COMPETITION INFO & FEES
| CATEGORIES | # DANCERS | EARLY TUITION FEE PER DANCER |
FULL TUITION FEE PER DANCER |
TIME LIMIT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GROUP | 4-9 | $79 | $89 | 3:00 |
| LINE | 10-15 | $79 | $89 | 3:00 |
| EXTENDED LINE | 16-24 | $79 | $89 | 4:00 |
| PRODUCTION | 25+ | $79 | $89 | 5:00 |
| SOLO | 1 | $199 | $219 | 2:30 |
| DUO/TRIO | 2-3 | $99 | $109 | 2:45 |
Each routine will be given a 15 second "grace period". If a routine is more than 15 seconds over the time limit, 1 point will be deducted for each second past the "grace period."
If you need additional time for any routines with 4 or more dancers, you may purchase up to 3 additional minutes for just $5 per dancer, per additional minute. For scheduling purposes, additional time must be purchased at least two weeks prior to the event.
REGISTRATION & DEPOSITS
Payment Terms
FULL payments are required 30 DAYS prior to the event. Unpaid registrations will not be included in the event and the space will be relinquished to a studio on the waiting list.
Payments must be made by Credit Card or ACH. When paying by ACH all payments must be received 45 days prior to the first day of the event.
NO STUDIO CHECKS, PERSONAL CHECKS, CERTIFIED CHECKS or MONEY ORDERS will be accepted.
All fees are in United States dollars.
Most of our cities sell out before the registration deadline. In an effort to plan our events more efficiently, we have implemented a $50 deposit per routine. This deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable to another city/event. For Studio registrations, if a routine is removed before the 30-day deadline, the deposit can be applied to the remaining balance for that city/event only. Please understand this is being implemented to help give opportunities to the most amount of dancers at each event and to prevent last-minute cancellations.
Once your registration is completed via Hitchkick, you will receive an email confirmation. If you do NOT receive an email confirmation, your registration was not fully completed.
Regional competitions are limited to time available in each city. Entries are accepted on a first come, first served basis. Registration by deadline does not guarantee acceptance of entries.
If necessary, a waitlist will be utilized for additional entries. No onsite competition entries will be accepted.
Refund Policy
There are no refunds for competition fees.
If an event is canceled (for a pandemic, state of emergency, etc.), refunds will be made within 14 days of the event.
There are NO refunds if an attendee cancels. Credit requests will be addressed on a case-by-case basis with the registration account holder.
If a studio forfeits more than 20 routines in a season, we will require that studio to pay their competition fees in full the following season. We will not be able to hold your routines until that payment is made.
AGE DIVISIONS
| DIVISION | AVERAGE AGE OF PARTICIPATING DANCERS |
|---|---|
| PEEWEE | 5-7 |
| MINI | 8-10 |
| JUNIOR | 11-12 |
| TEEN | 13-15 |
| SENIOR | 16-19 |
| OPEN | 20+ |
All Full Tilt ages (Workshop & Competition) are determined as of January 1, 2026. For example: Ages for October 2025 events will be as of January 1, 2026, and ages for May 2026 events will be as of January 1, 2026.
To reach the average age of a routine, add all the ages together and divide by the total number of dancers in the routine. When averaging ages always drop the decimal point. For example, if a routine’s average age is 12.8, you would drop the decimal, therefore putting the routine in the 11-12 year-old age division.
The average age of each routine cannot drop more than one age division below the age of the oldest dancer in the entry, regardless of the actual average age. For example, if a routine includes dancers ranging in age from 9-18, the entry may not compete younger than the 13-15 age category (one division younger than the oldest dancer - 18).
Any routine with a dancer 21 years of age or older must compete in the Open age division (20+) regardless of the average age of the routine.
Group routines with 4+ dancers are allowed to "age up" to the next age division. Those routines can move up only one category from the actual age division.
Dancers must be properly registered for each routine in order to compete.
All competing dancers must be prepared to present a birth certificate should any questions arise.
