Competition info
rethinking competitive dance
EMBODY DANCE CONFERENCE IS PROUD TO OFFER
A COMPETITION EXPERIENCE CENTERED AROUND COMMUNITY BUILDING.
STUDIO PRICING
STUDIO DIRECTORS, PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE FOR OUR 2024-2025 SEASON COMPETITION PRICING AND STUDIO INCENTIVES!
PAYMENT DEADLINES*
PRE-REGISTRATION INCENTIVE: 45 DAYS PRIOR TO THE EVENT
EARLY BIRD: ONE CALENDAR MONTH PRIOR TO THE EVENT
REGULAR REGISTRATION: WITHIN ONE CALENDAR MONTH OF THE EVENT
*PLEASE SEE CITY PAGE FOR GIVEN DEADLINES
ENTRY PERFORMANCE DIVISION
EMBODY OFFERS 4 DIFFERENT PERFORMANCE DIVISIONS, GIVING STUDIO DIRECTORS
THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DECISION THAT IS BEST FOR THEM AND THEIR COMMUNITY.
INTERMEDIATE DIVISION: FOR DANCERS WHO HAVE LIMITED COMPETITION/ DANCE EXPERIENCE AND OR TAKE LESS THAN 5 HOURS OF DANCE EACH WEEK.
ADVANCED DIVISION: FOR DANCERS WHO HAVE SIGNIFICANT COMPETITION/ DANCE EXPERIENCE AND OR TAKE MORE THAN 5 HOURS OF DANCE EACH WEEK.
EVOLVE
INTERMEDIATE DIVISION: FOR DANCERS WHO HAVE LIMITED COMPETITION/ DANCE EXPERIENCE AND OR TAKE LESS THAN 5 HOURS OF DANCE EACH WEEK.
EMERGE
FOR DISABLED DANCERS WHO DO NOT WISH TO COMPETE AGAINST ABLE-BODIED DANCERS. DANCERS MAY OPT INTO ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: FEEDBACK, ADJUDICATION AND OR OVERALL AWARDS IN THE ELEVATE DIVISION.
ELEVATE
FOR DANCERS WHO WOULD ONLY LIKE TO PERFORM AND SHARE THEIR LOVE OF DANCE WITH US. DANCERS IN THE EXPAND DIVISION WILL NOT BE ADJUDICATED AND CAN OPT IN OR OUT OF RECEIVING FEEDBACK.
EXPAND
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EVOLVE AND EMERGE: ENTRY PERFORMANCE DIVISION IS DETERMINED BY THE LEVEL AND OR EXPERIENCE OF THE DANCERS REGISTERED IN THE ENTRY.
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ADVISORS HAVE THE ABILITY TO "BUMP" AN ENTRY FROM THE EMERGE DIVISION TO THE EVOLVE DIVISION. IF 2 OR MORE ADVISORS CHOOSE TO "BUMP" AN ENTRY, EMBODY WILL INFORM THE STUDIO OF THE NEW ENTRY PERFORMANCE DIVISION.
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ELEVATE DIVISION: ELEVATE DIVISION OVERALLS ARE SEPARATED BY AGE DIVISION.
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EXPAND DIVISION: REGARDLESS OF DANCER LEVEL OR EXPERIENCE, STUDIOS CAN SELECT INDIVIDUAL ROUTINES OR ALL ROUTINES TO PERFORM IN THE EXPAND DIVISION.
ENTRY DIVISION AND TIME LIMITS
DIVISION
TIME LIMIT
SOLO
DUO/TRIO
SMALL GROUP (4-9)
LARGE GROUP (10-15)
LINE (16-24)
PRODUCTION (25+)
2:45
2:45
3:00
3:00
4:00
5:00
AGE DIVISIONS
DIVISION
AVERAGE AGE
MINI
JUNIOR
TEEN
SENIOR
PROFESSIONAL
8 AND UNDER
9-11
12-14
15-19
20+
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ALL AGE DIVISIONS FOR 2024-2025 ECHO TOUR EVENTS ARE DETERMINED AS OF JANUARY 1, 2025.
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AGE FOR EMBODY MELT 2024 EVENT IS AS OF JANUARY 1, 2024.
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DECIMALS ARE DROPPED. IF THE AVERAGE AGE OF AN ENTRY IS 11.9, THE ENTRY WILL COMPETE IN THE JUNIOR DIVISION (9-11).
