In 1989, CEO Shari Tomasiello and her mother founded Headliners with a simple mission: It would be an education-based, goal-driven competition that would provide a fun and encouraging environment that would be inclusive of all sizes, level and ability of the dancers. As the Headliners continue to grow—the 2025 tour will feature 33 regional competitions, 2 national competitions, and 5 conferences this fall—Tomasillo remains committed to that foundation and keeping dancers at the forefront of The center of it all. “We’ve always been child-centered,” she said. “This is more than just a job to us. It’s truly a passion.
Headlines’ approach speaks for itself: Over the past year, the competition has received record-breaking positive reviews, praising Tomasiello and her team for their professionalism, enthusiasm and passion for young dancers, and noting Fairness of review. “We always support our dancers,” Tomasillo said of Headliners’ values. “We want them to focus not on the awards they receive, but on the experience, the opportunity to continue learning and growing, and the chance to make new friendships and connections.”
Keeping competition affordable
Tomasillo and her two daughters, who come from dance studios and now run the company with her, know what it’s like to compete as dancers, parents and teachers. Headliners aims to keep entry fees reasonable given the costs associated with racing. Headliners was also the first contest or conference to offer free photos and videos—a tradition Tomasillo is proud to uphold.
Accommodate student schedules
To streamline the registration process, studios will be prompted to indicate scheduling conflicts they would like the competition to resolve. Knowing this information in advance allows Headlines to develop a specific schedule for each event and share it with participating studios weeks in advance. Tomasillo also pays attention to school schedules for students’ weekend start and end times. “By limiting admission, we ensure the event starts after school,” she said, adding that the headliners are also scheduled to end at an appropriate time on Sunday.
focus on growth
Headliners are deeply committed to following their own rules. For example, the competition offers three levels, but if the judges find that a routine registered in a level seems too low for a dancer’s skill level, they will adjust the routine to the appropriate level. “Studios should want to give their dancers the opportunity to be the best version of themselves,” Tomasillo said. “Our levels are such that each level offers additional opportunities, with cash and other scholarships available at the highest level. We firmly believe that competitions can and should be used to enhance a dancer’s education.
Supporting dancers’ futures
Headliners supports dancers’ growth beyond the competition stage by partnering with a growing number of organizations, including AMDA, Norwalk School of the Arts, and the Peridance Center, which provide scholarships to participants. Through Headliners’ trophy or charity programs, studios and dancers can choose and donate the value of their awards to a variety of charities, including the Headliners Foundation, which provides financial aid to students who compete on national teams and are interested in pursuing a degree or career in dance. Dancers are offered college scholarships.
Tomasillo believes that whether dancers are interested in pursuing a professional performing career or not, the life skills they learn from training and competing are vital. “Dance really offers more than technique,” she said. “It’s the camaraderie, the teamwork, the strength, the way you do it. Everything can be used to move your life forward.
Expand the impact of headlines
The Headliners continue to expand as they enter the 2025 tour, adding more stops on the East and West coasts that will lead to national championships in Atlantic City, New Jersey and Northern California.
Headliners has added more session sites than ever before, including classes like Floor Exercise, Jazz Funk and Bollywood. Exposing dancers to styles they may not have access to in a home studio also reflects Headliners’ commitment to education. “It’s about making the dancers who participate in our events feel good about their accomplishments,” Tomasillo said. “No matter the score or the award.”
Pre-registration is now open to reserve your spot for the Headliners 2024 conference and 2025 games. Online registration officially opens on July 15th. For more information about attending next year’s Headlines event, click here , or email [email protected].