Expressions Dance Academy

Competitive Dance Team Information:

The EDA Competition Dance Team is a group of dancers who have demonstrated strong technical skill and high motivation for dance.  Tryouts/Placements are held before every new dance season, and all dancers new and returning are invited to come.  The competition team quickly learns their dance at the beginning of the season and then competes at local competitions and performs them at certain events during the spring season.  For this reason, those who decide to be on the team must be committed to working hard and together as a team. 

 

The Competition Dance Team meets during regular class times during the week, most classes including a mandatory technique time which will incorporate ballet training, toning and flexibility, and skills technique.  There will be some optional workshop classes on Saturdays, but these are not mandatory.

 

What are Tryouts/Placements?

Although they are called "tryouts", we will not cut anyone from the Competition Dance Team*.  If they want to be a part of this prestigious team, we want to give them the opportunity.  What we do have is a time where they must come and be evaluated on technical skill and learning ability, and then placed into a class accordingly.  

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The tryouts are ran like a regular class.  Dancers do not need to have anything prepared upon arrival.  We ask that they get there a few minutes early to fill out any paperwork.  The teacher will most likely teach them a routine and then have them show them in groups (they will NOT be required to do it by themselves). This format allows your dancer to see the teacher's teaching style as well as how they run a class.  And the teacher gets to see what your dancer is capable of and their best learning style.  

 

We hold two tryouts for every dance year.  The first is always during the week of Recital of the previous season and the second is right before the season begins, after our Open House.  Therefore, dancers must "tryout" so we can see where their level and ability is at.  They can tryout for just one style of dance or multiple depending on their interest.  They will get an email during the summer with further information.  Your dancers will be categorized as follows based on their age as of September 30 of the current dance season.  Some classes will be combined.  

Mini: Ages 3-6

Junior: Ages 7-10

Teen: Ages 11-14

Senior: Ages 15-19

Adult: Ages 20 and up

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Teams will attempt to be split up as follows:

-Mini Tap/Mini Jazz (2 routines: 1 tap and 1 jazz)

-Junior Jazz/Junior ContLyrical (2 routines: 1 jazz and 1 ContLyrical)

-Teen & Senior Jazz / Teen & Senior ContLyrical (2 routines: 1 jazz and 1 ContLyrical)

-Mini & Junior Hip Hop (1 routine: Hip Hop)

-Junior, Teen, Senior, Adult Tap (1 routine: Tap)

-Teen, Senior, and Adult Hip Hop (1 routine: Hip Hop)

-Adult Jazz/Adult ContLyrical (2 routines: 1 Jazz and 1 Cont/Lyrical)

-Mini, Junior, Teen, Senior Acro (1 routine: Acro)

-Junior, Teen, Senior, Adult Musical Theatre (1 routine: Musical Theatre)

 

What do I need to have to be on the Competition Dance Team?

You must have a strong desire to work hard and challenge yourself in all aspects of your dancing.  You must be willing to work with your team members.  Everyone is expected to work together and respect each other.  You succeed as a team or you fail as a team.

 

You must have a dedication of time.  Dance team members are expected to be at EVERY weekday practice and any additional practices.  If you are injured or not feeling well, you are still expected to show up to class and watch, take notes, or participate to the best of your ability.  Attending a birthday party for a friend, being tired because you stayed up too late watching TV, or having a headache are not acceptable excuses for missing class. (Parents: think about if your dance teacher used the same excuse to not have class that day if you think it would be acceptable.  If you think it would be unacceptable for a teacher to cancel class because they stayed up too late the night before hanging out with friends, or they just were a little tired or had a headache, then rest assured we would also find it unacceptable for your dancer to miss for that same reason.)  

 

You are allowed to miss class for the following reasons: School event that you are required to attend for a grade, extreme illness (if you are throwing up, stay home.  If you just have a stomach ache and can't jump around alot, come to class and sit and watch).  We also will work with you and your other sports schedules, but please allow us the same consideration.  If we let you miss a class for your school sport, please realize that you may have to miss a practice of your school sport to attend one of our practices.

 

Always inform your teacher if you are going to miss practice for a legitimate reason, and do it ahead of time!  The teachers spend alot of time putting together schedules and lesson plans, and can be very easily ruined if you tell them at the last minute that you are not going to be there. 

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You must also be able to be flexible.  As directors, Miss Jennifer and Miss Kelly try very hard to get all the information out as early as possible, but just as everything else in life, things change.  Many times this is not due to anything the directors have changed, but someone else along the way (competition, adjusting to school scheduled, ect).

 

Competition Dance Team has more rules and expectations than just taking a regular dance class.  But all the extras pay off and your dancer will have a great dance experience and memories that will last forever!

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Classes:

• Competition classes will be either an hour or a half hour depending on how long the directors feel the class should be for the age and level.  Any “closed classes” (closed classes are defined as solos, duos, trios, or groups that are hand-picked by the people in them) will be a half hour long.

• Most group competition classes will have designated technique times that is MANDATORY for the dancers to attend.  These classes are essential. 

• Competition team classes are divided into three tiers: Mini, Regionals and Nationals.  Read below for descriptions.

  • Mini Tap & Jazz Competition Class: This class is for students ages 3-6 years old. Class will only be an hour long, no mandatory technique time other than the time of the actual class. Dancers will do 2 dances (a jazz and a tap) that will be competed at 3 regionals competitions.  They will be required to purchase 2 costumes at $85 each, and 3 comp fees of $65 each dance at each competition for a total of $365 in costume and competition fees.  There is no enrollment fee for the mini comp team.  The Mini comp team will be attending the same regionals as the Regionals Competition Team Classes. 