PERFORMANCE DIVISIONS
| JAZZ | Primarily jazz technique, utilizing up-tempo music. |
| BALLET | Primarily ballet or pointe technique, including classical steps and movements. |
| HIP-HOP | Primarily hip-hop technique. |
| TAP | Primarily tap technique. Routines demonstrating clogging technique and style may not compete in the tap category. |
| CONTEMPORARY | A fusion of many jazz styles with a strong emphasis on modern technique. |
| LYRICAL | A combination of jazz and ballet techniques to slow music incorporating emotional and storytelling elements. |
| MUSICAL THEATRE | Any routine interpreting a song from a Broadway or Movie Musical. |
| BALLROOM | Routine that consists of core elements of ballroom repertoire showcasing Traditional or Latin techniques. |
| ACRO | Acrobatic dance is a fusion of Dance and Acrobatic tricks. These tricks originate from circuses all over the world. Balance, Flexibility and Power blended seamlessly with dance movement. |
| SPECIALTY | Consists of all other categories: ethnic, novelty, clogging, etc. |
| SHOWCASE | Entries that wish to perform for critiques only. These routines will not be scored and will not be eligible for Adjudicated or High Score Awards. |
| IMPROVISATION | Involves creating and executing movement spontaneously, without any premeditated movement. Dancers entered in this category will not know the song being played ahead of time. The DJ will ask the dancer what "style" they would like and then select a corresponding song at random. Length will be no more than 2 minutes and 30 seconds. |
Judges reserve the right to change the performance division of a routine if they feel it is incorrectly placed.
ROUTINE ENTRY LIMITS
Competition entry limits vary from city to city. Please see your corresponding city page for specifics.
Once a soloist receives a 1st Place award in one regional Full Tilt city, they are unable to compete a solo (even if a different solo) at any other Full Tilt city for the remainder of the season. Soloists that win a 1st place award may continue to perform a solo at other regional competitions for Showcase Only, meaning the routine will not be adjudicated or awarded.
INDEPENDENT DANCERS
Although we recognize that a dancer may be considered "independent" in certain situations, Full Tilt believes a dancer is best served by consistent training at a well-established dance studio. Independent dancers are those who do not attend consistent classes in a structured program and are not affiliated with a physical dance studio. We understand that this rule is subjective, so any questions will be resolved at the Director's discretion.
Independent dancers are not eligible to participate in the Full Tilt Competition.
THE FULL TILT STAGE
Full Tilt offers a unique stage, boasting a danceable space that’s 40’ wide and 28’ deep, with additional wing space on each side. The danceable space is covered with marley.
COMPETITION SCHEDULING
A typical Full Tilt weekend includes Solo and Duo/Trio Competition on Friday and Group Competition on Saturday.
Friday competition typically begins at 8am with PeeWee solos, then progresses into Mini, Junior, Teen, Senior & Open solos. Duo/Trios then follow.
If a Solo or Duo/Trio is scheduled before 3:30pm on a Friday and the routine opts not to perform, Full Tilt will provide a full refund for that routine.
There may be Group Competition on Friday after 3:30pm in some cities. In such cases, studios will be notified two weeks before the event. There will NEVER be Group Competition on Friday before 3:30pm.
Routines in the PeeWee, Mini & Junior age divisions will not be scheduled after 9pm. Routines in the Teen, Senior & Open age divisions will not be scheduled after 11pm.
MUSIC REQUIREMENTS
All competition music can be uploaded directly to your Hitchkick account.
We strongly recommend using MP3 audio files, but we also accept WAV, M4A and AIF format files, up to 50 MB each.
To avoid any issues onsite, competition music must be uploaded prior to the event.
We will still accept music via flash drive onsite if absolutely necessary. Please clearly label each audio file with the routine number & title. We strongly recommend using MP3 audio files, but we also accept WAV, M4A and AIF format files, up to 50 MB each.
Flash drives can be turned in to the General Info Desk onsite. The audio files will be imported onto the competition’s computer system.
If you upload your music files in advance or bring them to the event on a flash drive, ALWAYS have another back-up, just in case.
If you are playing music off your mobile device, the song must be imported into iTunes or another media player. We will NOT be able to rely on internet access to play any any songs.
JUDGES CRITERIA
TECHNIQUE - 50%
PERFORMANCE - 20%
CHOREOGRAPHY & MUSICALITY - 20%
OVERALL APPEARANCE - 10%
ONLINE CRITIQUES
Within 24 hours after each event, all score sheets & online critiques will be made available to the users of the Hitchkick account from which the registration was originally submitted. Individual registrants will have full access to their critiques if they submitted their own registration, regardless of whether they are associated with a studio. If a studio prefers to have sole access to these critiques, all registrations must be submitted through their Studio account and not from any Individual accounts.
