Prestige Dance Competition 2027: Belfast Heat

Prestige Dance Competition holds the Northern Ireland heat of its 2027 tour at Theatre at the Mill, Newtownabbey, on 8 and 9 May 2027. It is the only date on the island of Ireland. The other eight heats are in England and Wales, and the national finals are in London on 23, 24 and 25 October.

Schools from the Republic of Ireland can enter this heat, not only Northern Irish ones. That is worth knowing because the rest of the tour is in Britain, so this is the one date reachable without a flight. Entry fees are in sterling either way.

This is a multi-genre competition, not a ballet-only one. Ballet and character is one of 11 styles, alongside national, lyrical and contemporary, modern and jazz, tap, acro, song and dance, vocal, street and commercial, and open. Dancers compete in solos, duets and trios, and groups.

Entry is arranged by the school rather than by individual dancers. Schools email to reserve a block of entries and pay a £5 deposit per entry, which comes off the final bill, then submit entries, music and chaperone details through an online portal. Prestige listed the Newtownabbey heat as 75 per cent reserved in July 2026, so places are taken well ahead of the date.

Qualifying for the London finals needs a first, second or third placing plus a score above the band threshold, which runs from 250 marks for the youngest group to 268 for seniors.

Dance schools across Ireland, north and south. Prestige has confirmed that schools in the Republic can enter this heat, not just Northern Irish ones. Ages run from 5 and under to 15 and over, and novice sections exist in every style for dancers with no or limited competitive experience, so an established competition team is not a prerequisite.

• A participant medal for every competitor.
• Trophies for first, second and third in each section, extended to fifth place where a section scores 90 or above.
• Title awards for Miss and Mr Prestige Dance in each age group.
• Judges’ choice, high score, overall school, choreography and most promising awards.
• Feedback from the judging panel.

Two days, 8 and 9 May 2027, with an awards ceremony twice a day so younger competitors finish earlier. Time limits are 2 minutes for solos, 2 minutes 30 for duets and trios, and 4 minutes for groups. The running order is published through the entry portal once entries close.

Ballet and character runs as one section among 11 styles, with national dance listed separately. Sections run in solos, duets and trios, and groups across all five age bands, and novice ballet sections exist for dancers with little competitive experience. There is no classical-only stream: ballet entries are judged within the same event as modern, jazz and commercial work.