Q: There has been a long-standing practice of scheduling Intermediate and Advanced Pro-Am on Friday, and Newcomer and Novice Pro-Am on Saturday. Why are you changing this?

A: Newcomer Pro-Am has grown steadily each year, resulting in a longer session. Historically, Intermediate Pro-Am has been smaller than Novice Pro-Am. By adjusting the schedule, we can better balance the competition days and create a better overall flow.

Q: By making this change, Friday will be longer—correct?

A: Yes, Friday will be longer. However, our ultimate goal with this adjustment is to bring more social dancing back into the event. Social dancing is what made many of us fall in love with dancing in the first place, and Saturday night is the most popular night for it. To support this, we are intentionally restructuring the schedule to allow more time for social dancing on Saturday night.

As part of this commitment, we will not be hosting a Saturday night show. Any competitions traditionally scheduled for Saturday night will be moved to Friday evening. Instead, we will begin the PJ Jamboree/dance party earlier than in previous years (exact timing to be determined, but we anticipate a start time around 8:15 p.m.).

Q: Since there will be no Saturday night show, wouldn’t that free up enough time to still hold Newcomer and Novice Pro-Am on Saturday?

A: Pro-Am awards will take place before the Saturday night PJ Jamboree/dance party. Our goal is for dancers to stay afterward, relax, and enjoy the social dancing. To make that possible, participants need adequate time to eat, change, and recharge. By adjusting the schedule as we have, we create a more relaxed experience and avoid making the Saturday competitive dancers feel rushed.

Q: The tentative schedule shows Novice ProAm starting around 10:00 a.m. on Friday. Why the early start?

A: Because there will be no Saturday night show or competition, we need to build sufficient time into Friday’s schedule for the top divisions to dance that evening. Additionally, some judges also dance with their students, and some Pro-Am competitors or instructors may dance in top divisions. Starting earlier allows us to include breaks between sessions, so everyone has time to eat, change, and/or prepare—helping the day run more smoothly for all involved.

Q: Why can’t you wait to make a decision about the schedule change until you see how many registrations you receive?

A: We recognize this is a significant change for Novice and Intermediate Pro-Am competitors, and we want to give participants as much advance notice as possible to plan accordingly. We also understand that uncertainty can be stressful, and we don’t want to add to that by keeping competitors in a prolonged “wait and see” situation. Making a decision now provides clarity and allows everyone to plan with confidence.

Q: Did you seek feedback this year before making this change?

A: Yes. We reached out to instructors who had students competing in the Novice and Intermediate Pro-Am divisions at last year’s Texas Hoedown—and who we anticipated might attend again this year—to let them know we were considering this adjustment. We invited their feedback, as well as feedback from their Novice and Intermediate Pro-Am students (if they chose to talk to their students about the schedule), where applicable.

 While we did hear a couple of concerns, which were anticipated and thoughtfully considered, the overall feedback did not indicate a need to abandon the change. We believe that sometimes you have to try new approaches to see what works best. Our commitment to enhancing the event experience—and bringing more social dancing back—remains strong.

Q: Why prioritize social dancing over a Saturday night show?

A: Social dancing is at the heart of our dance community. By reallocating that time, we’re creating more opportunities for connection, fun, and shared experiences on the most popular social night.

Q: Will this schedule change be permanent or just for this year?

A: This schedule adjustment is being implemented for this year to better reflect current participation trends and enhance the overall event experience. We’ll evaluate how it works and consider feedback when planning in future years.

Q: When will the final schedule be released?

A: A finalized schedule will be shared as quickly as possible after the registration closing date, which is at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24. The tentative schedule provides a strong framework, and we appreciate everyone’s patience as final details are locked in. Please keep in mind, the earlier competitors register, the quicker we can refine and confirm the schedule.

Thank you for your understanding and for your continued support as we try this new schedule and strive to create the best possible experience for all attendees.