In Dance Interactive's management simulation Run a Dance Studio, entering competitions is the primary way to test your choreography, climb cross-server ELO leaderboards, and earn essential currencies like Cash and Gems. Unlike studio enrollment, which passively generates Cash, competitive events require saved routines, trained dancers, and coordinated styling.
The competition circuit is organized across two main axes: routine roster formats (Solo, Duo, Trio, and Group) and event tiers (Regular Opens, Nationals, and the weekly Roblox Awards). Understanding how these formats interact will ensure your studio qualifies for top events without wasting valuable routine slots.
Routine Formats: Solo, Duo, Trio, and Group
The size of your roster dictates which events you can enter. Following major September updates to the Routine Creator, the game supports four distinct competitive formats.
| Competition Format | Required Dancer Count | Key Scoring and Choreography Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Solo | Exactly 1 dancer | High individual stats, movement variety, expressive phrasing |
| DUO | Exactly 2 dancers | Pair coordination, distinct choreography per dancer |
| TRIO | Exactly 3 dancers | Triplet spacing, complementary roles, individual move timing |
| Group | 4 or more dancers | Stage spacing, synchronization, multi-formation changes |
Solo Competitions
Solo events focus on a single dancer. Because there are no partners to mask timing errors or weak attributes, these events demand your highest-trained performers. Assigning top teachers like Vivienne Marsh to train your soloist before competing is critical for building the hidden stats that drive competition scores.
Duo and Trio Competitions
Added in the September 17 update, DUO and TRIO formats bridge the gap between soloists and full ensembles. Duos require exactly two dancers, while Trios require exactly three. Thanks to the Routine Creator overhaul released alongside these formats, you do not have to clone moves across dancers. Each performer in a Duo or Trio can execute independent choreography, move timings, and complementary stage placements.
Group Competitions
Group routines test your ability to coordinate larger ensembles on stage. Spacing and synchronization are paramount. Following Update 1, competitive group routines are expected to feature multiple formation changes (such as shifting from an opening line to floor hits) rather than keeping dancers in a static clump.
Competition Circuit Tiers
Competitions range from open weekday heats to tightly regulated weekend championships.
1. Regular Events and Opens
Regular competitions, such as the Lyrical Open or Contemporary Open, run continuously throughout the week. These low-stakes events serve as the testing ground for your studio. They offer standard payouts of Cash and Gems while giving you a safe place to practice the routine submission process, test new costume designs from the Wardrobe, and evaluate move pacing before entering higher-stakes events.
2. Nationals (Solo and Group)
Nationals are structured regional events that award higher placement rewards and build competitive standing. They are split into distinct format categories, most notably Solo Nationals and Group Nationals. Beyond their direct payouts, Nationals serve as the mandatory qualification gate for high-tier weekend events.
3. The Roblox Awards
The Roblox Awards is the flagship weekly competition in Run a Dance Studio. Unlike rolling regular events, the Awards occur during a single synchronized global window each week:
- Los Angeles: Saturday at 4:30 PM PDT
- New York: Saturday at 7:30 PM EDT
- Sydney: Sunday at 9:30 AM AEST
Key rules governing the Roblox Awards include:
- Qualification Requirement: You cannot buy your way into the lobby. Studios must complete at least 1 Solo Nationals and 1 Group Nationals to qualify.
- Strict Capacity: Each Awards server instance has a hard cap of 24 entrants. Because spots fill rapidly, qualified studios must sign up the moment the lobby opens.
- Format Splits: The Awards feature separate categories for Solo and Group routines, often highlighting specific dance genres like Contemporary or Lyrical.
- Rewards: Every entrant receives a participation reward. Studios finishing in the Top 3 receive Gem payouts, and winners earn the prestigious ROBLOX AWARDS CHAMPION title.
4. Teased Events: Diamond Dance Extravaganza
Dance Interactive has teased the Diamond Dance Extravaganza in official development updates alongside stage formation rollouts. As of current updates, this event does not have an active schedule clock in the competition tab, leaving the Roblox Awards as the current pinnacle event.
How to Enter Competitions
All competition participation is managed through the in-game interface:
- Open the main navigation menu and click the yellow Compete button.
- Select the Schedule tab to browse active and upcoming events.
- Review the event requirements, including format constraints (Solo, Duo, Trio, or Group) and style themes.
- Select your participating dancers from your enrolled roster.
- Attach a saved routine from your Routine Creator library.
- Equip a saved costume built in the Costume Studio.
- Confirm entry before the participant cap is reached.
Competing with Friends
An update on August 31 introduced automated friend grouping. If you and players on your Roblox friends list sign up for the same competition heat, the system automatically groups you into the same instance. This allows you to watch each other's routines while still being evaluated by the shared global scoring engine.
Preparing Routines for Judges
High competition scores depend on three synchronized factors:
- Choreography Details: Utilize the full suite of Routine Creator tools. Incorporate at least one formation change, use the speed up, slow down, and crop features to snap movements to the music's tempo, and avoid uniform clone animations.
- Dancer Stats: Place competing dancers in studio rooms assigned to teachers. Although raw stat numbers are not displayed as a static ledger, trained dancers directly produce higher scoring cards and ELO gains.
- Category Alignment: Always check the Competition Schedule banner. If an upcoming Awards round specifies a Contemporary Open, enter a routine choreographed to an appropriate track from the 35+ song catalog rather than an unrelated genre.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I enter the Roblox Awards with only a solo routine?
No. To qualify for the weekly Roblox Awards, your studio must complete at least one Solo Nationals and one Group Nationals. You must maintain both a viable solo piece and a group routine to unlock entry.
How many players compete in a single competition lobby?
Standard Roblox social servers hold 10 players, but competition instances—such as the weekly Roblox Awards—support dedicated lobbies capped at 24 entrants. Scoring across all heats is compared against a shared cross-server leaderboard.
How do I unlock more slots for competition routines?
By default, studio owners have a limited number of saved routine slots. Purchasing the optional Routine Creator Gamepass for 799 Robux expands your storage capacity up to 10 saved routines, allowing you to keep dedicated pieces for Solos, Duos, Trios, and Groups simultaneously.
What currencies do competitions award?
Placing in competitions awards both Cash and Gems. Cash is used to expand room sizes and hire teachers, while Gems are used to purchase packs containing new songs, dancer cards, and costume items.
