DANCES WITH SMOKE BARBEQUE

DANCES WITH SMOKE BARBEQUE is a competition barbecue team with 26 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2022. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the BBQ off the Bypass (2016), and finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #1193 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,193

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1588

peak 1600 · rated over 22 contests2 invitational or side-series contests not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 12, 2013

latest May 28, 2022 · 9.1 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#538

Master 2015 · every season

Grand champs

2 reserve · wins it all 4% of the time

Category wins

15 podiums

Overall top-10s

50% of 26 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 39%

overall standings

Best overall

700.5028 / 720

Master · 2nd Annual Hudson Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cook Off

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

675.89 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 662.27 (+13.61)

Walk rate

69%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork Ribs · 2nd Annual Hudson Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cook Off

Consistency

±17.23

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Brisket

avg 167.00 · weakest Pork (163.67)

Road miles

15,123

across 26 mapped stops · furthest 1,498 mi

Schedule strength

23%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1531)

Purse competed for

$13K

listed at 1 contest — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 1 state-championship entry

Master avg

662.27 / 720

24 Master contests · 1 GC

Storylines (17 found in their record)

Each card leads with the number behind the story, straight from their results.

The heartbreaker

4.6744 points from the title

Came within 4.6744 points of the Grand Championship at 2nd Annual Hudson Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cook Off (Aug 18, 2018).

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180

1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in pork ribs.

Pork Ribs ×1

A multi-meat day

1 contest with 2+ category wins

They've won two or more meats on the same day 1 time — the best of them 2 category wins at Washington State Spring BBQ Championship (Apr 25, 2014).

Pork Ribs 1st
Brisket 1st

They almost always walk

69% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 18 of 26 contests

A top-10 category call in 69% of their 26 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

700.5028 career-best overall

97.3% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 700.5028 at 2nd Annual Hudson Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cook Off — 97.3% of a perfect 720.

Master
Aug 18, 2018

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Wine Country Q has finished one call ahead of DANCES WITH SMOKE BARBEQUE 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2014 their best year

2014 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 2 category wins, at an average finish in the top 22%.

4 contests
3 overall top-10s
2 category wins
average top 22%

Show 10 more storylines

The drought

8 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at BBQ off the Bypass on Sep 10, 2016 — 8 contests and 10.1 years ago.

last GC Sep 10, 2016
10.1 years ago

A strong matchup

9–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 90% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of JERIMIAH JOHNSON MOUNTAIN MAN BBQ in 9 of their 10 shared contests.

The comeback

3.8 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3.8 years, then back at BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay (May 28, 2022).

last seen Aug 18, 2018
back May 28, 2022

Brisket nemesis

6 of 6 shared brisket entries lost

IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ ahead 100% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ has out-cooked them in 6 of 6 shared brisket entries.

A big fish in small ponds

Top 26% average finish in small fields

Field size changes the story: they average a top 26% finish in small fields against top 62% in large ones.

Small (<20 teams): top 26% (7)
Large (40+): top 62% (5)

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

SMOKIN TIMBERS NORTHWEST has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A September team

Top 23% average finish in September

Something about September: average finish in the top 23% across 3 contests, versus top 39% the rest of the year.

3 September contests
top 39% the rest of the year

The long haul

15,123 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 15,123 miles across 26 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,498 miles to 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational.

26 mapped stops
furthest 1,498 mi

The metronome

±2.39% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.39% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.0% of a perfect score
26 contests

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay every year from 2013 to 2017 — the contest they never miss.

6 visits in all
best finish 3rd

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2022 ↗	Master	#1286 (67 pts)	#1687 (52 pts)	#1224 (107 pts)	#1251 (87 pts)	#997 (127 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#775 (421 pts)	#1041 (286 pts)	#887 (381 pts)	#814 (421 pts)	#880 (371 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#552 (712 pts)	#420 (902 pts)	#894 (437 pts)	#741 (552 pts)	#511 (772 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#920 (368 pts)	#1447 (198 pts)	#1093 (313 pts)	#1516 (193 pts)	#878 (413 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#538 (702 pts)	#667 (572 pts)	#724 (527 pts)	#695 (547 pts)	#455 (827 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#640 (578 pts)	#657 (578 pts)	#650 (588 pts)	#1135 (288 pts)	#554 (668 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#609 (513 pts)	#682 (483 pts)	#718 (463 pts)	#680 (488 pts)	#777 (413 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to DANCES WITH SMOKE BARBEQUE, each with one reason worth a look.

44 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.

