Rules

Grand Prize Eligibility

Every studio must designate a charity or cause for which they are dancing. Each charity will receive $100 from The Power of Dance, provided the referring studio’s Entry Fees total a minimum of $3,000.
The total entry fees from your studio must exceed $4,000 in order for your charity to be eligible for the Grand Prize from The Power of Dance. The Grand Prize of $5000 is based on a full, two-day event. If attendance at the competition warrants only a one-day event, the Grand Prize will be calculated on a pro-rated basis, with a maximum Grand Prize of $2,500 and a minimum Grand Prize of $1,000.
Should your entry fees fall under $4,000, you have two options. All studios that fall under the minimum will automatically be “combined” into one scoring entity that represents the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital (This designated recipient is subject to change and may rotate.) The group numbers from all of these studios will be averaged together as if they all were from one studio.
Or, if you wish, you may “partner” with another studio or studios in a similar situation, so that your fees add up to the required minimum. Group numbers from both (or all) schools will then be averaged together, and all the “partners” may either agree on a charity to represent, or simply dance for St. Jude’s.
Each studio’s designated charity must be recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a not-for-profit organization. Donations may NOT go to an individual. If you’d like to help an individual, such as a child in need of medical care, The Power of Dance may only donate to a foundation or non-profit set up to benefit that individual. Proof of non-profit status may be required. Since the purpose of our event is to help others through our art, organizations whose purpose is to support a dance studio or dance company are not eligible, even though they may have been granted non-profit status.
Calculation of Grand Prize Winner – The Grand Prize winner will determined by averaging the five highest scoring groups under age 13 and the five highest scoring groups aged 13 and up from each studio. In the unlikely event of a tie, we would then include the 3 highest scoring duos & trios. If still tied, we will include solos.

Entries & Payment

Entries are accepted on a first come/first serve basis, and are limited to performance time available. The Power of Dance reserves the right to add additional competition days or move the competition location if necessary.
All entrees must be submitted by a school. No independent entrees will be accepted. All entries must include payment in full. Form of payment must be a SINGLE check, money order, certified check, or cashier’s check. Credit cards are not accepted. We will be looking into a direct deposit program in the next few weeks. Please check back. (All entries received less than 21 days before the event, MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A CERTIFIED CHECK OR MONEY ORDER.) Please see our Registration Page for further information.
Original entry forms must be sent by mail or e-mail – no faxes. We encourage you to e-mail us your entries, consisting of a list of each dance and its participants. This will help eliminate mis-spelled names in our program, as well as save a lot trees. Entries received SIX WEEKS (42 days) before the event will qualify for a 10% Early Bird Rebate. You will receive a confirmation of your entries shortly after we receive them. This is the time to check them for accuracy and let us know of any changes. Changes must be requested via e-mail, not verbally. Final schedules, directions and the number assigned to each dance will be sent to you via mail and e-mail one week prior to the competition. Any changes necessary at this time will incur a $10 fee per change, and it may be too late to include the change in the printed program. NO CHANGES WILL BE PERMITTED AT THE COMPETITION.
There will be a service charge of $30.00 for any check returned by a bank for any reason, and all future payments from that individual or studio will have to be in the form of a money order or cashier’s check. If payment has not been received by the competition date, the dancer(s) will not be allowed to perform.
No refunds will be made for any reason. Credits for future competitions will be issued only for medically excused dancers.

Entry Divisions

The Power of Dance will have four divisions:
Recreational, Competitive, Pro-Am and Parent.
Only Competitive Entries will be eligible for Overall Titles and cash prizes, but overall winners in all four divisions will be announced. (However, if there are 10 or more entries in any category of the Recreational, Pro-Am or Parent Divisions, then a cash prize WILL be given to the Top Scoring Entry of that category.)
The Recreational Division is for dancers who take less than three hours of dance per week. Recreational entries are not eligible for Overall Awards or cash prizes, but may be eligible for additional cash prizes if there are sufficient participants in the division. We do not REQUIRE those dancing less than three hours a week to enter the Recreational Division – it is the studio’s option.
The Pro-Am Division is for any piece that includes dance professionals, defined here as anyone OVER the age of 19 who receives compensation in any form for performing or teaching dance.
The Parent Division, we believe, is self-explanatory.

Age Groupings

To make it easier for all, we’re going to follow the same age groupings as the Federation of Dance Competitions. With any luck they won’t sue us.

