Categories - Age Divisions - Competitive Levels - Skill Level of Dancer
Dance Categories
Jazz – routine consisting predominantly of jazz technique utilizing up-beat music
Ballet – routine displaying ballet technique; ballet shoes required
*if pointe shoes are worn any time during the routine, routine should be entered in the pointe category
Pointe – routine displaying pointe technique; pointe shoes required for females
Modern – routine consisting of interpretive dance using modern technique and choreography
Contemporary – routine consisting of techniques drawing from ballet, modern, lyrical and/or jazz choreographed to communicate emotion
Lyrical – routine consisting of expressive movement using fluidity and control to the lyrics of the music
Tap – routine displaying tap technique and tap work. Please note prerecorded tap sounds are not permitted.
Hip-Hop – routine consisting of street dance moves and hip-hop dance choreographed to popular music. Acrobatics and breakdancing are acceptable.
Open – a routine demonstrating any style of dance or combinations of two or more. Typically a routine that does not fit any other category.
Musical Theater – routine consisting of “Broadway” or theater dance styles from “Broadway” musicals, movies or television shows
Pom-Pon – routine displaying dance technique utilizing precise and defined dance movement. Pom-pons must be used in 50% of the routine. Acrobatic and/or gymnastic passes may not exceed more than 50% of the routine.
Acro/Gymnastics – routine consisting of at least 50% gymnastic or acrobatic passes. Must also demonstrate dance technique
Character – routine choreographed to portray a character
Clogging – routine displaying clogging technique and clogging work. Please note prerecorded clogging sounds are not permitted.
Production - any genre of dance with a minimum of 15 dancers and a time limit of 8 minutes
***No more than three acrobatic or gymnastic passes are permissible in any category except for the following: acro/gymnastics, hip-hop, open, and pom-pom. An acrobatic or gymnastic pass is defined as any movement where the dancer is completely inverted without a single foot on the stage***
Age Divisions
Mini: 4 and Under
Petite: 5-6, 7-8
Junior: 9-10, 11-12
Teen: 13-14
Senior: 15-16, 17-19
Adult: 20+
Dancer age is determined as of January 1st of the competitive year. Enter all birthdates for dancers, and our online system will determine the ages. For groups, you will add all the ages of the dancers, divide by the number of dancers, then drop all decimal points. Our online system will also help calculate this for you.
If any of the dancers in a routine change from the regional competition to the national competition, you will need to recalculate that age.
Any dancer may elect to compete up an age division; however, if a dancer elects to do so, he/she must remain in that age group for all other routines. For example, if a dancer is 8 years old, but chooses to compete up as a 9 year-old for the solo, he/she must compete as a 9 year-old in all other routines. If a duo/trio or group competes up in their category, then all other routines with those same dancers must also compete up.
Bump Rule: When calculating the average age of a group, a routine may not drop more than one age division from that of the age of the oldest dancer. For example, if the average age of a group is 11 years old, but the oldest dancer is 17, the group must compete at the Teen age division.
Competitive Levels
At Dancearchy: Ultimate Dance Challenge we want all dancers to feel their hard work has paid off. We know studios, dancers and parents sacrifice a lot to compete. We have designed three competitive levels to help your dancer compete at the most appropriate level for them. We desire dancers to feel proud of what they have accomplished and be rewarded for all their hard work.
Dancers may elect to move up to a higher competitive level. Soloists who perform more than one solo may only compete in one competitive level. Groups must compete in the level where 50% of the dancers should be placed.
Studios are entrusted to make the best and most accurate decisions for placing dancers in the competitive levels; however, Dancearchy: Ultimate Dance Challenge reserves the right to move any routine we feel has not been appropriately registered.
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Skill Level of Dancer
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Premiere Level- Beginning dancer with little to no competition experience.
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Elite Level- Intermediate dancer with some competition experience.
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Extreme Elite Level- Advanced dancer with numerous competition experience.
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