TEACHER ONLY CRITIQUES
We understand that during the competition, there are often times where the judges would like to say things JUST to the teacher or choreographer rather than to the whole group of performers. They may want to offer feedback regarding individual dancers, costumes, choreography, etc. To address this, there is one judge per panel that is dedicated to providing a “Teacher Only” critique. This is included in your studio’s online critiques, but labeled as a separate viewing option.
FAMILY FRIENDLY
We ask that all participants keep in mind that Full Tilt is a family-friendly event. We understand that appropriateness in regards to age, music & costuming can be subjective. However, we are determined to establish some sort of standard to ensure that inappropriate routines are penalized or disqualified, or at least not rewarded with the highest scores/awards.
To help monitor this, our judging system includes a “Family Friendly” point structure. For each routine, the judge’s score sheet includes a checkbox labeled “This routine may not be Family Friendly”. For each judge that checks this box, there will be a 5 point deduction from a routine's total score. So, if three judges check this box, a routine's score would drop 15 points. If all four judges check the box, the routine will be disqualified. In addition, any concerns will be addressed on the judges’ critiques (Teacher Only).
Again, this is not a perfect science. Full Tilt's outlook might be too relaxed for some and too strict for others. We can only do what we think is right. This is a work in progress but we feel that it's a step in the right direction. As always, we welcome your feedback!
ADJUDICATED AWARDS
Double Platinum, Platinum, High Gold, Gold, and High Silver awards will be presented based on the following scores:
| TOTAL SCORE | AWARD |
|---|---|
| 291-300 | Double Platinum |
| 282-290 | Platinum |
| 273-281 | High Gold |
| 264-272 | Gold |
| 255-263 | High Silver |
All Double Platinum, Platinum, High Gold, Gold, and High Silver award winners will be eligible for Full Tilt’s nationals event (Summer 2026).
Routines performing for Showcase Only will not receive an adjudicated award.
PLACEMENT AWARDS
In addition to the adjudicated awards, overall High Scores (by Age Division) will receive placement awards.
Competitive 1st Place-10th Place awards will be given to the highest scoring Solos in each of the PeeWee, Mini, Junior, Teen, Senior & Open age divisions.
Similarly, competitive 1st-5th Place awards will be given to the highest scoring Duo/Trio, Group, Line, Extended Line and Production, in each age division.
Overall High Scores (by Performance Division) will receive a competitive 1st, 2nd & 3rd Place award. These awards will be given to the highest scoring routine in the Jazz, Ballet, Tap, Lyrical, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Hip-Hop, Ballroom and Specialty performance divisions within the PeeWee, Mini, Junior, Teen, Senior & Open age divisions.
SPECIAL AWARDS
BEST PERFORMANCE (PEEWEE, MINI, JUNIOR, TEEN, SENIOR & OPEN)
Select routines from the PeeWee, Mini, Junior, Teen, Senior and Open age divisions will be chosen, by consensus of the judges, as the Best Performance Winners. These awards are presented to the routines that the judges feel are, overall, the most technical AND entertaining.
STUDIO STANDOUTS
At the conclusion of the competition, the best number from each studio will be chosen, by consensus of the judges, to perform in the Closing Show! It may be the highest score from the studio, it may not be. It is simply what the judges remembered and liked the most.
To be eligible for the Studio Standout, a studio must have entered at least 15 routines into the competition. Out of those 15 routines, a minimum of seven must be group routines with 4 or more dancers. Each Judges’ Pick routine must be a Group, Line, Extended Line or Production.
Each Studio Standout winner will receive FREE entry, for that routine, at Full Tilt’s nationals event (Summer 2026).
LIVESTREAM
Can’t join us in person? Don’t worry! You can still watch the free livestream of the Competition & Closing Show. The livestream link will be activated approximately 5-10 minutes before the scheduled start time. Our goal is always to provide a smooth & seamless webcast; however, there are sometimes venue and/or internet connection limitations that are out of our control. We apologize in advance if you experience any issues.
