Today, this site received several hits from people searching for “dance competition length songs.” So perhaps a bit of explanation is needed if you are new to the world of dance competitions.

Most dance competitions have a time limit for routines. For most studios and competitions, the maximum length is three minutes exactly. However, other studios or competitions might have a 2:30-minute time maximum, and some recitals have a two-minute duration maximum.

So how do you find great dance songs for competition if most songs are 3:30 or longer? How is it that Lady Gaga’s Pokerface is 3:57, yet this song has been used by countless competition dancers?

The answer is in editing. A skillful music editor can cut parts out of a song, and make it seamless to the listener by using a few professional skills. A good music editor can do this by understanding and analyzing song structure, making edits at zero-crossing points, using crossfades, and adding reverb where necessary. Sometimes a verse and/or chorus can be cut out, other times a long intro can be shortened. In still other cases, repeated sections can be cut out. Sometimes all of these things need to be performed in order to make the song optimal for a dance routine. Knowing EXACTLY where and when to cut out parts of a song is a skill that takes years of music knowledge and experience to do well.

So the next time you hear a song that would be fantastic for your next competition routine, but find out that the song is four minutes long, don’t despair! Just let me know what song you want, and I will edit it down to competition length for you! Check out my services here.

If you limit your song choices to only songs that are less than three minutes long, you are limiting yourself to a tiny fraction of the great songs that can be used for dance! So don’t make your choice based on the length of the song. Choose the song you want, and then have a professional edit it to the right length for the dance routine.