Important Info Ms. Carrie s Cell Phone #: 847-946-7231 (Please enter it into your cell phone.) Groove Competition Venue: Nathan Hale High School Auditorium, 11601 W Lincoln Ave, West Allis, WI 53227 Hotel: Country Inn Brookfield, WI 1250 South Moorland Road Brookfield, WI 53005 Website: http://www.countryinns.com/brookfield-hotel-wi-53005/wibfield Phone: 262-782-1400 Please note: Nathan Hale High School and Country Inn are approximately a 6 min. drive apart. VERY IMPORTANT: Why do we attend a dance competition? With the right focus, the experience gained from attending a dance competition can be an excellent source of self-confidence and growth for dancers. Although winning may be the icing on the cake or cherry on top, winning is not the reason we attend dance competitions (despite what certain dance competition reality TV shows portray). Dance is not a sport, it is an art form and it is subjective. Adjudication is simply the opinion of a particular judge on a particular day in a particular mood. If the dancers feel good about a performance and that they gave their personal best and understand that they become better each time they go on stage, it is then that they are truly growing through the competition/performance experience. If the students do not win the top award we will still be proud of them and cheer them on no matter what. Parents we appreciate your understanding and support of this very important concept. It truly is in the best interest of the dancers. Itinerary Coming Soon Soon, Groove will supply us with the competition schedule. We will notify you via email once we have prepared and posted our itinerary including bus departures, competition entry times, curfews/bedtimes, free-times, meal-times, etc. Competitions are typically held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday or at least Saturday and Sunday. All Company Members must be there to support each and every VPA entry. The only exception to this rule is that depending on when Petite dancers are scheduled to compete their one entry, we may be allowing them to go home early with their parents on Sunday, if they wish. Teen and Senior dancers, however, will be required to stay the duration. Should parents/chaperones want to leave before the end of the competition on Sunday, their children may be turned over to VPA Owners for chaperoning. Based on the way Groove has been scheduling other cities on their tour, solos, duos and trios will most likely compete on either Friday or Sunday. Groups will most likely compete on Saturday or Sunday. We anticipate that our bus will be leaving VPA at 4pm on Friday, May 1 st and returning to VPA by 11pm (latest) on Sunday, May 3rd. Dancers should arrive at VPA no later than 3:30pm on Friday. Please prepare to drive the dancers straight from school to VPA on Friday, May 1 st as you will not have enough time to go home unless you pick them up early from school that day. There is a small chance that we may need soloists to drive separately and leave even earlier; however, we won t know this until we receive our schedule from Groove.
Hotel We will be staying at the Country Inn in Brookfield, WI. As part of your Membership Fee, a standard room has been reserved for each dancer/chaperone according to the Travel Form you submitted back in January. Country Inn s standard rooms offer either a) two queen beds or b) two-room suite with king bed and sofa-bed. If you have a strong preference for staying in a room with two queen beds vs. two-room suite or vice-versa, please notify Ms. Carrie at your earliest convenience, as she may be able to make arrangements. Please note that our group rate is $104 per night. The rate will include the room as well as the following: deluxe continental hot breakfast each morning (starts at 6am) usually with at least 3 hot items (scrambled eggs, sausage, breakfast potatoes, breakfast burritos, make your own Belgium waffles, etc.). Our hotel also has two restaurants directly attached to the hotel Champs Americana (large sports bar) & Outback Steakhouse. Country Inn also has an indoor pool, whirlpool & fitness center. Important: Each family will be responsible for stopping by the hotel reception desk upon arrival and assigning a credit card to their hotel room for any incidental purchases (i.e. room service, movies, etc). Those that do not complete this request will be billed for any expenses incurred along with additional VPA service fees. Please note that we have reserved some extra rooms at the $104 per night rate, in our block, for any families who would like to purchase an additional room. Please call the hotel directly to reserve additional rooms and let them know that you are with Carrie Bohlmann s company, Virtuoso Performing Arts, on May 1-3. Chaperones Each dancer must have a parent or guardian staying with them in the hotel room and chaperoned at all times during travel. If a parent or guardian is not able to be present, a student may be able to room with and be chaperoned by another parent/guardian. Should a chaperone need to leave their dancer, it is fine to temporarily assign another parent to chaperone for the time being. There will be times during the competition that the dancers will be chaperoned by Ms. Carrie when specified on the Itinerary. Should a student need to leave the group and travel with a chaperone during any scheduled event, please get this approved with Ms. Carrie via text or in person before leaving (i.e. student feels ill and needs to return to hotel for extra rest). For teenagers, it is fine for chaperones to allow their dancer to have freetime without a chaperone present so long as it is approved by parent and so long as parent does not hold VPA liable for anything that should happen while teenager is unattended. Chaperones are also responsible for dancer curfews/bedtimes. Sleep is so important to the dancers. Communication Ms. Carrie can be reached via cell phone at 847-946-7231 throughout the weekend. She will need accurate cell phone numbers of parents/students in order to reach you if she can t find you or in case of emergency. If you are not sure if Ms. Carrie has your cell phone number, please text her with your name so that she can properly store your number in her phone before the event. Please do not forget to keep cell phones on vibrate at the competition.
