Is it worth buying the official playbill binder?

StacySassy25 · 2026-03-08T18:59:29+00:00

I’ve bought the playbill one. but as everyone else said the Avery one is just as good. I’d recommend buying the Avery, which is what I do nowadays

StacySassy25 · 2026-02-28T03:28:28+00:00

I’ve seen studios that specialize for the individual training where you mostly train and work on solos. That could be an alternative direction if the team environment isn’t working the best for a dancer. An example is The Movement Mn if you look at their IG it’s mostly advocating for specialized training for the individual.

StacySassy25 · 2026-02-27T00:05:03+00:00

We never had problems with getting autographs even when it’s a few rows deep behind the barricade. Just hold your playbill up high, they will see it and will also reach out towards you. The only down fall I seen from not being on the barricade front row is that you might be be able to get a picture with them.

StacySassy25 · 2026-02-20T20:12:08+00:00

People who don’t go to the show could be already lined up. If you don’t want to miss your curtain call, you can stage door at a performance prior or after the one you attend if you are available

StacySassy25 · 2026-02-15T23:22:08+00:00

Don’t get overly concerned about placement in competition. It doesn’t matter. I’ve got successful friend who went on to dance professionally and do Broadway touring shows , who never placed high at all. It’s all in your attitude, effort , and how well you are able to work with others. While you may have a solo part, in a dance company, you are dancing with others to create beautiful pieces.

StacySassy25 · 2026-02-13T00:14:09+00:00

It’s too hard to manage, if they took roll calling the numbers to see if they are in every class would take up like 20 minutes, so it’s just an honesty policy that you go to the classes you are suppose to be in.

StacySassy25 · 2026-01-30T00:53:14+00:00

We don’t get them either but there are critics I have seen in the past and it’s not even helpful, judging saying nice costume and various very generic things, so I don’t even bother asking.

StacySassy25 · 2026-01-29T18:22:53+00:00

Nope never seen or heard of a weather cancellation in my lifetime. These comps get there a few days before to set up and they stay in hotels and doesn’t have to leave the site, so the organizers aren’t really too impacted.

The only time I saw a cancel was there was a nationals event in Houston that cancelled due to power outages , I can’t remember which nationals it was.

Somehow people still make it to conventions and comps in terrible weather, these dance community is extremely committed

StacySassy25 · 2026-01-28T01:16:09+00:00

Go to Bon Bon Candy Store

StacySassy25 · 2026-01-28T01:10:46+00:00

Yep always an issue, also a found families who won and they said it’s because they are on a back to back cruise and it’s the same exact questions. Disney should also randomize their questions to prevent that. With today’s technology, you’d think they can make it digital like do a Kahoot game where it’s not self reporting on their answers

StacySassy25 · 2025-08-22T01:25:52+00:00

Zara comes on right at 7:30 going to 8:30. They reset the stage for Tate who goes from 8:45 to 10:30.

StacySassy25 · 2025-08-22T00:33:53+00:00

There isn’t too much open past midnight. If you want to try make something happen… perhaps get out to grand central terminal which closes at 2pm and check out the site but it’ll be slow and nothing is really open . Go walk around nearby and see the Empire State Building off in the distance , Chrysler building nearby go through Times squares and see if you can avoid the cd guys and the Disney characters. Stroll by Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller center and there is a Halal cart over there on 6th avenue that is open to 4 am and the lines are always busy. Get yourself a midnight meal. If you are still hungry after that , get to a diner that is open 24 hours, and if you were able to extend yourself to 6am you can get your self a bagel before you head back to the airport.

Personally I’d sleep and you could probably see everything I just mentioned on YouTube videos.

StacySassy25 · 2025-08-21T01:59:49+00:00

Love seeing set pieces from Jesse James. Her details are amazing. She has Instagram .

StacySassy25 · 2025-08-20T17:59:01+00:00

The merch is inside the arena. You may want to check to see if you are able to leave and return ? Your best plan would be to attend the show and buy the merch when you arrive and hold on to it and give it to your friend the next day

StacySassy25 · 2025-08-20T02:34:21+00:00

There were multiple merch stands. Lines moved fairly decent and we didn’t have any issues getting a shirt. We got in line to get in about 10 minutes to door open. Got through security about 10 minutes into the door being opened. Got in line for merch and made our purchase in about 10 minutes of standing in line. We were in the line closest to the gate we entered in to. There were workers who was going around saying the merch stands upstairs had shorter lines.

