Ability
- Novice: Studied 2 years or less, &/or spends no more than 2 hours per week studying any form of dance or acro/gym.
- Competitive: Has studied from 2 to 7 yrs & spends 3 hours or more per week in practice.
- Intermediate Competitive: Has studied any type of dance or any combination of dance/gym/theatre for more than 7 yrs
- Pro-Am: Combination of amateur and professional dancers. Eligible for scholarships, cash at regionals/nationals, if there are 10 or more entries in the same category. A professional dancer is classified in our student’s dance competition as a teacher or teacher’s assistant, who is 18 yrs or older, who is paid or unpaid, who may have choreographed and or taught any students at any time. It is up to the discretion of the Show Director & Judging Staff to determine who may be placed or moved to pro-am at any time. One professional makes the entire routine Pro-Am.Sometimes an advanced student will be asked to go pro-am so that other learning students have an opportunity.
Age
Age is determined by the age dancer is on the date of competition. Group age is determined by the average age of group members. Studio owner must take care to enter correct birth date into online system. (Director may further separate or combine age divisions/categories according to the number of performers)
Check In
Check In Only Teacher needs to check in to pick up Teacher ID.Students should not check in, but should be prepared to meet teacher at a prearranged spot.
Competition Stage
Competition Stage is Approximately 40 x 60.
Dance Categories
Please, no tricks in Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz.
We try to have a couple genres that are trick fee for students.
Please move your routines with tricks (cartwheels, backhandsprings, etc) to open, acro or another catetory. Open category is for a mix of styles. If a routine is 50/50, you may put it in either category or open. Routines can not be reclassified on Show Day . Please do your best on choosing a style that best fits the performance.
Deadline
Please make sure your entry is in, at the very least, 30 days ahead of time. We need this time to order & receive all awards in time. Please note that many shows fill up well before the 30 day deadline, some fill up 3 months prior. If there is room after the deadline, you may be charged a late fee.
Judges Critiques
Judges Critiques are available (only to teacher).
Music
Music must be good quality, pre-recorded at appropriate volume level & pitch, completely edited, with a max 3 second lead. Each Song must be on it's own individual quality CD, your own label/marked with your Studio Code, #, Name of Song. Your Studio Code is listed next to the # in the online program book.
You may label your CD's with Studio Code & Song, but wait till 2 days Prior to show to write in your Numbers so you have the latest edition, accurate listing of the acts.
Please bring a back up of all music on IPOD or MP3 player as if your CD fails to read, this maybe the only way to get your song played.
Note: name of song must be listed exactly as you have it in the Program Book. After the program book prints 7-10 prior to show, no changes can be made or accepted.
Please wait until 2 days prior to the show before you label your music with your performance number so you will have the exact latest program book .
NO Recompeting. Once a performer begins dancing, they must continue & finish their routine. No matter what-our fault, your fault, no fault, recompeting is NOT ALLOWED. Please instruct /train students to continue to perform in case their music fails.
Overnight Accommodations
Discount Hotel Rooms are available. Reserve early under the Step Up 2 Dance group name for best rates.
Parent Release
Click here to print parent release for Student. You may mail, fax, email in .
Payment Information
You may pay by bank check or money order. We regret personal checks or studio checks are not accepted nor are credit cards. If you would like to pay by Pay Pal, please email in for permission and remember you are responsible for all interest fees incurred by Pal Pal and credit card companies.
We suggest you pay by bank check or money order for optimal savings.
Please make Money Order or Bank Check out to Step Up 2 Dance, Post Office Box 474, Boston, MA 02127
Note: Please write on money order / bank check, the Name of Your Studio & location you are attending.
Please include a list of your entries.
You may Enter online up to 6 months prior to hold your spot without payment.
Entry fees is then due 30 days prior to the dance competition.
Props /Scenery
only non-dangerous props are allowed. Must be built off stage, carried , not dragged onto stage.
We ask Performers to get into place on stage within 15 second time frame .
Schedule prior to the show
Studio Schedule and Program Schedule is available to Studio Directors only. Typically, solos first, followed by duo/trios, groups , lines, productions at end.
Changes after the schedule is set, (if we can make them) is subject to a typesetting and administration charge of $20 per entry.
Every effort will be made to accommodate your needs, however, requests may not be honored if it causes hardship to staff ,judges or other competitors. If you have a special request, please email in your request and then on Show day please see the Stage Manager to tell her your needs.
| Time Limits: | |
| Solos, Duos/Trios | 2:45 min |
| Groups, Lines, Classes | 3:00 min |
| Mini Production | 5:00 min |
| Production | 8:00 min |
Song Choice
Please take care to select costumes, music , routine for general audience appeal. Inappropriate choreography or costumes too revealing may have deductions per discretion of the judges. Our audience is made up of parents and impressionable young students.
STYLES OF DANCE
Note: Ballet, Tap, Jazz – No Tricks.
Please move routines with tricks to Open, Acro/Gym, Contemporary, Hip Hop,etc.
Acro controlled moves that involve balance & flexibility., such as walkovers, chest rolls, handstands. Can contain flexibility moves or contortionist moves along with dance moves and choreography. Mats are allowed, but must be set up and dismantled fairly quickly.
Ballet execute ballet technique. Majority of dancers in ballet shoes.
Character portraying a character from a play, movie, show . etc such as a nun, doctor, thru any style of dance.
Cheerleading Acrobatics/Gymnastics is allowed. Can have stunts, tosses, pyramid. Routine must have and will be judged on dance steps, moves and choreography, can be Junior High, High School or College cheerleading team as well as dance school.
Clogging executing clogging technique including rhythmic formations and patterns.
Contemporary fluid, nebulous style of dance, establishing an emotional state w/ mind-body connection. Like modern, balance, floorwork, fall and recovery, and improvisation.
Ethnic/Folkloric style is of a particular ethnic group, such as Hawaiian, Polkas.
Gymnastics tricks, such as cartwheels, walkovers, back handsprings showing form. The routine should include dance technique, choreography and fluid movement. Mats are allowed, but must be set up and dismantled fairly quickly.
Jazz dancers execute free form movement ,and may wear jazz shoes, character shoes, half soles bare feet, executing controlled moves that involve balance & flexibility.
Hip Hop routine consisting primarily of Hip Hop Technique. (Inappropriate lyrics should be cut out or voiced over along with inappropriate gestures)
Lyrical interpretation of lyrics using combo of ballet or jazz, showing legwork, balance, body emotion.
Modern such as (Graham, Tharp). Dance can demonstrate balance, isolation, extension, based on space, force, weight and time, can be characterized to reflect the choreographers vision.
Musical Theatre dance Interpreting a song from a Movie, Musical or Broadway.
Open mix of 2 or more styles . Unlimited tricks are allowed.
Pointe execute pointe technique with the majority of dancers in pointe shoes.
Pom Pon a routine incorporating the use of Pom Pons, precise and definite movement. Acro allowed. Judges on both Pom Pon technique and dance steps, moves, and choreography.
Song & Dance demonstrate dance style and vocal ability.
No other lead voices on music. No Special microphones or sound equipment is to be hooked up performer or DJ. Limited to 2 cordless house microphones.
Tap executing tap technique in tap shoes.
Twirling may use batons or twirling props, showing technique with choreographed dance moves. (no fire, knives or swords)
Vocal – no backups or other voices on music, no special microphone hookups or sound adjustments. Vocalists will be supplied with a wireless microphone & may have a microphone stand per request prior to the show.
781 231-0211