5.2.2008
WOW! DO WE HAVE A SURPRISE FOR YOU! HERE IS WHAT YOU DO TO SEE WHAT IT IS -go to danceruniverse.com click on DIRECTORIES then click on COMPETITIONS, scroll down to the STAR SYSTEMS entry, you can't help seeing it ....it has the totally kewl FLASH LOGO out to the right.....CLICK on our website and see just ONE of the amazing choreographers that will be at 2 of our National Finals this year. We are doing all we can to work him into Nashville somehow, however during Nationals he is filming AMERICA'S BEST DANCE CREW.....no we aren't going to tell you ho it is, go check out the great danceruniverse site, click on DIRECTORIES, click on COMPETITIONS, scroll down to STAR SYSTEMS, and click on our website, BAM! He will be right in ya face!!!! Last year the winner of the battle took home $1500 dollars in cold hard cash!!!! You gotta be in it to win it. Join us, and we will keep making additional announcements about surpise artists as they are signed!

Regionals are almost over....where did the year go? It was so great meeting many new studios and of course seeing how our old "friends" have grown not just in stature, but as dancers and amazing young people as well. CARNIVAL is coming up at the end of the month. Yesterday was the deadline, and the phones were ringing off the hook with last minute people getting registered for the May Event. Teachers will be PHLEX, (choreographer for America's Best Dance Crew),Matt Cady, named at CARNIVAL, as America's up and coming choreographer award - an award SHANE SPARKS won several years ago which proved to be true! Mr Andre Fuentes will be with us as well as Carey, Paulette, Amberly and others. If you missed getting in touch with us yesterday please try again today. As always the MAY CARNIVAL is shaping up to be one of the best yet. Hollywood for 5 days, The Edge, The Millenium THE CARNIVAL, The Agents, who could as for anything more......Usually Melody Lacayanga comes to Carnival to see everyone, along with Roman Vasquez, Gustavo Vargas, Tabitha and Napoleon who are on our SHOCK faculty, but have also been working on AMERICAS BEST DANCE CREW, AND SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, you can never tell who you might see at CARNIVAL. Just one more exciting opportunity we offer YOU! SEE YOU THERE!!!

3.20.2008
Our LONG BEACH,CA regional is FULL, however we have some room in our UPLAND regional the same weekend.

Our HAYWARD,CA regional is FULL.

Our MANAHAWKIN, NJ regional competition is FULL, please check our schedule for a another STAR SYSTEMS REGIONAL NEAR YOU.

Overview schedule for these 3 cities will be posted soon.

3.10.2008
THE CARNIVAL EXPERIENCE IS THE REAL DEAL: ANTHONY ZUPARTO JUST GOT SIGNED TO CLEAR TALENT GROUP. HE WAS DISCOVERED BY BROOKLYN AT "PURELY HIP HOP" IN AUGUST 2007 AND THAN AUDITIONED FOR THEM 2 WEEKS AGO. AS OF MONDAY MARCH 3RD, 2008 THEY SIGNED HIM AND NOW HE IS STARTING HIS PROFESSIONAL DANCE CAREER. ANTHONY IS FROM THE PRESTIGIOUS CALIFORNIA STUDIO "DANCING IMAGES" LOCATED IN MARENO VALLEY.

2.27.2008
WOW...our 2008 season is truly proving to be great!!! The talent this year has just been amazing, every year our teachers and dancers, seem to work harder to reach their own personal goals!!! CONGRATULATIONS to all dancers and teachers we have seen so far this year....YOU GUYS DEFINATELY ROCK!!!

The verdict is in....STAR SYSTEMS new DVD teacher critiques are by far the BEST in the industry according to teachers who have attended a regional this year. Each routine is done on a separate DVD with judges verbal critiques....you don't need a computer to see your numbers....perhaps you won a portable dvd player from us last year as our top studio gift, you can watch them on there, and pass them along to your solos, and duet trios if you wish....or your DVD player most of you have at your studio is a great educational tool for dancers to actually watch the routine and hear the judges critique. Now what about those group routines??? Should you decide to share them with your students, you can place that DVD in your computer and email the number to each dancer in the group. As we said before the feedback we are getting from teachers is THANKS....for making such a great product that is easy for them to utilize in or out of the studio.

