En Pointe Dance Company
Competition Team Code Of Conduct
2022/2023
Welcome to the 2022/2023 En Pointe Dance Company Competition Team. For the dancer who loves to perform, our competition program provides an opportunity to learn, grow, perform and compete. Team activities include competing in dance competitions and performing at other venues during the year.
A competition team requires a higher level of commitment from both the dancer and the dancer!s family than the average dance class.
This contract outlines the expectations of the competitive dancer and their family. The following are policies necessary for a smooth and successful year. It is of the utmost importance that each dancer and guardian read and understand the agreement before participating on an En Pointe Dance Company Competition team.
Please make all family members aware of our policies to avoid conflicts during the year. This includes anyone who may drive the dancer to and from practices/performances, pay for tuition/fees or attend performance events.
Once you decide to participate, you are expected to abide by the following rules for the remainder of the 2022-2023 dance year.
1. FULL-YEAR COMMITMENT
Competition team members are committed to an entire dance year when they sign on to be a competition team member. This includes nationals which are held during the summer. Quitting mid-year is detrimental to everyone on the team, so please consider this before committing to the contract.
2. EXCLUSIVITY POLICY
Competition team dancers represent En Pointe Dance Company and may not take classes, perform or compete for any other studio, competition team, or dance company for the 2022-2023 dance season.
3. ATTENDANCE
The most crucial issue for team members is attendance. We understand that things happen – a dancer gets hurt, a family emergency, etc. A family emergency is not a birthday party or an outing to the zoo.
3A: CLASS ATTENDANCE
If you are not at a team practice, the whole team suffers. If you miss a team practice, you are not improving your skills, and you will fall behind the other dancers on the team. If you miss a team practice, you are not learning the routine, partnering, formations, synchronization, and other routine components. Dances can only be rehearsed appropriately with all dancers present.
Dancers are allowed to miss a team practice for the following: illness, school events, religious holiday/event, and injury. Where illness or injury is the reason, please consider watching the rehearsal. Any other reason for missing class is unacceptable. All of the efforts for success will go in during studio time. If dancers don't practice the way they're going to perform, they will not have a good performance on stage. If you can't do it in the studio, you can't do it on the stage.
3B: PERFORMANCE ATTENDANCE
Attendance is mandatory at all competitions and team performances. The commitment to competition teams means attending all scheduled competitions and performances. Before signing and returning your team contract, please inform the director to determine if your other commitments will conflict with our performance schedule.
All students must make up missed technique classes (ballet, tap, jazz & tumbling). Dancers will have two weeks to make up the missed class. Any student who does not make a conscious effort to make up classes, or is absent regularly, will be excused from the team without a refund. If a dancer is falling behind due to missing classes and rehearsals, they will need to schedule a private lesson to catch up.
Note - 30 minute private lesson $30.00 60 minutes private lesson $60.00
4. CLASS REQUIREMENTS
Class requirements will differ based on the dancer!s age.
Tiny Team Requirements
It is highly recommended that dancers take both ballet and jazz. However, they can select either ballet or jazz at this age and still be eligible to be on the team.
Ballet - 45 Minutes or Jazz - 45 Minutes
Tumbling - 45 Minutes
Tap - 30 Minutes or Hip Hop - 45 Minutes
Team Rehearsal - 30 Minutes
Intermediate Team Requirements
Ballet - 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Jazz - 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Tumbling - 45 Minutes
Tap - 30 Minutes
1 Weekly Team Rehearsal - 30 Minutes Each
It is highly recommended that dancers take the classes below. However, they are still eligible to be on the team without enrolling in the classes below.
Conditioning & Flexibility - 45 Minutes
Floor Barre - 45 Minutes
Jumps & Turns - 45 Minutes
Elite Team Requirements
Ballet - 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Jazz - 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Tumbling - 45 Minutes
Tap - 30 Minutes
Conditioning & Flexibility - 45 Minutes
Floor Barre - 45 Minutes
Jumps & Turns - 45 Minutes
Up To 4 Weekly Team Rehearsal - 30 Minutes Each
Weekly team rehearsal will be used for learning choreography, practicing, and cleaning dances.
There will be weekends dancers will need to come to the studio for choreography and cleaning sessions. Choreography and cleaning sessions will be an additional fee based on the choreographer's rates.
