ENTRY FEES

Studio Owners and/or Competition Team Directors, please contact us at dance@evolvedancecompetition.com to request current pricing, or login to your Dance Bug Account and click on the Pricing tab from the top menu to view.

AGE CATEGORIES

Categories of 12 or more entries will be split into separate heats.

AGE CALCULATION

Solo Age Calculation: Soloists are entered based on their age as of December 31st 2023

Duo/Trio Calculation: Duos and Trios are entered based on their median age as of December 31st 2023, with a dropped decimal point.

ie) As of December 31st, Dancer A is 15 years old, Dancer B is 12 years old, their average age is 13.5 years. With a dropped decimal, they are entered into the 13 year category (these calculations are automatically done by the software upon registration).

Group Calculation: Groups are calculated by adding the ages of all dancers on December 31st 2023 together, and then dividing by the number of dancers in the group. The decimal point is always dropped.

ie) An average of 11.7 will dance as 11, and an average of 11.2 will also dance as 11.

LEVELS / DIVISIONS

Performance Division is geared towards dancers who participate in dance more recreationally and have limited or no prior competition experience, but wish for extra performance opportunities. A dancer in this division may compete in no more than 4 routines and train up to 4 hours per week.  The Top 10 Highest Scoring Performance Division entries will be recognized separately. Please note, Performance Division entries are not eligible for Overall High Score Awards or the Evolve DanceDown. A routine cannot compete in the Performance Division if it has Advanced dancers - even if over 50% of the other dancers are Performance Division. In this scenario, routines will be bumped into the Intermediate division.

Intermediate Division is for dancers who train up to 8 hours per week. A dancer in this division may compete in no more than 8 routines. All Intermediate Division entries are eligible for Overall High Score Awards and the Evolve DanceDown. Intermediate soloists do not qualify for the Provincial DanceDown.

Advanced Division is for dancers who train more than 8 hours per week and can compete in an unlimited number of entries.  All Advanced Division entries are eligible for Overall High Score Awards and the Evolve DanceDown. Only soloists in the Advanced Division qualify for the Provincial DanceDown.

Dancers who achieve a higher level division at some point in their training are not permitted to go back down into a lower division if they reduce their training hours in later years. Division calculations must take into account training hours in all disciplines.

Entries in the Production and Adult age category compete in their own section(s), and are not entered into any division. Production and Adult routines are not eligible for High Score Awards.

**NOTE** Because no competition can possibly know how many hours a student dances,, studio directors/teachers are left to their own sound judgment when entering routines.  The judges reserve the right to move routines that are obviously under-placed.  All judging decisions are final.

TIME LIMITS

NEW FOR 2024 - Time limits include entrances and exits and set-up for any props that are larger than handheld items.

Studios may pre-purchase 1 additional minute of time for any Small Group, Large Group, or Line for $5 per dancer or 2 additional minutes of time for any Small Group, Large Group, or Line for $10 per dancer.

If the time limit is exceeded, a 5 point deduction will be taken from the judges average score. Time limits will be strictly enforced.

DANCE DISCIPLINES

Acro consists of gymnastics and/or acrobatic work, in addition to dance choreography, that must account for 50% or more of the routine.

Ballet-Demi Pointe is choreographed utilizing classical or contemporary ballet technique(s). Dancer(s) must wear ballet shoes. Pointe shoes are not permitted.

Ballet-Demi Character portrays a story with a beginning, middle, and end, using classical ballet technique. Gestures, facial expressions, and movement are used for characterization. Pointe shoes are not permitted.

Ballet-Pointe utilizes classical or contemporary pointe technique and movement. Dancer(s) must wear pointe shoes. Dancers must be 12 years or older to perform en pointe.

Ballet-Variation is a short dance, from a full-length ballet, choreographed by world renowned ballet masters. Can be performed en pointe or demi pointe. Dancers must be 12 years or older to perform en pointe.

Contemporary is choreographed using contemporary technique and movement, reaching beyond the standard jazz vocabulary.

Hip-Hop is composed of street and/or jazz funk techniques and movement.

Jazz is choreographed utilizing jazz technique and movement.

Lyrical demonstrates a mix of ballet and jazz techniques, incorporating emotional and storytelling elements that maintain the theme of the musical selection.