THE BAHAMAS in December.....now THAT'S the best teacher trip of all!!! We will fly in and stay at one of the most beautiful resorts in the Bahamas, 4 days, 3 nights, of sun and fun, while everyone back home is shoveling snow. We might sneak in a FUN class or two, just to keep you on your "toes" while you are there. Teachers if you won that trip, please get your paperwork in as soon as possible so we can start making plans for your DREAM trip!!!

EXCITING NEWS!!! We have some VERY exciting news for all you TAP lovers out there. STAR SYSTEMS, SHOCK THE INTENSIVE AND MARK GOODMAN will present TOTALLY TAP, in San Diego in mid September....you know tap is almost becoming a "lost art" and we want to do all we can to prevent that from happening. Mark is finalizing his faculty now, and we are sure it is an event you don't want to miss.

FRESH NEW FACES - SHOCK THE INTENSIVE will be showcasing some fresh new faces this year, again, we are finalizing details and will get them up on the news page as soon as they are available!!!

CARNIVAL - MAY AND JULY this year....July is our Purely Hip Hop intensive, BOTH culminating in a private meeting with CLEAR TALENT GROUP as well as a working dancer in the industry. The highlight of the week of course is performing before ALL the agents in LA at the WORLD FAMOUS CARNIVAL. One dancer will be selected this year to travel to London with Carey and Paulette to appear in the London Carnival!!! Dancers get that paperwork in, class size is limited.

And we have a HUGE SURPRISE that has been in the works for almost a year now. At this point we cannot tell you about it, other than its going to be another OFF THE HOOK intensive. Keep checking back to our website for details and be sure and sign up for our email blasts!!!

We thank all of you for you continued support and if we haven't been to your city yet, we look forward to seeing you soon.

2008 National Finals - OC , CALIFORNIA,BREN ARENA only 30 minutes from Disneyland, and 10 minutes from Laguna Beach.....this nationals will have some of the HOTTEST faculty ever teaching classes ABSOLUTELY FREE!!!!

NASHVILLE - home of the TENNESSEE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, one of the most amazing venues in the country.....Tons of dressing space, a professional dancer studio where all our master classes are held, hotels across the street, as well as minutes away by private shuttle...so much to see and do in Nashville.

MYRTLE BEACH, SC....the beach, and uhh the beach, and well yah the BEACH!!!! New for 2008 the HARDROCK AMUSEMENT PARK, with one of the largest roller coasters in the United States, not to mention an amphitheater with guest artists performing weekly.

Come join us this summer you can bet 2008 IS GONNA BE GREAT!!!!

2.22.2008
*** YES it's true WORCESTER, MA competition is FULL, as of Wednesday, 2/20/2008. ***

2.15.2008
*** St. Louis, MO competition is FULL *** Please look at Indianapolis or another regional if your entries are not in our office.

2.14.2008
WOW!!! Where are you teachers finding all these romantic guys. The following story took place on Valentines Day in Smyrna, Tennessee:
Josh prepared an aisle of candles and roses in the center dance room, gave the girls balloons, and lined them up the aisle. At the end of the aisle stood Josh Baker and Phoenix Collier-Baker waiting as Lyndee was asked to come in and check on a dance. When she opened the door, her mouth dropped open. She had to walk down the aisle and met him at the end with Josh on one knee asking her to marry him!! She said YES!!! Date to be announced soon!

2.14.2008
*** Lakeland, FL *** Ft. Lauderdale, FL *** Houston, TX *** Fairfax, VA *** These competitions are FULL. If your entries are not in our office, please check for another city near you to compete. Thank you for your support.

2.4.2008
*** SOMERSET, NJ competition Feb. 29 to Mar. 2 is FULL *** If your entries are not in our office, please look at entering Manahawkin, NJ on Apr. 4-6.

1.8.2008
YES IT'S TRUE!!!! PROPS ROCK EXPRESS is back again for Nationals 2008. HOWEVER, we are only taking FIVE studios for EACH Nationals. If you would like for STAR SYSTEMS to haul your PROPS to one of our Nationals please contact Gayle at 336 993 9073. Again, we will be taking only FIVE studios, so if you are interested, please call Gayle TODAY!!

12.15.2007
(From Tori Melby, President DMA NC CHAPTER)I am now an official Nana, McKaiden Scott Melby, born at 2 a.m. on Dec. 11, 2007. She would like to be called nana NOT granny. Tori Melby,s daughter Misty gave birth to a baby boy with a head full of dark black hair, unfortunately Mckaiden had trouble breathing and is at Chapel Hill's Children's Hospital. Mom (Misty) checked herself out of the hospital 8 hours after birth to head to Chapel Hill to be with her baby boy(stubborn, wonder where she gets that?) baby seems to be doing great and obviously Misty is too. Our prayers are with their family until Mckaiden is out of danger, which hopefully will be soon.

