We Taught the World to Dance. Now Let's Make Dance a Top 5 Sport

February 9, 2026

TL;DR

- The two co-founders of STEEZY couldn't shake the idea: why can't dance be a pro sport?
- They assembled 6 world-class teams with 20 billion combined views
- Built the first event in 12 weeks, maxing out credit cards
- Sold out. 100 million views in 10 days.
- Season 1 kicks off May 2026 with $5 million going to thedancers

Listen to Episode 1

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Introducing the IDL Podcast

This is the first episode of a new show.

The IDL Podcast gives you a peek behind the curtain of building the league, the why behind what we do, and the stories of the teams and dancers competing at the highest level.

Feauring co-founders Connor Lim and Evan Zhou, each episode covers a different piece: the business of building a sport, the teams making history, and the culture that makes dance unlike anything else.

Episode 1 starts at the beginning: How did two dancers get the crazy idea to build a professional league?

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Episode Highlights

**[01:45]** The 2017 idea: eSports was blowing up, why not dance?

**[05:30]** "Starting a company is like chewing on glass and staring into the abyss"

**[08:00]** Why STEEZY had to come first by proving dance is investable

**[12:30]** The problem with dance competitions vs. talent shows vs. a real league

**[16:30]** Choosing the 6 founding teams: the three criteria

**[19:00]** Calling Royal Family: "Of course we'd be a part of this"

**[28:00]** $5 million going directly to dancers this season

**[30:00]** The 12-week sprint: no venue, no money, maxed credit cards

**[34:00]** The walkout moment: "That's when it clicked"

**[36:00]** 2026 Season: NYC, Vancouver, Sydney, Seoul, LA

**[40:00]** The 10-year vision: 24 teams, 480 pro dancers

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The Origin Story

In 2017, Evan Zhou and Connor Lim were building STEEZY. They had an idea they couldn't shake.

Evan: We saw this huge rise in eSports. Competitive gaming, this category that people didn't really know about. And we were like, we were competitive dancers. We were both on GRV. Why can't dance be a pro sport?

Connor: I thought "That's a terrible idea. We should be focused on STEEZY." But it wouldn't go away. It's like the moment when somebody shows you what the real world looks like and you're like, I can't unsee it. Once you heard and saw that dance could be a sport, how could you not go and figure out how to make that a reality?

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Why STEEZY Had to Come First

Before IDL could exist, they had to prove something: dance is an investable category.

Evan: A lot of investors look at dance and think, 'Is this a good business?' They see it on TV, in music videos. But they don't think about dance as a business, as a media property.

STEEZY put points on the board: millions of students, a 2M-subscriber YouTube channel, real brand partnerships.

But it raised a question they couldn't answer: *Dance for what?*

"You spend your entire life as a dancer from age 3 to 18, 20 hours a week, but for what? Dance has the exact same developmental pipeline as basketball or football, with no opportunity at the end of it." - Connor Lim

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Why IDL Is Different

It's not a local competition. Those are built for participants who pay to compete, not for fans.

It's not a TV talent show. Shows like World of Dance are based on the Survivor format always looking for new talent, new drama.

"Could you imagine if the NBA fired their players every single year? 'We don't need LeBron. There'll be another one.' It doesn't make sense." - Connor Lim

IDL is a franchise model. Same teams, season after season. Stories compound. Rivalries build.

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The Six Teams

Choosing the founding teams came down to three criteria: History. Fans. Infrastructure.

Connor called Brett Goebel (manager of Royal Family) first.

Connor: "Calling Brett was terrifying. Because it was actually speaking into existence this concept. Once you say it out loud, you've committed."

Brett's response: *"Of course we'd be a part of this. You tell us when. We'll show up."*

The founding six:
- GRV (Los Angeles): HHI World Champions
- Brotherhood (Vancouver): Storytelling and synchronization
- Quick Style (Norway/UAE): Viral sensations
- 1MILLION (Seoul): K-pop choreography powerhouse
- Royal Family (Auckland): Parris Goebel's legendary crew
- Jam Republic (Singapore): Southeast Asian champions

Combined: 20 billion views. 14 TV shows. 22 championships.

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12 Weeks. No Venue. No Money.

The decision to launch came in May for a July event.

"We didn't have a venue. We didn't have a halftime artist. We didn't have the money. We had 12 weeks." -Connor

The founders maxed out personal credit cards. Connor considered putting up his house.

"We promised these teams we were gonna make this happen. That's all talk until we do the thing. Unless you're willing to get your hands dirty and do the actual work, it's not real." -Connor

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The Moment It Clicked

During walkouts, GRV came out last in their home city.

"You heard people cheer 'GRV!' That's when it clicked. People really love these teams the same way they love other sports teams. They just never had the format for it to feel that way." - Connor

Dancers cried. The crowd roared.‍

‍The Result: Sold out show. 100 million views in 10 days.

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Season 1: $5 Million to Dancers

2026 brings six events across five cities:

"This season, we're spending $5 million directly on dancers â€” travel, hotels, and direct payments to teams. This is probably the most money ever paid directly to dancers from a competition format." - Connor Lim

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The 10-Year Vision

Today: 6 teams, ~120 dancers.

In 10 years: 24 teams, 480 professional dancers. Events every week. A full playoff structure.

"I don't want to ever have to refer to a dancer again by their credits. It won't be 'so-and-so who backup danced for so-and-so.' It'll just be their name." - Connor Lim

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