5. COST
Please know that competition dance is an expensive sport! Below is a list of things you will be responsible for paying. This list includes but is not limited to;
Costumes
Jewelry
Makeup
Warm-Up Suit
Shoes
Tights
Entry Fees
Monthly Tuition
Choreography Fees
Prop Fees - not all dances will have props
Hotel Stays- not all competitions require hotel stays.
If your child misses any practices or events held this year, we will not refund or credit your account.
If any events are canceled this year, the studio isn't responsible for refunds unless provided by the event vendor.
Each dance competition has entry fees for each dance. Group dances (dances with four or more dancers) cost less than solos, duets, and trios.
6. SOLOS, DUETS AND TRIOS
If your dancer wishes to perform a solo, duet, or trio, please contact Ms. Lauren to reserve a private rehearsal time. Rehearsals occur before classes, after classes, or on the weekends, depending on availability. The solo, duet, and trio costs will be added as an additional cost and charged along with your regular monthly tuition on the 20th of each month.
The cost for a competition solo rehearsal is $30 for 30 minutes. If your dancer is competing in a solo, they must have a bi-weekly private lesson. ($30 per dancer - every other week)
The cost for a competition duet rehearsal is $30 for 30 minutes. If your dancer is competing in a duet, they must have a bi-weekly private lesson. (2 dancers - $15 per dancer - every other week)
The cost for a competition trio rehearsal is $30 for 30 minutes. If your dancer competes in a trio, they must have a bi-weekly private lesson. (3 dancers - $10 per dancer - every other week)
Costs of solos, duets, and trios are added to your account and charged on the 20th of each month. Please pay close attention to the dates as some months your dancer will have two privates, and some months your dancer will have three privates.
7. COSTUMES AND MAKEUP
Each competition dance will require a unique costume. Competition jewelry is an additional cost.
Costuming is a part of the group score. Judges will make deductions if dancers perform with missing pieces or ill-fitting costumes. Points are also deducted for messy hair or hairstyles that fall out of place.
For this reason, if dancers lose any part of their costume, they will be required to contact Ms. Lauren to purchase a replacement. If a replacement item does not arrive in time, dancers will not be allowed to compete, and refunds will not be available.
Each competition member must purchase an En Pointe Dance Company warm-up suit to wear to each competition for warm-ups and on stage for awards.
Each dancer will be required to purchase the same makeup through Ms. Lauren. Below is a sample list of the makeup that may be required. Please note that colors will be determined at a later date.
You must purchase your false eyelashes.
Foundation - skin-toned Blush
Eye Shadow
Lipstick
Eye Liner
Blush
Mascara - Black
False Eye Lashes- style TBD
8. COMPETITION INFORMATION
Our competition teams will be attending four or five regional competitions. These
competitions will be one to three hours away and begin in February. Nationals will take place over the summer and will require a hotel stay.
The schedule for dance competitions is not released until the week of the competition. I will not know a call time for your dancer until the week of the competition. For this reason, please plan to be available for the entire weekend of the competition.
I will immediately send an email as soon as I receive the schedule.
Before awards, one dancer will be selected to receive the team award. The dancer is responsible for bringing all awards back to the studio the following week. Trophies will remain at the studio for everyone to enjoy. Individual awards will be passed out at the end of class. Soloists are allowed to keep their
awards.
During competition weekends, please interact with other team members. Depending on the dancer's call times for the weekend, we may plan a team dinner or team outing. These events aren't mandatory but help build team spirit!
9. COMPETITION TEAM BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS
All members must be respectful to competitors and show sportsmanship. Do not speak with the judges at a competition. Members must be courteous and respectful to teammates and dance parents. Ill behavior towards team members or dance parents will not be tolerated. Bullying of any kind is not tolerated. Disrespect for instructors and dance parents is not allowed. Any negativity towards anyone will result in dismissal.
En Pointe Dance Company and staff have the right to speak to dancers and dance parents to help maintain proper behavior. Remember to represent En Pointe Dance Company and will follow all studio rules.
Parents, please make sure your dancer is not running around the competition venue. Please know where your dancer is at all times.
