Candidates for the Dance Team are dancers who show a commitment to dance and who wish to further their training through performance.  Becoming a member of the Dance Team is by invitation only.  Each year, following the recital, invitations are made by phone.  If your son/daughter is interested in our competitive program, we encourage you to speak with one of our teachers.

Time commitment and class expectations increase as the dancers age. The Mini program focusses on fundamental dance skills for these young dancers. Over time, dancers will develop into accomplished technicians and performers. The details of each level are explained here.

• Program tuition (paid monthly, same as recreational classes, by e-transfer, debit or credit))

• Solo, duet or trio class tuition, and competition entry fees

• Appropriate shoes for each dance discipline

• Hotel and travel expenses

• Competition hair & makeup tools

• Replacement competition tights as needed

Yes! Absolutely.  Our competitive dancers are rewarded with a complementary team jacket and dance bag.  They are given one pair of new competition tights per season.  They are provided with competition jewelry free of charge.  Best of all, competitive team members receive extra rehearsal time and summer team classes free of charge!  You do not pay dance tuition in June, July and August.

Dancers participate in a number of fundraising activities throughout the year to offset the cost of competition entry fees.  Group entry fees are covered by this fundraising.

Solo, duet and trio entry fees are the responsibility of the dancer.  Those fees vary from competition to competition, and can be anywhere from $50-$100 per dancer.  Competition fees are due in December.

Yes.  All money raised by the team stays with the team, and offsets the cost associated with competing.

CDTA stands for the Canadian Dance Teachers Association.  It is a student and teacher training syllabus that develops the technical skill of our dancers.  Exams are an important part of the process, as they help students to identify strengths and goals.  All competitive students must complete their examinations as they move up through the competitive age brackets.

Generally speaking, as students get older, they age into the next competitive age bracket, and move up into the next team.  The decision regarding team placement for each season is made by the studio, and students must also demonstrate readiness for the technical demands of the older age bracket.  It is not uncommon for students to spend an extra season in a particular age bracket before moving up.

Competition season is typically April & May, with dress rehearsal occurring sometime in March.  An additional optional competition is often offered to our Intermediate and Senior team during the summer.

This is one of our most asked questions, and definitely the hardest to answer! As soon as we choose the competitions we will be attending, we will let you know the dates.  This usually happens in December.

The DETAILED Schedule (specific times and dates) is not available until much later. Typically, we can provide it about 2-3 weeks prior, but sometimes it’s less than that. Sometimes dancers compete only on a Saturday; sometimes on Friday, or on Sunday; sometimes Thursday night. And if your dancer is in a lot of numbers, it could be on every day!  We are at the mercy of the competition schedule, and can do very little to influence it.

It’s important that you block that weekend off, and realize you need to make arrangements so that you and your son/daughter are completely available.

This may seem stressful, but we have been doing it now for 25 years, and I promise it’s a really enjoyable time.  Feel free to talk to other competitive moms and dads for feedback and tips!

Special rehearsals are scheduled for Friday evenings, or Sunday afternoons.

All 5 teams (Mini, Junior, Intermediate, Teen, Senior Elite) compete in two regional competitions in the spring.  The Intermediate, Teen,  and Senior teams are often presented with an optional competition/convention opportunity in the summer.

Typically, a parent is present for each dancer.  It’s a wonderful culmination of the hard-work and commitment that your dancer has made throughout the year, and our dance family loves to celebrate it together!  The audience is usually full of moms, dads, sisters, brothers, grandparents, extended family, and friends.  That being said, no, you do not need to be present, but you must make arrangements with another dance parent to take responsibility for your son/daughter.  Travel, supervision, meals, and competition preparation cannot be undertaken by our studio staff; we simply have too many responsibilities to the entire team.