Petite: 8 and Under 
Junior: 9-11 years 
Teen: 12-14 years 
Senior: 15-19 years 
Adult: 20+ (Adult Category-see note below)

Age Cut Off: January 1st

Average Age: Round down or drop decimal
Adult Category: Any performer 20 years or older dancing in any solo, duet/trio or group is considered to be in the Adult division. Adult division will include Teacher, Pro, Parent, etc.

Bump Rule: Duet/Trios or Groups including dancers of different age divisions will compete no more than one age division younger than the oldest dancer, regardless of average age. For example: if a group includes a dancer age 16 (senior) and the average age is 11 (junior), the dance competes one level below senior, which would be Teen.

Overall Winners will be chosen in Four Age Categories:
8 & under, 9-11, 12-14 and 15-19. There will be cash awards in each of these three age groups for solo, duo/trio, small group, large group and production. A minimum of ten entries in a category within an age grouping is required for a cash prize to be given at Regionals. That minimum moves to 15 at Nationals. If there are less than the required number of dances, age groupings for Overall winners will instead be 12 & under and 13 & up.

For Duet, Trios & Groups, the average age determines the age group in which dancers perform. Add the ages of the contestants and divide by the number of the contestants. Average age is NOT rounded up. A group with an average age of 10.5 will perform in the 9-10 division, etc. All ages are as of January 1, 2009.

Names and birthdates of all contestants MUST appear on the entry form. We will not accept entrees that do not list every dancer’s birth date.

If a question should arise concerning the age of a contestant, a birth certificate must be provided at the competition as proof of age. All protests must be presented in writing within one- half hour of the incident to the competition director.

Performance Categories

Acrobatic – Should incorporate dance, floor gymnastic moves and acrobatic stunts. No gymnastics equipment is allowed

Ballet – A dance consisting of classical steps and ballet technique.
Character – A dance in which an easily recognizable character is portrayed throughout. You may incorporate any form of dance, including acrobatics tricks, but not more than 50% of the dance may be acrobatics.

Hip Hop - A dance which consists of the latest “street” dance styles, including funk, break, popping or any other terms they have made up bythe time you read this!

Jazz – A dance consisting of classical jazz technique.

Lyrical – A dance that is interpretive in nature and features contemporary lyrical styles demonstrating balance, extension, isolations, and control.

Modern – A dance consisting of modern technique such as Graham, Horton or Limon.

Musical Theater - A piece featuring any style of dance interpreting a song from a “Broadway” or movie musical.

Open - This category is for any routine which falls into any of our performance categories, or any combination thereof, or any style of dance.
Pointe – A dance consisting of classical ballet technique wearing pointe shoes.

Tap – A dance comprised of tap technique. Tap shoes a must, and no tap sounds are allowed on the performance CD

Vocal - Routine may be any type of vocal presentation. Accompaniment must be on tape. No lead vocals permitted on tape, backup voices only will be permitted.

Prizes & Awards

Your routine must be completed to be eligible for overall awards, and you MUST perform within your award session.

Cash prizes are awarded to the Dance Studio.

Prizes & Award Amounts for Regionals:

Solo - $75 for 8 & Under, 9-11 12-14 & 15-19
Duet/Trio - $85 8 & Under, 9-11 12-14 & 15-19
Small Group - $100 for 8 & Under, 9-11 12-14 & 15-19
Large Group - $150 for 8 & Under, 9-11 12-14 & 15-19
Production - $200 for 8 & Under, 9-11 12-14 & 15-19

In addition, we will announce overall second through 10th place winners in each category and age group. Dancers in these pieces will get a plaque indicating placement.

There will also be special judges awards and choreography awards.

We will present a “Power of Dance Award” and trophy to the Most Entertaining Dance (11&under and 12&up).

We will present the “Spirit of Dance” Award to that studio displaying the best sportsmanship, attitude and respect for the art of dance and all those who practice it, as VOTED BY ALL STUDIOS PRESENT. The winning studio will also receive a pizza party courtesy of The Power of Dance as an extra thank you.

Scoring

The manner and method of judging will be solely within the discretion of the judging panel. Score sheets will be available after awards and will be given only to the teacher/studio owner. Each routine will receive a taped critique from one judge and score sheets from the other two. We are currently looking into using DVD critiques instead. Please check back.

Awards are based on placement within your category and age group.

