How DanceBUG manages hundreds of dance competition livestreams with Castr
Every competition season, DanceBUG uses Castr to create and manage hundreds of livestreams through its developer API, and deliver them directly inside the DanceBUG app and website.
One of the world’s largest dance competition media platforms
DanceBUG is a video and event technology platform built for the dance competition industry. Founded in 2002, it has grown into one of the largest dance media companies in the world.
The platform brings together registration, scheduling, scoring, video adjudication, and media delivery in one place.
Livestreaming is an important part of that experience. Families who can’t attend in person can watch performances directly through DanceBUG’s app and website, follow competition schedules, and purchase photos and videos after an event.
With hundreds of competitions taking place each season, DanceBUG needed a reliable way to deliver live video without adding more work for its team.
Managing hundreds of livestreams across a busy competition calendar
With hundreds of dance competitions taking place each season, DanceBUG needed a way to manage livestreams across events of different sizes. Some required a single stream, while larger championships had multiple stages running at the same time.
As the competition calendar grew, setting up each stream manually became increasingly difficult, especially during weekends with several events happening simultaneously.
DanceBUG also wanted families to watch performances directly through its app and website, rather than sending them to a separate streaming platform.
The challenge was to simplify stream management while keeping the viewing experience within DanceBUG’s own platform and supporting the higher traffic that came with major competitions.
DanceBUG’s main requirements were:
- Support hundreds of livestreams throughout the competition season
- Deliver HLS video directly within the DanceBUG app and website
- Automate stream creation and management through an API
- Support competitions with single or multiple stages
- Handle increased bandwidth demand during busy weekends
- Reduce reliance on its previous streaming provider
Streaming infrastructure that integrates with DanceBUG’s existing platform
DanceBUG wasn’t looking for another standalone video player. It needed a streaming platform that could connect with the event management systems it had already built.
Castr’s developer API gave DanceBUG a way to create and manage livestreams programmatically, rather than setting up each competition through a separate dashboard.
The team could also use Castr’s HLS output to deliver live video within its own app and website, keeping the viewing experience consistent for families.
With Castr handling the streaming infrastructure, DanceBUG could continue managing its events, schedules, and media through its existing platform.
One streaming layer behind every competition on the calendar
DanceBUG integrated Castr’s developer API into its existing platform to manage livestreams across its competition calendar.
Through the integration, DanceBUG can create and organize streams by competition and stage, while delivering HLS playback directly through its app and website.
This allows the team to manage livestreaming alongside its existing event schedules and media workflows, without having to configure every stream manually.
Live streaming with HLS delivery
Developer API for stream creation and management
Event-based stream organization
Support for multiple stages and simultaneous events
Regional stream ingest
High-volume stream management
Scalable bandwidth for peak competition weekends
Reliable playback across web and mobile
Supporting hundreds of competition livestreams
DanceBUG manages hundreds of livestreams each season. Some are smaller regional competitions that need a single stream, while larger championships may have multiple stages streaming at the same time.
With Castr, DanceBUG can organize streams by competition, stage, and event partner, and manage them all through the same workflow.
The team can handle different competition formats without having to build a new streaming setup every time.
Automating stream management through Castr’s developer API
Rather than working through a separate dashboard, DanceBUG connects Castr to its own platform and manages livestreams programmatically. This keeps livestreaming part of the event scheduling and media workflows the team already uses.
Through the API, DanceBUG can:
- Create livestreams as new competitions are scheduled
- Organize streams by event, stage, and partner
- Retrieve HLS playback links for its app and website
- Manage streaming operations through its existing platform
Delivering livestreams inside the DanceBUG experience
Families use DanceBUG for more than watching live performances. They can check schedules, follow competition results, and purchase event media through the same platform.
DanceBUG wanted livestreaming to remain part of that experience.
With Castr’s HLS delivery, DanceBUG can bring livestreams directly into its app and website. Families can watch performances without having to switch to a separate streaming platform.
This also gives DanceBUG control over how video appears alongside the rest of its platform, keeping the experience consistent across web and mobile.
Built for seasonal demand spikes
Dance competition schedules aren’t evenly spread throughout the year. Some weekends are much busier than others, with several competitions running at the same time and families tuning in from different locations.
With multiple events streaming simultaneously, DanceBUG needs enough bandwidth to handle the increase in viewership. Castr provides the infrastructure to support this demand without requiring the team to manage additional capacity themselves.
DanceBUG can use the same streaming setup throughout the season, whether it’s a quiet weekend with a few events or a busy one with several major competitions.
A more efficient way to manage competition livestreams
With Castr integrated into its platform, DanceBUG has a more efficient way to manage live video across hundreds of competitions each season.
Streams can be created automatically through the developer API, organized around each event, and delivered directly to families through the DanceBUG app and website.
With Castr, DanceBUG can:
Manage hundreds of competition livestreams through one platform
Automatically create and organize streams through its own systems
Support single-stage and multi-stage competitions
Deliver livestreams directly within its app and website
Handle increased viewership during peak competition weekends
Spend less time on stream setup and more time managing events
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Bring us your event calendar, your app, and the streams you need to run. We’ll show you how HLS delivery and the developer API fit into what you have already built.
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