Powered by RebelMouse

In its 14 years of existence, YouTube has been home to a world of competition dance videos that we have all consumed with heedless pleasure. Every battement, pirouette and trendy move has been archived somewhere, and we are all very thankful.

We decided it was time DT did a deep dive through those years of footage to show you the evolution of competition dance since the early days of YouTube.

From 2005 to 2019, styles have shifted a whole lot. Check them out, and let us know over on our Facebook page what you think the biggest differences are!

Enjoy!

1. 2005

Jordan Casanova Hall of Fame Dance "You" www.youtube.com


2. 2006

Jaimie Goodwin - Denise Wall's Dance Energy www.youtube.com


3. 2007

belief www.youtube.com


4. 2008

Jordan Casanova Dance "Should've Known Better" www.youtube.com


5. 2009

2009 NYCDA Senior Critics' Choice Winner choreo. by Travis Wall www.youtube.com


6. 2010

Schindler's List www.youtube.com


7. 2011

2011 NYCDA Nationals Gala Performance - 2010 NYCDA National Senior Female - Kaitlynn Edgar www.youtube.com


8. 2012

2011 NYCDA National Senior Female Outstanding Dancer - Kali Grinder www.youtube.com


9. 2013

Katie McCleary - 2013 Hollywood Vibe Intermediate National Dancer of the Year- 11 yrs old www.youtube.com


10. 2014

Emma Sutherland @ Nuvo Dallas 2014 www.youtube.com


11. 2015

Mackenzie Ziegler's solo "Take That" at Jump - Pittsburgh 2015 www.youtube.com


12. 2016

Brightyn Brems - Hallelujah (Re-compete For Best Dancer) The Dance Awards Las Vegas 2016 www.youtube.com


13. 2017

Ella Horan - River (DancerPalooza Beat Squad Solo 2017) www.youtube.com


14. 2018

The Dance Awards 2018 - Las Vegas - Best Dancer Dance Off - Senior Female Top 3 Solos www.youtube.com


15. 2019

Lucy Vallely - Memory (NUVO Westminster Closing Show) www.youtube.com

evolution competition dance youtube youtube competition dance videos
If you like us online, you'll love us in print!
Dance Teachers Trending

Afaliah Tribune Makes Age-Appropriate Hip-Hop Music for Class

Photo courtesy of Tribune

Finding age-appropriate hip-hop music can be a struggle. Choreographer Afaliah Tribune addresses this common dilemma for hip-hop teachers by making her own original tracks on GarageBand. "I love experimenting with live music, and my students think it's fun, too," says Tribune, who is an adjunct professor of dance at New York University. "There are so many ways we can open up our work when we experiment with sound."

Keep reading...
Viral Videos

Gus Solomons jr Teaches a Plié Étude

Photo by Kyle Froman

Gus Solomons jr includes this exercise in his warm-up, following an initial 10 minutes of floor work. The combination's constant plié-and-rise dynamic is designed to help students find the ease and weight of the pelvis. As in Cunningham technique, the top of the body moves independently from the bottom half.

Keep reading...
Viral Videos

NYCB's "Sleeping Beauty" Promo Video Is Absolutely Hilarious

www.youtube.com

Every once in a while, the stars align, things fall precisely into place, and the perfect marketing campaign is born. Such is the case with New York City Ballet's new trailer for their upcoming run of The Sleeping Beauty.

Instead of going the traditional promotional route (performance clips, snippets of the score), NYCB took it to the next level by staging an elaborate photoshoot for Princess Aurora (played by principal Lauren Lovette) and her court, to commemorate her upcoming 16th birthday. And when we say "court," we mean it: everyone and their mother is there, from the Lackey, to Catalabutte, to the King and Queen, trailed by their guards, of course. Watching company members Aarón Sanz, Maria Kowroski, Meaghan Dutton O'Hara, and Ask la Cour (among many others) flex their acting chops is hysterical—they're all masters in the art of serving face (especially Kowroski, whose Carabosse literally sent chills down our spine), and we're so here for it.

If you like us online, you'll love us in print!
Dance Teacher Tips

Watch How to Teach a Countertechnique Tripod

www.youtube.com

The tripod (demonstrated by LizAnne Roman Roberts) is one of the more standard Countertechnique tools, designed to challenge the body to maintain dynamic balance while multitasking through multiple trajectories. Aptly named, the tripod works in three different directions: as the lower body moves down, the upper body moves up and back, eventually spiraling into an elegant twist.

