Applause Talent

What Applause Talent does

Applause Talent (legal entity: Applause Talent Presentations) is a privately held U.S. dance competition operator founded in 1994 and headquartered in Fairfield, Ohio. The company runs a touring regional competition model across over 30 U.S. cities each season, culminating in two National finals events held at the LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and the North Charleston Area Convention Center in South Carolina. Each regional stop produces over 25 award winners and offers three competitive levels, while Nationals award more than $30,000 in cash and gift certificates, headlined by the Weisbrod Cup ($1,000 plus trophy) and the Best of the Best elite showcase.

The company serves four primary customer segments: dance studio owners/directors (the B2B buyer, who use the Studio Center platform to register routines, upload music, view scoresheets, and watch judge video commentary), dance parents and families (free-admission spectators who access media through the Parent Center), individual dancers (solo and group competitors), and professional dance judges who adjudicate events. Its product surface spans in-person competitions, national workshops and masterclasses, a Digital Souvenir Program ($5 PDF), Virtual Theater live streaming, trophy and award sales ($30-$45), a Shopify merchandise storefront, and the Weisbrod Cup prestige award.

Revenue is generated primarily through per-routine competition entry fees (regional title entries at $55, national title entries at $100), photogenic contest entries ($45 regional, $55 national), trophy and award purchases at events, digital souvenir programs, merchandise sales, and partial-workshop scholarships. Public-to-studio pricing is gated behind the Studio Center login; only title and photogenic fees are publicly listed. Distribution is event-driven: studio directors register teams through Studio Center, families attend regionals for free, and marketing runs through the company website, an email subscriber list, YouTube performance videos, and the dance-studio referral network.

Name

Applause Talent

Legal name

Applause Talent Presentations

Website

https://applausetalent.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Applause Talent is a privately held U.S. dance competition operator founded in 1994 that tours over 30 cities annually and runs National finals in Pigeon Forge, TN and North Charleston, SC, serving dance studios, parents, and individual dancers via its Studio Center and Parent Center platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dance Competition Services

NAICS

Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Virtual Awards Ceremonies & Competitions (Judging, Voting) (MPAGAOAN)

Keywords

• Dance competition events
• Regional dance tour
• National dance finals
• Dance studio management
• Performing arts events

Headquarters

HQ city

Fairfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Competition Entry Fees: Dance studios and individual dancers pay entry fees to compete in regional and national dance competitions. Entry fees are managed through the Studio Center platform and are only disclosed to studio owners and directors, not publicly listed.
2. Prize Awards: The company awards over $30,000 in cash and gift certificates at National competitions. They also award partial scholarships to workshops and conventions, and the Weisbrod Cup winner receives $1,000.
3. Digital Souvenir Programs: Digital souvenir programs are sold for $5.00 per competition, delivered as PDF downloads via email on the morning of the first competition day.
4. Trophy and Award Sales: Awards and trophies are available for purchase at events including Overall awards ($45), Elite Platinum ($30), Double Platinum ($30), Platinum ($30), and High Gold ($30).
5. Merchandise Sales: The company operates an official merchandise shop through Shopify selling branded Applause Talent merchandise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Applause Talent operates a touring dance competition business, running regional competitions across more than 30 US cities each season and National finals in Pigeon Forge, TN and Charleston, SC. The competitions feature three competitive levels, professional judging, awards ceremonies with over $30,000 in cash and gift certificates at National events, workshops and masterclasses, and ancillary offerings such as title competitions, photogenic contests, digital souvenir programs, live streaming via Virtual Theater, trophy and award sales, and branded merchandise. The company supports its events with the Studio Center platform for studio owners/directors and the Parent Center platform for families and dancers.

