A Note from Amy: Welcome to the 2026/27 Season!

Hello! As we begin the 2026/27 season, I want to take a moment to thank each and every one of the competitors, judges, volunteers, spectators, studio owners, and coaches who made this past season possible. Each year, it blows me away how much passion our community brings to each event, and I am so very grateful.

As the team prepares for each new season, we try to approach all of our plans with our core values in mind. I think they're all equally important; however, I always spend a lot of time thinking about how we can “Do the thing” better each year.

I am really proud of all the work the team does to help facilitate events that are physically safe and emotionally supportive for our community - and for the professionalism they try to bring to every interaction. I often reflect on what “professionalism” means, especially when there is all kinds of pressure coming from many directions.

One of the really exciting challenges of working in live events is that anything can happen. Over the years, we have had some real curveballs thrown our way, including losing a venue the week before an event because the sprinkler system failed and flooded the venue! We could have thrown our hands up and canceled the event, but instead the team rallied together to find a new venue, reorganize the logistics, and spread the word about the new plan.

While it was a wildly stressful week, I am endlessly impressed by the people on the PSO team who are committed to doing the thing. 

As we enter this new season, I hope each competitor thinks of their time on stage as their time to “do the thing.” External factors like timing, other competitors, or the stage lights may rattle you, but my hope is that you can stay centered in the moment and own that, for the next few minutes, the stage is YOURS, and it is time to show off all the hard work you have put into your preparations.

Thank you again for being a part of this community! Read on for some reminders about changes and updates for the 2026/27 season.

Rules Updates

The changes to the Rules for the 2026/27 season, which include the new judging criteria for Sensual and After Dark categories, went into effect on September 1, 2026. You can review all of the changes on the blog: 2026/27 PSO Rules Updates Now In Effect.

Pricing Updates

Due to the increasing cost of venues, travel, and other production expenses, we can no longer put off increasing registration fees. 

Our last official price increase was in 2019, when a registration fee went from $99.11 to $119. In 2021, we bundled the registration fee ($119) and a spectator ticket ($36), bringing the cost to $155. 

To avoid raising competitor entry fees and to afford paying judges, we removed the spectator ticket bundle at the beginning of 2026. 

With costs increasing over the last five years, we have decided to implement a small annual increase in the registration fee each January. If the increase is more than 10%, we will notify you at least three months in advance and give you the opportunity to purchase early for the upcoming season at the current fee.

Our amateur competitor entry fee pricing for 2027 will be $175 USD in the US, 129 EUR in Europe, and 4,288 NTD in Taiwan. The registration fees will increase as of January 1, 2027. This means that between now and December 31, you can purchase a registration for any upcoming event at the current price.

We know it can be difficult to be certain about your availability far in advance, so we will be updating our transfer policy in 2027, too. Starting in January 2027, for all entries, for any reason, you can transfer your registration to another, future event, if you let us know by the registration deadline for the event you originally signed up for.

New Additions

I’m so excited about this year’s addition of aerial pole and chains to Pacific & After Dark (Los Angeles), Northwest & After Dark (Seattle), and Great Lakes & After Dark (Chicago)! The team and I are really looking forward to seeing what competitors bring to the stage and which events make sense to host these Categories at in 2027. 

In 2027, we will also host our very first European Finals! The team has been thinking about this for quite some time, and we cannot wait to celebrate our Pro competitors in Europe this upcoming year.

Responsible Artistry

“You can sit with us” is another core value we aim to uphold at every event. In 2026, we specified how responsible artistry in your performances helps create a supportive environment for everyone in our community.

You can read about responsible artistry in the Rules. Special thanks to Crystal Belcher for coining the term “responsible artistry.”

About Us

Want to read more about our mission and core values? Want to see some of the faces of Travel Team members you might see at events? Check out the updates to the Our Mission page!

If you’ve read this far, I want to thank you again for being a part of the PSO community, and welcome to the 2026/27 season!

Warmly,
Amy