2017-2018 Integral Competitive Solos/Duos & Trios
We are currently designing a competitive program for gifted students ages 6-11 interested in a higher caliber of jazz, tap, hip hop and contemporary training.
We recognize that there are many benefits that stem from a competition program including the ability to have measured progress, to get input from experts beyond your teachers, discipline, professionalism and accountability. The excitement of competition can give students a greater motivation to succeed, instills dedication and teamwork, and adds a level of accountability to their training.
Placement on the competitive circuit will be for experienced dancers at the appropriate belt level for their age. We hope this experience will give our students an opportunity to be more marketable and knowledgeable as dancers in genres beyond ballet, and offer a more thorough training option beyond the supplemental jazz and tap classes that we currently have on the schedule. Unlike the Ballet Company performances, which will remain open to dancers of every level and choreographed based on ability, our competitive dancers will be by-invitation only and highly selective. Dancers will compete only at the solo/duo/trio level.
Dance is an artistic discipline that cannot be subjectively judged nor scored, and we do have concerns about the inappropriate criteria on which children are sometimes scored at dance competitions. As a studio, we will not accept and trophies and/or awards outside of student scholarships, and instead use judges input as technical notes only to advance our dancing. We also want to prepare dancers in advance that we are not going to compromise the values of classical training in order to earn competition trophies. Many programs rely on choreography tricks, acrobatics and synchronization for difficulty points but this is dangerous to a child’s long term dance career as it can have children imitating adult movements and forcing strength and flexibility. It is also extremely important to us that children work with age-appropriate choreography, costumes and music. (In fair warning, there is no shortage of inappropriate music, attire and choreography at dance competitions across every age and level and its best to be prepared in advance for that.) As a school we will not participate in even remotely inappropriate costuming and gladly take the point deductions. That said, I do feel that our dancers can stand on their own technique and training to succeed in competition and would be thrilled for them to have the opportunity.
2017 Auditions
By-invitation. (Please feel free to inquire if you are interested but were not specifically invited.) Formal Auditions will be held in October 2017.
Requirements
Financial Considerations
The rehearsal fee for 10 rehearsals is $150 per dancer for each trio/duo and $200 for each solo, payable to Integral Ballet, or directly to the choreographer if your child’s piece is using an outside artist. The competition fees range from $60-$125. We intend to participate in no more than one or two competitions per season during the month of March and we do not intend to travel to regional or national competitions at this time. There may also be a separate costume fee of $75-$85 dollars which they will also use for the recital.
We are currently designing a competitive program for gifted students ages 6-11 interested in a higher caliber of jazz, tap, hip hop and contemporary training.
We recognize that there are many benefits that stem from a competition program including the ability to have measured progress, to get input from experts beyond your teachers, discipline, professionalism and accountability. The excitement of competition can give students a greater motivation to succeed, instills dedication and teamwork, and adds a level of accountability to their training.
Placement on the competitive circuit will be for experienced dancers at the appropriate belt level for their age. We hope this experience will give our students an opportunity to be more marketable and knowledgeable as dancers in genres beyond ballet, and offer a more thorough training option beyond the supplemental jazz and tap classes that we currently have on the schedule. Unlike the Ballet Company performances, which will remain open to dancers of every level and choreographed based on ability, our competitive dancers will be by-invitation only and highly selective. Dancers will compete only at the solo/duo/trio level.
Dance is an artistic discipline that cannot be subjectively judged nor scored, and we do have concerns about the inappropriate criteria on which children are sometimes scored at dance competitions. As a studio, we will not accept and trophies and/or awards outside of student scholarships, and instead use judges input as technical notes only to advance our dancing. We also want to prepare dancers in advance that we are not going to compromise the values of classical training in order to earn competition trophies. Many programs rely on choreography tricks, acrobatics and synchronization for difficulty points but this is dangerous to a child’s long term dance career as it can have children imitating adult movements and forcing strength and flexibility. It is also extremely important to us that children work with age-appropriate choreography, costumes and music. (In fair warning, there is no shortage of inappropriate music, attire and choreography at dance competitions across every age and level and its best to be prepared in advance for that.) As a school we will not participate in even remotely inappropriate costuming and gladly take the point deductions. That said, I do feel that our dancers can stand on their own technique and training to succeed in competition and would be thrilled for them to have the opportunity.
2017 Auditions
By-invitation. (Please feel free to inquire if you are interested but were not specifically invited.) Formal Auditions will be held in October 2017.
Requirements
- Dancers participating in the tap or jazz competitive troupe should be available for rehearsals on Friday or Saturday afternoons from Oct-March (around 4-6pm or so). Solos, duos and trios will schedule 10 rehearsals with their choreographer.
- Dancers also must register for a corresponding technique class in the genre in which they are competing and be taking the appropriate number of ballet classes for their belt level
Financial Considerations
The rehearsal fee for 10 rehearsals is $150 per dancer for each trio/duo and $200 for each solo, payable to Integral Ballet, or directly to the choreographer if your child’s piece is using an outside artist. The competition fees range from $60-$125. We intend to participate in no more than one or two competitions per season during the month of March and we do not intend to travel to regional or national competitions at this time. There may also be a separate costume fee of $75-$85 dollars which they will also use for the recital.