Kalief Robinson on The Project: Honest Dance Competition Feedback, Family Energy, and Ambassadors Who Include Everyone
Kai “Kalief” Robinson describes The Project as a family-owned dance competition built around honest scoring, specific judge feedback, fair competition, and a home-like atmosphere for dancers and their families. He says he and his wife created it after moving to South Carolina and not being able to bring their dance studio with them, using their own experience as dancers and studio owners to build something more inclusive. At The Project, Kai wants dancers to feel known, challenged, and supported—not just handed a medal and sent home.
a note from the interviewer, Prisha:
it was SO fun getting to pick kalief’s brain about all things running a competition circuit. i’m already doing enough, probably, but it’s definitely an avenue i’d love to explore someday. :)
it was so interesting hearing how intentional he is about picking judges, crafting the actual competition experience, and genuinely getting to know every studio owner he works with. that community connection is SO important, and i loved hearing how much thought he puts into it.
and honestly, if your studio can afford to add another competition, i’d definitely put The Project on your list.
TL;DR
•The Project is a family-owned dance competition created by Kai Robinson and his wife after they moved to South Carolina and could not bring their studio with them.
•Kai believes dance competitions should feel real: “Not everybody’s gonna get first place.” [02:29.2 - 02:31.4]
•Judges are selected through resumes, critique samples, interviews, and personality fit—not just credentials on paper.
•The event separates recreational and competitive experiences so dancers are challenged fairly.
•The Ambassador Program spotlights dancers while also helping other dancers feel included, comfortable, and excited to participate.
The Project Started From Family, Dance, and a Need for More Inclusivity
Kai Robinson—who later introduces himself as Kalief Robinson and says everybody calls him Kai—doesn’t talk about The Project like it’s just another dance competition. He talks about it like something he and his wife built from lived experience.
He explains that he and his wife met through dance, owned a dance studio together, and moved to South Carolina about five years earlier. When they couldn’t bring the studio with them, they opened The Project.
“We are a family-owned dance competition.”
That family piece matters because, to Kai, the competition was created in response to something he felt was missing. As competitive dancers and studio owners, he says they saw a lack of inclusivity for dancers. The Project was designed to help dancers come out of their shells, feel like they were entering a family atmosphere, and experience competition as more than “everybody’s just looking for a medal.”
Kai’s goal is direct: dancers need a safe space, and The Project was built to feel like home.
What Kai Thinks the Future of Dance Competitions Needs: Reality
When asked about the future of dance event experiences, Kai’s answer is not polished marketing language. It’s blunt, practical, and very much his point of view: dance competition should actually be competition.
He believes the competition world can become too focused on bringing in as many studios and students as possible because, at the end of the day, it is a business. But The Project is trying to hold onto the reality of competition.
“Not everybody’s gonna get first place.”
Kai says he is not there to give everyone a first-place trophy. In his view, dancers who work hard for it earn it, and that reflects real life.
“Those who work hard for it earn it, and that’s just the real life.”
That does not mean The Project is trying to tear dancers down. Kai frames it as honesty with support. If a dancer receives a silver instead of a gold, he wants judges and staff to explain why—with feedback about technique, stage presence, timing, feet, hands, fingers, and the details that help dancers actually grow.
His concern is that dancers may have received many first places elsewhere without being told what they needed to hear. The Project, he says, tries to avoid a “sunshine and rainbows” approach and instead give feedback that is useful.
The Home Atmosphere: Knowing Dancers, Parents, Grandmas, and Little Brothers
Kai’s version of “different” is not only about judging. It is also about how people are treated when they walk into the event.
He says The Project makes an effort to know dancers’ names—and not just dancers. They know moms, grandmas, and little brothers. They have conversations. They give high fives. They create encouraging moments.
That matters because Kai wants participants to feel like they are returning to a familiar place, not entering a cold competition room where nobody knows them.
He also says he and his wife are instructors at the intensive connected to the competition. That gives dancers familiar faces before they step onto the stage. His hope is that The Project can feel like home “for generations and generations to come.”
How The Project Handles Recreational and Competitive Dancers Fairly
Kai is clear that he wants The Project to feel like a true competition—but that does not mean throwing every dancer into the same environment without thought.
