Youth Dance Festival

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I. PARTICIPANT ELIGIBILITY

  • All participants must be the age of 9 or older.
  • Participants registered through their dance school and attend the festival with a representative from the school.
  • Independent Participants (not registered through a studio) must attend with an adult chaperone.

II. REGISTRATION POLICY

  • Registration costs are non-negotiable. At this time the festival does not offer scholarships to participants.
  • If a student does not wish to perform in the adjudication, they are encouraged to register and participate in the workshops. Elevate offers a special reduced rate for “Workshop-Only” participants.
  • All participants (Workshop-Only and Adjudication Performers) are invited to attend the Gala concert, and will receive dinner and a festival t-shirt.
WORKSHOP-ONLY REGISTRATION: $85/ student
  • Interested in the festival, but don’t have a piece prepared? Come and enjoy a full day of master classes and attend the evening gala concert with your studio group! Includes master classes, dinner, festival t-shirt, and admittance to the gala concert!
ADJUDICATION PERFORMER REGISTRATION: $100/ student
  • This is what Elevate is all about! Share a solo or small group dance on the stage or present your student choreographed work. All pieces will receive feedback following the festival, and student choreographers will also receive a face-to-face personal feedback session with a professional dance artist/adjudicator at the festival

Registration Includes:

  • Master Classes & Seminars
  • Adjudication Performance (performers only)
  • Dinner
  • Festival T-Shirt
  • Gala Concert Ticket

Registration information needed:

  • Studio Information (Name, main point of contact, etc…)
  • Dances information (title, choreographer, genre, length, cast names)
  • Student participant information (name, allergies, t-shirt size, # of dances)
  • Director/ Instructor information (name, allergies, t-shirt size)
  • Registration Payment – Paid as a lump sum for the entire studio. Students should not register for the festival directly, unless participating as an Independent Performer.

Instructors:

  • Each school is required to accompany their students with at least one director/instructor/staff representative. Registration costs for this first teacher/director/ representative are included in the studio deposit.
  • With every 10 registered students the dance school may bring a complimentary instructor.
  • Above these allowances each studio may choose to bring an unlimited number of directors and instructors at $25/instructor.

Participant Waiver

III. ADJUDICATION RULES & GUIDELINES

  • Solos, duets, trios, quartets and quintets from any genre are accepted for adjudication. These works may be choreographed by instructors, guest artists, or by students.
  • Each dancer may perform in a maximum of 3 pieces for adjudication.
  • Student choreographers will have the opportunity to receive live feedback from the adjudicators at the festival.
  • Feedback for all other pieces will be recorded in the form of audio files and distributed to the dance school at the end of the festival.
  • Parents are invited to watch the adjudication performances at no cost
  • Video taping for personal use is allowed during the adjudication. See the participant waiver for additional restrictions that protect the rights of families to limit their child’s presence on social media and the intellectual property of choreographers.
Submission Length
  • Rather than limiting each piece to a certain length, studios may bring pieces of any length as long as the total length of all submissions from the studio does not exceed 70 minutes.
    • This value is calculated from the number of participating studios that the festival anticipates and the amount of adjudication time available including transitions.
  • The Festival will accept requests for additional performance time on a wait-list. (It is likely that there will be time available.)
  • Unused dance time will be offered to schools on the wait list after the registration deadline.
Choreography, Music, & Costume Guidelines

In keeping with the wholesome nature of the Elevate Youth Dance Festival environment, appropriate choices in choreography, song selection, and costume attire for each age group are required according to these guidelines. Pieces that do not comply with these guidelines will not be considered for the Gala concert and will not receive feedback.

Choreography:

  • Choreography should be age appropriate without suggestive movement that may imply indecency.

Music

  • Music selection should not include vulgar language and suggestive themes.
  • See “Submission Length” for guidelines regarding music length.
  • Music must be submitted by mp3 format through email or google-drive to elevateydf@gmail.com OR through the Elevate Youth Dance Festival Dropbox one month before the festival date.

Costuming

  • Costuming that is excessively revealing in areas such as the midriff and neckline is prohibited. The midriff area in particular must be covered by fabric.

IV. GALA CONCERT

  • Open to the public: Tickets $10.00 (participant admittance included with registration)
  • The Gala concert concludes the Festival and features work from professional dance companies.
  • All studios are invited to bring a group work that represents their studio to present during the Gala as a celebration of the community attending the event.

V. CONDUCT

A standard of excellence is the core of the Elevate Youth Dance Festival experience. This standard of excellence extends beyond the demonstration of beautiful dancing and passion for learning and creating. Elevate Youth Dance Festival is an event where dancers practice excellence in behavior, conduct, and camaraderie. They will share their joy and passion for dance with respect and kindness towards others. All participants agree to conduct themselves in accordance with this mission in order to foster a safe and joyful environment of learning, mutual encouragement, and respect.

VI. CANCELLATION POLICY

  • Cancellations made more than two months prior to the festival are eligible to receive a full refund on all administrative and registration fees.
  • Cancellations made between one and two months prior to the festival are eligible to receive a 50% refund on registration fees.
  • All payments are non-refundable after one month before the festival.