As a teacher and founder of: Dance works by Francisco Gela, Francisco Gela has almost 30 years of teaching experience in colleges, conservatories, studios, competitions and conventions. It now combines the best aspects of all these diverse environments in: ROOTS Dance Summit. “I created the ROOTS Dance Summit as something of a hybrid,” Gela says. “I want dancers to be able to have the opportunity to compete, but also walk away empowered with a better understanding of who they are as artists.”
Founded on the “Six Cs” (Community, Classes, Competition, Critique, Celebration, College/Careers), ROOTS Dance Summit is more than a competition or convention; it’s a complete, all-in-one experience uniquely designed to ignite students’ passion for dance and help them chart a path to achieving their goals. The first inspiring, educational, performance-packed weekend will take place next year Phoenix, Arizona, January 24-26 and the second in Montgomery, Alabama, February 7-9. And that’s just the beginning; Gella plans to expand to more weekends in additional cities as the program grows.
Providing something useful for everyone
Gela created the ROOTS Dance Summit curriculum to engage dancers, teachers, directors and parents. “All dance classes are open for teacher observation and we will also have dedicated sessions for teachers on a range of topics from motivational strategies and technical training to rehearsal guidance,” says Gela. “We also want to educate parents with workshops on planning for the future, managing expectations and preparing for college.” All sessions will be led by: The esteemed faculty of ROOTS Dance Summit: professional company directors and choreographers who are dedicated to mentoring the next generation of artists. Attendees will also be able to hear from college representatives as well as leading experts in dance health and wellness on topics relevant to each age group at the summit, from juniors (ages 10-12) to t-teens (ages 13 -15) and adults (aged 16–18).
Community Building:
Gella has structured the ROOTS Dance Summit to be both a great environment to meet new dancers and for studios to visit together and bond and grow as a team. “We want them to use the feedback and strategies they learn from ROOTS as a powerful supplement for the rest of the racing season,” Gela says. The event will also give students an opportunity to connect across the confines of the studio, blurring the lines between competition and camaraderie. “On Saturday nights, we plan to host exciting social events where attendees can step outside their studio ‘bubble’ and build valuable connections,” says Gela. “Community is a core tenet of ROOTS, and so at every turn during the Gathering, we want to demonstrate the importance of rooting to everyone’s success, no matter what team you’re on.”
Disrupting the status quo
The competition portion of the ROOTS Dance Summit is thoughtfully designed to reward a wide range of achievements – but is refreshingly simple. “We award the top 5 soloists in each dance genre and age group, as well as the top 10 group routines,” explains Gela. “All of these top 10 combinations are invited to compete again at our final gala for a bronze, silver or gold medal in each category.” In addition to medals, students will have the opportunity to win scholarships to prestigious colleges and summer intensives, including events of Francisco Gella Dance Works. “We will also have various judges’ awards that recognize dancers and teachers for artistry, rehearsal direction, outstanding instruction, etiquette and more,” adds Gela.
Pulling back the curtain
High levels of invaluable critique and feedback are central to the ROOTS Dance Summit experience. By limiting the number of contest entries and total attendance, each entrant is guaranteed to receive highly personal and helpful feedback from the judges. In addition to providing recorded participant critiques from each judge, the ROOTS Dance Summit will feature an open feedback forum that breaks down the fourth wall between judges, performers and observers. “Once the competition session is over, the panel will have the opportunity to directly communicate any trends or issues they’ve observed and answer questions from dancers and the audience,” Gela explains.
Young professional guides, who are either college dance students or recent graduates, will assist the ROOTS dance meeting instructors and offer the dancers appropriate mentorship. “This way, students get a perfect balance between instructors who have shaped this industry for decades and young professionals who have been in the dancers’ shoes for a while and have their finger on the pulse of what’s happening now,” says Gela.
Celebrating the journey
ROOTS Dance Summit’s innovative programming combines community building, competition, and education into one experience that elevates dancers to their full potential—and, Gela hopes, the industry as a whole. “Our aim is to combine the best aspects of both competition and concert dance, which are often on opposite sides of the playing field, until dancers reach the professional world,” he says. “Competition is part of the fun, but we also want to help dancers discover aspects of themselves and their studios that make them unique.” ROOTS Dance Summit will inspire students to define their own artistry and voice and, most importantly, to feel truly seen and accepted.
Registration for the two 2025 ROOTS Dance Summit locations (Phoenix, AZ and Montgomery, AL) will open on July 31, 2024. Register here: to receive updates by email.