12.04.2007
STAR SYSTEMS TALENT COMPETITION PRESENTS: JAM COSMETICS, GET THAT PERFECT MAKE UP DONE AT OUR COMPETITION! Get that Professional, Competitive edge! Makeup Artist and Owner of JAM cosmetics, Jessica Dupont, will be ON SITE for appointments for makeup applications. Appointments can be made for Soloists and Duets competing in the following cities: -Bridgewater, NJ - Dec. 1-2, 2007 (THIS WEEKEND) -Phoenix, AZ – Jan 18-19, 2008 -Hartford, CT – Feb 8-10, 2008 -Lakeland, FL – Feb 29 – Mar 2, 2008 -Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Mar 7-9, 2008 -Long Beach, CA – April 11-13, 2008 -Long Island, NY – May 2-4, 2008 JAM cosmetics is the first stage makeup line created for dancers by a dancer. The line is water resistant, long lasting, and a healthier option for dancers. Check out the website at: www.JAMcosmetics.net. Makeup applications are $40.00 (Fee includes Elise Faux Rhinestone or Half Lashes). Please allow 30 minutes for your application. Please reserve your space as early as possible as time will book up quickly. Appointments are on a first come, first serve basis. Makeup application appointments can be reserved in advance by contacting Jessica at: Jessica@JAMcosmetics.net. Please include the following when requesting an appointment: Dancer’s Name, Age, City, Email address, Cell Phone, and Timeslot desired A confirmation email will be sent to confirm appointment reservation. SOLOIST competitors: Miss Teen Superstar and Miss Senior Superstar will win a $20.00 gift certificate for stage makeup from JAM cosmetics as well as be eligible for the “New Face of JAM” 2009 Model Search being held at Star Systems National Events. JAM cosmetics can be seen in the November issue of Dance Teacher magazine under “Editor’s Picks” as well as the December issue of Dance Spirit in the Gift Giving Guide.

