OTB Street Dance Competition February 2026 – Blackpool Tower
Welcome to the Competition Info Page for OTB – Saturday 31st January & Sunday 1st February at Blackpool Tower.
Here, you’ll find all the information you need to plan your time with us. Use the tabs at the bottom of this page to navigate through different sections of information for this event. This is one of our main events and is open to dancers of all levels.
Entry Limits:
Each dancer may enter up to 4 events:
- 2 solos (either 1 set routine + 1 freestyle OR 2 set routines)
- 1 duo
- 1 team
Exclusive Spotlight Dancer Awards
All finalists in each solo section will be invited to perform again for the Spotlight Dancer Award.
Judges will confer and immediately select their chosen dancer on the spot – lots of suspense and excitement for this one.
This will run for all set routines and freestyle solo categories on both days.
Schedule
SATURDAY
Please see below the timings for events held on Saturday.
11:45am – Promenade doors open (attendees, please allow teachers to the front of the queue)
12:20pm – Ballroom doors open for teachers
12:30pm – Ballroom doors open for dancers & spectators
1:15pm – 13 years & under set routines
Awards presented immediately after each final
3:00pm – All ages freestyle solos (including parents)
Awards presented immediately after each final
4:30pm – 14 years & over set routines (including parents)
Awards presented immediately after each final
6:15pm – Spotlight awards for all set routine & freestyle finalists
7:00pm – All ages duos
Awards presented immediately after each final
8:15pm – Team events
Awards presented after all teams have danced
13 & under Beginners (7 teams)
16 & over Beginners (2 teams
13 & under Intermediates (7 teams)
15 & under Intermediates (5 teams)
16 & over Intermediates (6 teams)
14 & over Advanced (2 teams)
Parents (2 teams)
10:00pm – Party
10:30pm – Ballroom closes
SUNDAY
Please see below the timings for events held on Sunday.
8:00am – Promenade doors open (attendees, please allow teachers to the front of the queue)
8:30am – Ballroom doors open for teachers
8:35am – Ballroom doors open for dancers & spectators
9:15am – 8 years & under set routines
Awards presented immediately after each final
11:00am – 8 years & under set routine spotlight awards
11:15am – 8 years & under freestyle solos
Awards presented immediately after each final
12:00pm – 8 years & under freestyle spotlight awards
12:15pm – All ages duo events & parents solos
Awards presented immediately after each final
Mini party & break
Awards presented after all teams have danced
2:00pm – All ages team events
5 & under Beginners (2 teams)
7 & under Beginners (6 teams)
9 & under Beginners (4 teams)
11 & under Beginners (6 teams)
9 & under Intermediates (3 teams)
11 & under Intermediates (1 team)
3:15pm – 9 years & over set routines
Awards presented immediately after each final
4:45pm – 9 years & over set routine spotlight awards
Awards presented immediately after each final
5:00pm – 9 years & over freestyle solos
Awards presented immediately after each final
5:45pm – 9 years & over freestyle spotlight awards
Awards presented immediately after each final
6:00pm – Approximate finish time
Age Categories
Saturday 31st January – Solo & Duo Event Age Categories
Saturday Solo Age Categories
Dance 1 (Love Myself)
9 years & under
10–12 years
13 years
Parents
Dance 2 (1 2 Step)
7 years
10 & 11 years
12 years
13 years
14 years
15 years & over
Parents
Dance 3 (Way I Are)
10 & 11 years
12 years
13 years
14 years
15 years
16 years & over
Parents
Dance 4 (Body Groove)
11 years & under
12 years
13 years
14 years
15 years
16 years & over
Parents
Dance 5 (Run It)
10 & 11 years
12 years
13 years
14 years
15 years
16 years
17 years & over
Parents
Dance 6 (Do It Well)
10 & 11 years
12 years
13 years
14 years
15 years
16 years
17 & 18 years
19 years & over
Parents
Dance 7 (TV Off)
11 & 12 years
13 years
14 years
15 years
16 & 17 years
18 years & over
Class Member FS
13 years & under
14 years
Beginner FS
9 years & under
10 years
11 years
12 years
13 years
14 years
15 years
16 years
17 years & over
Intermediate FS
10 & 11 years
12 years
13 years
14 & 15 years
16 years & over
Advanced FS
11 years
12 & 13 years
14 & 15 years
16 years & over
Parents FS
Saturday Duo Age Categories
11 & under Beginners
13 & under Beginners
15 & under Beginners
16 & over Beginners
11 & under Intermediates
13 & under Intermediates
15 & under Intermediates
16 & over Intermediates
11 & under Advanced
13 & under Advanced
15 & under Advanced
16 & over Advanced
Sunday 1st February – Solo & Duo Event Age Categories
Sunday Solo Age Categories
Dance 1 (Love Myself)
4 years & under
5 years
5 years add needs
6 years
7 years
8 years
8 years add needs
9 years
10 years
11 years & over
Parents
Dance 2 (1 2 Step)
5 years & under
6 years
7 years
8 years
8 years add needs
9 years
10 years
11 years
Parents
Dance 3 (Way I Are)
6 years & under
7 years
8 years
9 years
10 years
11 years
11 years add needs
Dance 4 (Body Groove)
8 years
9 years
10 years
11 years & over
Dance 5 (Run It)
9 years
10 & 11 years
Dance 6 (Do It Well)
9 years
10 & 11 years
Dance 7 (TV Off)
8 years
9 & 10 years
Class Member FS
4 years & under
5 & 6 years
5 years add needs
7 & 8 years
8 years add needs
9 & 10 years
11 years & over
Beginner FS
4 years & under
5 years
6 years
7 years
8 years
9 years
10 years
11 & 12 years
Intermediate FS
7 & 8 years
9–11 years
Advanced FS
9 years
10 & 11 years
Parents FS
Sunday Duo Age Categories
5 & under Beginners
7 & under Beginners
9 & under Beginners
11 & under Beginners
13 & under Beginners
7 & under Intermediates
9 & under Intermediates
11 & under Intermediates
9 & under Advanced
11 & under Advanced
Judges
Speakers
-
Ess GreenJudge -
Jeffrey FelicisimoJudge -
Kristina PinheiroJudge -
Natasha Gooden
Important Information
A Body of Persons Approval (BOPA) has been issued for this event by the local Council. Under BOPA conditions, the priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of all event participants, with particular attention to children up to school-leaving age. This should be considered a team effort between:
* Event Organisers
* Event Staff
* Licensed Chaperones
* Dance School Teachers/Leaders
* Parents/Guardians/Responsible Adults
It would be much appreciated if all attendees could take note of the following information.
