Run a Dance Studio How competitions work
Same board on every server, Nationals marks, then the weekly Awards lobby.
Competitive dance is the fantasy Dance Interactive sold, and the live build actually runs it. You do not only roleplay a recital. You submit routines into judged events, collect Cash and Gems, and climb an ELO the studio account asks about in public. This page is the ruleset.
Cross-server by design
Pre-launch post, still true: no matter which server you are in, everyone competes in the same competitions. A 10-player lobby is not a private league. Your Nationals entry sits on a worldwide board next to studios you will never load in with. That is why leaderboards can name Elite Superstars and Ace Dance Works while you play in a quiet instance.
If a friend says “our server is easy,” they misunderstood the product. Train as if the top studios are in the room — because for scoring, they are.
Compete with your Roblox friends
On 31 August 2026 Dance Interactive added a social layer on top of that shared board: if you and your Roblox friends enter the same competition, you will now be put together. That is grouping, not a private league. Elite Superstars can still sit on the overlay. Your friends simply share that specific heat with you instead of landing on a random other instance.
How to use it:
- Be Roblox friends first — in-game studio mates who are not on your friends list will not trigger the grouping.
- Enter the same competition, not “any event this week.”
- Do not treat grouping as a reserved Roblox Awards slot. The 24-entrant cap and Nationals qualification still apply.
This shipped in the same post as Dynamic Cameras and Quest Gems. Full patch notes: three live features.
Regular competitions vs Nationals vs Awards
Think in three layers:
- Regular competitions — practice submits, Cash, some Gems, routine debugging.
- Nationals (Solo and Group) — the qualification marks. You need one of each before Awards sign-up.
- Roblox Awards — weekly, limited entry (up to 24 per server), every entrant rewarded, Top 3 Gems, Champion title.
The Awards post is the most detailed document the studio has published. Full lore and clocks live on Roblox Awards and the schedule tool. This page is how the three layers connect so you do not show up on Saturday without a group mark.
Qualification checklist
Before you even look at the Awards clock:
- A saved solo routine that can enter Solo Nationals
- A saved group routine that can enter Group Nationals
- Both Nationals actually completed, not just queued
- Dancers trained
- Costumes on the piece you will show
- Formations updated if you recorded before 4 September — see formations
Sign-ups go fast. The studio said so in all caps. 24 slots per server is small. Being qualified is not the same as being in the lobby.
What you win
- Regular comps: Cash and Gems (official earn loop).
- Awards: every entrant gets a reward; Top 3 get Gems; winners get ROBLOX AWARDS CHAMPION.
- Boards: ELO language plus named studios on Instagram screenshots.
Do not skip a “losing” Awards entry if you already qualified — the entrant reward is part of the Gem story on earn cash and gems.
Categories and styles
Awards graphics already show Contemporary Open with regional times. Pre-launch posts tagged lyrical solos. Bring a piece that matches the category on the clock, not only your favorite song. Style advice: routine styles. Guest judge billing (Shannon Atkins) is flavor and marketing; your scores still come from the in-game judges.
ELO without a hidden formula
The studio asks “what’s your current ELO?” They have not published the math. Treat ELO as the public skill rating fed by those shared comps. Climb it by training, by submitting both paths, and by using formation changes. Do not chase it by resetting the studio. Names on the early board are listed on leaderboard.
Studio identity at comps
If your name is hashtags on the overlay, judges and screenshots cannot read you. Fix the name first — getting started. Branding that already exists in the culture (JWDA, Dance Mafia, SLAY STUDIO) is documented on top studios. Copying a name will not copy their ELO.
Week plan
Use weekday comps to lock Nationals marks. Use Friday to re-save formations. Use the Saturday/Sunday window in the schedule. After the show, spend Gems on the hole the board revealed, then go back to create a routine.
Competitions are the point of the fantasy. Build and train so the submit button is not a coin flip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers for studio owners, competitions, and currencies.
Do I only compete against my server?
No. Dance Interactive said everyone enters the same competitions across servers.
Can I compete with my Roblox friends?
Yes. As of 31 August 2026, friends who enter the same competition are grouped together. Still a worldwide board.
How do I qualify for Roblox Awards?
Complete 1 Solo Nationals and 1 Group Nationals, then sign up. Times on the schedule.
What do Awards winners get?
Entrant reward for everyone, Gems for Top 3, Champion title for winners. See Roblox Awards.
What is ELO?
The studio's public rating. Climb it through shared comps — leaderboard.