  • Other Mini Competition Classes Offered: Dancers in the mini age range can also do Mini/Jr Hip Hop and/or Regionals Acro.  If they choose to do either one of these classes, there will be additional mandatory technique time.  Pricing is $85 a month (same as the other regionals dancers).  They will be required to purchase costumes for these additional classes and 3 competition fees as well per class.  However please note that if a mini dancer chooses to do the Mini Tap and Jazz, AND the Hip Hop or the Acro, pricing will still be $85 a month (NOT $85 plus $60).

  • Regionals Competition Classes:  These classes are open and available to all dancers at Expressions Dance Academy (Ages 7 through Adult).  Regionals Classes will learn their dances early in the year to be able to perform them at local events as well as competition.  Regionals Classes will attend 3 competitions. The cost to be on the Regionals dance team is $85 monthly tuition for the months of September – May.  With this $85 fee, your dancer can take as many Regionals classes as they want – no additional charge for additional regionals classes.  Please note however that each regionals class will have a $100 costume fee and $65 competition fee for each of the three competitions. The $100 costume fee per regionals class will be due end of October of the current dance year.  Group Competition Fees are due by the end of November of the current dance year.

  • Some of the classes are divided by age group.  See below for age groups.  Ages are as of September 1 of the current dance year.  Reminder that these are how EDA classifies these groups.  Every competition has different age levels and variations depending on their rules.  This is specific to our studio and how we are classifying them.  The age rule is non-negotiable.  We completely understand that sometimes younger dancers can be mature for their age.  But we have attempted to divide groups by skill instead of age, and it always ends up with a lot of hurt and angry feelings.  So it is just easier and more consistent to do it this way. 

    • Mini: Ages 3-6

    • Junior: Ages 7-10

    • Teen: Ages 11-14

    • Senior: Ages 15-19

    • Adult: Ages 20 and up

 

• If you are a new enrollee in the regionals competition team, you will have to pay $125 enrollment fee with which you will get a bag filled with everything you need to start up.  If this is not your first year, you can “refill” your enrollment and not have to pay the full $125 if you are just missing a few items.  With this fee you will receive:

  • Rhinestone Hair Accessory

  • Rhinestone Choker

  • Rhinestone Earrings

  • Black Tank Style Leotard

  • Practice Nude Pair of Turners (Please note that this a practice pair only and to be used at rehearsal in the studio) They must have a nice pair if they are in a contemporary class

  • Dance Bag filled with: bobby pins, safety pins, ponytail holders, hairspray, gel, eyeliner, mascara, eyeshadow, blush, lipstick, and hair net for bun, bun former

This fee is due by the end of September of the current dance year for full enrollment items or refill items. If at any point you lose some of the above listed items, it will be your responsibility to replace the items. Please do not ask the directors to do this. You can get most everything online at either www.discoutdancesupply.com or www.dancewearsolutions.com. You can also check Kicks Dancewear on 28th and Breton, they usually have most of the items.

 

• Closed Classes (Solos, Duos, Trios, Small Groups): If your dancer wishes to take a solo class and have it be considered a “competition team” routine (which means they are eligible to compete this routine and perform at other venues as time allows). Dancers can choose to do 1 or 2 solos for $100 a month. Duos and Trios are an additional $60 per dancer per month. Small groups (4 or more dancers) are an additional $50 per dancer per month as well. The dancer MUST be part of a regular Competition Team class to be eligible to have their solo count as a Competition Team solo (if you are unsure what is a regular competition team class, please ask). In these “closed classes” you may choose the other dancers you are in the class with, and you can choose to attend additional competitions and/or nationals. ALL dancers in the closed class must agree BEFOREHAND as to what their plans for the year and notify their teacher.

• Tuition is charged September – May. Please remember that these fees are due the first week of each month, unless you are set up for auto pay in which case you can select the first of the month or the 15th of the month. Your monthly tuition will be the same each month regardless of how many weeks there are in the month September through May (or through June for those on National’s teams). You will also be required to pay for all of these months of dance, even if your dancer starts late. They will owe for previous months. If this is the case, you can talk to your dancer’s teacher about some makeup times to see if they can get your dancer up to speed, however this is not a requirement that the teacher has to do for your child. Please know that this is not a punishment, we are just trying to make everything as fair as we possibly can for everyone on the team.

 

***Over 18 Rule*** We have had this over 18 rule for awhile now but many people don’t seem to know about it so I want to make it clear: If the dancers is 18 or older AND not currently attending high school (for example if you are 18 but still a senior in high school this doesn’t apply), special exceptions apply in your case.  Why?  Because after high school your college classes or jobs can be at many different times during the day which may restrict your schedule, but we want to encourage you to keep dancing.  We would LOVE you to be a part of a regional class, but you do not HAVE to be to compete a solo or be on a Nationals team.  If you have questions, talk to Kelly or Jen. 

       

• Enrollment Fee: The enrollment fee is $125 per dancer (this does not include boys) and with it you get a dance bag filled with rhinestone necklace, rhinestone clip-on earrings, rhinestone hair clip, body tight, turners (practice pair), a black leotard, makeup, hair pins, safety pins, hair spray, and hair ties.  Keep all this stuff together as you will be needing it for every performance.

• Costume Fee per dance: $100 for all classes

• Competition Fees: $65 per dancer per dance for group classes, $80 per dancer per dance for duos/trios, and $150 per solo.

       

Other Possible Fees: Dance Performance Shoes (1 pair per class taken), Tickets to Grand Rapids Drive to see their performance, Tickets to Showcase, and Tickets to Recital at the end of the year.

       

 

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