Deductions

5 point deduction: for every 15 seconds (or part thereof) overtime limit
5 point deduction: for not being ready when your number is called
10 point deduction: for violation of rule regarding tricks. (See Below)
20 point deduction: if tap sounds are on tape in tap category
20 point deduction: if lead vocals are on tape in vocal category
20 point deduction: for coaching from backstage or audience
25 point deduction: for inappropriate lyrics - no profanity or racial slurs

Possible Disqualifications

Videotaping – See “General Rule” #2 below.
Un-sportsmanlike behavior – See “General Rule” #5 below.
Inappropriate Dance, Music or Costume – See “General Rule” #6
below.
“Run-offs” or incomplete routines will be allowed a second attempt, but this will be for adjudication only and the routine will not be eligible for High Score Awards.
Challenges – Any studio wishing to challenge a dance based on length, possible participation of teachers or professionals, or any other rule violation must bring their complaint to the Event Director within 30minutes of the end of the dance in question.
TRICKS
A “trick” shall be defined as any movement that involves both feet passing over the head: cartwheel, aerial, back handspring, back tuck, etc,,,
No Tricks are Allowed in, Ballet, Pointe, Vocal or Lyrical
Two Tricks Allowed: Tap, Jazz, Modern.
Tricks Allowed: Acrobatic, Open, Hip-Hop, and Character.

Each trick is counted separately, so a pass is counted as separate tricks. If your whole group is doing an acrobatic trick in unison, it will be counted as one trick.

General Rules

Smoking is prohibited at all events sponsored by The Power of Dance. Also, food & drink is forbidden in all auditoriums and theatres. We are guests at each location, after all. Studio Owners, please make your families aware of this rule, as well as those below.
.Video taping, movie cameras, cameras and cell phones are forbidden in the performance area and dressing rooms! Each studio is allowed one designated person to videotape, and that person must be wearing the Videographer pass and standing in the designated area. If cameras or video equipment are seen in use in the competition auditorium, the dance will be stopped and The Power of Dance reserves the right to confiscate the tape being used and remove the person involved from the auditorium. Repeat offenses may result in studio disqualification. Our wish is to protect not only the work of the choreographers, but, first and foremost, our children. After all, we have no way of knowing if the person filming is someone who SHOULD be filming that dancer or is in fact a complete stranger. And since cameras and cell phones can now be used to film, they must be banned as well. STUDIO OWNERS – You must make all of your parents aware of this rule.
By entering this competition, all dancers give their permission to The Power of Dance to use their photographs or video in connection with advertising, promotions or news coverage of our competitions without further authorization or compensation. We will not identify any dancer by name without written permission from that dancer’s parent or guardian. All dancers should be advised by their Studio Owners that the event is being videotaped. Those not wishing to be to be videotaped have the option of not performing, but there will be no refunds.
Freestanding props are permitted, but live animals, fire, pyrotechnics of any kind, swords, knives, and guns are all forbidden. Use of any may result in the disqualification of that dance. No fog machines or extra lighting or sound equipment will be allowed either.
Sportsmanlike behavior is expected at all times. Failure to display proper decorum by any student, parent or teacher, either in the auditorium, dressing room, or any other location, could result in immediate disqualification and dismissal from the premises with no refunds issued.
The directors of The Power of Dance have the right to disqualify any act that, in their opinion, is deemed inappropriate for family viewing. We realize that what may be offensive to one person may be fine to another, and that the parents and teachers of the performers will have deemed the dance to be acceptable. However, we strive to be a family-oriented competition, and any dance that is overtly sexual or lewd in nature, promotes violence or bigotry, or includes inappropriately revealing costumes may be stopped mid-dance and disqualified.
Each contestant must furnish his/her own music on CD, cued and ready to start. Music must be properly labeled with title of song, studio, and the dance’s designated number. A backup TAPE is recommended. Some downloaded CDs occasionally fail to play on certain sound systems. All tapes or CDs must be given to the sound engineer BEFORE the start of the session in which the dance is scheduled. We are currently exploring the use of USB drives and or ipods. Please check back.
Any questions regarding routines should be brought to the attention of the show director by teacher or studio director only.
No one will be allowed to perform out of order except when there is a costume change issue, which must be verified by the director or stage manager. Dancers will be allowed 10 minutes for costume changes. Performers must be ready to perform when their number is called. Please be prepared to perform one hour before your scheduled time in the event that we run ahead of schedule.
The Power of Dance and the hosting facility are not responsible for personal injury or loss.