Photo/ Video Policy-
As this is a private event for event participants and their family/friends, our organisation would like to be able to permit the use of cameras to capture these special memories. We would however like to bring your attention to the following:
Solos & Duos- If you are intending to upload photos/videos of your participant to social media, it is recommended that you consider your privacy settings so that you limit your audience to close friends & family. Our team may also take videos and photos to use on OTB social media pages. If anyone does have any concerns/objections to this or would like us to make adjustments for any particular event, please speak to your dance school lead who will communicate this with our events team.
Team events- Two nominated people from the dance school performing their team routine may video the routine from the front. It is strictly prohibited for anyone else in the venue to take a video recording. It is then at the teachers discretion where that recording gets shared. This is so that the teacher can decide who has access to their choreography and also for safeguarding reasons which are considered different to a solos/duos type event. Still photographs are permitted but please consider the points highlighted in the solos/pairs sections above.
Child Supervision & Sign in/ Sign Out Procedure-Participants up to school-leaving age are supervised by a responsible adult at all times. Participants of this age will not be permitted to pass our door/security team without a responsible adult accompanying them. On arrival and departure, event participants are asked to inform their teacher/group lead so that they can record attendance times at the event.
Safeguarding info- Our safeguarding policy can be found here
The Designated Safeguarding Lead for OTB is Jessica Porter, who will be in attendance for the duration of the event and will be based on the stage. Alternatively, you can email info@onthebeat.dance
Venue Information
Please see the venue page for information on travel, parking, changing facilities, emergency procedures and first aid.
Please can attendees for this competition also note the following:
Arrival Procedure
Please use the Promenade entrance on both days. Once inside the building, please turn left and go up one flight of stairs to the Circus entrance. At this point, Blackpool Tower security will conduct a bag search for all guests. After this, attendees will be directed to join the main entry queue ready for the Ballroom doors opening.
Venue Food & Drink Policy
Blackpool Tower operate a strict policy that event attendees are not permitted to bring their own food or drink into the venue, with the exception of one 500ml sealed bottle of water. Bag searches may take place on arrival and any other food or drink items will be confiscated and can be collected from the security team on departure.
Anyone with allergies or medical conditions requiring their own food to be brought in must bring proof of this to present to the Tower security team.
A wide range of food and refreshments will be available from the Ballroom bar. Blackpool Tower is also located in the town centre, with plenty of nearby cafes, shops and restaurants.
Seating in the Ballroom
Each school will have a reserved area on both the ground floor and the balcony(ies) on both days.
Please note that your allocated area may change between the two days, so belongings should not be left in the Ballroom overnight. Dancers are welcome to sit on the ballroom floor, but please ensure they tuck right back towards the seating. Gangways and aisles must remain clear at all times.
Party Props
Blackpool Tower events always have a party vibe. Attendees are welcome to bring fun props such as silly hats, glasses, headbands and similar items for the party sections.
Professional Photography
There will be a professional photographer in attendance at the competition. Photos are usually available a couple of weeks after the event.
To access the photo library after the event, please ask your teacher for the link and password or scan the QR code pinned up at the event.
If any dancers cannot be photographed for safeguarding reasons, please let your teacher know so they can pass this information on to us. We can put appropriate steps in place, including exclusions from close-up images or alternative password-protected folders.
Photos After Finals
Once finals are complete, spectators will be invited onto the floor to take photos.
We kindly ask that there is one photographer per soloist or duo (plus the teacher if required). While we know dancers like to celebrate together, this helps us clear the floor efficiently between rounds, so only one person per dancer is permitted at this time.
Allocated Numbers
Please see your teacher on arrival for your numbers for this competition. Please also note the following-
Solos – Dancers will wear two numbers (the same number), one on the front and one on the back.
- White number on the front
Yellow number on the back
Duos – Each dancer will wear one number (the same number for the pair).
- One dancer wears the white number on the front
The other dancer wears the pink number on the back
This system helps with spacing on the floor and allows judges to see dancers clearly from all angles, helping everyone feel fairly seen during performances.
Wristband Information
Please see our full wristband policy here.
A reminder that-
- Lost or removed wristbands will not allow re-entry and must be repurchased.
- Weekend wristbands are non-transferable (e.g. between parents attending on different days). Any weekend bands removed after day 1, will have to be re- purchased for day 2.
Before approaching the venue entrance, please ensure you have wristbands securely fastened and ready for inspection. Wristbands must be worn for the full duration of the visit.
Any wristbands left at home will need to be repurchased at the door. We do offer a two-week return period for those left at home, subject to a small admin fee – full details can be found in the wristband policy.
Tickets available on the door:
- £30 per day
- £40 weekend
- Upgrade from single day to weekend: £15 (only if the single day band has not been used)
Payments by cash & card are accepted.