Packing List We will be posting a packing list for the weekend on our website and will email you once it s ready. Please be sure to triple check that you have everything on the list! Transportation The dancers will be traveling together throughout the weekend as a team, by bus, from VPA to the hotel and to/from the competition venue. Parents will be required to drive separately. We may be able to accommodate some parents on the bus, to/from the hotel to the competition venue and vice versa, if there is space and on occasion. It is important that students arrive at designated areas on time for scheduled events according to the itinerary to board the bus so that we are on time for all events throughout the weekend. It is important that the dancers/directors stay together as a team when appropriate throughout the weekend (i.e. traveling together to compete with nervous competitors). Should any student miss the bus, he/she will need to ride with parent/chaperone or wait for the bus driver to return and pick them up. Students should bring their dance bag and costume garment bag on the bus. Parents can help with carrying/loading garment bag onto and off of the bus. Meals Since most parents/chaperones have opted to provide meals for their own dancer(s) VPA has opted not to provide meals for purchase for the dancers. For breakfast, the hotel offers a complimentary hot breakfast. For lunch and dinner, parents may bring purchased food to the high school or take them out to eat somewhere close by if they are not scheduled to be anywhere. Each dancer is welcome to bring up to a grocery bag of food/snacks on the bus for their room. Coolers are fine as long as they are small and easy to transport. It will be important for the dancers to stay hydrated and eat small healthy snacks throughout the day to keep blood sugar levels regulated and energy up. Fruit, dried fruit, veggies, nuts, health bars, cheese, crackers etc. are all good choices. Don t forget bottled water. Please put VPADC jacket on to protect costume while eating. Competition Entries VPA has entered a total of 12 dances for Groove, which are categorized as follows: Fancy Footwork Teen Large Group Novice Street Jazz/Fusion Friar s Lantern Teen Small Group Novice Modern Gravity Teen Large Group Novice Lyrical Hope Petite Small Group Novice Lyrical I Think It s Going To Rain Teen Duo/Trio Novice Contemporary It Don t Mean A Thing Teen Solo Novice Tap Libertango Senior Solo Novice Pointe Okay It Seems Teen Solo Novice Modern Oldies Remixed Teen Small Group Novice Hip Hop Scarborough Fair Teen Duo/Trio Novice Pointe Shine Teen Solo Novice Lyrical Singing In The Rain Teen Small Group Novice Tap
General Competition Guidelines Competitions are the dancers opportunity to show the world the results of their dedication and hard work. Here s what you can do to make the most of this opportunity. Dancers must warm-up properly on their own. Ms. Carrie will help if she is available. Present yourself in a professional manner, with costumes steamed, shoes cleaned, and all accessories accounted for. Arrive to competition venue in full hair, costume and undergarments for first entry of the day. Treat competitors/teachers from other schools and staff of the competition with respect. Refrain from talking in the auditorium. It is incredibly distracting to the performers. Keep area of the dressing rooms clean and never bring food/drink where prohibited. Wear VPADC warm-up jacket all weekend. Competition Critiques At many of the competition events, the schools receive performance critiques from the judges. These critiques are the property of the VPA and will be shared with the dancers during rehearsal or class time. Soloists will receive critiques outside of class/rehearsal. Award Presentations When presented with an award, dancers must always show professionalism by enthusiastically thanking the person who presents you with the award, regardless of how big the award is. Parents and fellow VPADC members must also cheer enthusiastically regardless the level of award. Unsportsmanlike behavior will not be tolerated. Competition Audience Etiquette Enthusiastic applause is encouraged; however, it is never appropriate to scream or yell out names at a competition event or in any other performance venue. When in an auditorium, remain seated whenever dancers are performing onstage. By all means, feel free to stand up (standing ovation) if you were moved by their performance! Independent Entries No dancer may compete in any competition as an independent entry without the permission of the VPADC director. Cash Scholarships Soloists will receive a school credit for the amount of any cash scholarship awarded. It will be applied to lessons, costumes, entry fees, or other expenses related to their dance training. Cash scholarships awarded to dancers who perform duos, trios, or ensemble pieces will be deposited in the Virtuoso Performing Arts Dance Company treasury to be utilized for master classes, guest choreographers, and other activities.
