We’re coming to you live from our Toledo Ohio National Finals! Words cannot describe how exciting this week has been. One of our most riveting nights is, hands down, our Title Competition because the talent and showmanship is just out of this world. We had 61 contestants hoping to walk away with the title of Miss Dance America, Miss Teen Dance America, Miss Junior Dance America, and Miss Petite Dance along with the male counterparts.

We closed the auditorium after an exciting morning of group performances to get our stage prepped and ready. This way each of our title performers can shine bright on the KAR National stage. The excitement of evening began promptly with parents and teachers rushing into the auditorium in search of the best seat to watch their dancer light up the stage.

Our exciting opening number gave us a chance to see what moves the dancers love and a glimpse of the amazing talent to come. We learned so much about our dancers and their personality: like who inspires them and of course their favorite Disney Character. After each competitor performed their award winning routines it was time for the crownings!

We would like to congratulate all of our new National Titleholders on this incredible feat. So join me in saying congratulations to our new Miss Petite: Reagan Burgess, Miss Junior: Paisley French, Mr. Junior: Brendan Farris, Miss Teen: Olivia Beauchamp, Mr. Teen: Nick Farris, Miss Dance; Mackenzie Belange! Sometimes the trophies and crowns were taller than the dancers (can you believe it?). However, we felt it was only appropriate for the royalty that we were fortunate enough to see tonight.

Congrats, again to all of our New National Titleholders!

-Lara

Check out the photo gallery & Results

Hey Y’all!

I’m writing you live from our Panama City Dance Finals! Let me tell you it has been a week of fun and dance! But, one of our most exciting and nail-biting nights was our Title Competition Wednesday night. 88 hopeful contestants would compete for 4 coveted titles of Miss Petite, Miss Junior Dance America, Miss Teen Dance America, and Miss Dance America; while 7 dancers would compete for the male counterpart.

We closed the auditorium so we could quickly reset the stage and make sure everything was in its place. When we opened doors at 5:30 pm eager parents, dancers, and teachers rushed through our doors to quickly grab programs and seats! Soon thereafter we enjoyed the opening ceremony and watched the dancers rock the stage while learning a little about them! Like what their favorite pet is and who inspires them! Then it was time for the crownings!

We want to say congratulations to all of our new National Titleholders! Say hello to Mr. and Miss Petite Dance America Tanner Smith and Macy Waters, Mr. and Miss Junior Dance America Zane Strait and Avery Wyatt, Mr. and Miss Teen Dance America Tyler Tuska and Ciera Hines, and finally Mr. and Miss Dance America Courtland Carr and Saydi Arms. These soloists left it all on stage in and told a story with each performance. We LOVED watching them shine. Kinda like their crowns and HOLY WOW did we go a little overboard with the crowns this year. You know what they say? The higher the crown the closer to God and the winners didn’t seem to mind too much.

The Title Competition is a great way to top of an exciting Finals Week. We love watching these soloists pour everything into their performance for a chance to be one of our National Titleholders. To be eligible to compete for a National Title you must qualify at one of our exciting regional competitions. Find out more here.

In the meantime, check out the opening intro video below!

To see the photos and videos please visit our store media here.

-Lara

Hey Y’all!

One of our biggest and most exciting National Finals is our Anaheim, California show! It is just around the corner; kicking off July 18th!

My favorite part about this Finals is the location because do you know what’s in Anaheim? I’ll give you a hint, it’s known to be “the happiest place on earth.” Yes! Disneyland! I won’t lie, we love Disney here at KAR. I mean, what’s not to love? Downtown Disney is right around the corner, literally a 20-minute drive from our headquarters. There are tons to eat and see. Plus Disneyland & Disney California Adventure highly anticipated attractions like the brand new Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!, Star Wars™ Launch Bay, Pirates of the Caribbean and Splash Mountain and so much more!

“Okay, Lara, we know all this but hook us up with a discount!”

I’m glad you asked! So, now I can get to the nitty gritty because I’m really here to tell you about the fantastic discount Disneyland is giving us! Up to 18% off of regular ticket prices depending on your package. Amazing right?

