DANCE TEACHERS UNITED

TALENT ASSOCIATION COMPETITION
Dance Teachers United National Talent Competition will be held at
each workshop. Talent Competition will be offered only to DTU
members for their students. There will be no talent registration at
the door. Talent entries will be mailed in advance of the talent
program to meet the deadline obligation.


 

PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT
Since this is considered a Talent competition, with an emphasis
being placed upon excellence in the dance arena, and since dance
today has encompassed so many forms, Dance Teachers United has
adopted the following format to promote excellence and to reward
all levels of achievement.



SETTING THE STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
All teachers want to promote excellence and we want your
participation at our Talent Competition to encourage growth at the
home studio, we will reward excellence with the following rating
scale. There will be a panel of three qualified judges that will
have a maximum of 100 points a piece. The maximum total points
available to any act will be 300. If your act receives a score of
230 – 259 the act will receive a Platinum trophy. If your act
receives a score of 212 – 229 the act will receive a Gold trophy.
If your act receives a score 211 – 185 the act will receive a
Emerald place trophy. If your act receives a score below 184 then
the act will be awarded an Silver trophy. Also, if the act receives
a score of 260 – 300 the act will be awarded a Diamond Performance
Award.







 

DTU COMPETITION RULES – READ CAREFULLY!

1. All competitors must be pre registered for the workshop with their teacher who MUST be a current DTU member. All entries must pre register for the talent competition as well as the DTU convention.

2. Minimum age for the talent competition is 6 years of age.
Students of questionable age should be prepared to show a birth
certificate.

3. No studio owners, salaried instructors, or student over college
age(age 22) may compete at DTU competitions, but may present a
routine to be showcased and adjudicated at the end of group and
solo competition, while the audience waits for score tabulation for
awards presentation. Dancers over 22 years may perform only to
showcase their talent. Must submit an entry form.

4. Studio assistants or assistant teachers who are college age
students under the age 21, shall be considered in the Pro-Am
category. A studio assistant or assistant teacher who competes with
a group entered as Pro-Am shall not be awarded overall placement
titles, and can not be considered for monetary awards. Pro-Am shall
be show cased and adjudicated. NO OVERALL TITLES AND NO MONETARY
AWARDS. Dancers will be disqualified if they are in the amateur
division and are Pro- Am or older. The monetary award will be
presented to the overall highest score in the division of competing
amateurs.

5. Students shall be allowed to compete in the same category if
sponsoring teacher can hold delay time to absolute minimum. (Judges
will deduct 25 points from total score if delays hold up
competition.) Example: a student may enter in two jazz duets or be
in two small group tap numbers). Only one solo per student. Note to
teachers: If you have an act that will be entered in the same
category, to help with scheduling and programming please note it
clearly on the entry form.

6. ALL JUDGES DECISIONS ARE FINAL.

7. Entry form must be complete.

8. All entries will receive a trophy according to total number of
points earned from judges. In addition, entrants will compete for
the top five places within each age division awarded as 12 & under 

and 13 & up according to the number of total entries at the discretion

of the talent director.

9. ** NEW ** DTU will support a new "Recreational Division" for Competitors beginning in the fall of 2006.  This new division is intended for dancers who are new to competing and only take less than two and a half hours a week at their home studio.   Recreational competitors will compete at the beginning of each competition and have their own awards ceremony separate from the competitors awards ceremony. Recreational competitors will not receive any cash awards.  Recreational competitors must also pre-register for the convention as well as the competition and all the same rules apply.  Overall high scores will go to the overall recreational solo, overall recreational duet/trio, overall recreational small group, overall recreational large group, and overall recreational production.  Individual trophies will be awarded at scale determined by the contest director and followed in accordance with the rules set by DTU.  Teachers please clearly indicate recreational division on your entry forms. 

10. ACCOMPANIMENT- All contestants must furnish their own music on
a quality cassette cued to start, CD, or Mini disc (ensure it is
clearly marked with the act #, name of act and Studio). It is
recommended that you bring a quality second source of music as a
back up, in the event of a malfunction of your original. The
contestant’s name and title of the music should be clearly marked
on the correct side of the tape. Please turn in music at least five
numbers ahead of published program to sound table and pick up tapes
promptly. ONLY TEACHERS SHOULD APPROACH THE SOUND TABLE.

11. PROPS- Props must be free standing and must be set and removed
quickly to keep the pace of the show moving. Failure to set or
remove props in a timely manner could result in a deduction of the
final score. This rule will be implemented by the contest director
if he/she feels that it is necessary.  Props are discouraged in the solo division.

12. CONDUCT- Sportsmanlike conduct and behavior is expected at all
times! Failure to maintain proper decorum will result in immediate
disqualification with no refund.

