**Is It Time for a True California State Dance Tournament?**

California is home to one of the most vibrant school dance communities in the country, but unlike states such as Minnesota, Iowa, Utah, and Washington, we have never had a true unified state tournament. The question is controversial, and perhaps overdue: is it finally time for California dance educators and coaches to come together under a shared system?

This article is not meant to dismiss the great work already happening. Rather, it is about stepping back, looking at the bigger picture, and asking why previous attempts at a statewide event have not taken root, and whether a new approach could succeed in such a large state.

A Patchwork of Programs and Opportunities

Not every school in California has a dance program, and those that do often look very different. Some are competitive, others focus on concerts and performance opportunities, while still others exist under the umbrella of cheer or spirit programs. Add to that the vast differences in access to local dance studios, where some communities have resources on every corner while others have none, and it becomes clear why the playing field is not level.

Meanwhile, the for-profit competition industry has created fantastic opportunities. Varsity Brands (USA, UDA, NDA), Sharp International, West Coast Elite, and Dance Team Union all provide polished events with strong production value. Many coaches return year after year because these competitions are familiar, fun, and sometimes feel more “winnable” than smaller events.

But these events also come with high registration fees that can leave lower-income schools behind. Independent locally run competitions (once organized under CADTD) often struggle to compete with the marketing and scale of the national brands. Yet without a sustainable unified state structure, many of those early efforts have faded, leaving a patchwork system in their place.

Additionally, there have been advancements in dance competition judging & scoring practices in other parts of the nation that California has simply not kept up with. But that is a whole separate topic to be explored in a future post. So stay tuned for that!

A Brief Look Back

California has a long and proud history in drill team, dance team, and pom/song dance. For decades, California dance teams have thrived at both the regional and national level, but without a consistent statewide structure, momentum has always shifted toward whichever private competition company could provide the biggest stage at the time.

Remember: It was Dr. Kay Teer Crawford, the founder of Miss Dance Drill Team USA in 1967, whose vision established California as a cornerstone in the national dance team & drill team movement.

But unlike Minnesota’s MSHSL or Utah’s UHSAA, California has never had a sustainable interscholastic framework that belongs to the schools themselves. And with CIF’s mishandling of cheerleading as a competitive sport, why would the school dance team world in California want to risk losing the patchwork community we still have?

Why a New Approach Might Work Now

Rather than competing with the BIG for-profit competition producers, maybe the solution lies in building something different: A complementary system that expands access, fosters connection, and creates a true sense of statewide recognition.

One idea is the creation of the California Interscholastic Dance Activities Association (CIDAA), a NEW coaches’ federation and tournament structure modeled after the Minnesota system.

Here’s how it could work:

1. Regular Season “Meets”

Schools could host short, weekday “meets” lasting no more than an hour.
Each meet might focus on a specific style (or two), such as Pom, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Jazz, etc.
Meets would give your dance team program performance reps, let host schools raise funds through concessions, and help coaches build camaraderie across neighboring school districts.
Essentially these would be our community’s version of volleyball or basketball games during the school week. And would feature a variety of teams (not just two schools, as in athletic matches).
Scores from “meets” are used as practice and to help California teams prepare for comprehensive weekend regionals, national events, as well as…

2. Section Qualifiers

California would be divided into four geographic regions (referred to as “Sections”). And there would be one section competition held for each section per school year.
Schools would also be classified into one of three divisions based on their school’s student population size (A, AA, or AAA). At the Section Qualifier, teams are scored against other school programs in their same “Class”.
Independent competitions (perhaps those formerly sanctioned under CADTD) could bid to host a Section Qualifier each year.
While awards at the Section Qualifier could recognize a variety of division categories, only the Top 3 highest scores per dance genre would advance to the state tournament (regardless of routine size). Qualification would be based on scores across size divisions to ensure only the best routines in each genre advance. For example, if a team enters both Small Hip Hop and Large Hip Hop, only their highest-scoring routine could advance to the State Tournament as long as it places in the Top 3 overall scores for the Hip Hop dance genre.