Keep reading...
Dance Teacher Tips

Francesca Harper Teaches an Inverted Grand Rond de Jambe

Photo by Kyle Froman

Taught by Francesca Harper and demonstrated by Naya Lovell, this step borrows from William Forsythe's quest to take classical movement vocabulary and deconstruct the shapes created. "Let the momentum at the top of the développé carry you," says Harper, "and see how your body intuitively has its own response."

Keep reading...
Viral Videos

5 Television Shows That Had Surprise Mid-Episode Dance Numbers We Loved

www.youtube.com

Is there anything better than staying home on a weekend night to binge-watch your favorite TV show, only to be surprised by a mind-blowing surprise dance number mid-episode?

Yeah, we don't think so, either. There are just way too many positives in that scenario.

Check out these five television shows that have some seriously fabulous and unexpected dance numbers in them.

Enjoy!

Keep reading...
Viral Videos

Watch and Learn as Ciara Demonstrates 5 Fierce Dance Moves

www.youtube.com

If anyone's going to demonstrate how to break out some fresh dance moves it might as well be Ciara. This dancing diva is working on her seventh album, and everyone knows that any great album should be served with a side of dancing. So Ciara decided to show Vogue five of her fiercest moves—and we are here for every single one of them.

From the 1, 2 Step to Bucking, Ciara reminds us why we love her in this beautiful tutorial. We dare you to watch this and NOT bust a move. We can't wait to see what routines Ciara and her longtime choreographer Jamaica Craft pair with the tracks on her upcoming album. Whatever they decide, we know we'll be in for a treat. Until then you can master Ciara's iconic dance moves with the help of the video below. We won't judge you for playing it on repeat.


Viral Videos

The American Music Awards Performances You've Gotta Watch ASAP

www.youtube.com

ICYMI, one of music's biggest events happened last night: the American Music Awards (aka, a chance for the industry's best singers to strut their stuff—usually with a squad of the fiercest dancers around). The show always brings some fabulously dancy performances, but the ones below were our top faves.

Keep reading...
Dance Teacher Tips

Watch How to Teach a Table Lay With Transfer

Demonstrators Claire Crause and Avery Sobczak. Photo by Kyle Froman

This partnering move is all about the weight transfer, say Chris and Lauren Grant. "It's not about Hulk-Hoganing someone," says Lauren. The flyer and base must keep their hips together throughout, so that the weight of the flyer can pour gently onto the thighs of the base, rather than just dumping.

Keep reading...
Viral Videos

ICYMI Watch This Year's Capezio A.C.E. Awards Winning Number

Photo by Rachel Papo

Our Dance Teacher Summit in New York City was an inspiring three days of technique classes, seminars and networking with incredible educators! Our favorite part is always the evening of the Capezio A.C.E. Awards Competition, when we present the Dance Teacher Awards. This year's awardees included Julie Kent, Djana Bell, Rhonda Miller, Sue Samuels and Stephanie Kersten.

Check out the winning Capezio A.C.E. Awards' winning number, Not for Picking, choreographed by Mary Grace McNally, below.

Keep reading...
Dance Teacher Tips

VOM Winner Tracie Stanfield's Progression Video Challenges Dancers to Stay Grounded

www.youtube.com

"If I hear another dancer say, 'I don't like to plié,'" says Broadway Dance Center contemporary teacher Tracie Stanfield, "I am going to scream!" This frustration was the inspiration behind Stanfield's progression video, which focuses on level changes. The combination, demonstrated by dancers Gaby Blaney and Lexie Childers, starts with an over-crossed passé and builds into floorwork and landing on the tops of the feet. The series challenges dancers to build strength while staying grounded. "They learn to let the body soften on contact with the floor before throwing themselves from the air to the ground," she says.

Keep reading...
Viral Videos

3 Killer Dance Class Videos From the Summer You Want To Watch

www.youtube.com

Alright, people. Summer is officially over, and fall is upon us. What a ride it's been! From intensives to Nationals to workshops, you teachers have been FABULOUS!

To recap, we thought we would share three of our favorite class videos that came from summer 2018.

They're just so good.

Enjoy!

Keep reading...
If you like us online, you'll love us in print!
Mar/Apr 2020
Cover Gallery
Get the Print Edition

Trending

mailbox

Get DanceTeacher in your inbox

Featured College Dance Program

New World School of the Arts
New World School of the Arts
Want more college dance details?