Reinforce Dance Experience - Chicago, IL

Name: Reinforce Dance Experience - Chicago, IL
Start: 2027-01-22
End: 2027-01-24
Location: Hilton Chicago

Reinforce Dance Experience

When

Jan 22 - 24, 2027

Where

Hilton Chicago

Chicago, IL

Accepts Independents

“Independent registrations are allowed for both workshop and competition, but include added fees.”
View source ↗Verified 2026-05-18

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Hilton Chicago

720 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL

About Reinforce Dance Experience

REINFORCE Dance Experience is a national dance convention and competition tour. Each weekend-long event combines workshop training with competition across nine style categories (ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, tap, hip-hop, ballroom, musical theater, and open) and six entry types (solo, duo/trio, group, line, extended line, and production). Routines are scored on a 100-point scale: Technique (40), Overall Impact (30), Stage Presence (20), and Execution (10), with a panel of 3 industry judges plus 1 studio owner/teacher judge. Independent (non-studio) registrations are accepted for both workshop and competition with added fees. Convention attendance is required to compete.

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Awards, Judging & Scoring

Scoring System

Adjudicated tiers: REinvent Award 295-300; High Platinum 285-294.9; Platinum 275-284.9; High Gold 265-274.9. Overall awards: each style category top 1-3; Solos top 1-10; Duo/Trios, Groups, Lines, Extended Lines, Productions top 1-5 per age group. Special: Force Routine Award (top studio routine performs at The Force Showcase), Judges Pick (one routine per block), Studio Style Award (most versatile studio), Studio Sportsmanship Award, Outstanding Studio (top 5 group routines summed).

Tour-wide standard

Judging Criteria

4 scoring components per 100-point scale: Technique 40, Overall Impact 30, Stage Presence 20, Execution 10. Tie-breaker: technique score. 5-point deduction for exceeding time limits. Panel: 3 industry judges + 1 studio owner/teacher judge (provides separate critique on choreography, staging, age appropriateness, and costume).

Judging Panel

4 judges

Categories & Divisions

Styles

BalletJazzLyricalContemporaryTapHip-HopBallroomMusical TheaterOpen/Specialty

Entry Types

SoloDuo/TrioGroupLineExtended LineProduction

Pricing

Convention (studio dancer): Mini $275; Junior/Teen/Senior $300; independent dancers add $50 (Mini $325, others $350). Competition per dancer: Solo $150, Duo/Trio $90, Group/Line/Extended Line/Production $70. Observer wristband $60. Teacher (dancer) $150; studio owners/teachers free.

Solo entry

$150

Convention

$300

Spectator

$60