Now, I don’t want to lie to Y’all. This is an awesome opportunity but it’s only available for a limited time! You’ve got to purchase your tickets before 9:00 PM PST on July 17, 2017. You can’t get this deal anywhere else! I’ve never met a person who regretted going to Disneyland only people who wish they had gone.

Click this link to get more information > http://bit.ly/KARdisney

Good luck at finals! And I hope we see you at Disneyland!

Don’t be a stranger!
-Lara

Hey y’all!

It’s me, Lara! We have just wrapped our 2017 Regional Tour! Don’t cry because finals are literally just around the corner! I’m sure by now you’ve seen our awesome Finals Kickoff Video! If not, check it out here. Anyway, I sat down with Director, Marco Cruz, to talk about his inspiration for the shoot!

Here’s what Marco had to say!

Q: This is our National Finals Kickoff video, what inspired this shoot?
A: We wanted to show the dance world that we are a company that absolutely LOVES dance! we have some of the most talented dancers working for the company and we wanted to be able to display their talent and passion for dance. Knowing that nationals was around the corner we wanted to show to everyone how excited we are for finals and how passionate we are for the art of dance.

Q: What was your favorite part about it?

A: For me it was getting to work with passionate artist…. not just the dancers but the behind the scene crew. From light design, photographer, dancers and also my good friend Nik G. He was the director for the shoot and his vision was truly incredible. PS. all of the people involved in this video are all employees of KAR! The KAR and Rainbow Family is without a doubt a well rounded organization full of talent.

Q: heard y’all wrapped around 3am? Were there obstacles that you and the team ran into??

A: Our only obstacle was getting the dancers together and scheduling. Everyone who was involved in the video shoot has two or three different projects that they are currently working on and some have second jobs which made scheduling the shoot a little bit of a problem but nothing we couldn’t overcome. 3 am wrap up time was fun… that’s how it usually goes with dance videos that are GOOD! the quality we are providing is the best because we took the time to look at details. We care about not just the choreography but the lighting, the location, the fog, the staging… everything in a whole is what makes the shoot a lot of work and a lot of fun.

Q: What about this video makes you fired up for finals?

A: The fact that this is just the start of an endless amount of projects is what gets me fired up. We did this video for finals at the KAR headquarters. Imagine what we will be able to do at one of our nationals… the possibilities are endless.

Q: What’s your favorite part about our National Finals?

A: My favorite part about nationals is seeing the growth of everything that we saw throughout the season. From studios coming to competition for the first time, the evolution of all the dances that we saw at the beginning of the year to how flawless they are by the end of the season. Not to mention the growth within ourselves as a company and crew “road warriors” as we like to call ourselves. Everyone grows and by nationals it’s literally A GIANT PARTY full of amazing talent both from the studios and the production side.

Q: Anything new we can look forward to for finals this year?

A: We are a company that constantly grows and constantly is evolving and on a consistent basis is shooting for improvement. If you ask me if there is anything to look forward to, I would have to tell you everything! We take pride in details and our core value states as WOW factor being our 1st value so stay tuned and get ready because 2017 finals will be as thrilling and as exciting as the half time show for a super bowl.

-Lara

Check out these behind the scenes photos captured by our Lead Photographer James Quick II.

CHECK OUT OUR LIVE STREAM OF THE 2017 LONG BEACH, CA KAR LIVE! SHOWCASE.
We will start streaming live Sunday at 6:30 pm

CHECK OUT OUR LIVE STREAM OF THE 2017 DETROIT, MI KAR LIVE! SHOWCASE.
We will start streaming live Sunday at 6:30 pm

Christina Applegate is a “dancer against cancer.”

The actress has teamed up with Dancers Against Cancer to raise awareness about the charity, which provides financial support and inspiration to individuals in the dance community and their families who have been impacted by cancer, PEOPLE confirms exclusively.

To read the full article visit the people article here > http://people.com/celebrity/christina-applegate-dancer-against-cancer/

Hey y’all!

Happy May! As the regional season winds and our National Finals approach, down we wanted to share with your some of the hidden gems at the KAR and Rainbow Offices. A lot goes on behind the scenes to make sure our shows go off without a hitch. Flights must be coordinated, venue deposits paid, last minute studio registrations, etc. Without the angels that are our Customer Care Specialists (CCS) none of our events would be possible!