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ENTRIES CANNOT DROP MORE THAN ONE AGE DIVISION BELOW THE AGE OF THE OLDEST DANCER. EX. AN ENTRY WITH DANCERS RANGING IN AGE FROM 8-17, THE ENTRY CANNOT COMPETE YOUNGER THAN THE 12-14 AGE DIVISION (ONE DIVISION YOUNGER THAN THE OLDEST DANCER- 17).
PERFORMANCE CATEGORIES
IMPROV CHALLENGE
IN ADDITION TO COMPETITION, IN SELECT CITIES, EMBODY ALSO OFFERS AN IMPROV CHALLENGE WHERE DANCERS CHOOSE WHAT STYLE THEY'D LIKE TO IMPROV AND MUSIC IS RANDOMLY SELECTED. DANCERS HAVE 60 SECONDS TO DANCE WITH A 5 SECOND COUNTDOWN. ADVISORS WILL GIVE FEEDBACK AND SCORES. ONE WINNER AND TWO RUNNER UPS ARE AWARDED IN EACH AGE DIVISION- 12 AND UNDER AND 13+.
INDEPENDENT DANCERS
YES, WE ALLOW INDEPENDENT DANCERS TO COMPETE AT EMBODY! WE UNDERSTAND THAT BEING PART OF A COMPETITIVE TEAM, COMPANY OR DANCE STUDIO IS NOT ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE, WHETHER IT BE FOR FINANCIAL, GEOGRAPHIC, OR OTHER REASONS. WE BELIEVE DANCE EXPERIENCES SHOULD BE FOR ALL DANCERS AND WE WELCOME YOU WITH OPEN ARMS.
SCHEDULE
SOLOS AND DUO/TRIOS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO COMPETE AFTER 3:00PM ON FRIDAYS. IN CERTAIN CITIES, GROUP COMPETITION MAY BE SCHEDULED ON FRIDAYS AFTER 3:00PM. IF SO, WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO NOTIFY STUDIOS AT LEAST TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE EVENT. IF SOLOS AND DUO/TRIOS ARE SCHEDULED PRIOR TO 3:00PM ON FRIDAY AND DANCERS DECIDE NOT TO PERFORM, EMBODY WILL PROVIDE A FULL REFUND TO THOSE ENTRIES. EMBODY WILL NEVER SCHEDULE GROUP ROUTINES PRIOR TO 3:00PM ON FRIDAYS.
ADVISORS
AT EMBODY, WE REFER TO OUR COMPETITION JUDGES AS ADVISORS, AS THEY ARE NOT HERE TO JUDGE YOU, THEY ARE HERE TO HELP YOU.
ARTIST TO ARTIST
ALL SOLO ENTRIES HAVE A FOURTH ADVISOR. SADDLY, WE SOMETIMES OBSERVE DANCERS WALK OFF STAGE NOT FEELING LIKE THEY DID THEIR BEST OR WORRIED ABOUT THE REACTION THEY WILL RECEIVE FROM THEIR TEACHERS OR PARENTS, SO AT THE CONCLUSION OF EVERY SOLO THE FOURTH ADVISOR WILL SEND AN EMAIL WITH UPLIFTING FEEDBACK AND ENCOURAGEMENT FOR DANCERS TO READ AFTER THEY GET OFF STAGE. THE EMAIL WILL LOOK SOMETHING LIKE THIS:
MY FAVORITE PART OF YOUR DANCE WAS...
I FELT VERY CONNECTED TO YOU BECAUSE...
YOUR DANCING MADE ME FEEL...
I CAN TELL YOU'VE WORKED HARD ON...
WORDS I'D LOVE TO LEAVE YOU WITH...
ADVISORS CRITERIA
PERFORMANCE
CONNECTION
& INTENTION
20%
TECHNIQUE
20%
ARTISTRY
20%
MUSICALITY
DYNAMICS
& CLARITY
20%
OVERALL IMPRESSION
20%
EMBODY MISSION SCALE
WE UNDERSTAND THAT "APPROPRIATENESS" IS SUBJECTIVE BUT AT EMBODY, WE BELIEVE PROTECTING OUR DANCERS AND OUR AUDIENCE IS MOST IMPORTANT. ADDITIONALLY, EMBODY ADVOCATES FOR PEOPLE OF ALL RACES, CULTURES AND IDENTITIES SO, DUE TO THE LACK OF REGULATION FOR CULTURAL APPROPRIATION ON THE DANCE COMPETITION CIRCUT OUR ADVISORS SCORESHEET HAS A "THIS ROUTINE DOES NOT ALIGN WITH EMBODY" CHECKBOX.
