Rules
2026 Regional & Finals Rules
2026 Regional & Finals Awards
82
StarQuest Dance Competition
The Experience is the Real Award.
In the world of creativity, we find inspiration in individuals who push artistic boundaries and redefine what movement and expression can be. During International Women’s Month, we celebrate the women whose vision, strength, and leadership have shaped the performing arts and continue to inspire the next generation to find their voices and share their stories.
Today's ‘Creative Energizer’ is Martha Graham, the American dancer and choreographer who revolutionized the art of modern dance. As the founder of one of the world’s most influential dance techniques, Graham transformed the way movement communicates emotion, storytelling, and human experience, shaping generations of performers and choreographers.
Her creative journey, built on discipline, emotional honesty, and fearless self-expression, reflects her belief that every artist carries a unique energy that deserves to be shared. Through her work and teachings, Graham empowered dancers to trust their creative instincts, embrace their individuality, and keep the channel open to the life force that drives artistic growth and expression.
Check out this interview from The Marginalian to learn more: www.themarginalian.org/2015/10/02/martha-graham-creativity-divine-dissatisfaction
Source: (The Marginalian, “Martha Graham on Creativity and the Courage of the Creative Life,” 2015)
Photo Source: www.villagepreservation.org/2023/05/11/martha-graham-dancer-of-the-century
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#ArtistsUniteCollective #PerformingArts #CreativeEnergizer #MarthaGraham #CreativeExpression
It’s time to celebrate our Acrobatic Arts Award winners from #SQDenver, #SQTewksbury, #SQPittsburgh, #SQTampa & #SQFarmington ! Congratulations to these studios we cannot wait to see you grace the #SQstage next year with some fun and new acro skills.
#kindness is powerful And at StarQuest, it deserves center stage ! This is #sqkindcam If you are competing this weekend, make sure to find the #sqkindcam so you can send a kind message to your #dancefam !
During our #SQLancaster1 event, NY State of Mind reminded us why dance is more than steps and counts. Performed by Ella from Delaware Arts Conservatory, this piece held a story stitched into every movement. Ella’s parents once danced together professionally on cruise ships, sharing a life built on rhythm, travel, and love. Now, that legacy found its way back to the stage. Ella performed wearing one of her mother Tracy’s original dance dresses. Not just any costume, but the very dress her mother was wearing when she was proposed to. A garment once spun through a different chapter of life returned under new lights, carried forward by a new generation. As Ella danced, it felt like the past and present were sharing the same spotlight. A reminder that dance is a living thread. It connects families, preserves memories, and gives love a way to move through time. This moment was about more than a performance. It was about honoring where we come from and celebrating where we’re going. For everyone watching, it was a beautiful reminder that sometimes the most powerful stories are already waiting in our wings, and that’s why this week Ella is the perfect #SQMomentOfTheWeek !
The votes are in: Our Viral Video of the Weekend winner for Week 7, representing #SQDurham1 is Christy's DancExplosion, Ltd and their performance of “Rhymes”! Congratulations! Sponsored by @dreamduffel !
Each week, the Viral Video of the Event winners will compete on line for the title of Viral Video of the Weekend, culminating in a season-wide vote for Viral Video of the Year. The grand prize winner receives a $400 StarQuest Gift Certificate for the 2027 season and a Dream Duffel Elite Backpack for every dancer in the routine.
