Beyond the Trophy: Our Philosophy on Dance Competitions

Choreographer and teacher Tanner Boyer celebrates on stage with the cast of Modern Drift after receiving the Best Choreography Award.

At LoMastro Performing Arts Academy, we love seeing our dancers take the stage, showcase their artistry, and grow through performance opportunities. Competitions provide valuable experiences—helping dancers build confidence, teamwork, and resilience. However, while awards and trophies can be exciting in the moment, they are not the focus of our competition philosophy.

Why We Don’t Focus on Trophies & Placements

Unlike sports, where points and rankings are determined by clear, objective statistics, dance competitions rely on a panel of judges with personal opinions and preferences. Every competition structures its scoring and age divisions differently, which can lead to inconsistent results. Because of this, we encourage our dancers to focus on their personal growth rather than their placement on a score sheet.

At many competitions, the age breakdowns vary significantly, sometimes grouping younger dancers in the same category as older, more experienced performers. This happened at a recent competition, where some of our Intermediate dancers found themselves competing against Senior-level routines. These types of groupings are out of our control, and they reinforce why we don’t measure success based on awards.

Instead of trophies, our goal is simple: Did our dancers perform better at this competition than they did at the last? If the answer is yes, that is a victory worth celebrating.

What We DO Celebrate

Although we don’t focus on placements, we love when our dancers, choreographers, and teachers receive recognition for what truly matters:

✔ Choreography & Concept Awards – Highlighting the creativity and artistry behind a routine.

✔ Judges’ Choice Awards – Acknowledging outstanding performance quality, storytelling, or teamwork.

✔ Emotional Connection & Artistry – Encouraging dancers to bring their authentic selves to the stage.

These types of achievements align with what we value as a studio and as artists. When these awards happen, we celebrate them and use them as encouragement for our dancers to continue striving for authentic expression and growth.

Why You Won’t See Trophies on Display

While we are proud of our dancers' accomplishments, you won’t see trophies from competitions on display at LoMastro. That’s because we believe the most important achievements aren’t measured by trophies, but by progress, perseverance, and personal growth.

The true rewards of competition come from:

• The confidence built from stepping on stage.

• The teamwork developed in rehearsals.

• The improvements made from one performance to the next.

How Parents & Teachers Can Support This Mindset

We recognize that competition can be an emotional experience, especially for young dancers. Parents and teachers play a crucial role in helping reinforce a healthy and positive perspective.

1. Reframe the conversation. Instead of asking, “Did you win?” ask, “How did you feel about your performance?”

2. Celebrate progress. Focus on how much stronger the performance was compared to their last time on stage.

3. Remind dancers of their WHY. The goal isn’t to collect trophies—it’s to grow, improve, and express themselves through dance.

A Mindset for Success

By keeping our focus on growth, artistry, and self-improvement, we help our dancers build confidence that extends far beyond the stage. We want them to leave each performance feeling proud, inspired, and motivated to keep pushing themselves.

Competitions are just one part of the journey, and at LoMastro, we are committed to making that journey meaningful, whether or not a trophy is involved.