On our home page, we list the venue for each event which is also linked to a google map location. We also post location details for each venue along with tips on which doors to use on both Instagram and Facebook. Lastly, your studio owner will have ALL THE DETAILS and should be your most important source of information.

Your studio director will tell you what the plan for your team is, so check there first.

Standard words of wisdom: There will be a doors open time for the opening of the competition which is usually 1 hour before the first entry hits the stage. These change by venue based on venue rules, so check with your studio owner.

If you’re performing later in the day, plan on arriving at least two hours before their 1st dance is scheduled to perform. We run very efficient schedules, and are likely to be running ahead of schedule.

Bring them! The event is open to the public and there is no fee – just pay with enthusiasm and lots of clapping!

Each competition varies, depending on the number of entries received.

We’re parents too, so we pay special attention to things like school schedules, time for feeding the kids and travel times the night before a school day. 

We publish our schedule for the day well in advance to help studio owners and their wonderful parents make better plans and reduce stress & worry.

Philosophically, we would rather take fewer entries and send everyone home at a reasonable hour than running awards ceremonies late into the night. In 7 years of running this competition, we’ve had one and only one event that went late into a Sunday night and we swore right then and there we’d NEVER do that again.

None. For a few good reasons.

1. Studio choreography is important and needs to be protected.

2. Auditoriums are very full and it’s not cool to interfere with other folks enjoyment of the show.

3. We have a professional photo/video team on site

That doesn’t mean you can’t get great photos and videos though! Once the award ceremony starts, break out the camera and capture those happy faces! Parents are encouraged to take photos and videos during the award ceremony.

We also post lots of pics on Instagram and Facebook throughout the day and as wrap-ups after the event, so be sure to give us a follow!

ABSOLUTELY. We live stream each event starting with the first entry. You can click the livestream button on the home page, or access it at dancegems.com’livestream

Dancebug can help. https://dancebug.com/#dancers

Our trophies are custom made by a family owned shop in Minnesota. We’re really proud to support a small business, but that also means we have limited stock for each event. If you need an extra trophy and you’re at the event, stop by the GEMS store and give any staff member your entry number and your contact info and we will do our best to help.

If you need an extra pin or medal, we carry those with us and can most likely help you on-site. Stop by the GEMS store and let them know what you need and we’ll get it sorted out for you.

We have a large number of awards. You can get the details here.

GEMS is an adjudicated competition. Awards are determined based on a point system. You can read the details on the rule book page.

Entry fees are available to studio directors only. Parents pay entry fees directly to their own studios; we do not service student payments directly.

GEMS does not accept unspoonsored entries, so you will need to work with your studio owner to get your dancer registered. 

You bet! Drop an email to hello@dancegems.com, call us at 507-405-GEMS or shoot us a note on Facebook Messenger and we’ll hook you up.

Your dancer’s scores will be shared with you at your studio owner’s discretion. 

Some of our fabulous studio owners give every detail about scoring and adjudication, and some of them summarize and put together a useful class critique for their students. 

Either way is fantastic, but dancers and parents will need to talk to their directors about scores.