Groove Age Groups, Divisions, Categories There are three classifications at Groove Dance Competition. Entries will be divided as follows: Age Groups: Each entry will be placed into one of the following age groups based on the average age of all competitors in the routine. Average age should be calculated by adding up the age of each competitor (as of the first day of competition) and dividing by the total number of competitors in the routine using exact ages, not integer ages. Mini 5-7; Petite 8-9; Junior 10-12; Teen 13-15; Senior 16-19; Adult 20+ Divisions: Every entry will be placed in one of the following divisions based on # of competitors. Solo=1; Duet/Trio=2-3; Small Group=4-9; Large Group=10-19; Line/Production=20+ Categories: Every entry will be placed in one of the following categories based on the descriptions that follow. Jazz-A routine containing Jazz technique Tap-A routine containing Tap technique; no pre-recorded Tap sounds in the music; Tap shoes must be worn Ballet-A routine containing classical Ballet technique; no acrobatic/gymnastic tricks are allowed in this category Lyrical-A routine in which dancers interpret the lyrics of the song Pointe-A routine containing Pointe technique; no acrobatic/gymnastic tricks are allowed in this category Contemporary-A routine combining Jazz and Lyrical technique to interpret the music Modern-A routine containing modern dance technique to interpret the music Hip Hop-A routine containing Hip Hop technique from at least one of the various styles; no Jazz technique Street Jazz/Fusion-A routine containing Jazz technique with Hip Hop influences Acro-A routine containing acrobatic movement/gymnastics; routine must contain 50% dance choreography Musical Theater-A routine performed to a Broadway song Baton-A routine using baton(s) containing baton technique Folk/Ethnic-A routine incorporating ethnic styles of dance Student Choreography-A routine choreographed by student s with minimal assistance from an instructor Vocal-A routine that is any type of vocal presentation; no lead vocals are allowed; backup vocals are permitted Monologue-A composition performed by a single speaker; no acrobatic/gymnastic tricks are allowed in this category Open-A routine consisting of multiple or unspecified styles of dance Pom-A routine that uses pom poms for more than 50% of the performance Photogenic-A submission of a high resolution photo, judged on overall appearance Clogging-A routine containing clogging technique *Note: Routines in the Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Contemporary, Modern, Hip Hop, Street Jazz, Musical Theater, Baton and Folk/Ethnic categories may not contain more than 3 acrobatic tricks. Routines exceeding this limit will be subject to a 3-point deduction.
Groove Competition Levels Each entry will be placed into one of the following performance levels based on the experience of the group. Competitive: Dancers in the competitive level should train for 4 or more hours per week and/or have 2 or more years of competitive experience. Novice: Dancers in the novice level should train no more than 4 hours per week. Additionally, this should be their first or second year competing. Dancers who have competed for more than two years should be placed in the competitive level. *Note: Only the top scoring entry in each novice division and age group will be announced. Entries entered in the novice division will not be eligible for cash prizes. Novice entries will NOT be counted towards The Groove Award. You may move a Novice entry to the Competitive level the day of the event as long as the entry has not performed, however, you may not move a Competitive entry to the Novice level at the event. Groove Scoring and Awards Each entry will receive a total score out of 300 possible points. These scores will be used for adjudicated awards as well as high score awards. Each entry will be scored using three judges. Each judge will give each entry a score out of 100 possible points. The three scores will be added together to produce the total adjudication and overall score. In the event of a tie score, the lowest judge s score will be dropped for both entries. The entry with the highest adjusted score will receive the higher placement in the overall rankings. Groove Adjudicated Scoring Based on these total scores each number will receive adjudication as follows: Platinum 300.00-290.00 (Competitive); 300.00-285.00 (Novice) High Gold 289.99-280.00 (Competitive); 284.99-270.00 (Novice) Gold 279.99-270.00 (Competitive); 269.99-255.00 (Novice) High Silver 269.99-260.00 (Competitive); 254.99-240.00 (Novice) Silver 259.99-250.00 (Competitive); 239.99-225.00 (Novice) Bronze 249.99 and below (Competitive); 224.99 and below (Novice) ALL OF THESE SCORES ARE FANTASTIC AND WE ARE PROUD OF THE COMPETITORS NO MATTER WHAT! ALL THAT MATTERS IS THAT THEY EACH GAVE THEIR PERSONAL BEST! Sportsmanship All competitors, teachers, studios owners, family members and audience members are required to show respect, courtesy and sportsman-like behavior to all competitors, staff, teachers, etc. at all times during the competition. We aim to create a healthy competitive environment in which dancers can enjoy themselves while gaining valuable performance experience as well learning the nature of healthy competition and enjoying their experience. We reserve the right to remove anyone from an event if he/she is hindering the achievement of any of the above goals. No air horns, bells, whistles or other noise making devices are allowed.