For recreational dancers, he wants the experience to be encouraging and appropriate. He does not want a child who just started dancing competing against someone who can hit a whole turn sequence. He also does not want a newer dancer to get on stage, see three aerials and a triple pirouette, and leave discouraged.
At the same time, he wants dancers who are seriously studying and working at their craft to compete against others doing the same. His reasoning comes back to the real world: if two dancers are auditioning for a spot in a music video, they both show up, and the competition is the competition.
Kai’s view is that competition should be fair—but not evasive. He does not want dancers “dodging” or “hiding.” If they are there for competition, he wants the structure to reflect that.
How The Project Chooses Judges: Resumes, Critiques, and Real Feedback
The Project’s judging process begins with resumes, but it does not stop there.
Kai says they thoroughly review judges’ resumes, then ask for a sample critique. That sample might be based on a routine of the judge’s choice or a routine from The Project. The point is to hear how the judge actually talks about dance.
He is not looking for someone who only says a routine was great. He wants to know if the judge can correct technical issues, timing, and other specific details.
“We don’t want anybody just to say, ‘That was a great routine.’ We actually want feedback.”
Kai also makes a distinction between controlling scores and understanding scores. He says THE PROJECT does not have a say in how judges score, but they want judges who can back up their scoring. If a dancer or parent says a routine was always “high platinum” somewhere else, Kai wants the judge’s critique to show what was seen: feet, timing, placement, hands, fingers, and more.
To him, a qualified judge sees beyond the overall routine and keys in on the details.
The Right Judge Has Skill, Energy, and Personality
After the resume and critique sample, The Project interviews potential judges to make sure their energy fits the event.
Kai says dancers go off energy, so he does not want judges who only sit with a pad and paper, look up, write notes, and offer little engagement. He wants judges with personality—people who can give kids the same energy those kids are bringing to the stage.
That connects directly to the wider The Project atmosphere. Judges are not treated as distant figures hidden behind a table. They are part of the environment dancers feel when they arrive.
Why Judges Also Teach Intensives at The Project
Kai says The Project has also used judges as intensive instructors. The reason is simple: if dancers learn from the judges before they perform, the judges become familiar faces instead of intimidating strangers.
Kai says this can reduce the tense feeling of competition. He does not want to call it fear or stage fright exactly, but he says the familiarity gives dancers more comfort so they can perform the way they know they can.
A Well-Versed Judging Panel Matters Across Styles
The interviewer raises a common concern: what happens when a judge does not understand the style being performed?
Kai says he understands that issue. His answer is to build a judging panel that complements itself.
For example, if one judge has a strict ballet background, another judge may have more experience with creativity or a fusion style. The ballet-focused judge may look closely at pointed feet, passé placement, and technique, while another judge may understand a dancer’s creative choices differently.
He brings up tap and hip hop as styles where specific experience matters. Not everybody can judge tap, he says, so he wants someone with tap experience. Hip hop can also be difficult because there are many varieties, and different people bring different technique and versions of the style. Kai wants judges who can stand on what they know best while contributing to a well-rounded panel.
Why Kai Loves the Ambassador Program
Kai lights up when talking about The Project’s Ambassador Program. He says it is something he wanted to do for the first couple of years and that they really got into it during the last two years and the current year mentioned in the transcript.
The program connects two of his passions: dance and photography. Kai says he is a photographer, and after owning a dance studio and doing photography, the Ambassador Program became a way to combine both.
More than anything, he says he loves giving the next generation opportunities. He also mentions sponsors from other dance conventions because he wants dancers to “go and do what they love.”
How THE PROJECT Selects Ambassadors
Ambassador selection is not based only on dance ability. Kai says The Project looks at how dancers are on social media: how they post, what they post, their follower count, and whether they can help share positive things about The Project.
If someone does not have much social media content, Kai says that may not work for the program because ambassadors need to share things.
But the selection is not a strict rubric. The Project has had recreational dancers, competitive dancers, and even a youngest ambassador who was three years old. Kai says she was passionate, loved what she did, and was adorable.
The program is about fit, personality, interaction, and whether the dancer can represent the environment The Project wants to create.
