DanceFinder — Discover Dance Intensives Nationwide

Competitions · National championships · 2027 season

Dance Nationals

Dance nationals are the season-ending national championships where regional qualifiers compete for the title. This directory tracks every national championship event we have, organised by state, host city and brand, and refreshed weekly as brands finalise dates.

  • 186
    Nationals events
  • 99
    Brands
  • 85
    Host cities
  • 30
    States

What are dance nationals?

Across a competition season, touring brands hold regional events and conventions where studios and soloists earn bids, top-score invitations, or automatic advancement. Nationals are where those qualifiers meet: a multi-day national championship, usually in a destination city with a big convention hotel, that crowns the season’s overall winners.

Every major brand runs its own nationals — so “dance nationals” isn’t one event but dozens, each with its own dates, host city, and qualification rules. This page pulls them all into one place so families can compare, plan travel, and find the championship that fits their studio’s circuit.

Dance nationals by state, host city, and brand

States and host cities open their own competition directory — every event in that place, not only the championships. Brands open a full tour schedule with the qualification rules for that circuit.

The 2027 nationals season, month by month

Championship weeks in date order. Filtering hides a month entirely once nothing in it matches, so the shape of the season stays readable as you narrow.

State
City
Month

Showing 186 events

November 2026

February 2027

April 2027

June 2027

July 2027

Full 2027 calendar

Every dance competition scheduled for 2027, not just nationals.

All dance competitions

Browse and filter every competition by location, date, and style.

2027 Nationals tracker

Our editorial deep-dive on the 2027 finale — by brand, week by week.

Dance nationals FAQ

What are dance nationals?The definition, and how many championships we track this cycle.

Dance nationals are the national championship events that close out a competition season. Over the year, regional and convention tours crown qualifiers at each stop; those qualifiers then compete head-to-head at the brand's national finals — typically a multi-day event in a destination city. We track 186 national championship events across 99 brands for the 2027 season.

When do dance nationals happen?The months the championship season runs, and why dates land late.

Most dance nationals run late spring through summer (roughly May-August), after the regional season wraps. Each brand sets its own dates and host city; browse the month-by-month schedule above for the 2027 calendar as brands finalize it.

Where are dance nationals held?The destination cities that host them, and how many states this cycle.

Nationals cluster in destination cities with large convention hotels — Orlando, Las Vegas, and similar markets are perennial hosts. This directory groups every national championship by state and by host city so you can plan travel. We track nationals in 30 states this cycle.

How do you qualify for dance nationals?Bids, top-score invitations, and where each brand publishes its rules.

Qualification is set by each competition brand. Most award national bids, top-score invitations, or automatic advancement to studios and soloists at their regional events. Check the specific brand's tour page for its rules — every brand here links to its full schedule and qualification details.

Are dance nationals the same as a dance convention or a regional competition?What separates a regional, a convention, and a championship.

No. A regional competition is a single local/qualifying event; a convention pairs classes with a competition; nationals are the season-ending championship where qualifiers compete. Many brands run all three. Use our full competition and convention directories to see every event type.

Dates fill in late. Many brands publish national championship dates and host cities late in the season, so this list grows as they do. We refresh weekly. Always verify dates, location, and qualification rules directly with the competition before registering or booking travel.