Additional Groove Dance Competition Rules Smoking is prohibited in and around the competition area. Groove asks that all smokers stand at least 50 yards from the competition venue to preserve the well-being of the dancers, audience members, staff members. No cash refunds will be issued by Groove under any circumstances. Account credits will only be given for injured competitors with a doctor s note. Competitors may only compete with one studio. Groove Productions LLC and the venue hosting the event are not responsible for any personal injury or property loss. All competitors will be judged by a well-qualified panel of judges. All decisions are final. Cameras are prohibited inside all competition venues. In order to protect choreography rights, Groove reserves the right to confiscate all recording devices used during an event and/or disqualify an entry. All parents, competitors, teachers and studio owners consent to the use of video, audio and photographs for use in promotional material without royalty, fee or other compensation. By attending or competing in a Groove regional or national event you are agreeing to the use of your image and likeness by Groove Productions LLC, all partners and affiliates. All competitors, teachers, studios owners, family members and audience members are required to comply with rules and regulations set forth by our hosting venue. Those who do not may be removed from the event by either Groove s staff or the hosting venue s staff. Competitors, teachers, studio owners and prop coordinators are the only persons allowed in the wings/backstage. In order to minimize delay we ask that all parents, family members and audience members remain in the main venue or the lobby. If a routine cannot perform during their allotted time, the routine will be eligible for an adjudication but not high score if time is available. Groove Productions LLC reserves the right to cancel any and all events due to lack of registration, inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Furthermore, Groove Productions LLC reserves the right to change an event s location and venue. Upon changing a location and/or venue, a representative from Groove Productions LLC will contact your studio representative.
Parent Code of Conduct 1. VPA staff has full support and trust of parents who will honor and uphold VPA standards, policies and endeavors at all times. 2. Parents are to refrain from discussing class placement issues with other parents or questioning class placement decisions by the Director. 3. VPA staff has permission to enforce consequences upon students if applicable. 4. VPA Parents will encourage positive sportsmanship by showing respect kindness for all human beings, VPA affiliated or not, at all times. 5. Parents will respect the authority of any judges, competition directors or VPA staff at all times by not questioning, discussing or confronting them in public. If it is absolutely necessary, parents should speak with VPA staff about any disagreements you may have at an agreed upon time and place. 6. Parents respect the authority of VPA instructors and choreographers by refraining from coaching students (including your own) during or after classes, rehearsals, performances and competitions or at any other time. This can be contradictory to a student s training. 7. Parents will encourage your children to focus on improvement and not trophies. 8. Parents will encourage your children to strive for their personal best and not what the student next to them is doing. 9. Parents will focus on the positive and not the negative, especially after performances. 10. Parents understand that competitions are subjective and adjudicated by human judges who have a certain opinion on a certain day. A trophy will never measure a person. 11. Parents will encourage the process rather than the result. 12. Parents will separate who their children are from how they perform on stage. 13. Parents are not to engage in any kind of negative conduct at any time. This includes yelling, taunting, gossip or profane language toward any judge, teacher, student, parent or staff member whether they are a part of VPA or not. 14. VPA Parents will expect that parents from other schools may not always behave according to the VPA Parent Code of Conduct. 15. VPA Parents will remove themselves as gracefully as possible if they witnesses negative behavior in any way by a parent from a school other than VPA. Parent may opt to report it to the VPA staff if it is one of our own dancers or parents. VPA agrees to respect anonymity if desired. 16. Parents will expect that VPA Dance Company students may be subject to probation or suspension from the VPA Company if the aforementioned Code of Conduct is not abided by parents.