Dance Team! | shinepowerstudio

Interested in trying out for the competitive season? Read the requirements. Sign up for your intensives and register for ONE of the two try-out options.

Found under the, "events," tab in your portals.

July 31 OR August 9th.

SPSG COMPETITION TEAM 2023-24

(All teams will be lead by either Miss Meghan or Miss Rachel)

This year we are planning to have five competitive teams. The competition team runs with higher requirements, expectations and costs more than a regular dance class. The opportunity to compete is offered to students who put dance as their top priority and want to take their skills to the next level.

In-person, try-outs are mandatory to attempt making a team.

Students will be judged by two, random judges. NEW! This season, their 3rd scoresheet will be filled out by Meghan and Rachel. These are not our opinions. The scores will be clearly based on the students year-round activity/behavior.

Team Requirements:

1. Age

For Jazz II or III- Students must be 10+ years old or invited by an instructor. It is recommended that they have passed at least 1 year of Tap/Ballet II.
For the level I team students must be 7-11 years old. Or invited by an instructor. If a child has not been placed in dance basics III, it is unlikely they will have the skills they need for team I. Feel free to check with Meghan if you have any concerns on the readiness of your child.
For hip-hop, students must be at least 13 years old.
For Clogging, students must be at least 13 years old.

2. Recreational Classes

1. Students must be enrolled in a jazz or ballet class for 2023-24 season at SPSG.

3. Intensives

Students must enroll in their summer intensives AND accumulate the correct amount of hours per age between the intensive options.
Students aged 13+ need to complete 8 hours of intensives.

Students aged 9-12 need to make sure to complete at least 6 hours worth of intensives.
Minis (age 7-8) need to complete 3 hours. If you enroll and miss a class, enroll for a second intensive to ensure you complete the required hours. Once enrolled, you will be emailed tryout date options when they are scheduled. We always give two tryout options. Only one is required.

3. EXTRA CREDIT: Students aged 13+ who complete 10+ hours will earn 1 extra point on their tryouts. IF they complete 15+ hours they will earn an extra 1.5 points. Students age 9-12 who complete 8 hours of intensives will earn 1 extra point at try-outs.
This is a reward for hard work. Not only can this be the push you need to make a team but it can also benefit students who want to compete solos. Solos are only given to students with high scores and hard work ethic!

4. Special Skill

Make sure you have a special skill prepared. We highly recommend attending open gyms or signing up for gymnastics to develop high ranked skills. Our open gym staff members can give you ideas and feedback!

5. 1st and 2nd Judging Process

The following is a list of what the TWO HIRED judges will be watching for during tryouts. If you do not have the below requirements yet, you are welcome to try out but must be advised that your score will be dropped drastically and it will be extremely hard to place in the required score range.

Flexibility- students will be expected to demonstrate all three splits, straddle stretches, bridges & pike stretches. They will need nearly perfect splits and battements that can be properly performed above hip level.

Turns- students will be expected to demonstrate their pirouettes & chaine turns. For team II, a double is required and triple encouraged. Pirouettes with HIGH posse are required for Level I. The minis will need to demonstrate and execute a pirouette with the correct technique. Turns need to be properly executed on both right and left legs.

Fouettés- students will need to perform their fouettés (these will not be scored as high as pirouettes but need to be attempted)

Jumps, leaps, tricks- Students will be asked to demonstrate a variety of jumps and leaps on BOTH right and left legs. A full split must be reached during a regular chasse, step, leap. They may be asked to perform tombe, pas de bourrée, glissade, grand jete and they must come at least 2-4 feet off the ground during center leaps (depending on their height).

Stage presence and facial expressions- Students will demonstrate a variety of different facial expressions while performing a short routine. They will be scored on their dress code and professional appearance. Black leotards with spandex, tights and jazz or ballet shoes are encouraged. Neat, pulled back hair can also improve scores in this category.

