Going for Title – Is It Worth It?

One of the most frequent questions I see in dance mom groups on social media is: “What is title?” and “Is it worth it?” While the answer to the first question can be fairly clear, the answer to the second question is less definitive. I can explain what our family’s experience has been, as both of my girls have gone for (and won) title. But if you’re wondering if it’s worth it for your dancer, you might have to put those pieces together yourself.

What Is Title?

While the exact definition of title can vary among dance competition companies, you can find some commonalities. In essence, a dancer that wins title has, in the judges’ opinions, exhibited excellent performance, showmanship, technique, and other qualities. Think of it as a pageant-style evaluation, separate from the adjudication from the dance itself.

Dancers that win the title at a regional or national competition are usually crowned “Mister” or “Miss,” the age division they competed in, and the name of the competition. For example, an eleven year-old girl might be named “Miss Junior Starpower – Chicago.” Also, competitions usually recognize their first and second runners-up in addition to their primary winner. These kids might earn a banner, medal, or some other token to recognize their achievement.

Most competition companies award titles at their regional and national events (and only in the more advanced levels). Star Dance Alliance also crowns a world champion each year at the World Dance Pageant. Being crowned Mr. or Miss World involves quite a bit more, including modeling, interviewing, and how they performed in the classes. For a more in-depth look at the event, check out the article. 

Is It Worth It?

As with most things, you and your dancer need to consider what you are hoping to get out of the experience before you decide to jump in. Entering a routine for title usually incurs an additional cost, so take a few minutes to do a bit of research before you dive in. Since every company that offers a title competition runs things differently, go to their website to find out the details. For example, check out the rules for Star Dance Alliance’s competitions here (just click control+F and enter the search term “title”). 

Depending on the competition, the dancer can receive an actual crown, scholarship, medal, banner, flowers, and/or other items. For boys, I’ve mostly seen them win baseball caps instead of crowns, and an assortment of candy in place of flowers. When my daughter won a national title in 2024, she also received a jacket and sash (and a crown that weighs more than her head). But most of the entrants did not register to win material items, so these are often not primary motivators.

The Honor of the Thing

Most dancers that enter a title competition do so to distinguish themselves from their peers in some way. With all of the competitive dancers out there, making a name for yourself can be difficult. Winning a title can help a dancer to elevate their recognition, and those that do often advertise their achievements on social media. This can attract new followers, too. As much as I don’t love this new reality of competitive dance, more opportunities seem to present themselves to kids with a larger social media following. 

My daughter Jocelyn has added “National Miss Teen Starpower ‘24 – Atlantic City” to her bio on Instagram, as well as her regional titles. She posted a picture of herself posing with her jacket and crown shortly after she won. Within the next day, she received a relatively high number of follower requests. Honestly, she is just awful about posting on social media regularly, so it is a rarity that she gets new followers at all. 

Yeah, But What Else?

Beyond that, what is the benefit of winning a title? For Jocelyn, becoming a national title holder has bolstered her confidence beyond measure. She exhibits far less self-doubt, and is much more willing to go outside her comfort zone and take on new challenges. As a matter of fact, she is shooting a promotional video as I am writing this article. In the past, she would have passed on the opportunity because she would not have felt like she was enough. But now, she is more sure of herself and willing to open herself up more. 

My daughter Jayden, who stopped competing after the 22-23 season, won title at her very last regional event. I can’t imagine a better way for her to end her competitive dance journey. After years of being named a runner-up (often coming in behind her twin sister), winning Miss Teen Starpower provided the validation she needed to confirm that she was a great dancer, and had something special to offer after all. 

For What It’s Worth

However, as with anything in competitive dance, the honor is to be taken with a grain of salt. A new dance mom can very quickly tell how subjective our world is, usually after her first awards ceremony. What one judge finds captivating, another might find mediocre. So don’t put all of your faith in the judges’ opinions, because you are likely to be disappointed. Explaining that to an eager, starry-eyed dancer might be challenging, and you might even feel like your sage wisdom is falling on deaf ears. But if you keep emphasizing that point, they might eventually absorb the lesson. 

But as they say, with no risk, there is no reward. As long as they don’t define their self-worth by how many they win, going for title can be a positive experience.