3. State Tournament

Held annually at a rotating arena site (Northern CA, Central CA, or Southern CA).
Each dance genre would showcase 12 routines per Class (essentially the Top 3 from each of the four Section Qualifiers). From the Hip Hop example above, this means there would be separate competition performance featuring all 12 schools in Class A, all 12 schools in Class AA, and all 12 schools in Class AAA.
The Top 6 routines from each Class would advance to a final round during the State Tournament event.
Top 3 winning routines are presented wooden plaques recognizing the State Champion, 1st Runner-Up, and 2nd Runner-Up (with each performing dancer also receiving recognition)

This means each dance genre final would feature the strongest representation of talent from all sections, while still grouping teams by school size for fairness.

Addressing Concerns

Q: What would happen to the many independently run competitions that already exist, whether they have always been self-hosted or were once part of the CADTD system?
A: They can absolutely continue. The new CIDAA format is not about replacing or undermining those events. Instead, it creates equity by giving more schools the chance to host weekday meets or section events as fundraisers, just as other independent regionals have done successfully for years.

Q: What about solos and duet/trio routines?
A: At this stage, the proposed CIDAA system is designed to focus on group dance opportunities only. As many programs do not focus on solos or duet/trio routines. For now, these types of performances remain best served by independently run regionals, for-profit regional competitions, or dedicated solo events such as our NEW Dance Team California Solo Championship.

Q: What about schools with dance programs that do not compete?
A: This is an important consideration. The “Activities” in the California Interscholastic Dance Activities Association name was chosen intentionally, to leave room for all forms of interscholastic dance and educational collaborations. Our hope is to gather feedback on how a culminating performance festival might be created in the future, providing a non-competitive showcase where programs can celebrate their artistry without the pressure of competition. Or facilitating connections between school dance programs to feature guest performances from neighboring schools in their own dance concerts or culminating recitals.

Q: Will this new format take opportunities away from existing programs?
A: No. This proposal is not meant to take opportunities away but to expand access, equity, and recognition for dancers in every kind of school program across California.

What This Could Mean for California

A state tournament like this would not replace the many opportunities already thriving in California. Teams could still attend USA, SHARP, WCE, MDDT, DTU, CADTD events, and Nationals across the country. The goal is not to compete with those brands, but to create a uniquely California recognition pathway: one that allows programs of all sizes and resources to earn a place on a statewide platform.

Most California dance teams never attend nationals, and many will never leave the state. A CIDAA state tournament could provide those teams with something just as meaningful: the chance to represent their school, their section, and their community at a true interscholastic championship.

None of this set in stone. It’s an idea based on models that have a proven track-record of high participation and “buy-in” in other parts of the country. So all of this is can be modified and fine-tuned. But it’s a potential starting point. A brand new chapter for school dance programs in the Golden State.

Moving Forward Together

There are challenges to address. Dance team programs and pom/song programs do not always overlap. Some schools lack dance teachers entirely. Many programs lean toward concert performance rather than athletic competition. But by building a flexible framework, one that honors our state’s diversity while still setting clear standards, California could finally join the ranks of states with a thriving, equitable, and sustainable dance team tournament system.

At its core, this proposal is about more than trophies. It is about creating camaraderie, accessibility, and recognition for California’s dancers and coaches. It is about making sure every program, no matter its resources, has the chance to shine.

The question is not whether this will be easy… it is whether it is time.

Join the Conversation

California’s dance team community is vast, diverse, and passionate. A state tournament system can only succeed if it reflects your voices, the coaches, directors, and educators leading programs across the state.

As an intermediary to help facilitate more discussion, Dance Team World invites all California dance coaches & school dance program directors to:

📋 Fill out the feedback survey (button below) to share your thoughts, concerns, and ideas.
💬 Join the CIDAA Facebook discussion group to connect with peers, ask questions, and begin shaping the future together.
📅 Attend the upcoming Google Meet feedback session (date to be announced) to discuss this proposal in real time.

This is not a finished plan. It is a starting point. With your feedback and collaboration, we can create something sustainable, equitable, and worthy of California’s dance students.

[ Complete the Feedback Survey → ][ Join the CIDAA Facebook Group → ]