10. EMAIL, TEXT, FACEBOOK, AND OFFICE
Our goal is to keep you informed using all of the above. We need you to do your part by reading our emails since that is our primary form of communication. Please give us your primary email address. I will only send emails when needed.
Please only send text messages when a short and quick answer from a staff member suffices. Please refrain from texting any staff member after hours unless it is a competition weekend or an emergency.
11. USE OF PHOTOGRAPHY
En Pointe Dance Company reserves the right to use any photography and videotaping of students' performances for purposes of advertising, publicizing, and promoting the studio.
12. EN POINTE DANCE COMPANY VALUES FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS
Be respectful of others- In the studio. Outside the studio. At competitions. Wherever. Say please and thank you. Hold the door. Be quiet backstage. Don't enter and exit a theatre during a dance.
Don't talk during anyone's performance. You represent not only En Pointe Dance Company but also yourself, your parents, and your peers. Have good manners, and be respectful.
Don't direct your teammates - In rehearsals, sometimes it's tempting to tell the person next to you that they're turning the wrong way, on the wrong foot, off the counts, etc. As teachers, that's our job. Chances are we noticed. No matter how helpful you think it may be, it undermines the team spirit to take corrections from another dancer.
Speak kindly to your teammates!
Ask your teachers and teammates for help if you need it.
Clean up after yourself. We love that the studio feels like home to so many of you! But remember that it's home to lots of other kids as well.
Be prepared for classes, competitions, and performances. Be early. Have your hair and makeup done. Be ready to work. Be a role model! Demonstrate good teamwork and good behavior on and off the dance floor
Use clean and appropriate language at all times. Don't gossip. Don't be mean. Don't be judgmental.
13. SOCIAL MEDIA / SOCIAL INTERACTIONS
Please be aware that anything you share on social media is not private. Use clean language and do not post anything inappropriate. If you post team pictures, make sure everyone is included/tagged. Don't leave people out/crop people out of photos, etc.
Please remember that much communication is lost when the person you talk to cannot hear your voice and read your body language. Being sarcastic via text message sometimes comes across as being mean. Think about what you write and how it may be received.
When you wear En Pointe Dance Company apparel, you represent our studio and values. If you are in public or posting on social media, please make sure you behave appropriately. If a staff member sees anything that concerns them, they have the right to speak with you. They also have the right to ask you to take down a social media post that affects the studio. Remember that your behavior reflects our studio, and if it is not acceptable, you will be removed from the team.
14. SUMMARY
We have high standards for our competition team members and their families! We believe that together we can do amazing things! We have zero-tolerance for behaviors such as bullying, excluding other team members, inappropriate language and conduct, or unsportsmanlike and unsupportive behavior. Such behaviors will be dealt with immediately, and you will be removed from the team. A warning may not be given depending on the severity of the offense. Refunds will not be provided.
Please work together to ensure that everyone has the best experience possible on your team! Competition dance will allow you to learn, grow, perform, and make life-long friends!
15. AUDITIONS - August 27th - 9:00 am
Competition auditions are for Junior and Elite competition members. Dance classes will begin Monday, August 15th, and competition team rehearsals will start on September 6th.
Tentative Weekend Rehearsals
September 8th, 9th, & 10th
October 7th, 8th & 9th
November 11th, 12th &13th
December 9th, 10th & 11th
January 6th, 7th & 8th
February 3rd, 4th & 5th
Please be available all weekend. Times TBA
Sunday rehearsals will not interfere with early morning church services!
There may be more weekend rehearsals closer to the time of competition season. The tentative weekend rehearsal dates are subject to change if a competition is scheduled that weekend.
Tentative Regional Competition Dates
2023 Season
2/17 - 2/19 - Show Stopper - Lenoir, NC
3/3 - 3/5 - Inspire - Kannapolis, NC
or
5/12-5/14 - Inspire - Salisbury, NC
3/10 - 3/12 - Applause - Spartanburg, SC
3/31 - 4/2 - Encore - Greenville, SC
4/28 - 4/30 - ID Dance - Charlotte, NC
Depending on our 6th annual recital date, we will either be attending Inspire in Kannapolis from 3/3-3/5 or we will be attending Inspire in Salisbury from 5/12-5/14. Both of these dates need to be on your calendar.
