The OPUS Award redefines studio excellence —
honoring both competitive achievement
and classroom performance.
The OPUS Award is the highest honor presented at Press Play Nationals — the pinnacle of dance studio achievement. This prestigious title is awarded to the studio that exemplifies excellence in technique, artistry, performance and professionalism across all age divisions and genres, both on stage and in the classroom. The journey to the OPUS Award includes multiple phases of evaluation, culminating in a dynamic live performance event that celebrates the very best of what dance can be.
The OPUS Award GRAND PRIZE winning Dance Studio receives:
- $25,000 cash
- $5,000 towards Press Play Nationals 2027 Competition fees
- The custom 4' grand OPUS trophy for their Studio
- Guest performance at the 2026-2027 Tour Kick-Off event in Los Angeles
- Guest performance at Press Play Nationals 2027
- VIP Invitation for the Studio Owner (and a guest) to Press Play's European Teacher Retreat. (1 Hotel room, 2 RT airfares & excursions covered by Press Play).
The OPUS Award TOP 5 Dance Studios receive:
- $5,000 cash
- $2,500 towards Press Play Nationals 2027 Competition fees
- Guest performance at the 2026-2027 Tour Kick-Off event in Los Angeles
- Invitation to Press Play's European Teacher Retreat (1 hotel room & excursions covered by Press Play)
The OPUS Award TOP 10 Dance Studios receive:
- $2,500 cash
- $1,000 towards Press Play Nationals 2027 Competition fees
- Guest performance at the 2026-2027 Tour Kick-Off event in Los Angeles
- Invitation to Press Play's European Teacher Retreat (1 hotel room & excursions covered by Press Play)
THE FINALS COMPETITION
During online Nationals registration, Studios must nominate themselves to participate in The OPUS Award competition. There is no additional fee to enter, aside from standard Finals Competition fees.
Participating studios will present a curated selection of 12 group routines (including small groups, large groups, lines, and extended lines, as outlined in the table below) for the initial adjudication round of the Finals Competition. When registering for Nationals, studios must designate the specific routines that will count toward their OPUS Award combined score.
MINI & JUNIOR
Jazz
Tap
Ballet
Hip-Hop
Contemporary or Lyrical
Musical Theatre or Ballroom
TEEN & SENIOR
Jazz
Tap
Ballet
Hip-Hop
Contemporary or Lyrical
Musical Theatre or Ballroom
At the conclusion of the Finals Competition, Press Play will announce the TOP 10 studios with the highest combined scores that are moving on to Round 2.
THE CLASSROOM AUDITION
We're thrilled to introduce a dynamic component to the OPUS Award competition: the Classroom Audition. This audition gives us the chance to evaluate studios in a whole new light—not through polished routines, but through raw, unrehearsed talent. No choreography, no staging, no prep—just dancers across every age group, navigating multiple styles, side by side. It's a true test of versatility, training, and studio-wide excellence.
Just a few hours before the OPUS Award Dance-Off kicks off, the Top 10 studios will arrive and be divided into four age-based classrooms (as of January 1, 2026): Mini, Junior, Teen, and Senior. Every dancer participating in one of the 12 Mini/Junior or Teen/Senior group routines listed above is required to take part in this Classroom Audition.
Each classroom will learn a short combination in a surprise style, randomly selected by drawing genres from a hat. Once a genre is chosen for a room, it is removed, ensuring that each age group receives a different style.
Each combo is taught by a faculty member and adjudicated on the spot by a panel of Press Play judges. After observing each class, the judges will select the top 5 standout dancers, from each studio, from each room to represent their studio. If a studio only has 3 Senior dancers, for example, those 3 dancers are automatically selected.
For Mini and Junior dancers, the audition process ends in the classroom. These selected dancers are judged during class only and do not perform the combo on the Main Stage. This allows younger dancers to be recognized for their talent without the added pressure of a live performance, and gives them something exciting to grow into as they progress toward the Teen and Senior divisions.
THE DANCE-OFF
The OPUS Award Dance-Off is a marquee event experience that spans the end of Round 2 and all of Round 3
Performing live in front of thousands in the theater — and even more tuning in via livestream — the selected Teen & Senior dancers from each studio will take the Main Stage for a high-energy, head-to-head Studio Dance-Off performance of their classroom audition combos. This electrifying moment marks a bold and thrilling evolution in the competitive dance experience.
Studios will be scored on their classroom combo performance—either in-class (Mini/Junior) or on-stage (Teen/Senior)—by our judging panel. This Classroom Score will account for 30% of their total OPUS Award score, combined with 70% from their Finals Competition scores.
At the end of this round, the Top 5 studios will be announced and advance to Round 3.
THE MATCH-UP
(Conclusion of the Dance-Off)
The OPUS Award Dance-Off night culminates with The Match-Up—a final opportunity for the judges to see each studio re-perform their 12 curated routines, matched head-to-head by age and style.
