Brilliant Dance Festival 2027
Brilliant Dance Festival returns to Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, on 10 January 2027. The festival is presented as a junior Ballroom and Latin dance competition and is associated with the National Dance Council of America (NDCA) and the Fordney Foundation.
The event is designed to celebrate young dancers with professional judging, cash prizes, top-studio and top-teacher awards, and a welcoming competition experience.
Venue
Embassy Suites by Hilton Berkeley Heights
250 Connell Dr
Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922, United States
The venue hosts the full festival weekend:
- Training Camp: Friday and Saturday, January 8–9, 2027
- Competition: Sunday, January 10, 2027
Judges
- Riccardo Cocchi
- Katusha Spasitel
- Andrej Skufca
- Yulia Zagoruychenko
- Marat Gimaev
- Marina Steshenko
- Alexander Chesnokov
- Maria Manusova
- Darren Hammond
- Anastasiia Malovana
- Mark Scherbak
- Sasha Nissengolts
- Artem Kuklin
- Eric Groysman
- Jason Dai
- Daniil Dobrovolskyi
- Sasha Kalenyuk
Officials
- Darina Jeleva — Chairman of Judges
- Renee Bennet — Scrutineer
- Marielle Pabon — Registrar
- Michelle Friedman — Music Director
Meet the organizer
Nina Estrina is the organizer of Brilliant Dance Festival and focuses on creating an appreciative atmosphere for dancers and coaches. She is also the main contact for questions about registration, the training camp, and the competition.
Competition highlights
- Junior Ballroom and Latin competition
- NDCA-recognized event information
- Fordney Foundation support
- Cash prizes
- Top Studio awards
- Top Teacher awards
- Professional judging panel
What to know before you enter
At a glance
- Date: Sunday, January 10, 2027
- Venue: Embassy Suites by Hilton Berkeley Heights
- Styles: International Ballroom, International Latin, American Smooth, and American Rhythm
- Rules: NDCA rules and regulations apply
Age categories
- Minis (3–5)
- TB (6–7)
- PT1 (8–9)
- PT2 (10–11)
- J1 (12–13)
- J2 (14–15)
- Youth (16–18)
- U21 (19–20)
- Adult A (19+)
- Senior S1 (35+), S2 (45+), S3 (55+), and S4 (65+)
Entry categories
- Solos: Minis, TB, PT, Junior, Youth, and U21
- Amateur Couples (Minis–U21): Minis, TB, PT, Junior, Youth, and U21
- Amateur Couples (U21, Adult & Senior): U21, Adult (19+), and Senior S1–S4 (35+ to 65+)
- Teacher/Student: Minis, TB, PT, Junior, Youth, and U21
- Exhibition Show Dance: All ages; Pro/Am, Mixed Amateur, or Amateur/Amateur
Fees, levels, and dance lists are provided on each registration form.
Competition-day program
The festival weekend begins with the linked training camp:
Friday, January 8 — Training Camp, Day 1
- 8:45 AM–5:00 PM: Private lessons
- 5:00–7:00 PM: Lectures (four lectures during the day)
- 7:00–9:00 PM: Practice rounds
Saturday, January 9 — Training Camp, Day 2
- 8:45 AM–5:00 PM: Private lessons
- 5:00–7:00 PM: Lectures (four lectures during the day)
- 7:00–9:00 PM: Practice rounds
Sunday, January 10 — Competition
- 7:00 AM: Registration opens
- 8:00 AM: Ballroom opens
- 8:30 AM: Competition events begin
- 8:30–11:00 AM: Ballroom — Mixed Amateur, Solo, and awards
- 11:00 AM–3:00 PM: Latin — Mixed Amateur, Solo, and awards
- 3:00–5:00 PM: Ballroom couples — PreTeen and Junior/Youth, plus awards
- 5:00–9:00 PM: Latin couples — PreTeen and Junior/Youth, plus awards
Times are local venue time. This is the provisional session program, not final heat assignments; final scheduling is posted during event week and may change based on entries.
Prizes & awards
Awards recognize the dedication and achievement of every participant.
Top Teacher
- 1st place: $500
- 2nd place: $350
- 3rd place: $250
Top Studio
- 1st place: $500
- 2nd place: $300
- 3rd place: $200
Fordney Foundation Scholarship
- 1st place: $100
- 2nd place: $75
- 3rd place: $60
- 4th place: $50
- 5th place: $40
- 6th place: $0
10 Dance Scholarship
- 1st place: $100
- 2nd place: $75
- 3rd place: $60
- 4th place: $50
- 5th place: $40
- 6th place: $0
Show Dance
- 1st place: $100
- 2nd place: $80
- 3rd place: $50
Top Prize
- Youth & U21 and Amateur Latin Champions: $750
Rules and entry policies
Entry fees and categories are listed on the 2027 registration forms.
All attendees must follow National Dance Council of America (NDCA) rules and regulations.
General policies
- Participants waive claims against the NDCA, organizers, and representatives for injuries or losses.
- The festival assumes no responsibility for property damage or theft.
- Photography and videography rights belong to the organizers; private videotaping requires permission.
- All dancers must be registered with the NDCA and provide current proof of registration.
- Minors require parental or guardian waivers.
- Complete entries include forms, waivers, accounting documentation, and full payment.
- The entry deadline will be announced with registration; later submissions may be accepted at the organizers' discretion.
- Competitors must arrive 30 minutes early. Events will not be delayed for latecomers.
- Events with fewer than three entries may be canceled or combined, with prize money reduced accordingly.
- Judge decisions are final; questioning judges is prohibited.
- Posted marks cannot be removed without permission.
- Competitors must maintain civil, sportsmanlike conduct.
- The festival reserves the right to reject entries from previous rule violators.
- Cancellation refunds, minus a $100 fee, apply only through the entry deadline.
Competition divisions and age rules
- Closed-syllabus events use current NDCA element lists, with potential penalties for violations.
- Mixed Amateur is limited to amateurs partnering outside their regular partnership; advanced amateurs may partner their student competitors.
- Student/Student is restricted to adult Pro/Am dancers, excludes dancers competing at the Open Amateur level, and is limited to single dances only.
- Amateur divisions include Pre-Teen, Junior, Youth, Adult, and Senior categories with age-based classifications.
- The Newcomer category is for first-year competitors and is restricted to bronze syllabus material.
- Age dancing rules allow competitors to move up one category in Pre-Teen, Junior, and Youth; Senior dancers may move down one category.
- Solo Stars are single competitions without partners.
- Syllabus restrictions follow NDCA guidelines; lifts are prohibited at all levels.
- Costumes must follow NDCA requirements for the dancer's age and syllabus level.
Venue conduct and attire
- Spectators should wear casual attire during the day and dressy attire for the evening.
- Smoking is not permitted in the ballroom, foyer, or changing rooms.
Registration and contact
Registration details and the full event schedule should be confirmed through the official Brilliant Dance Festival website. For questions, contact the organizers at dance@brilliantfestival.com or +1 267-566-4872.