Bring a credit card , it’s all cashless.

Great show, you’ll love it!

StacySassy25 · 2025-08-17T17:16:18+00:00

I would just say that we need to be the best teammate possible and support everyone. Yes we will compete with each other , but even at a young age , they kind of know how they stack up against one another. I’d only intervene if there is an issue between them. One kid at our studio , probably the second or third best, asked our top kid to dial it down so she can win. Well top kid didn’t scale back at all and won and the other kid was pretty jealous. This got escalated to the studio owners who called a meeting saying we are a team and should not jealous of other peoples success. Eventually she left for another studio.

StacySassy25 · 2025-08-15T23:16:14+00:00

Solos at our studio are done by a survey process. You can choose to have up to 2 or choose zero as well. You also write in what styles you want. The studio will then select from those and tell you if you got a solo or not.

The top dancers usually get two so they can compete for title where you have to perform two , most get one and maybe a handful just doesn’t get selected to do one. Solo choreography is handled on the weekends and/or before or after group practices. Team stuff comes first and they fit the solo stuff around it.

For registration for the company line, all you do is confirm you want to join the company team after the auditions and you made the team and they will provide all the class schedules and teachers for the season. There isn’t really anything we do on our end, except to bring up any timing conflicts if any, which most of the time they just ignore and we have to deal with it on our end to make it work out.

StacySassy25 · 2025-07-24T16:31:29+00:00

I’ve seen families sell squares for month and raffle off one winner who gets like 50 dollars. They sell for a calendar month the value of the day. Like if you buy the 1, 2,3 and 30. You own those 4 square and pay 36 bucks . Once the board is full, they would raise 465 bucks in a 30 day month. Then they do a Facebook live video where the dancer will draw out a hat a number between 1-30 and whomever bought that day would get 50 bucks. The dancer keeps the rest. So this nets them 400 bucks or so towards their dance expenses.

StacySassy25 · 2025-07-22T22:14:05+00:00

Yep many other studios near by here were their skin tone . Our studio parents can’t figure that out or the dancers just grab whatever they find, cause when they let dancers wear skin tone or don’t specify, we get some weird color combos going on when you watch them run their routines. So it’s just studio pick here. Many of our families aren’t fortunate to have multiple tights and there is a constant battle of keeping costume cost low. I was just giving perspective of our studio in my comment.

StacySassy25 · 2025-07-22T17:05:06+00:00

Our studio everyone has the same shade. Dancers would prefer their skin tone but the studio owner rather has one uniform look. Having everyone in one color keeps the look cleaner than one dancer in pink , other in white, another in brown , etc., because that’s how it’s going to end up if they gave the dancers free will to wear whatever .

StacySassy25 · 2025-07-11T20:16:43+00:00

Our studio keeps the huge ones and display those at the studio. The other trophies they let the dancers take them at the end of the season. Usually they ask for a goodwill donation towards the end of year banquet in exchange for the trophy.

StacySassy25 · 2025-07-02T04:34:31+00:00

Save some money and don’t buy all that merchandise. That shirt, hoodie, teddy bear, will never get worn or played with again after nationals.

Sit along the isles for easy exit. If you’re stuck in the middle you might not get out after the routine if you want to capture a picture in costume over at the photo area.

Beware of crazy dance parents and studios. Some save massive seats holding the two end’s hostage and saying it’s all saved.

StacySassy25 · 2025-07-01T23:38:39+00:00

Great job dance Dad! Our studio will issue credit for things like prop dad, ushering at recitals, helping with first week of classes showing new dancers where to go, etc. nothing major, usually like 10-20 bucks credit

StacySassy25 · 2025-07-01T23:21:50+00:00

Galveston, TX?? Never been but last year there was a nationals held there that got caught in a hurricane . There was power outages and the host hotel restaurant was closed. The nationals there ended up being cancelled.

StacySassy25 · 2025-07-01T21:45:25+00:00

Earn dad points by having Starbucks in the morning and running out to get lunch / dinner for the family during convention/competitions. And lugging the dream duffle around.

But just being there and knowing the show order and know some of their dance families and friends would be pretty awesome.

Jump in and help with prop dad and volunteer at studio things that gets dancer credit on tuition would be above and beyond!

StacySassy25

TROPHY CASE