Product overview

Applause Talent operates a dance competition business with two primary tiers: Regional competitions held in over 30 U.S. cities offering three competitive levels, and National finals featuring elite Title and Best of the Best competitions. The core offering includes in-person dance competitions with professional judging, awards ceremonies, and prize money totaling over $30,000 at nationals. Supporting the competition are digital products including a Virtual Theater live stream service, Digital Souvenir Program, Parent Center for viewing photos/videos, and Studio Center for studio management. Additional offerings include National Workshops, the Weisbrod Cup Award, and an official merchandise e-commerce store. The company primarily serves dancers, dance studios, and families through a platform combining in-person events with digital access to results and media.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Regional Dance Competition Tour In-person dance competition events held across over 30 cities in the United States during the annual tour (scheduled from February through May in 2027), offering three competitive levels with professional judging, awards ceremonies, and over 25 winners per regional city. For dance studios, competitive dance teams, individual dancers, and families.
• National Dance Competition Finals Premium national-level finals including Title Competition, Best of the Best Competition, and the Weisbrod Cup Award ($1,000 prize). National events award over $30,000 in cash and gift certificates and feature workshops and masterclasses. Held at large convention centers in Pigeon Forge, TN and Charleston, SC (2026 Pigeon Forge July 6–10; 2027 Charleston June 21–26).
• Studio Center B2B online management platform for dance studio owners and directors to manage performances, register dancers, upload music, redeem cash prizes, view score sheets, watch judges' video commentary, and download photos and videos from competitions. Entry fees are managed through this platform and disclosed only to studio owners and directors.
• Parent Center B2C online portal for parents, families, and individual dancers to view competition results, download photos and videos (available 5–10 days after competition), and receive notifications about media availability. Provides social-media-ready results graphics for dancers.
• Virtual Theater (Live Stream) Live webcast service for Applause Talent competition events, allowing remote viewers to watch performances from home. Attempts are made to webcast every city, though limited by venue internet capabilities.
• Digital Souvenir Program Digital souvenir program sold for $5.00 per competition, delivered as a PDF download via email to the purchaser's inbox on the morning of the first competition day. Available to parents, dancers, and spectators at any competition.
• Photogenic Contest Standalone dance photogenic contest where dancers submit a recent photo (8x10 max) with their name, age, contact info, and studio on the back. Entry fee is $45 per photo at regional events and $55 per photo at national events.
• Official Merchandise Store Official branded Applause Talent merchandise sold online via the Shopify storefront (applause-talent.myshopify.com), available to dancers, families, studios, and fans.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $30,000 awarded in cash and Gift Certificates at National competition
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Star Dance Alliance: A national dance competition tour operator running regional and national dance competitions across the US under multiple brands (StarQuest, Star International, Beyond the Stars). Directly comparable to Applause Talent in target market (dance studios and competitive dancers), event format, and touring model.
• Celebration Dance Competition: National dance competition tour operator with regional competitions and an annual national finals. Comparable business model, customer base, and geographic footprint to Applause Talent.
• Showstopper Dance Competition: National dance competition tour with regional events and a National Finals. Direct competitor in the regional touring dance competition segment targeting dance studios and families.
• Rainbow Dance Competition: National touring dance competition serving studios and dancers across multiple US regions. Comparable event format and target customer (studio-registered dancers), competing for the same studio partnerships.
• American Dance Awards: Long-running dance competition tour with regional events and national finals. Comparable to Applause Talent in history, structure, and target audience of competitive dance studios.
• Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP): Premier global student ballet and contemporary dance competition with regional and international finals, awarding scholarships to top ballet training programs. Overlaps with Applause Talent on competitive dance adjudication and scholarship prizes, though focused more heavily on ballet.
• Turn It Up Dance Challenge: Regional and national dance competition tour with multiple stops and a national finals. Mirrors Applause Talent's model of touring regional events that culminate in a higher-stakes national competition with awards and scholarships.
• KAR Dance Competition: National dance competition tour operator serving studios and dancers through regional events and a national finals. Direct overlap with Applause Talent on customer base (dance studios) and event format.
• New York City Dance Alliance (NYCDA): One of the largest national dance competition circuits in the US, running regional conventions and a National Convention. Comparable to Applause Talent in serving competitive dancers, awarding scholarships, and producing high-end national finals.

Emerging players

• EnerGy Dance Competition: Regional dance competition tour growing its US footprint with multiple regional stops and national finals. Comparable in event format though smaller in scale, representing a new entrant category competing for studio relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNK8qh5FJLlQ
• Xx.com/ApplauseTalent
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/applause-talent

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Applause Talent