IF AN ADVISOR CHECKS THIS BOX, THE STUDIO DIRECTOR OR INDEPENDENT DANCER WILL BE NOTIFIED AND PASSED ALONG A PAMPHLET THAT EXPLAINS THE HARM OF THE MISALIGNMENT. EMBODY DOES NOT BELIEVE IN PUNISHING CHILDREN FOR SOMETHING OUT OF THEIR CONTROL BY DEDUCTING POINTS. INSTEAD, WE CHOOSE TO USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL INVOLVED TO LEARN AND GROW.
STUDIO DIRECTORS, YOUR FEEDBACK IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE TO THIS. WE ARE ALWAYS HERE TO LISTEN AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS. PLEASE REACH OUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS.
SCORE AFFIRMATIONS
EVOLVE
291-300
282-290.9
273-281.9
260-272.9
250-259.9
240-249.9
IT'S YOUR TIME
YOU ARE RESILIENT
YOU ARE ENOUGH
YOU ARE UNSTOPPABLE
YOU ARE STRONG
YOU MATTER
EMERGE
IT'S YOUR TIME
YOU ARE RESILIENT
YOU ARE ENOUGH
YOU ARE UNSTOPPABLE
YOU ARE STRONG
YOU MATTER
290-300
280-289.9
260-279.9
250-259.9
240-249.9
230-239.9
ADJUDICATIONS
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IN AN EFFORT TO HAVE OUR AWARD SESSIONS MOVE MORE EFFICIENTLY, EACH ENTRY ADJUDICATION IS AVAILABLE TO PICK UP AT OUR BACKSTAGE AWARDS TABLE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF THE ROUTINE.
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ALL PERFORMERS IN EACH ROUTINE WILL RECEIVE A PIN WITH THEIR ROUTINES SCORE AFFIRMATION. STUDIOS MAY CHOOSE TO DESIGNATE A REPRESENTATIVE TO PICK UP THE AWARDS, OR HAVE THE PERFORMERS PICK THEM UP AS THEY EXIT THE STAGE.
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WE UNDERSTAND THAT MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH MAY PLAY A ROLE IN A DANCER NEEDING TO EXIT THE STAGE MID-ROUTINE. FOR SOLOS AND DUO/TRIOS, IF A PERFORMER EXITS THE STAGE PRIOR TO THE END OF THEIR PERFORMANCE, THEY MAY NOT RECEIVE A SCORE IF THE ADVISORS FEEL NOT ENOUGH OF THE ROUTINE WAS COMPLETED. HOWEVER, IN THIS CASE, PERFORMERS WILL HAVE THE OPTION TO REDO THE ROUTINE AND HAVE IT REMAIN IN THE COMPETITION.
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STUDIO DIRECTORS HAVE THE OPTION OF DONATING THE COST OF PINS AND OVERALL AWARDS BACK TO EMBODY DANCE ORGANIZATION TO SPONSOR DANCERS IN NEED OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
OVERALL AWARDS
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OVERALL HIGH SCORE AWARDS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN EACH ENTRY LEVEL, AGE, AND ENTRY DIVISION.
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NUMBER OF OVERALL PLACEMENTS IS DETERMINED BY THE NUMBER OF ENTRIES PER ENTRY LEVEL, AGE AND ENTRY DIVISION. (EX. WE WILL ANNOUNCE A TOP 10 IF THERE ARE 30 EVOLVE MINI SOLOISTS)
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INDIVIDUAL SOLOISTS ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO PLACE ONCE IN THE OVERALLS.
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HIGHEST SCORING 12 AND UNDER AND 13 AND OVER GROUP ROUTINE WILL BE AWARDED. (SOLOS AND DUO/TRIOS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE)
ADDITIONAL AWARDS
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ADVISORS AWARDS- INDIVIDUALIZED SPECIAL AWARDS GIVEN TO SPECIFIC DANCERS AND OR ROUTINES THAT STOOD OUT TO EACH ADVISOR.
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EMBODIMENT AWARDS- GIVEN TO SOLOISTS WHO ADVISORS FEEL SHOW UP AS THEIR AUTHENTIC SELF ON STAGE,
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CHOICE AWARDS- GIVEN TO GROUP ROUTINES THAT THE ADVISORS WANT TO RECOGNIZE.
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OUTSTANDING TECHNIQUE
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CAPTIVATING PERFORMANCE
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INNOVATIVE CHOREOGRAPHY
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UNMATCHED ENERGY
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PEAK PRECISION
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CLOSING SHOW INVITATIONS- GROUP ROUTINES SELECTED BY ADVISORS TO PERFORM DURING THE WEEKEND CLOSING SHOW.