Modern utilizes modern movement, derived from Modern masters, such as Graham, Horton, Cunningham etc.

Novelty is theatrical in nature, interpreting a song/character from a Broadway Show, Musical, Movie, etc. Lip synching is permitted, but not required. For live vocals, please enter the Song & Dance category.

Open contains any combination of genres or does not fall under any other genre recognized or represented herein.

Song & Dance incorporates live singing with dance, and is choreographed to music from Broadway or cinematic musicals. Pre-recorded vocals are not permitted.

Tap is choreographed utilizing traditional, contemporary, or hoofing techniques, steps, and/or rhythm patterns. No tap sounds are permitted in the music, and dancers must wear tap shoes.

Student Choreography is when a student choreographs a dance for themselves, or sets choreography onto another group of student dancers. This category is to encourage the next generation of choreographers and is not open to those who have received compensation for their choreography.

* A maximum of 3 acrobatic/gymnastic tricks/passes are permitted in entries competing outside of the Acro, Open, Hip Hop and Student Choreography categories. Judges reserve the right to move any entry to the acro category that they deem to have exceeded this limit.

* Pointe shoes are only permitted in the Ballet-Pointe, Ballet-Variation, Open, Song & Dance, Novelty, Student Choreography and Production categories.

FAMILY FRIENDLY VIEWING

Evolve Dance Competition is a family friendly event. Routines and music must be age appropriate and free of inappropriate or suggestive content, and profanity or vulgar language. Infractions of this rule may result in deduction of score or disqualification at the discretion of the judging panel and director of Evolve Dance Competition. All decisions are final.

Sportsmanlike behaviour is expected at all times.

PROPS

Dangerous props are not permitted. These include, but are not limited to: pyrotechnics, fire, water, glass, swords, prop guns and knives.  Any routine that includes any type of prop which has the capability of causing injury to anyone, or destruction of property, is strictly prohibited.  In addition, the following props are also prohibited: confetti/glitter, hanging scenery/backdrops, special lighting requiring electrical power, fog machines, bubble machines, live animals, fluids, paint and non-weighted helium balloons.

All props must be freestanding and moved by the competitors or persons designated by the studio.  For the dancers’ safety, the maximum height of all props, both freestanding and hand-held is 10 feet, and no dancer shall stand any higher than 6 feet from the stage floor. Prop Staff and Props displaying a studio logo may result in a 5 point deduction. Please ensure that no debris is left on stage after your performance is done.  Failure to comply may result in disqualification. If the stage or Marley (if applicable) is damaged as a result of misuse, the studio will be liable for damages.

PROP SET-UP TIME must be included in the time limit for the entry (see time limits above). If a prop requires extended set-up time, this must be added to the routine length. A fee will apply for up to 2 minutes of additional routine time. If not pre-purchased, a $200 fee will apply on site for any extended prop set-up, and will be payable immediately, or the routine will be disqualified.

ENTRY RULES

In addition to the entry guidelines above, the following rules are applicable to all entries at Evolve Dance Competition:

• Soloists are not allowed to compete a second time within the same category. Exception: if the contemporary and modern categories have been combined.

• Duo/Trio entries must have a change in partner in order to compete again in the same category.

• At least 50% of all dancers in each entry must meet the guidelines for the designated division, otherwise the entry must 'move up' into the next division.

• Judges reserve the right to change the competing dancers category and/or division if they feel the routine has been entered improperly. All judging decisions are final.

• Coaching by anyone in the wings or audience during the course of a performance for dancers over the age of 6, is strictly prohibited.

• Evolve Dance Competition will not be held responsible or liable for any damage to props if left unattended. Any props left at the completion of the event will be disposed of.

• Any person on stage during a performance must be registered as a dancer in said entry.

• Entries with a teacher/instructor or professional dancer(s) earning more than $5000 annually from performing/teaching/choreography, must compete their entry in the Adult age category regardless of other performers ages.

• Student choreography (group) entries are not eligible for Studio Standout Awards or advancement to the Evolve DanceDown. In order to be eligible, the entry must compete in the regular category by discipline, rather than the Student Choreography category. The students can still be named as the choreographers. Student choreography solos and duo/trios are eligible for High Score Awards.

• Reserves the right to use 2 adjudicators for any city that runs less than 3 full days of competition.

• Reserves the right to combine Overall Awards categories.