2026 RULES & REGS
NATIONAL DANCE HONORS
GENRE HONORS
Honoring studios excelling in specific genres for Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Lyrical, Ballroom, and Musical Theater. Studios must have at least ONE 12 and Under and ONE 13 and Over routine in a genre to be eligible for that Honor.
Recipients of a Genre Honor will receive a $1,000 cash prize.
HONORED STUDIO
Eligible studios must have one 12/under and one 13/over routine in the five genres listed below for a total of 10 routines. The top scoring studios will enter the competition.
The Honored Studio genres are as follows:
Ballet, Tap, Hip-Hop, Jazz OR Musical Theatre OR Acro OR Ballroom, and Contemporary OR Lyrical.
*Submitted routines must represent at least 80% of the genre selected.
**Studios must submit their Honored Studio routines prior to the event starting. The submitted routines will be scored to determine the top scoring studios that will participate in the Honored Studio Competition.
The recipient of Honored Studio will receive a $20,000 cash prize.
*Winner(s) of Honored Studio will take home the highest valued prize only.
**Winners are eligible to re-compete for Honored Studio in either city after two regional seasons. The 2025 winners will be eligible to re-compete at NDH 2027.
***There must be at least 4 studios eligible for Honored Studio at a given event to hold the Honored Studio Competition.
Any routine may not perform more than 2 times during the week, including in the National Competition, Honored Studio Competition, and the Gala.
NEW THIS SEASON
We are expanding the Jazz/Musical Theater category to be Jazz/Musical Theater/Ballroom/Acro for the Honored Studio Competition.
Following the final awards ceremony, studios who are selected as Honored Studio finalists are eligible to change the routines they would like to showcase in the Honored Studio Competition the next night. If an Honored Studio submission is chosen for Honored Performance, studios must change the routine they will have perform in the Honored Studio competition. Honored Performance routines may not be changed. If a routine submitted for Honored Studio is the only eligible routine a studio has for that genre then it is not eligible for Honored Performance.
WILDCARD COMPETITION
Eligible studios can submit any 1 group routine of any age and genre to represent them in the Wildcard Competition during the final night gala. Studio must have at least 10 group routines and be one of the highest scoring groups from our competition to be eligible.
*Wildcard submission cannot already be an Honored Performance Finalist, or a routine performing in the Honored Studio competition.
NEW THIS SEASON
Studios with 5 or more qualifying routines are eligible to compete in our Wildcard Competition, now featured in our Scholarship Show!
Recipients of the Wildcard Honor will receive a $5,000 cash prize.
HONORED PERFORMANCE
Top scoring group routines from each age division (Sparks not eligible). Top 3 routines from each age division are invited to re-compete in the final night gala . There is a limit 1 routine per age group per studio.
*Finalist routines cannot also be submitted for the Wildcard Competition.
**See notes on previous page regarding Honored Studio and Honored Performance routines.
Recipients of Honored Performance will receive a $5,000 cash prize.
NEW THIS SEASON
Honored Performance is now Top 5 routines from each age category.
HONORED VERSATILITY
Awarded to the studio with group routines representing the most of our eligible genres: Ballet, Ballroom, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Jazz, Lyrical, Musical Theater, and Tap. Ties will be awarded to the studio with the highest average score across each genre.
Recipients of the Honored Versatility will receive a $1,000 cash prize.
HONORED SPORTSMANSHIP
Studio with best overall sportsmanship throughout the event chosen by the National Dance Honors Production Team.
Recipients of the Honored Sportsmanship will receive a $1,000 cash prize.
HONORED EDUCATOR
In honor of Antoine Olds, we are recognizing active educators that continue to cultivate a healthy educational ecosystem for their student body across all age groups . Studios with at least one routine registered in each age category, from Sparks-Senior, are eligible to receive this Honor. The highest scoring routine from each eligible studio in each age division will be averaged to determine the winner.
Recipients of the Honored Educator will receive a $1,000 cash prize.
HONORED LEGACY
Individuals who have inspired and impacted the dance industry and contributed outstanding visions, dedication, and achievements throughout their lifetime.