Choreography- students will learn a short routine the day of the tryouts. They will learn one jazz routine (based on age) and then a separate hip-hop and clogging routine will be taught. They will be judged on how quickly they can pick up the choreography in a short amount of time and will be judged on how well they are counting their music.

Outstanding Skill- They will also be given the chance to perform an outstanding skill. (ex: tumbling skills, Y-scales, flexibility skills or they can use their fouettes or leaps). PREPARE YOUR SPECIAL SKILL BEFORE YOU ARRIVE. They will need a hip-hop skill for hip-hop and jazz skill for jazz. Clogging does not need a skill but will need to individually demonstrate their basics.

Overall positive presence- Students will be asked to introduce themselves with their name and age to the judges. A strong stage presence, and projection while speaking is necessary. DRESS APPROPRIATELY. For the tryout, students should have hair tied up tight, jazz shoes or ballet, tights and solid colored leotards.

Extra Info- When trying out for the jazz I team- the above will be expected; however, their age will be taken into account by the judges. Our expectations is that they are performing these skills above average, for their age level. Regardless of score, students above age 12 or older cannot be on the jazz I team and MUST be performing all skills correctly. If trying out for hip-hop or clogging you will be expected to demonstrate all of the above BUT the dance style will be taken into account.

6. NEW! Third Scoresheet Process:

Rec Class Attendance- Students will get scored 1-5. Ex: If they missed their recreational classes 10 plus times- they automatically get a 1. They will receive a 5 if they only missed 2 or less times.

Team/Class Attendance- Students will be scored 1-5. Ex: If they missed ANY team practice without a 24 hour notice, they automatically cannot get higher than 3. If they were late for their team practices 2 or more times, they automatically get a 3. If they missed a team practice and we were not notified in advance, by a parent- they will get a 1 in this section.

Intensives- Students will be scored 1-5. IF they left or quit during 2+ workouts during their intensives, they will automatically get a 3. If they participated and worked really hard during their intensives, they receive a 5.

Performance/Class Behavior- Students will be scored 1-5. This score will reflect how many times a student got overly worked up, angry or emotional during a performance. Although, we understand that emotions are normal- if a students emotions are causing their teammates stress it effects the WHOLE performance. They will be scored on this type of behavior. We want them to learn that mistakes happen and that getting worked up is only harmful for the performance and those around them. Staying calm in a stressful situation is beneficial in many ways.

Extra Work- Students will be scored 1-5. If they did ONLY what they were required to do, they automatically get a 1. If they did extra intensives, dance conventions or any other activity that will better their dancing, they get scored higher.

Teamwork/Sportsmanship- Students will be scored 1-5. This score will reflect the students leadership and team working skills. Is the student working hard for the sake of their teammates? Are they helping and motivating their classmates? Are they trustworthy, honest and loyal to their teammates and coaches? This should be a pretty easy 4/5 points for our students.

Responsibility- Students will be scored 1-5. A 5 will be received if the student is good at keeping track of their practice schedule, not late or absent without excuse. Do they remember their costumes and shoes at competitions?

*These are examples of the 3rd scoresheet. This is a new process. We have realized over the years that the biggest set-back for our competitive teams are the lack of dedication and lack of responsibility in our students.

For the last several years, we have had students come to their try-out- dressed correctly, focused, positive and stretched; they score perfectly. However, this is not helpful if they turn around and attend their practices dressed incorrectly, crabby, irritable, or tired. Likewise, we have had really positive and responsible kids come to their try-out and score low due to nerves. We feel like the 3rd scoresheet will be able to even out the TRUE behaviors of each student.

Our goal is to create strong teams with positive mindsets. We want to help them develop ways to work with others without allowing their nerves, exhaustion, lack of dedication ect. to be a set-back for the entire team. To be completely fair- we will not edit our scores for students regardless of situational circumstances. This should be a pretty-straight forward score for most kids. We will fill it out with simple: did this occur or not? If we don’t have examples, it won’t be applied.

Email: Shinepowerstudio@outlook.com for try-out date or questions

-Miss Meghan