About Us
Pinnacle Dance Competition
Our Story: Finding the Diamonds in the Rough
Pinnacle Dance Competition was founded in 2022 by Lacy Cloud Crawford with a singular, powerful vision: to create a stage where dancers can experience the thrill of healthy competition within a positive, empowering, and respectful culture.
Historically, the competitive dance industry hasn’t always been kind to dancers who lack the resources or means to access world-class daily instruction. But a lack of resources never means a lack of passion, heart, or love for the art form. Pinnacle was started to find the diamonds in the rough, the dancers whose dedication burns just as bright, no matter where they train.
Now entering our 5th season, we are proud to say we have found those diamonds. Year after year, our judges are inspired by breathtaking choreography, incredible artistry, and deeply passionate performers.
We aren't a massive corporate machine. We are a family-owned and operated business—we just happen to be a family of elite industry professionals. We don't make our events about us; we make them entirely about you and your dancers. You’d never know it from their humble, encouraging demeanor on-site, but our team is comprised of true heavyweights:
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Our Backstage Manager holds an Emmy in Television and Movie casting.
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Our Judges routinely step directly off Broadway stages, film sets, or major collegiate dance team coaching staffs to evaluate your dancers.
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Our Emcee just wrapped a stadium tour with a major music artist (and is always keeping an eye out for fresh talent).
We know that not every dancer is destined to back up Lady Gaga, and that’s okay. But whether your dancers are aiming for a commercial career, a spot on a top-tier college team, or simply want to push their personal boundaries, we see you, we support you, and we are here to help them get to the next level.
The Pinnacle Difference
What to Expect
We do things a little differently here. We believe that to truly honor the hard work you put into your studio, we have to provide a competition experience rooted in integrity, realism, and respect for the craft. Here is what you need to know before you hit our stage:
Honest,
Real Critiques.
We don't do pre-fabricated, cookie-cutter feedback where every single comment is a generic compliment. We really judge, and we really critique. Our panel will tell you like it is, highlighting exactly what works and gently breaking down what doesn't. We want to push the art of dance forward, not leave it stagnant, and growth only happens with honest feedback.
No Ties.
Period.
We believe in finding actual winners and rewarding them for their achievement. Not everyone will walk away in the Top Ten, and that is a healthy part of growth. After all, both teams don't get to win at your little brother's baseball game, either. When you place at Pinnacle, you know your dancers truly earned it.
Unbiased
Evaluation.
We believe in a completely level playing field, which means we never play favorites. Do studios that spend more money with us get more awards? Absolutely not. Our judges have zero awareness of studio affiliations, logos, or entry histories. They walk into every event completely blind to who is stepping onto the stage, ensuring true results based solely on the talent and performance before them.
Artistry Over Tricks.
While we deeply appreciate the immense discipline it takes to master elite acro and tricks, we are looking for real choreography, storytelling, and artistry. We want to see more dancing than jumps and turns. To prove it: our highest-scoring routine of the 2026 season didn’t feature a single turn or traditional jump (though it did feature one incredibly unique elbow cartwheel!).
Every Level is a Main Event.
Levels are crucial to who we are. We love and value our Level 1 dancers just as much as our Level 2s and 3s. Because different levels live different dance lives, we honor them accordingly. We separate our levels entirely, complete with their own dedicated award ceremonies, and we hand out our highest, most prestigious awards to each level separately.
Lacy Cloud Crawford
Founder & CEO
Lacy has 25+ years experience in the dance and entertainment industry. She grew up in South Louisiana as a competitive dancer that went on to dance with the Northwestern State University Demon Dazzlers and NSU Dance Company. In addition to performing in various traveling theater shows and sports halftime shows, Lacy built one of the largest dance studios in North Louisiana. After moving to Chicago, she became the Executive Director for the Miss Chicago Organization and continues to serve as a Board Member and Head of Production. Lacy holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in Sociology with an emphasis in Business.
Lacy's goal for Pinnacle Dance Competition is to create a space where all dancers and studios get to share their passion for dance and movement.
Kelsey Trautman
Chief Operating Officer
With over 15 years of experience in hospitality and operations management, Kelsey Trautman brings a unique blend of organizational expertise and a passion for dance to Pinnacle Dance Competition. A former competitive dancer from early childhood, Kelsey’s dedication to the art of dance has shaped her professional and creative journey.
As a member of both the NSU Dance Team and NSU Dance Company, Kelsey honed her skills and developed a deep appreciation for teamwork and performance excellence. For more than a decade, she has shared her expertise as a choreographer for Iowa high school dance teams and show choirs, inspiring young performers to achieve their best on stage.
Kelsey is eager to ensure a positive and seamless experience for dancers, studio owners, and families at every Pinnacle event.
Ragan Crawford
Chief Commercial Officer
Ragan is a touring professional musician that has toured with names such as the Backstreet Boys, Francesco Yates, Neal McCoy, Miranda Lambert, Dirks Bentley, and Little Big Town. He grew up in North Louisiana and received a percussion and vocal scholarship to Northwestern State University where he was a member of the Spirit of Northwestern Marching Band. After moving to Chicago in 2015, he has continued to play professionally, work as a sound engineer, and is studying for his Masters in Music Business from the prestigious Berklee College of Music.
Krista Robinson
Director of Studio Support
With over 20 years of dance experience and 10 years of administration experience, Krista is a creative at heart with a head for business. The larger chunk of her life has been dedicated to performing, choreographing, and teaching dance. Based in Northern Illinois, Krista runs Ezra Virtual Assistance that supports small business owners across the country.