Ambassadors Are There to Include Other Dancers
One of the strongest parts of Kai’s Ambassador Program philosophy is that ambassadors should not just be spotlighted—they should help other dancers feel seen.
Kai says he notices the dancer in the back first because he used to be a back-row dancer. The transcript timestamp becomes malformed during this section, but the idea is clear: he wants ambassadors who can help dancers come out of their comfort shell and feel like they are part of the event.
That matters during master classes and intensives. If a dancer is uncomfortable with a style and sits down, Kai wants ambassadors who can encourage that dancer to participate.
The ambassador role is not just about being featured. It is about helping create the inclusive atmosphere The Project promises.
Ambassador Benefits: Photos, Headshots, Reels, Demos, and a Dance Music Video
Kai says ambassadors receive free photos and free headshots, which he connects to the professional world where those things matter. The Project also does a dance reel day and a dance demo to introduce dancers and give them something fun.
He says his wife and his wife’s little sister—who he describes as his content creator—help create Ambassador Day. For the year discussed, he says he thinks Ambassador Day is October third. They rent out a hotel space with a ballroom, learn choreography, shoot headshots and dance portraits, and film a dance music video to promote the next competition season.
The point is both practical and emotional: ambassadors get usable materials and a memorable experience.
Familiar Faces Change the Competition Vibe
Kai explains that ambassador content also helps future participants see familiar faces before they arrive. He gives the example of an ambassador named Brooklyn being featured for a South Carolina competition, so dancers can recognize her when they get there.
That recognition makes the event feel less intimidating. Instead of only arriving, competing, and going home, dancers see someone they already connected with through content.
“This is a whole different level and a whole different vibe that we go for.”
For Kai, that is the point. THE PROJECT is still a competition, but it is not meant to feel like a cold transaction.
Kai’s Final Invitation to Studio Owners and Dancers
He returns to the heart of The Project: experience, family, and personal connection. He says The Project gets to know studio owners, dancers, and parents on a personal level.
“At the end of the day, dance is dance, but family is family.”
That sentence captures the whole interview. Kai wants dancers to work hard, receive honest feedback, and compete fairly—but he also wants them to feel at home from beginning to end.
How Kai Says Studios Can Register
Kai says The Project is in South Carolina in March, Georgia in April, and North Carolina in May. He also says the goal is to eventually add on and go across the world, but that growth depends on support.
For registration, Kai says interested studios can visit www.theprojectde.com and register. He also mentions an early bird special with an extra percent off, but the exact percentage is unclear in the transcript.
Kai emphasizes affordability, saying The Project is not trying to be one of the most expensive competitions. His message to studios is simple: do not feel like you can only bring one or two solos.
“Bring the whole studio, you know?”
4. FAQs
What is The Project dance competition?
The Project is described by Kai Robinson as a family-owned dance competition. He says he and his wife created it after moving to South Carolina and being unable to bring their dance studio with them. The event is built around inclusivity, honest feedback, fair competition, and a family atmosphere.
Who is Kai Robinson?
Kai introduces himself as Kalief Robinson and says everybody calls him Kai. He is connected to The Project as part of the family-owned dance competition with his wife. He also says he is a photographer and previously owned a dance studio with his wife.
How does The Project choose judges?
Kai says The Project reviews judges’ resumes, asks for critique samples, and interviews judges to evaluate their feedback style, energy, and personality. The goal is to choose judges who can give detailed, useful critiques and fit the atmosphere of The Project.
Does The Project support recreational dancers?
Yes. Kai says recreational dancers are treated as recreational dancers, and he does not want newer dancers competing against dancers with much more advanced skills. He wants the competition experience to be fair and not discouraging.
What makes The Project’s judging different?
Kai says The Project wants judges who give real reasons behind scores. Instead of only saying “great job,” judges should be able to explain technique, timing, stage presence, foot placement, hand placement, and other details.
What is The Project Ambassador Program?
The Ambassador Program is a dancer opportunity connected to The Project. Kai says ambassadors may receive photos, headshots, reel opportunities, demo work, choreography, portraits, and participation in a dance music video. He also wants ambassadors to help other dancers feel included.
How does someone register for The Project?
Kai says interested studios can visit www.theprojectde.com and register. He also mentions an early bird special.