Categories
Jazz– Contains traditional jazz movements and technique.
Lyrical– Dancers interpret the lyrics, mood and content of the music. A routine encompassing the use of balance, flexibility and control utilizing the lyrics and feeling of the music.
Contemporary– Routine incorporating lyrical or jazz movement fused with modern elements.
Hip Hop– Street or contemporary jazz-funk.
Ballet– Includes classical or contemporary ballet movements and technique. Routine must consist of ballet technique, classical steps and movements.
Character– A routine portraying an easily recognizable character. Routine must portray a character throughout.
Show/Production– Must include at least 20 dancers and be 4-12 minutes long. May contain any style or combination of styles of dance with a story line or theme. It may contain multiple ages, levels, dance forms, props, stage sets, or special effects.
Open– Routines which do not fit into one of our performance categories, a routine which is a combination of two or more of our performance categories, or a routine using ethnic styles of dance such as Ballroom, Irish, Hawaiian, Spanish, Celtic, etc.
Novice & Beginner Rules
NOVICE & BEGINNER
These rules apply to soloists, duets, trios, and teams. If one dancer can execute a specific move in one of the divisions, all dancers on that team must be registered in that correct division.
Novice: True beginner dancers who have never competed. Their routines must only contain single pirouettes, grand jetes, side leaps, and beginner movements and transitions. No tricks are allowed, including back walkovers (Back bend into a kick over is ok). Cartwheels are also approved.
Beginner: Dancers who may have competed before, but still learning basic technique and dance movements. For the dancer who can execute a single or double pirouettes, 1 fouete, toe touch, grande’ jetes, cartwheels, 1 back handspring, and front and back walkover skills, and a side aerial on a beginner level. If dancers can do more than the above turns and tumbling passes that are stated, they need to be put in the appropriate division.
*No back tucks or front aerials are allowed.
*Routines with an emphasis on tumbling or acrobatic moves may need to be placed in the Acro or Open category. This does not mean to put a beginner jazz routine with lots of tumbling in Open or Acro. Routines must still stay on skill level no matter the category. Only true Acro routines or those that don’t fit into the other genres should be placed in the Acro or Open category.
*Routines will be penalized if judges determine their moves are more advanced than the level they are in. Please register your dancer or team in the level most accurate with their abilities.
*All categories that have less than 2 competitors will be given a ranking based on their score, rated 1st-4th place:
First Place- 300-291
Second Place- 290-281
Third Place- 280-271
Fourth Place- 270 and below
These rules apply to soloists, duets, trios, and teams. If one dancer can execute a specific move in one of the divisions, all dancers on that team must be registered in that correct division.
Intermediate: These dancers have won in beginning categories before and can execute moves in the beginner and novice divisions on an intermediate level. This division may include a double pirouette, toe touch sequence, side leap, back handspring up to (2) in a sequence, aerial, switch leap, back leap, turns in 2nd position (a la seconde), 2 fouettes, and 1 tumbling pass. If dancers can execute skills in the intermediate plus or advanced division, they must be registered in one of those divisions.
*No front aerials allowed.
*Routines with an emphasis on tumbling or acrobatic moves may need to be placed in the Acro or Open category. This does not mean to put a beginner jazz routine with lots of tumbling in Open or Acro. Routines must still stay on skill level no matter the category. Only true Acro routines or those that don’t fit into the other genres should be placed in the Acro or Open category.
*Routines will be penalized if judges determine their moves are more advanced than the level they are in. Please register your dancer or team in the level most accurate with their abilities.
*All categories that have less than 2 competitors will be given a ranking based on their score, rated 1st-4th place:
First Place- 300-291
Second Place- 290-281
Third Place- 280-271
Fourth Place- 270 and below
INTERMEDIATE
Intermediate Rules
Intermediate Plus & Advanced Rules
INTERMEDIATE PLUS & ADVANCED
These rules apply to soloists, duets, trios, and teams. If one dancer can execute a specific move in one of the divisions, all dancers on that team must be registered in that correct division.
Intermediate Plus: This is for dancers who have won in beginner and intermediate categories in the past. These dancers can execute a triple pirouette, tilt jump, multiple fouettes, multiple back handsprings, side and front aerials, multiple turn sequences, pencil turns, solid intermediate technique strength skills, and can show emotion and maturity in their dancing.
Advanced: These dancers have won in intermediate and advanced categories in the past and may include any dance or tumbling moves. Have fun!!!
Adult: This is for any teams with the average age over 18 that want to compete. There are no levels or divisions, adult teams will all compete together.
*All categories that have less than 2 competitors will be given a ranking based on their score, rated 1st-4th place:
First Place- 300-291
Second Place- 290-281
Third Place- 280-271
Fourth Place- 270 and below
Penalties
Penalties: We created our competition so that there might be honest and fair rules. We have professional judges at each event and they will give a one-point penalty for every infraction. Please be aware of all division and category rules during registration so that your dancer or team will be placed correctly. We don’t want dancers and parents upset that they received penalties that could have been prevented by proper placement. Judges decisions are final.
AWARDS
Awards:
For Solos/Duos/Trios:
We give placement awards for each dancer. First place receives a placement award, tiara or crown, and a small gift. Elevation recognizes judges choice awards that are given out to selected dancers after placements. We also do a top 10 highest scores out of all solos/duos/trios award. Then each level has an overall winner. Solos/Duos/Trios are in the running for these altogether, we don't separate them for overalls. Awards and gifts vary, but these are the recognized accomplishments.
For Teams:
We give placement awards for each team. Elevation recognizes judges choice awards that are given out to selected teams/studios after placements. Each level will also have an overall winner. Final award given will be an Overall Studio Grand Champion Award! The Grand Champion award is the studio with the highest average score of all of their routines. Requirements for this award: 6 or more routines registered. Each studio will also receive a participation gift for each dancer.
*All dancers and teams will receive audio judging via email within a week of the competition.
DANCE OFF
DANCE OFF!!!
The dance off is held at the end of team day before awards are announced. It's one of our favorite things! Here's how it works: When our MC starts the dance off, he will announce it by ages and kids in that age group can come to the floor with $5 in cash. There's no registration and we really can't do change as we give the cash prizes to the winners of each age group! Once the age group is on the floor and we've gathered the money, random songs will be played that they will need to improv to. The judges will be spread around the dance floor to watch. Each judge will help pick finalists and then the final winner. The winner gets the cash from that age group! It's soooo fun and the kids love it! We do every age group from Preschool to High School. Be sure to be a part of this fun event, we love it!