ABOUT US
Donna Schnarr and Nancy MacSporran, the directors of Rhythm Dance, established the competition in 1990 where the festival ran for one full week at the Humanities Theatre in Waterloo. After using this format for several years, in 1993 we expanded to four Ontario locations operating as often as possible on weekends to try to avoid school conflicts. We are currently entering our 34rd season of running professional, enjoyable dance competitions where our main focus is a positive environment and strong organization that shows respect for your time. We believe that a professionally run dance competition provides the best opportunity for performers of all ages to display their talents in a healthy and exciting atmosphere and use this experience to improve their skills and confidence.
Rhythm Dance shows commitment to excellence by the staging of our events. We believe that an essential part of the dance competition experience is performing in a theatre on a professional stage with professional lighting and sound. We use only professional theatres for our competitions, never a ballroom or arena. We are a ‘hands-on’ competition and feel that our personal touch every weekend is important to meet our goals.
Rhythm Dance has always taken pride and care in selecting judges based on professional training and experience, broad background, and fairness. Rhythm Dance judges are also selected for their compassion and experience with children and their desire to provide useful, positive critiques to dancers and teachers.
We believe that healthy competition can enrich the lives of our children by teaching them about their own strengths and weaknesses and how to set realistic goals, cope with disappointment, and find acceptable ways to react to the adversities they will encounter throughout their lives.
With more than 30 years of competition experience, we strive to be innovative, organized, fair, and friendly. Your Rhythm experience is important to us!
TESTIMONIALS
“Great to see such a well organized and delightful positive experience for all dancers and teachers attending Rhythm Dance Competition this past weekend in Richmond Hill. Keep up the tremendous job!”
Sandra Gray
Director Sandra Gray School of Dancing Ltd.
“I’m a dance mom and I was just reviewing your web site for the competition we are attending in Brantford. Wow, your new award system is excellent!! Giving out gift cards is a terrific idea!! After a while the trophys and ribbons lose their appeal. Rhythm has always been one of my favourites to attend and your new system has made it that much better. Congratulations for always looking for ways to improve the experience of not only the dancers, but the whole family!”
Maryann Vieira
Strathroy, ON
“We just wanted to write a short note to express our gratitude for a very well run and enjoyable competition. It was on time, well organized and a lot of fun! There were a lot of really great numbers from a lot of different studios and so the entertainment was wonderful. Thank you for a job well done! We look forward to returning another year!”
Cathy and Ellie Sabourin
Greta Leeming Studio of Dance
Ottawa, ON
“Rhythm Dance has become a tradition for our studio. In having the ‘Performance’ category, it has allowed our students, who dance less than 3-4 hours a week, to achieve a sense of accomplishment and to be recognized for their efforts within their dance division. We can always rely on a well run, well timed and friendly dance competition.”
Jo-Ann Adams
Director, Jo-Ann Adams School of Dance
Simcoe, ON
“I have been attending Rhythm dance competition as a dancer, teacher and now a studio owner. This will be my 16th year attending Rhythm and each year it gets better and better. Nancy, Donna and their staff do an amazing job of all things competition. The atmosphere, the judges, and the love and support that they show each and every dancer and studio is remarkable. They are unique unto their own and we are so lucky to be a part of it! Thank you Nancy, Donna and your staff for continuing an amazing job year after year. We look forward to many more to come.”
Aly Niznik
“JCB Danceworks was treated with complete professionalism by the Rhythm team. Thank you for coming to the table swiftly and with empathy for my studio and JCB families. Your integrity in this time of great challenge was much appreciated. JCB will continue to be long time supporters of Rhythm for the all the professionalism you have displayed in your competitions and in the difficult times. Thank you, Nancy and Donna.”
Jacqueline Cook–Barber
JCB Danceworks
“Rhythm has been beyond supportive throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Not only have both Nancy and Donna shown full transparency, they have also offered various options and are fully supportive of whatever is best for YOUR studio. Katie’s Dance Connection will be back next season! Thanks so much ladies! I applaud you!”
Katie’s Dance Connection
“I am very impressed with the prompt service I have received from Nancy and Donna at Rhythm Dance. They have kept lines of communication open during this pandemic and have offered numerous options to myself and other studio owners regarding the outcome of competing for the 2020 dance season. Rhythm Dance has always been one of our favourite competitions to attend. My dance families and staff look forward to sharing the stage with so many amazing studios in the GTA year after year. We are counting down the days until we can return to Rhythm with our dance family. Until then, we wish Nancy and Donna, and their highly professional team, all the best during Covid-19 and always! We are in this together and will get through this together. Thank you for the work you are doing!”
Kristen Vella
Studio Director Dancsync Academy Inc.
“Thank you for the continued communication. Everything Rhythm has done since the Covid-19 closures has been fantastic, professional and helpful. I have been greatly impressed with this Competition and how you have conducted yourselves. If anything, it has solidified our interest in being involved with Rhythm for years to come.”
Erin Doane
“All of our discussions with Rhythm Dance since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic have been very supportive. Nancy has shown much concern and compassion towards the future and success of our studio business, and has continued to offer many options going forward. We appreciate everything they are doing to find a solution that fits our needs and budget, and we will surely remain a long-term and loyal customer of theirs!”
Kim Dodson and Wendy Laidlaw
The Dance Space
“We just wanted to say that we appreciate the swift and efficient manner in which you reached out gave us options in an unprecedented time. Your communication was open and honest from the start of the pandemic and your fair refund policy made our parents feel their entry fee funds were protected and you valued our business as a studio. We are very excited to return to Rhythm next season and appreciate all you have done during this time of uncertainty.”
Kim Cox & Kim Horseman
Performance Dance Academy