13. Any category is allowed one and only one gym trick. More than
one and the act must enter the acrobatics category. (This includes
novelty) GYM TRICK EXPLANATION- A gym trick will constitute as any
acrobatic move or maneuver(cartwheels, round offs, walk overs,
limbers, handsprings, any gymnastic passes, even rolls are
considered tricks). A handstand from a floor position used to get
the dancers back to their feet by merely putting their hands down
and kicking up does not constitute a gym trick. The only category
that allows more than one gym trick is the Acrobatics Category. One
gym trick does not mean each member of the ensemble is allowed one
trick or pass but the entire ensemble is allowed one simultaneous
pass or a soloist will be allowed one trick or pass. Failure to
heed this rule will result in disqualification (please call if you
need any further clarification on this rule).

14. Solos, Duets, Trios, Groups and Production routines must
declare the category of dance on the official entry form provided.
Failure to declare category will automatically enter you in the
Novelty Category.

15. If the judges rule the context of the routine should be in
another category then they have the right to move it without the
teacher’s consent and judge it accordingly. If the teacher had
declared the wrong category a deduction of FIVE points per judge
will also be subtracted from the final score. All judges’ decisions
are final.

16. All competitors must wear their convention bracelets throughout
the talent portion of the weekend as well as the convention.
Reissue of bracelets torn off, lost or disregarded will not be
allowed.

17. All monetary awards will be made out to the teacher sponsoring
the act and not the act itself.

18. The doors for general seating will be open one half hour prior
to the start time of the first act and therefore no rehearsal time
will be allowed before the competition. There will be no reserved
seating allowed. Special accommodations will be made for
handicapped individuals.

19. Only current active members of Dance Teachers United will be
allowed to enter students in the talent portion of the convention.
Please ensure your membership dues are current and in good
standing.

20. DTU competition organizers will try to schedule groups with the
utmost concern for the students performing. Younger students will
perform in the beginning of their division, but in order to
accommodate costume changes please be flexible in your programming.
This will be up to the contest director and please abide by his/her
decisions.  All recreational dancers (see rule #9) will compete first,
followed by awards and then the regular competition will begin. 







AGE DIVISIONS

Age is determined by the average age of the ensemble. (Round up if
.5 or higher)

6 – 8 years old PETITE
9 – 12 years old JUNIOR
13 – 15 years old TEEN
16 – 18 years old SENIOR
19 years and up COLLEGE
any age PRO-AM



TIME LIMITS ON ACTS

Any act running five seconds or more overtime will be
disqualified. Please note these time limits!

Solos 2 1/2 - Minutes
Duets 2 1/2 - Minutes
Trios 2 1/2 - Minutes
Small Groups (4-8 dancers) 3 Minutes
Large Groups (9 or more) 4 Minutes
Production (16 or more) 6 Minutes

This time rule will be strictly enforced


DISCIPLINE
Ballet - classical ballet technique should be executed throughout in ballet shoes or pointe shoes
Jazz - a strong jazz technique should be executed with an emphasis on isolations, strength, control and musicality
Tap - tap shoes of any style in this discipline with a variety of accompaniment styles
Acrobatics - choreography that focuses on gymnastic type movement and can be done with mats as long as they are very quickly set and removed from the performance area
Lyrical - expressive style of choreography (no ballet shoes) emphasizing the musical, lyrics or theme of a piece
Novelty - a character or prop driven piece using any style of music and ideas
Open - a supplemental category that can encompass any style other than acro or ballet
Hip Hop - dance that consists of the latest street dance styles, using a grounded technique
Musical Theatre - routine featuring any style of dance but interputs a Broadway Musical (can be character driven)




LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RATING SCALE

300 – 260 Diamond Performance Award
259 – 230 Platinum Performance Award
229 – 212 Gold Performance Award
211 – 185 Emerald Performance Award
184 & below Silver Performance Award


AWARDS

Each entered act will receive a placement trophy – depending upon
the score of that individual act.

Other trophies and awards to be awarded:
If the Competition Director deems that there are enough acts he/she
could double the awards and give out separate overalls awards to 12
and under and another set to 13 and over competitors. 

Top Five in each Division
With a Champion by Division
(and again if the Competition Director so deems he/she may give out
an monetary award to the Division Champions)

High Score Group Award - $300 ($150 12 & under, $150 13 & over)
(made out to the Teacher)

High Score Solo or Duet/Trio - $150  ($75 12 & under, $75 13 & over)
(made out to the Teacher)
Outstanding Stage Performer(s) of the Day
Outstanding Costume of the Day
Outstanding Choreography of the Day

ADDITIONAL AWARDS
Special Awards at the Judges Discretion


Entry forms must be complete and legible. The entries will be
mailed to the serving talent coordinator. All entries must be
postmarked and paid for, along with convention money by the
deadline date to be eligible for the Talent Competition. (this is
usually one month before the event) There will be NO EXCEPTIONS!!


DTU will not be responsible for any inconveniences incurred and therefore

will make absolutely NO REFUNDS. Should it become necessary to change a

number a $15.00 fee for every change made at your request. This

includes changes made before and/or during the competition.