The Competition is an opportunity for dancers to perform and compete on The Alive Dance Tours stage with their own pieces.  Solos, duets, trios, and groups of all sizes are all welcome to compete!  

 

The Competition, like the rest of The Alive Experience, is centered around making others, as well as ourselves, feel alive.  Because of this, seasoned competition dancers looking to show off their artistry as well as dancers who are new to competition and eager to expand on their dance experience are all welcome to compete on The Alive Dance Tours stage.   

 

In order to keep our show within a reasonable running time, participation in The Competition will be limited. and first come first serve.​

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Going into Season 5, some of our Competition Guidelines have been updated to reflect our growing competitions!  Be sure to read them closely prior to registering for one of our events.

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*** NEW THIS YEAR! ***

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• You DO NOT have to participate in The Convention in order to participate in The Competition.  

• New digital scoring system with more accurate tabulation and built in safeguards to limit inaccuracies.

• Revamped and streamlined their registration processes.

• More age groups and levels available.

• Talk-to-Text Critiques!

  Each critique includes a complete transcript with timestamps, a clear summary of judges’ feedback, “Good” and “Needs Improvement” highlights, and easy navigation to specific moments in your routine. With Alive taking place before the typical competition season begins, these critiques give dancers valuable feedback that they can immediately take into their practice and use throughout the season.

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Updated 2027 Competition Guidelines:

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Age Determination

• Petite - 5-6

• Mini - 7-9

• Junior - 10-12

• Teen - 13-15

• Senior - 16-19

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Dancer's ages are determined as of January 1, 2027.   The average age of all dancers in a routine will be used to determine the routine's age division. ​

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To calculate the average age of your routine:

1. Add the ages of all dancers in the routine.

2. Divide the total by the number of dancers and drop the decimal point (do not round).

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Level Determination​

In order to ensure a fair and enjoyable experience for dancers with varying experience, Alive Dance Tours puts forth the following guidelines when it comes to leveling your routines.  

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• Novice - 

          Designed for dancers with little to no competition experience.

          Designed for dancers who are enrolled in 2 or fewer hours of weekly instruction.

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• Intermediate - 

          Designed for dancers with some competition experience.

          Designed for dancers who are enrolled in 3-5  hours of weekly instruction.

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• Advanced - 

          Designed for dancers with several years of competition experience.

          Designed for dancers who are enrolled in 6 or more hours of weekly instruction.

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Mixed Level Routines:

• Duets with dancers of different levels must compete at the higher of the two levels.

• Groups of 3+ dancers will follow a majority rule - whichever level has the most representation within a group will be the level under which that routine competes.  If there is no majority, the routine will compete at the higher of the levels.

  • For example, if a routine has 6 advanced level dancers and 4 intermediate level dancers, the advanced level has majority and therefore that routine would compete in the advanced level.​

  • For example, if a routine has 3 novice level dancers and 3 intermediate level dancers, there is no majority, so the routine would compete in the intermediate level as it is the higher of the two levels in question.

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Alive Dance Tours expects and trusts that studio owners, teachers, and parents will do their best to select appropriate levels during the registration process.  These guidelines are in place to ensure a positive and fair experience for all dancers, regardless of their experience. ​

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In order to maintain competitive integrity, Alive Dance Tours reserves the right to reassign a routine's level at the discretion of the judging panel.  Scores will not be impacted by a level reassignment.  

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Division

• Solo - 1 dancer

• Duo/Trio - 2-3 dancers

• Small Group - 4-9 dancers

• Large Group - 10-19 dancers

• Line -20-29 dancers

• Production - 30+ dancers

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*Please note - a dancer may not compete more than one solo in the same style.  If a dancer competes more than one solo across different styles, only the highest-scoring solo will qualify for an overall award. 

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Styles​

• Acro

• Ballet

• Contemporary

• Hip Hop

• Jazz

• Lyrical

• Modern

• Musical Theater

• Tap

• Open (for routines that do not fit in any one style listed above)

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Music & Time Limits
All music must be family-friendly and appropriate for an audience of all ages.   Music must be submitted via the online portal after the routine has been registered.  Music must be uploaded at least 2 weeks prior to the event.  Please test the uploaded file to ensure that the correct version of the music is uploaded. 

 

In case there are any issues playing your music on the day of the event, please have a backup of your music that can be access onsite (via iPhone, iPod, iPad, etc.).   Alive Dance Tours is not responsible for any music devices that are left behind.  

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Time Limits:

• Solo - 2:45

• Duo/Trio - 2:45

• Small Group - 3:00

• Large Group - 3:00

• Line - 4:00

• Production - 6:00

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Extra Time:

Extra time must be selected at the time of registration.  For routines that require extra time, there will be a fee of $5/dancer per 30 seconds added.  If a routine uses extra time but did not select extra time on the registration form, a 1-point deduction will be applied to the routine's final score. 

