Dance Category Rules

CLASSIFICATION

NOVICE- First Time Competitor
PRE-COMPETITIVE- 6 hours of training or less per week
COMPETITIVE- Over 6 hours of training per week
HIGH SCHOOL- High school Dance Team

*50% or more of dancers in a routine must be Pre-Competitive in order for the routine to be considered Pre-Competitive
*6 hours of training or less per week includes class training and choreography
*If a dancer is competing a solo for the first time, they are considered a Novice Soloist

DANCE ENTRY TYPE
SOLO (1 dancer)
DUET (2 dancer)
TRIO (3 dancer)
SMALL GROUP (4-9 dancers)
SMALL GROUP EXTENDED TIME (4-9 dancers)
LARGE GROUP (10-17 dancers)
LARGE GROUP EXTENDED TIME (10-17 dancers)
EXTENDED LINE (18+dancers)
EXTENDED LINE EXTENDED TIME (18+dancers)
PRODUCTION (Unlimited Dancers). *Routine length must be between 6-12 minutes.

*Categories are determined by the number of dancers onstage, including last minute changes.

AGE DIVISION:

Age division is calculated by adding all ages, dividing by the number of performers, and dropping all decimals. Ages are determined as of December 31st.

PETITE (4-6)
MINI (7-8)
JUNIOR (9-10)
INTERMEDIATE (11-12)
PRE-TEEN (13-14)
TEEN (15-16)
SENIOR (17-18)
ADVANCED (19-21)
ADULT- (22 & Over) Any routine which consists of adults. *Teachers are permitted in this category. Adults and Teachers are prohibited to dance in younger age categories, except for Productions.
(All ADULT & ADVANCED LEVEL routines are ineligible for Top Studio Award, Top Score Award, VIEW FINAL Hour Showdown and Overall Awards; with the exception of Overall Adult Award, Overall Advanced Award and Overall Production Award)

*Any dancer aged 22 years and over will automatically default the entire routine to the ADULT DIVISION. This includes solos, duets/trios, groups and extended lines.

*A teacher is considered someone over the age of 18, actively teaching full time at the attending studio and/or has choreographed routines at the attending event.

PERFORMANCE STYLE

BALLET: Classical ballet with a high form of technique. Ballet shoes required. Acro tricks are not permitted. Pointe shoes are prohibited.
CHARACTER BALLET: Ballet style, ballet shoes are required. Portraying a recognizable character through choreography, costume and story telling. Pointe shoes are prohibited.
CONTEMPORARY BALLET: A combination of classical ballet and modern dance to create a contemporary performance style. Ballet shoes are not required for this genre. Pointe shoes prohibited.
POINTE: Ballet infused pointe techniques. Pointe shoes are required.
JAZZ: Traditional jazz techniques and performance.
BROADWAY JAZZ: A combination of jazz and theatre with exaggerated movements. This style of dance is often seen in Broadway Musicals. Lip-Syncing is not required in this category. 
LYRICAL: Fusion of Ballet and Jazz techniques. An interpretation of lyrics and the ability to tell a story through dance.
CONTEMPORARY: Incorporation of lyrical and jazz technique and movement vocabulary.
MODERN: Interpretive movements using contemporary/modern technique
TAP: Technical footwork with a rhythmic quality. Pre-recorded Tap sounds will not be permitted. Tap shoes required.
MUSICAL THEATRE: Form of dance combining lip-syncing and dance. Tap shoes permitted.
SONG & DANCE: Live singing required along with dance choreography. 1 headset microphone will be supplied for soloists only. We do not mic for duet, trios or group numbers.
ACRO: Combination of gymnastics and dance choreography. Should have a strong balance of both styles.
HIP HOP: Focuses on a street style movement vocabulary. Acrobatics tricks and break dancing are permitted.
OPEN: Any dance style or a combination of dance styles. Pointe shoes are prohibited. 50% of dancers in the routine are permitted tap shoes.
PRODUCTION: Production can consists of any dance style. Entry must portray a theme or story line throughout the performance. A maximum of 5 minutes is allocated to set up.  Please contact VIEW Dance Challenge prior to competition if props are involved.
*Routine length must be a minimum of 6 minutes to be considered a Production.

INTERPRETIVE JAZZ SOLO:  Dancers will come out on stage one at a time and  have 1 minute to showcase their performance and overall dance ability in the jazz category. Music will be chosen by VIEW Dance Challenge. The interpretive Jazz category is a fantastic way to prepare dancers for the audition process in the professional industry. (Ineligible for Top Studio Awards, FINAL HOUR SHOWDOWN, High Score Awards). Dancers are encouraged to wear dance attire without any visible logos.

*Pointe shoes are only permitted in the pointe category

*Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Modern, Tap, Musical Theatre, Song and Dance and Interpretive Jazz Solo are all permitted THREE Acrobatic Tricks.

*Open routines are allowed SIX Acrobatic Tricks. This includes tumbling lines.

*Acro, Hip Hop and Productions are allowed unlimited Acrobatic Tricks.

Any routine that exceeds the Acrobatic Trick Limits may be deducted 1 mark per judge. A total of 3 marks. *Judges Discretion