Seven of the 15 teams who competed were winners, with $4,700 in prize money awarded, including Another Level of Dance (Cincinnati) for mini stand battle and combined stand battle, Rocking Rebels (Cleveland) for the creative category, Springfield High School for the high school category, 3D Dance Crew (Ohio State University) for the college category, Classic Boys (FunkLab/Kettering) for the beginners category and Funk Lab Intensive (Kettering) for the intermediate category.
“One of the loudest moments of the afternoon came when Springfield High School won the high school category in their first year competing, earning a major victory in front of a hometown crowd,” Bailey said.
The showcase and competition brought in $11,400 in sponsorship support from 13 sponsors, including White Allen Chevy, the Springfield Foundation and many local businesses and organizations. It produced $7,100 in net event revenue, against a total show budget of $18,200, leaving a net gain of roughly $300, according to Bailey.
“That’s down from prior years. This event typically clears about $5,000 that helps carry our youth programming through the rest of the year,” he said. “This year’s bottom line was challenging, due in part to the loss of three key sponsors from previous years and attendance that was roughly 500 patrons fewer than we have historically enjoyed.”
Credit: CBK MEDIA
Credit: CBK MEDIA
This year’s show recognized the “consistent and meaningful impact” of Behind The Curtain Dance Company, as Bailey and Springfield Assistant Mayor Tracey Tackett presented studio leader Erica Spirk with awards, including a city of Springfield Proclamation. This is the show’s third award to a dance studio, following FunkLab (Kettering) and We Are Warrior Girls (Huber Heights).
Dance Stomp Shake, the showcase and competition, began in February 2020. While the show was suspended in 2021 because of COVID-19, it returned in 2022 and has continued each year, said Bailey.
In 2022, the competition evolved into an arts-based nonprofit, which allowed them to diversify funding streams and bring more events other than the dance show to the community.
The cultural event, which takes place during Black History Month, transitioned in 2024 from Springfield’s Kuss Auditorium to the Dayton Masonic Temple. This year, the show returned to the Kuss Auditorium.
In 2025, the showcase and competition had more than 800 attendees and 7,000 viewers through livestream, as well as more than 25 sponsors and donors, with the showcase itself being their largest single production, Bailey said previously.
The show had 800 attendees (plus 7,000 livestream viewers) in 2025, compared to 1,148 in 2024, and 1,241 in 2023.
Even though numbers were down this year, Bailey said they remain grateful, and still have funding in place to move forward with the Youth Summit in May and are working to finalize the budget plan for the Simply Serving event.
Credit: CBK MEDIA
Credit: CBK MEDIA
Bailey said a seventh year of this event is already in motion with the theme “The Completion,” a name they chose with intention and gratitude because they’re at “an honest crossroads.”
“Dance Stomp Shake has survived through a combination of philanthropy, corporate sponsorship, and loyal patrons, and we’ve worked hard to keep ticket prices extremely low so families can afford to attend,” he said.
Bailey explained that model only works when they reach around 1,000 paying patrons because the profit margin from ticketing is what allows the show to fund other youth programming. However, he said that model has been increasingly difficult and the energy required to build the show is staggering.
“After six years of proven impact, excitement and community love, we’re proud of what we’ve built, but we also recognize the current model is not sustainable long-term,” he said. “We’re treating 2027 as a pivotal moment: Either we evolve the franchise into a stronger, more sustainable version or we make hard decisions about its future.”
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