This past weekend we had a company wide challenge to share our own personal Core Value with our teams. But Lara, “What’s a Core Value?” Great question! At KAR and Rainbow all of our staff lives by 10 Core Values in an effort to be the best team member we can be, as well as, deliver the best possible customer service to all of our Clients and Guests. You can read all the official Core Values here!

Last week we took the time to write out our own personal Core Value that we live each day by. The Customer Care Specialists decided they wanted to participate in this activity as well and really WOWed us all.

So, I took the time to sit down with Kendra, one of our CCS team members to chat about what this challenge meant to her and her team. Here’s what she had to say.

What did the Core Value Challenge mean to you and your team and why were y’all excited to participate?

Well, for us it was exciting because it helped us know as a team what each one of our real Core Values is. I mean, I get really excited and fired up about our 10 Core Values. So, it was exciting to be able to make you own.

What was your favorite part about that experience?

I think just growing closer as a team and understanding each other a little better.

What’s your favorite part about your role here at KAR and Rainbow and how does your Core Value shine through your work?

My favorite part is taking care of our customers and really coordinating the event from beginning to end. My Core Value that I made was to care and support one another so, I think that I get to help people with special changes and requests and then that helps make me feel like I’m accomplishing what I want to do as far as my Core Value.

What are you excited about in the future!? It can be anything!

I’m like really excited for Nationals because we’re using some new software to make the whole thing better! I’m super excited for that!

Well, there you have it folks! Our CCS Team is all about loving and supporting each other and you! I’d say it’s pretty evident in the way they take care of our road warriors, studios, judges, and parents. We are so grateful for all they do! Thank you for taking the time to chat with us, Kendra! You’re a rock star. We can’t wait to see what big things are instore for Finals 2017!

Don’t be a stranger!
-Lara 😀

• 6 Days / 5 Nights at Marriott Marquis Hotel
• Welcome Dinner and Reception
• 2 Group Luncheons
• Inspiring Master Class Sessions
• Attendance at 2 Broadway Shows
• Master Class Sessions with the World-Famous Rockettes
• Guided City Highlights Tour
• Behind the Scenes Tour of Radio City Music Hall
• Formal Farewell Dinner & Dance Cruise
• Three Hour Harbor Cruise
• All Star Dancer Apparel
• Professional Event Staff

Hey y’all!

Word on the street is that Finals are coming up! That’s exciting! I remember my days competing on the KAR Finals stage and there is absolutely nothing like it. If this is your first rodeo, I’m sure you’re asking the question, “What’s the difference between a final and regional?” There are a couple of differences like finals are bigger, much bigger, and our contests like title, photogenic, and high points are taken to a higher level. Don’t freak, though! It’s all in the name of fun.

So, you’re going to finals! Yay! Aside from being a much larger competition, lasting nearly a week in some locations with over 2,000 acts, finals give you or your dancer an extra opportunity to compete and be a National Champion in the Finals Star Showcase.  But what is the Finals Star Showcase you ask? It’s an evening of talent where the 5 highest scoring small groups and 5 highest scoring large groups on each level of competition (primary, secondary, intermediate, and elite) re-compete in a competition (one entry per studio at each level). How cool is that? Each entry will have the opportunity to gain one of our 8 National Grand Champion Titles, cash prizes, and a GIANT 6-foot trophy!

We also have extra special awards at the Star Showcase like our Senior Scholarship (apply here), Studio Spirit Award, Choreographers of the Year Award, Studio of the Year Award, and the Future Star Award. The Future Star Award goes to a dancer (any age or level) who has exceptional dance abilities and is also a role model because of his/her outstanding sportsmanship at National Finals and will receive a trophy and a $100 cash prize.

Maybe the most exciting part of the whole showcase is the opening number. The opening number is an opportunity for you or your dancers to work with an industry leading choreographer and dance alongside other studios and National Title Winners in one awesome number.  For more information about the Opening Number contact your studio director.

Finals is the MOST wonderful time of the year and we hope to see you all at one of our 8 Finals locations. Whether we see you in Toledo, OH or Las Vegas, NV we hope you are having as much fun as we are!

Don’t be a stranger!

-Lara