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Props

A prop is defined as any item that is brought to the stage for a routine that is not a part of a dancer's costume.  Props are allowed at Alive Dance Tours events, but they must be noted at the time of registration.  It is the responsibility of each studio to ensure that props are safely and efficiently transported on and off the stage.  It is also the responsibility of the studio to ensure that props being used do not block audience views, backstage traffic flow, stage entrances/exits, and/or venue fire lanes. Any debris, materials, or items left on stage at the end of a routine must be immediately cleaned up and removed by the studio in a timely manner (this includes debris from costumes as well - i.e. feathers, tassels, etc.).   If setting up/cleaning up the stage delays the competition more than 2 minutes total, a $35 fee will be applied.

 

For the safety of everyone involved, dangerous props are not permitted at any Alive Dance Tours event.  Dangerous props include but are not limited to:

• Fire, flames, and/or candles

• Liquids

• Special effects (fog machines, haze, etc.)

• Substances that leave residue (chalk, powder, sand, etc.)

• Sharp objects

 

It is the responsibility of the studio/parent to collect all props at the end of an event.  Alive Dance Tours is not responsible for any props that are left behind.  ​

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Failure to comply with our prop policy will result in a 3-point deduction on the routine's overall score.  

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Updated 2027 Scoring Guidelines:

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At Alive Dance Tours, we are proud to present a panel of judges who bring extensive professional dance experience and a deep understanding of the competition world.  Our instructors and adjudicators have a diverse range of professional accomplishments, but what makes our team truly special is that many of them got their start right here in the communities where we host our events.

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We believe there is incredible talent all around us, and we are passionate about bringing that talent to light.  That’s why our esteemed lineup of judges will always have a local connection, continuing our mission of local talent inspiring local talent.

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Our judges aren’t just evaluating dancers, they’re professionals who understand the journey, the dedication, and the passion it takes to get there. We are thrilled to give dancers the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by some of the incredible talent that started right where they are. 

 

All routines will be assessed by a minimum of 3 judges.  Each judge will score routines using a 100-point system.  The judge's total scores will be averaged to result in a final score for each routine.  

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Scoring Criteria

All routines will be assessed by a minimum of 3 judges.  Each judge will score routines using a 100-point system that is broken down as follows:
 

Technique - 30 points

Performance Quality - 30 points

Choreography & Musicality - 25 points

Degree of Difficulty - 15 points

Overall Appearance - 5 points

Age Appropriate - 5 points

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The judge's total scores will be averaged to result in a final score for each routine.  

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Adjudication

At Alive Dance Tours, we believe every dancer should be challenged, celebrated, and evaluated fairly.  Because of this, adjudication thresholds vary by division to reflect the different levels of training, experience, and performance expectations of our dancers.  Our adjudications are as follows:

 

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Overalls

Overall placements will be announced for each category,  The number of overall placements that will be announced will be determined by the number of routines in the category.  

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1-4 Acts Per Division - Top 1 Announced

5-6 Acts Per Division - Top 3 Announced

7-11 Acts Per Division - Top 5 Announced

12+ Acts Per Division - Top 10 Announced

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Special Awards

Alive Dance Tours will present a variety of special awards at each event.  These special awards are intended to celebrate the unique qualities, accomplishments, and memorable moments that make each dancer, routine, and studio truly special.  From exceptional artistry and performance to creativity, determination, and sportsmanship, these awards recognize the dancers who embody what it means to feel ALIVE.

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The Gold Crown Award:

At Alive Dance Tours, we believe that feeling alive means embracing joy, passion, determination, and creativity.  When all four of these elements are embodied by a routine, we are left feeling truly alive.  At each of our events, The Gold Crown will be awarded to the one entry that demonstrated the most joy, passion, determination, and creativity, therefore leaving us feeling the most alive.   The Gold Crown is a prestigious award reserved for only the most elite performers.  Winners of The Gold Crown will be inducted into the Alive Dance Tours Hall of Fame and receive lifetime benefits for all Alive Dance Tours events.  

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Feedback

Every competitive entry will receive feedback from our Alive Dance Tours judging panel that will contain both their overall score as well as their score breakdown (by criteria).   All official scoring and feedback will be distributed through the online portal following the event.  

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*New this year - The next best thing in competition feedback: Talk-to-Text Critiques!

Each critique includes a complete transcript with timestamps, a clear summary of judges’ feedback, “Good” and “Needs Improvement” highlights, and easy navigation to specific moments in your routine. With Alive taking place before the typical competition season begins, these critiques give dancers valuable feedback that they can immediately take into their practice and use throughout the season.

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Updated 2027 Competition Pricing:

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All payments must be made in full upon registration.   Entry fees are non-refundable.  For studios registering a large number of routines, pricing plans can be implemented where a deposit is made and remaining balances are paid one month before the event.  2027 Pricing is per dancer and is as follows:

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