work for those kids to make it that far and to not be acknowledged for having gotten such high scores is a slap in the face to the ones who won 10th-4th place. Its like Groove is saying \"you\'re STILL not good enough to stand up here\". The Emcee says its because there isn\'t enough room on the stage... Bull! There is plenty of room at the front of the stage for the Emcee to walk back and forth, and there\'s plenty of room at the back of the stage for the trophy table, so there\'s plenty of room for the kids to stand up there for 5 minutes if they would just move the table back or off to the side. Or, have 10th - 6th come up, bow, and sit down and then do the Top 5. Is that so hard? Just make the Emcee stand still and there\'s room for the kids. Or, here\'s thought, GET A VENUE WITH A BIGGER STAGE. It would also give us parents a chance to get a nice picture of our kids smiling with the trophy or plaque \"in the moment\" with the Groove backdrop and taking a bow. Sometimes the kids don\'t have time for a backstage photo op because the next category is starting and they have to change into the next costume. Also, the \"trophys\". Ew! Ok, it\'s better than the old \"cancer bracelets\" but not by much. And thank you for adding the pins. That helps. BUT..A Xerox COPY of a plaque for the Top 10th-4th place and ONLY the Top 3 get a REAL plaque?!?! Can you BE more cheap?! Why do you just put the awards on a Groove frisbee and throw them to the kids?? My kid won a 7th place award. Its folded in half and still at the bottom of her dance bag. Where as all her other \"real\" trophies are proudly displayed. For the amount of money we pay for entry fees can we at least get a decent trophy? Sorry guys, you lose stars for being tacky and cheap.
Hey, Thank you for the input. That is definitely something we will take into consideration for next season. We are always trying to improve and do what we do better. We try to make the awards more and more prestigious as the places increase. This is why the largest plaque goes to First place and they get smaller from there. It will definitely be something we review for 2014...STAY GROOVY!
Definitely a competition we will continue to go to. Very Fair & Ran well!
Thank you so much! Stay Groovy!
Nationals in AC was fabulous -- congrats to Daniel, Kim and the entire Groove staff for running a successful event. Groove staff and other studios were a pleasure to be with for the week. Looking forward to 2014
Thank you so much! We had a blast as well!
I attended one competition with Groove and I have to say it was great. all the people were friendly and helpful (Connecticut Competition) Our competition ran ahead so there was plenty of down time and it was really relaxed and nice. Judges comments were good too. I will definitly go again in 2014!
Thank you so much. We look forward to seeing you in 2014.
Had a wonderful experience at groove regionals and nationals in AC NJ! Everyone was great!!!
Thanks so much :)
Everyone was pleasant to work with. *****What a great year!
Thank you so much for the input. Unfortunately, much of the running out of order is due to circumstance out of our control. We do our best to run in order but it is our philosophy that running on time or early is more valuable than running in order. It frustrates us as well :)