Competition Spotlight: Journey

There are literally hundreds of dance competitions to choose from. So why would a studio owner pay attention when a new company enters the chat? If that company happens to be Journey, you might want to listen up!

Journey Dance Competition opened its doors in 2024, and its growth has been nothing short of extraordinary. Owner Joel Valdiviezo and his team started with a handful of regional events and one national competition that year. For 2025, they added a second nationals event and more regionals. With the overwhelmingly positive response from the dance community so far, they are poised to grow even more in 2026 and beyond.

Joel reached out to me back in 2024 to let me know about his new venture. This past February, he invited me to experience a Journey regional event firsthand. Jayden and I took him up on his offer, and checked out the competition at Watchung Hills High School in New Jersey.

The Entrance

Jayden and I arrived on Friday night to check things out, and we were not disappointed. As soon as we entered the venue, we were struck by how upbeat and joyful the setup was! You could hold up photobooth-type props while posing on the step-and-repeat, bright balloon sculptures decorated the space, and the fun merchandise was artfully displayed. A camera operator and host were interviewing dancers and parents (we would later see those videos on social media). You could practically feel the excitement; never have I been to a competition with such a positive atmosphere!

The Event

The event itself was much like most competitions I’ve been to, including “leveling” and a wide variety of genre categories. (I’m intrigued by the student choreography category, which I’ve personally never heard of before). One standout practice, however, was that the emcee would announce each dancer’s name before and after their solo. This made for a meaningfully personal touch. We also had the opportunity to take a peek backstage; the staff members were friendly and cheerful, helping the dancers to feel more at ease.

Photos and videos are provided free of charge, and the livestreams are password-protected for the dancers’ safety (I wish more competition companies would do this). Journey actually awards cash prizes and gift certificates for winning placements, another practice that I wish was more widespread. 

The Awards

What really set Journey apart from other competitions in my memory was the awards ceremonies. Throughout the weekend, the kids onstage waited for awards to start by dancing to energetic music, playing in machine-blasted bubbles, and interacting with the camera. While some of this might be typical fare at a number of competitions, Journey’s staff members were onstage with the dancers to encourage participation. It really did feel like a party!

While most competitions I’ve been to offer special judges’ awards, Journey takes it a step further. The actual judge that bestowed the shout-out award comes onto the stage and explains to the team’s representative WHY they received that particular award! It was a refreshing change from what I normally see – an emcee that simply reads the award, makes an assumption or two about why the team received it, and that’s that. With each judge providing such detailed explanations, it was clear that they were paying close attention to the routine. To me, this made the award that much more purposeful.

In addition to adjudications, category placements, and overall placements, Journey also gives “Excellence in” awards. Some examples include Excellence in Emotional Execution, Excellence in Technique, etc. I personally loved this – I feel that teams that incorporate elements like those deserve to be recognized for them. Also, the advanced level is eligible to compete for the “Best of” award for the genres of hip-hop, contemporary, jazz, tap, lyrical, and Best of the Rest (the remaining genres combined).

Nationals – The Entrance

Jayden, Jocelyn, and I decided to take an impromptu trip down to Atlantic City to check out Journey’s National Competition at Harrah’s. We are extremely familiar with the layout, having attended most of our national competitions at that venue. But when the escalator delivered us to the top floor, we were happily surprised! 

Every area of the lobby was brightly decorated with banners, balloons, and more. Dancers could take fun photos at a number of different stations. O(ne had plastic balls to throw in the air while snapping a picture, one had a tunnel-like structure, and others had a more traditional step-and-repeat setup. Young children had plenty to do, too – coloring and craft stations stood ready with supplies and surfaces to work on. In all the events we’ve attended at Harrah’s, this one stood out for its party-like atmosphere.

Nationals – The Event

Inside the large ballroom (where the dancing took place), spectators had plenty of places to sit (even at its most crowded, seats were still available). During judges’ breaks, the screens showed graduation pictures of the senior dancers that were attending their last competition. There were also slides with the names of all of the participating schools, thanking them for being a part of the event. Even my girls commented on how this made the event more personal, and helped everyone to feel as if they were a part of something special.

If the awards ceremonies at the regional competitions were awesome, the ones at the national event were unbridled ecstasy! Not only did they have all of the aspects of a regional competition, but they also included prize giveaways, a parent dance-off, and more. And let’s just say that some dance moms were VERY committed to winning that dance-off!

Unfortunately, we were not able to stay for some of the other events (their Featured Dancer ceremony, for example). I am hoping to have an opportunity to speak with Joel and his partner, Alli Gallant, again to get more information.

The Vibe

I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about the people behind this event a little more. Joel and Alli are some of the most genuine, authentic people I’ve spoken with in the dance community. They’re incredibly approachable, and very willing to do what it takes to create a positive, upbeat vibe. In creating Journey, Joel said that he was inspired by the more fun competitions out there (but personally, I think Journey is the most exciting event I’ve ever attended). They’re very hands-on, and their enthusiasm is contagious. And their hard work has paid off – so many of their events are already sold out for 2026, and the buzz in the dance world is overwhelmingly positive. 

At one point during the regional competition, one team was using a large ramp in their routine. But during the performance, the two parts of the ramp began to separate, and the rear piece began to tilt backwards. Joel stopped the performance; the dancers’ safety was definitely at risk, so he let them repair the prop and perform again. His concern for the kids was wonderful, and I was pleased he allowed them to give it a second chance. For me, his willingness to put the children’s well-being first was refreshing.

The Final Word

Dance Mom Jenni (from our Facebook group) wrote: “Our absolute FAVORITE comp!!!! It is a literal party!!!! There’s a Spirit Award that they give out to the studio that shows the most spirit over the weekend. It’s one of our favorite parts of this comp. Most studios go all out and have so much fun with it.”

And: “The judging, I feel, has been top notch the past 2 seasons. They’re reasonable with any schedule change requests, great behind the scenes and just make it fun, like competitions are supposed to be! I highly recommend this comp!”

If your team is considering adding Journey to their schedule, I would say go for it!

PS – Jayden won a solo scholarship to Journey during the D1 University event this past summer – now to convince her to do a solo so we can enjoy this competition as actual participants!

Check out Journey’s social media (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook) or website (https://journeycompetition.com) to learn more about this amazing event! 

Wishing Joel, Alli, and the entire Journey crew a successful dance season and beyond!