HOT AND FAST BBQ

#1,199 of the rated field

1587 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 35%
Peak: 1590

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 22 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 22 contests
last seen Apr 6, 2020

⚔ Compare careers

KEEP CALM AND BLAZE ON

#1,200 of the rated field

1587 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 48%
Peak: 1587

Their last contest in the data was back in 2017, 5 years before DANCES WITH SMOKE BARBEQUE's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 23 contests

⚔ Compare careers

DROP THE MIKE

#1,188 of the rated field

1588 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 32%
Peak: 1601

Careers of much the same size, 22 contests to 26, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 20 contests
last seen Jun 10, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

Beachin' Good Barbecue

#1,195 of the rated field

1587 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 40%
Peak: 1587

20 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 40% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 18 contests
last seen Aug 15, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

2 PITTS BBQ

#1,197 of the rated field

1587 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 44%
Peak: 1587

Level with DANCES WITH SMOKE BARBEQUE on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 18 contests
last seen Jul 24, 2020

⚔ Compare careers

SHOT IN THE DARK COMPETITION BBQ TEAM

#1,198 of the rated field

1587 power rating

Contests: 29
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1587

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 28 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 28 contests
last seen Sep 29, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Rusty's BBQ	11	4	7	36%	⚔ compare
Wine Country Q	11	3	8	27%	⚔ compare
JERIMIAH JOHNSON MOUNTAIN MAN BBQ	10	9	1	90%	⚔ compare
MADDDOG'S BBQ	10	4	6	40%	⚔ compare
BOOTIES BBQ	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare
LAKE HOUSE BBQ	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare
BAD BONES BBQ	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
UFF-DA-Q	8	6	2	75%	⚔ compare
Northwest Smokehouse	7	7	0	100%	⚔ compare
DUELIN' J'S	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
503BACKYARDBBQ	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN TIMBERS NORTHWEST	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
PIGGY D'S BBQ	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
SMOKEY'S BARBQUE WA	6	4	2	67%	⚔ compare
SLOW PORKIN	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	24	14	1	5	177.7144	148.4800	165.33	top 48%
Pork Ribs	26	11	2	2	180 🔥	149.6916	164.79	top 52%
Pork	26	8	0	3	175.4172	150.2628	163.67	top 56%
Brisket	26	15	3	5	176.5714	148.5716	167.00	top 35%

“Calls” = top-10 category finishes (getting called to the stage). Scores here are the final weighted totals KCBS publishes; per-criterion appearance/taste/tenderness marks aren’t in the public results feed.

By field size and state

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	7	1	top 26%
Medium (20–39)	12	0	top 38%
Large (40+)	5	0	top 62%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
WA	7	0	top 26%
OR	6	0	top 41%
BC	4	1	top 21%
MO	4	0	top 67%
NV	2	0	top 68%
ID	1	0	top 26%

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay	6	3	top 41%	May 28, 2022
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	3	3	top 31%	Mar 31, 2017
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	2	14	top 68%	Apr 21, 2017

More numbers

Busiest season 2015 6 contests

Contests a season 3.7 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in WA 7 of 26 contests · 6 states and provinces in all

Contests visited 16 3 of them more than once

First title Sep 10, 2016 BBQ off the Bypass

Opponents faced 1,114 finished ahead 795 times, behind 1,207

Longest layoff 3.8 yrs Aug 18, 2018 → May 28, 2022

Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)

20221 milestone

May 28 Most recent contest BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay

20184 milestones

Aug 18 First perfect 180 (Pork Ribs) 2nd Annual Hudson Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cook Off
Aug 18 25th tracked contest 2nd Annual Hudson Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cook Off
Aug 18 Career-best overall score700.5028 2nd Annual Hudson Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cook Off
Aug 18 Peak power rating (1600) 2nd Annual Hudson Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cook Off

20161 milestone

Sep 10 First Grand Championship BBQ off the Bypass

20144 milestones

Apr 25 First category win (Pork Ribs) Washington State Spring BBQ Championship
Apr 25 First Reserve Championship Washington State Spring BBQ Championship
Apr 25 First multi-meat day Washington State Spring BBQ Championship
Nov 13 10th tracked contest World Food Championships - World Barbecue Championships (Competitiors Series)

20135 milestones

Apr 12 First tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Apr 12 First call Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Apr 12 First overall top-10 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Apr 12 First overall past 90% of a perfect score649.1428 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
May 25 First overall podium BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay

Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.2	BBQ off the Bypass	Sep 10, 2016
+13.9	Washington State Spring BBQ Championship	Apr 25, 2014
+13.8	BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay	May 25, 2013
+12.3	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Apr 3, 2015
+11.3	2nd Annual Hudson Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cook Off	Aug 18, 2018

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.9	BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay	May 28, 2022
-8.5	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	Apr 21, 2017
-7.5	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open	Oct 3, 2015
-6.8	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open	Oct 3, 2013
-1.4	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Mar 31, 2017

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — tap a meat to add it)

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Season by season

Season	Contests	GCs	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2022	1	0	0	0	100%	top 81%	90.5%	90.5%
2018	2	0	2	1	100%	top 17%	97.3%	95.9%
2017	5	0	2	1	80%	top 42%	93.6%	92.3%
2016	2	1	1	1	100%	top 23%	91.3%	91.1%
2015	6	0	2	1	50%	top 46%	93.9%	91.4%
2014	4	0	3	2	75%	top 22%	93.7%	92.6%
2013	6	0	3	0	50%	top 46%	96.3%	91.1%

Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
May 28, 2022	BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay 🏅 North Bend, OR	22 / 27 (651.2572)	27 (151.9200)	14 (168)	18 (165.0972)	10 (166.2400)
Aug 18, 2018	2nd Annual Hudson Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cook Off DuPont, WA	2 / 27 (700.5028)	8 (171.9656)	1 (180)	2 (175.4172)	4 (173.1200)
Jul 13, 2018	The Great Northwest Barbecue & Beer Festival Coeur d' Alene, ID	5 / 19 (680.4456)	8 (167.3828)	13 (165.6800)	5 (174.2628)	5 (173.1200)
Aug 19, 2017	Hudson Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cook Off DuPont, WA	3 / 18 (674.1828)	3 (176.5600)	11 (162.8344)	3 (173.1084)	8 (161.6800)
May 27, 2017	BBQ Blues & Brews on the Bay (JUDGES FULL) North Bend, OR	14 / 37 (673.0400)	1 (177.7144)	22 (162.8228)	26 (160.5372)	7 (171.9656)
Apr 21, 2017	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Las Vegas, NV	27 / 30 (663.2684)	28 (165.6684)	27 (162.8228)	28 (163.9544)	14 (170.8228)
Apr 8, 2017	Barn Burner BBQ Chilliwack, BC	3 / 19 (667.3600)	8 (166.2628)	8 (165.1316)	10 (162.2628)	2 (173.7028)
Mar 31, 2017	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Renton, WA	15 / 30 (644.9940)	4 (171.4056)	29 (152.5256)	16 (158.2628)	13 (162.8000)
Sep 10, 2016	BBQ off the Bypass Langley, British of Columbia, BC	1 / 18 (657.0512)	8 (161.6916)	6 (165.6684)	14 (155.9884)	1 (173.7028)
May 28, 2016	BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay North Bend, OR	17 / 43 (655.3488)	40 (148.4800)	8 (170.8688)	18 (166.2972)	9 (169.7028)
Oct 3, 2015	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	438 / 606 (633.0052)	536 (151.9312)	517 (151.3828)	279 (164.5828)	237 (165.1084)
Oct 2, 2015	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO	117 / 187 (670.2284)	56 (172.5484)	143 (162.8460)	126 (166.2512)	98 (168.5828)
Sep 12, 2015	BBQ On the Bypass Langley, BC	7 / 19 (646.8116)	12 (155.9656)	5 (166.2744)	16 (154.2628)	1 (170.3088)
May 22, 2015	BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay North Bend, OR	18 / 38 (661.0744)	29 (160.5144)	22 (165.0972)	24 (165.1428)	13 (170.3200)
Apr 24, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Las Vegas, NV	14 / 30 (676.4344)	30 (161.6572)	14 (169.6800)	13 (171.9772)	9 (173.1200)
Apr 3, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Renton, WA	3 / 28 (658.8228)	3 (173.1200)	26 (149.6916)	7 (166.8684)	5 (169.1428)
Nov 13, 2014	World Food Championships - World Barbecue Championships (Competitiors Series) Las Vegas, NV	—	—	42 (157.7032)	31 (162.2856)	36 (159.9544)
Sep 13, 2014	BBQ on the Bypass Langley, BC	4 / 15 (667.9084)	3 (170.8572)	5 (169.6800)	5 (165.1312)	4 (162.2400)
May 24, 2014	BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay North Bend, OR	9 / 31 (674.8344)	9 (172)	8 (173.1428)	28 (155.3944)	4 (174.2972)
Apr 25, 2014	Washington State Spring BBQ Championship Monroe, WA	2 / 22 (657.6000)	3 (167.4172)	1 (167.3944)	21 (151.9312)	1 (170.8572)
Nov 7, 2013	World Food Championships - World Barbecue Championship (Competitor's Series) Las Vegas, NV	—	—	49 (161.6800)	46 (159.3940)	51 (154.2628)
Oct 3, 2013	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO	108 / 174 (654.8568)	137 (161.6684)	63 (166.8800)	132 (159.4284)	70 (166.8800)
Oct 3, 2013	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	383 / 535 (620.4344)	370 (155.9428)	285 (158.8116)	455 (150.2628)	311 (155.4172)
Jul 20, 2013	Kla Ha Ya Days Barbeque Championship Snohomish, WA	7 / 13 (662.2512)	6 (165.7028)	10 (167.4172)	3 (169.7028)	11 (159.4284)
May 25, 2013	BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay North Bend, OR	3 / 31 (693.7140)	8 (171.4284)	5 (173.7144)	8 (171.9998)	3 (176.5714)
Apr 12, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Renton, WA	9 / 29 (649.1428)	5 (167.9998)	6 (166.8572)	11 (165.7142)	21 (148.5716)

An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.

DANCES WITH SMOKE BARBEQUE

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (17 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Perfect scores on the board

A multi-meat day

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

The drought

A strong matchup

The comeback

Brisket nemesis

A big fish in small ponds

Looking over their shoulder

A September team

The long haul

The metronome

A standing appointment

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)

By meat

By field size and state

By contest size

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

More numbers

Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)

Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)

📈 Biggest rating jumps

📉 Toughest weekends

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — tap a meat to add it)

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Season by season

Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)