09.17.2007
Our TOTALLY HIP HOP INTENSIVE IN LOS ANGELES WAS A HUGE SUCCESS. Dancers gathered at Debbie Reynolds studio to take from some of the best hip hop and b boy instructors in the nation. Directed by Carey Ysis, Paulette Azizian, Amberly Crouse-Knox we will have a CARNIVAL page on our website soon with video of the classes.....the INTENSIVE of course ended in a fabulous opening number performed by the dancers, Carey and Paulette. They also had a private meeting with a dance agent in LA and had a guest speaker Diana Carreno (who was Justin Timberlake's "love" interest in his video) only ONE of her many many credits. Next week we begin our 4th season of SHOCK THE INTENSIVE and we can't wait to get back out on the road. MOST IMPORTANT NEWS OF ALL OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOP STUDIOS IN THE COUNTRY 3RD PLACE WINNING A ROCKIN' SOUND SYSTEM - STARZ STUDIO- DIANNE and LACEY CHEEK 2ND PLACE WINNING A BEAUTIFUL TRAILER TO HAUL PROPS IN - SUZI ZUPPARDO and SCOTTY WYNN AND OUR TOP STUDIO IN THE UNITED STATES WINNING A BRAND NEW CAR - DARYL and STEPHANIE CAMPBELL Congratulations, and thank YOU TO ALL the studio owners and teachers, who so unselfishly give their time to these wonderful children. YOU ARE THE BEST!!! And to each and every dancer who performed on one of our stages this summer YOU ROCKED OUR SOX!!! We can't wait to see you at SHOCK!!!!! Next week we begin our 4th season of SHOCK THE INTENSIVE and we can't wait to get back out on the road and see everyone again....and our faculty can't wait to teach and share all the knowledge they possibly can in ONE FUN FILLED AFFORDABLE DAY, with no competition or showcase!!!! In December we begin our 21st year of competition. ... hard to believe but true. Did you know that thanks to Take2 Video, Star Systems was the FIRST competition to offer dance teachers video critques of their routines? This is where a judge lays their critique over the actual video of your number for you and your students to go back and review your routines. Take2 has been assisting Star Systems in this gift for the teacher for over 12 years. Last year Casey implemented CD critiques along with the one video judge critique and it was a huge hit....teachers could listen to the corrections on the drive home if they wished. Video format is pretty much outdated....so this year we will be switching to something new and exciting. We will be announcing the format at our first regional of 2008. We are sure that teachers will love it. It's not something you will have to download, or have someone else help you figure out how to download here and then burn something there.....its a simple fun way for you to see your routines with a judges voice critque over the top of your number. We are also known for being the FIRST competition to award those beautiful STUDIO BANNERS that are on walls and in studio windows around the country. We changed the fabric this year, so now that it can actually be cleaned and won't fade!!! First again, in giving away ipods, 2 years ago as our top studio gift, along with the studio owner trip to New York each summer. This past year, we were the FIRST again in awarding portable DVD players to top studio owners along with their New York trip. This year we are giving away......OOPS.....can't tell that, but come join us at regionals and you will find out!!!!! We are NOT going to New York for our teacher trip this year...we are going tooooooo.....ohhhhhhhhhh wait....we aren't going to tell you THAT either!!!!!! Do you know any other competition that hauled props from one side of the country to the other for studios? Only if you came to our 20th Anniversary Nationals...then most likely we hauled your props to Nationals with studios going from as far as Long Island to Vegas with their props, costumes, etc. on our tractor trailer. It was great for the families, all they had to worry about was if their LUGGAGE got to the nationals and not their costumes, shoes, etc. We had great fun doing that!!! So once again....leading the industry in creative ways to assist studio owners, teachers, parents, students we were the FIRST to haul props for Nationals. We are often IMITATED BUT NEVER DUPLICATED, because we are always working hard to give you the best competition experience possible. We want to be sure and clarify our ages for competition for the 2008 season At STAR SYSTEMS, you will compete at regionals the age you are the day you compete. You will then compete THAT SAME AGE AT NATIONALS. Your age level does NOT change from your regional age at competition. PLEASE NOTE - THE 2008 RULES HAVE BEEN UPDATED ON OUR WEBPAGE. We have another change we are excited about and that deals with TITLE COMPETITION. We are eliminating the formalwear modeling portion of the competition. It will now be replaced with PRIVATE CLASSES for the title contestants in 3 genres of dance. Ballet, Contemporary, and Jazz. You will be judged in class and this will count 30% towards your title score. We will still have the onstage interview which will now count as 10% of your score and then your title dance, that reflects 60% of your score. We are excited about our new NATIONAL location on the WEST COAST. We are going to ORANGE COUNTY CALIFORNIA, IRVINE actually to BREN ARENA, 10 minutes from LAGUNA BEACH, 30 minutes from DISNEYLALND. Southwest is our official airline for our West Coast Nationals flying into JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT, which is 10 minutes from the Arena. Due to Vegas "deserting" the family friendly city, that they tried to portray themselves as, we have decided it would be in the best interest for our studio owners, teachers, families and especially the children to leave Vegas for a more family oriented location. We have so many exciting things planned for all 3 nationals this year. Our SHOCK FACULTY will be performing, along with special guest STARS prior to the SUPERSTAR DANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS. Of course our other two Nationals will be held in Nashville, Tennessee at the beautiful Tennessee Performing Arts Center, and in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

08.15.2007
**** IMPORTANT NEWS!!!! Many of you have called and emailed us regarding the "Federation". STAR SYSTEMS is proud to announce that we DO NOT belong NOR do we intend on joining mid-year as some of you have voiced your fear that we will do. OUR RULES ARE NOT CHANGING FROM LAST YEAR. Our age groups remain the same, along with the time limits and all other rules. We do many things to make dance teacher's lives easier, such as hauling props to nationals, taking credit cards for entries WITHOUT charging you an extra fee. However, we prefer to keep our identity the same as it has been for 20 years. We are not here to be the BIGGEST competition in the country, we want to be the BEST one for the children, families and teachers. We are a family business, owned, managed and run by family members. We consider you, our clients as part of our STAR SYSTEMS family. You should feel that you can always approach a backstage person, or the regional director with a problem, or if you need help, WE ARE THERE FOR YOU! So put your worries aside at STAR SYSTEMS 2008 IS GONNA BE GREAT!!! But you have to be IN IT to WIN IT....so make sure you are there. Our 2008 regional dates are complete and confirmed for tmost cities. If you don't see your city, check back or give us a call at the office. If you have any questions please feel free to contact 336 993 9073