VIDEO AND PHOTOGRAPHY
Photography and Video recording from any media devices (i.e. digital cameras, cell phones, SLR’s, Flip, etc.) is strictly prohibited during the competition. This is to enforce the dancers’ safety and privacy, as well as protecting the work of choreographers and faculty. Full Tilt offers professional photo and video services at each of our events and on our website after the event.
ADMISSION
Admission to the competition and closing show is absolutely FREE. Registered Teachers and Studio Owners will be given reserved seating during the competition. Visual coaching from the audience or wings is strictly prohibited.
PROPS
NO dangerous props may be used during the competition (swords, fire, etc.). General props are allowed but must be taken on and off the stage within two minutes total. It is the sole responsibility of each studio to ensure that its props are taken on and off stage. Full Tilt staff/crew cannot help with props. It is also the studio's responsibility to ensure that the stage is completely clean and clear after the routine is finished. Please do not build props backstage as this can be hazardous to the performers. For safety, dancers cannot stand above 6'6" on a prop. Props that stand above 10' are not guaranteed to fit on the Full Tilt stage.
Paint, Powder, Chalk, Etc.
Full Tilt does not allow the use of paint, powder or chalk. If you are using another substance (glitter, water, etc) that you think MIGHT be an issue, please contact us for approval before you register that routine.
Lighting
Routines can request our lighting rig to have a complete blackout or dimmed lighting for a competition routine.
Routines can request one power source backstage if they need to plug in and power a prop used for a routine.
Any special lighting that a studio wants to bring on stage (to create their own lighting effects) must be administered and created by the dancers that are registered for the routine. A studio’s special lighting cannot be controlled by a teacher or parent from the wings or backstage.
RULES & REGULATIONS
Dancers must be registered for the full workshop in order to participate in the competition.
All competition routines must be entered under a studio name. Full Tilt does not accept independent entries for the competition. This includes solos. In most cities, soloists do not need to be in a group routine; however, the soloist must enter with a studio name and with the studio's permission. Please see corresponding city page for specific entry limits for your tour city.
Once a soloist receives a 1st Place award in one regional Full Tilt city, they are unable to compete a solo (even if a different solo) at any other Full Tilt city for the remainder of the season. Soloists that win a 1st place award may continue to perform a solo at other regional competitions for Showcase Only, meaning the routine will not be adjudicated or awarded.
The deadline for competition changes is 1 week prior to the event. No changes will be accepted after this date.
Professional dancers are welcome for the workshop, and can participate in the competition; however, professional dancers ages 21 or older can only compete in the Open (20+) age category. Full Tilt considers a "professional" to be anyone that teaches at a dance studio on a regular basis and/or anyone that derives more than 50% of their income from dance.
Registered teachers/studio owners cannot perform in the competition unless the routine is entered for "Showcase Only."
Competing dancers may compete for one studio only, unless there is a rare circumstance where Full Tilt’s Director has granted prior consent.
Dancers and routines may compete in more than one city.
All numbers must appear according to their scheduled sequence unless a Full Tilt backstage manager grants permission otherwise.
Judges may stop a number in progress and request that it be repeated. If Full Tilt's equipment fails, the studio may choose to continue or to re-do the number. If performers' equipment fails, the performance must continue or be withdrawn.
Competing dancers should be ready 30-45 minutes prior to their scheduled competition time. The competition may run up to 45 minutes early and each dancer will be expected to perform at the earlier time. Please keep this in mind if you are leaving the event space but plan on returning for Awards.
Full Tilt reserves the right to change all rules and regulations at any time without notice. All questions that arise are resolved by the discretion of the Full Tilt Director.
Routines can request our lighting rig to have a complete blackout or dimmed lighting for a competition routine.
Routines can request one power source backstage if they need to power a prop.
Any special lighting that a studio wants to bring on stage (to create their own lighting effects) must be administered and created by the dancers that are registered for the routine. A Studio’s special lighting cannot be controlled by a teacher or parent from the wings or backstage.
At Full Tilt, we value loyalty to studios. We do not allow teachers or studio owners to solicit dancers from other studios at any of our events. The first offense will result in a warning. If any additional offenses occur, the studio will not be permitted to attend any future Full Tilt events until further notice.