Universal Ballet Competition

Name

Universal Ballet Competition

Legal name

Universal Ballet Competition

Website

https://universalballetcompetition.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dance Competition Services

NAICS

Dance Companies (71112), Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Competitions & Showcases (Non-Esports) (MPAGADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH), Dance Performances (THAJAFAD)

Keywords

• Student ballet competition
• Dance competition events
• Ballet scholarship program
• Ballet master classes
• Dance talent scouting

Headquarters

HQ city

MIRAMAR, FL

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Competition Registration Fees: Dancers pay registration fees to participate in UBC competitions. Registration fee is $30 per dancer, with additional competition fees listed in the teacher portal.
2. Event Tickets and Merchandise: Event tickets sold for gala performances and competition viewings. Kapture Photography & Videography services available for purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Universal Ballet Competition organizes and operates a tiered series of student ballet competitions — 19 regional Semi-Finals across the United States, a culminating Grand Prix Finals, and an Asia Pacific Grand Prix Finals in Shanghai — for dancers aged 7–21. The competitions integrate live adjudication, master classes taught by international artists, video judging with real-time oral critique, online auditions, and a scholarship pipeline worth over $3,000,000 annually sponsored by more than 20 major ballet companies and schools.

Product overview

Universal Ballet Competition (UBC) operates as a unified competition platform for aspiring ballet dancers, combining regional Semi-Finals competitions across 15+ US cities, culminating in Grand Prix Finals, plus international Asia Pacific Grand Prix Finals. The platform integrates educational components including Master Classes taught by world-renowned professionals, a podcast (The Dancer's Beat), live streaming capabilities, and a pioneering online auditions platform. UBC awards over $3,000,000 in scholarships annually through partnerships with major ballet companies and schools. The organization was founded by former Joffrey Ballet and Royal Winnipeg Ballet principal dancers Lissette Salgado-LUCAS and David Lucas in 2013.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Semi-Finals (Regional Competitions) Regional ballet competitions held across multiple US cities where student dancers compete for scholarships and qualify for Grand Prix Finals.
• Grand Prix Finals The culminating annual event of the UBC season featuring the world's most talented young dancers, offering master classes, talent scouts, scholarships, and cash prizes.
• Asia Pacific Grand Prix Finals International competition held in Shanghai, China at the Shanghai International Dance Center Theater, open to dancers ages 7–21 from around the world.
• Master Classes Intense training sessions taught by international and national teachers throughout the UBC competition, providing students with high-level expertise, critiques, and mentorship from world-renowned artistic directors and choreographers.
• The Dancer's Beat Podcast Podcast series featuring transparent discussions about UBC's judging process, scholarship selection, and interviews with founders and industry professionals.
• Classical Repertoire Library Comprehensive collection of classical ballet repertoire with composer/choreographer details and approved variations for competition use.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $3,000,000 in summer intensive scholarships awarded annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Joffrey Ballet SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor scholarship sponsor providing summer intensive scholarships to UBC dancers. Joint programming includes Joffrey Ballet School Summer of Hip-Hop Program in New York City and Tampa, FL directed by UBC founders since 2015.
• Complexions Contemporary BalletcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship sponsor offering opportunities for UBC dancers to attend their programs.
• Dance Theatre of HarlemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious scholarship sponsor connecting UBC dancers with training opportunities at this renowned institution.
• American Ballet TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor ballet company scholarship sponsor providing training and recruitment opportunities for talented UBC dancers.
• Pacific Northwest BalletcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship sponsor offering opportunities for dancers to train with PNB's programs.
• Royal Winnipeg BalletcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding connection through founders David and Lissette Lucas; scholarship sponsor providing training opportunities.
• San Francisco BalletcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship sponsor offering opportunities for UBC dancers to attend their school programs.
• Colorado BalletcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship sponsor providing training opportunities for talented young dancers.
• Texas Ballet TheatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship sponsor connecting dancers with training programs in Texas.
• Orlando BalletcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship sponsor offering opportunities for dancers to train in Florida.
• Lines BalletcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship sponsor providing contemporary ballet training opportunities.
• Kansas City BalletcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship sponsor offering training opportunities in the Midwest.
• Carolina BalletcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship sponsor providing East Coast training opportunities.
• Philadelphia BalletcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship sponsor offering opportunities with this international ballet company.
• Ballet West AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship sponsor providing Western US training opportunities.
• Ballet HispanicocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship sponsor offering contemporary ballet training reflecting Hispanic heritage.
• Tulsa BalletcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship sponsor offering training opportunities in Oklahoma.
• The Rock School for Dance EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship sponsor providing Philadelphia-based training opportunities.
• Point Park UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity scholarship sponsor offering dance degree program opportunities.
• Next Generation BalletcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship sponsor providing youth ballet training opportunities.
• Nikolay World (Nikolay)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor providing dancewear products and branding support for UBC events.
• SodancamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor providing dancewear products and branding support for UBC events.
• Vita BarremajorGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor providing dancewear products and branding support for UBC events.
• Shake The Ground (STG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by UBC founders David and Lissette Lucas in 2012; related dance competition company offering over $200,000 in annual scholarships.
• Kapture Photography & VideographyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPhotography and videography partner for UBC events; contact [email protected]

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Master Class (masterclass.com): Online learning platform featuring world-class instructors including dancers and choreographers. Comparable in delivering elite ballet and dance instruction to aspiring students, but as a digital subscription rather than live competition format.

Broad incumbents

• Moscow International Ballet Competition: Long-established international ballet competition anchored by major Russian institutions. Comparable in offering scholarships and exposure to top ballet companies, but operates at higher age/skill tier and with different geographic center of gravity.
• Ballet Arizona: Professional ballet company that runs training programs and is one of UBC's scholarship sponsors. Comparable as a ballet industry stakeholder and scholarship provider, though operating as a performing company rather than a competition.

Direct peers

• New York City Dance Alliance: National dance competition circuit with regional events and a national finals, covering ballet, contemporary, jazz, and other styles. Comparable event-driven competition model and target demographic, though broader in dance genres than UBC.
• American Dance Competition (ADC/IBC): Dance competition circuit with regional and national events and scholarship awards. Comparable multi-city format and student-dancer target market, though serving a broader dance styles portfolio than UBC's pure ballet focus.
• Hollywood Vibe Dance Competition: National dance competition touring multiple regional events and a national finals, with scholarship opportunities. Comparable in touring competition structure, though multi-genre and oriented toward commercial/stage styles more than classical ballet.
• Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP): The largest student ballet competition in the world, running regional semi-finals across the US and international finals. YAGP is UBC's most direct competitor, targeting the same dancers, studios, and scholarship sponsors with a similar format.
• World Ballet Competition: International student ballet competition held in Orlando, FL, featuring semi-finals and a finals event with scholarships and contracts. Direct competitor for the same aspiring pre-professional ballet dancer segment.
• Prix de Lausanne: Prestigious international ballet competition for young dancers aged 14-19, awarding scholarships and contracts to top ballet schools. Comparable in mission and target audience, though stronger in international prestige and weaker in US semi-final network.
• Shake The Ground: Dance competition co-founded by UBC founders David and Lissette Lucas in 2012, awarding over $200,000 in annual scholarships. While a separate entity, it operates in the same family and shares the founders' networks, judges, and operational infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TheDancersBeatwithSTGUBC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/universal-ballet-competition

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Universal Ballet Competition