The judging panel will include the Press Play faculty... plus a very special GUEST JUDGE. In an industry first, this guest judge is not just one person—it's a collective voice: every Studio Owner or Competition Director whose studio attended a Press Play regional and earned an average group score of High Gold or above. These hundreds of studio leaders will tune in live via Zoom to watch The Match-Up, and their combined scores will be averaged into a single collective score that is factored alongside the faculty's. After all, who better to help determine the top studio in the nation than the very people who know what it takes to run one?
Final scoring for The OPUS Award is as follows:
- 70% Match-Up Score
- 30% Classroom Audition Score
The studio with the highest combined total will be crowned The OPUS Award Winner!
- During online Nationals registration, Studios must nominate themselves and select their 12 routines for The OPUS Award consideration.
- There is no additional fee to enter, aside from standard Finals Competition fees.
- Studios that have earned the OPUS Award must observe a two-year waiting period before becoming eligible to compete for the title again. For example, a studio awarded in 2026 would next be eligible in the 2029 season. This policy is designed to celebrate a diverse range of studios and ensure new voices and visions have the opportunity to be recognized on the national stage.
- Routine Requirements
- All nominated routines must be categorized as a Small Group, Large Group, Line, or Extended Line. Solo and Duo/Trio routines are not eligible.
- Studios may adjust their 12 nominated routines up until 7 days prior to the event.
- The OPUS Award values style integrity. Routines must be registered in their correct performance division. Misclassified routines may incur penalties or disqualification at the discretion of the Event Directors.
- Ballet entries must be performed in ballet or pointe shoes.
- "Aging up" a nominated routine is not permitted.
- Dancer Eligibility
- Eligible dancers must be ages 5–19 and have trained consistently at the studio for at least 8 months prior to Nationals.
- Dancers must also have pre-qualified by competing in a group routine at one regional event during the 2025–2026 season.
- Dancers with professional experience are eligible only if they continue to train consistently at the studio.
- Any eligibility concerns will be resolved at the discretion of the Event Directors.
- Choreography Restrictions
- A maximum of 4 out of the 12 nominated routines may be choreographed by an outside choreographer.
- An outside choreographer is defined as someone who does not teach regular, in-person classes at the studio.
- A choreographer is considered an in-house faculty member only if they teach at least twice per month, with a minimum of one week between classes, for 8 consecutive months leading up to Nationals. Virtual or Zoom instruction does not meet this requirement. The Event Directors reserve the right to make final decisions on any ambiguity related to this rule.
- Time Limits, Set-up and Strike time
- All OPUS Award nominated routines must not exceed 8 minutes (if the routine has added extended time). Routines that go over will be penalized 1 point for every 30 seconds (or portion thereof) beyond the limit. For example: 1–30 seconds over = 1 point deduction, 31–60 seconds over = 2 points, 61–90 seconds over = 3 points, etc.
- For routines using props, set-up and removal must be completed within a total of 5 minutes. To clarify: this is a combined time limit—not 5 minutes for set-up and 5 minutes for removal. A 1-point deduction will be applied for every full minute over the limit. This policy will be strictly enforced (for OPUS Award nominated routines) during both the Finals Competition and The Match-Up at the Dance-Off.
- All dancers performing in one of a studio's 12 nominated OPUS Award routines are required to participate in the Classroom Audition.
- Absences are permitted only in the case of an emergency and must receive prior approval from the Event Directors.
- Studio Owners and Teachers are welcome to attend and observe the Classroom Auditions.
- Dancers cannot be switched from the Finals Competition to the Match-Up.
- In the event of an emergency, replacement dancers may be approved at the sole discretion of the Event Directors.
- Running order by genre and by studio will be chosen at random.
- The 2026 OPUS Award Winner will receive a grand prize of $25,000 in total studio prize money at Nationals. This amount replaces any smaller studio-based cash awards earned throughout the week (such as High Score Awards, Studio Awards, or Performance of the Year Awards). For example, if a studio earns $3,000 from various group awards but goes on to win The OPUS Award, they will forfeit that $3,000 and instead receive the full $25,000 OPUS Award prize.
- Studios finishing in the Top 5 for The OPUS Award are eligible for a maximum combined prize total of $7,500. Any studio-based prize money earned throughout the week will count toward that limit, and any overages will be forfeited. Similarly, studios ranked in the Top 10 may receive up to $5,000 total in studio prize money.
- Please note: Individual awards, such as Artist of The Year, Specialty Solo Titles, etc. are not affected by these limits. Dancers and choreographers from OPUS-recognized studios will still receive any individual cash awards earned.
- The OPUS Award is designed to recognize not only artistic excellence, but also integrity, dedication, and consistency within the studio community. Our rules and policies have been thoughtfully developed to uphold the spirit and fairness of the competition.
- All questions, disputes, and rule clarifications will be reviewed and resolved solely at the discretion of the Event Directors, whose decisions are final.
- We are deeply committed to ensuring that The OPUS Award is a prestigious and rewarding experience for every participating studio.
of artistry, passion, and the power of the dance studio community. It honors the studios that don't just train exceptional dancers, but cultivate creativity, discipline, professionalism and heart.
To win The OPUS Award is to reach the highest honor a dance studio can achieve.
To pursue it is to inspire growth, community, and excellence in your studio and in studios around the world.
