Dance Festival Rules

• Allow plenty of time to drive and find parking
• Find the dressing rooms and the rehearsal hall
• Get into costume, apply makeup, hair, be ready to perform
• You may want to apply makeup and do hair before you leave home except for lipstick
• Look for members of your group, and your teacher

Why?

• The times we are given are approximate and event may run up to 30 minutes ahead of schedule.
• Dancers need time to make sure costumes and makeup are all alike, they will also rehearse their routine and receive any last minute coaching from their teachers.
• If you are late it causes disruption and anxiety amongst the group.
• Reminder: teachers reserve the right to ask a dancer to “sit out” from a performance if they feel that dancer is detrimental to the group

Arriving on time is Step 1. Step 2 is having the correct costume and makeup. As a group we want everyone to look the same. If one dancer is missing a headpiece, earrings, or has different colored tights, it is distracting. To be fair, the visual is as important as the dance choreography and execution, therefore our rule is that we would announce that dancer as missing and not let them perform.

As with any live performance of the arts, proper etiquette dictates; NO recording of any kind, video, still, or audio. Festival rules state that if you are observed taking video or still shots, your dancer, group or entire studio may be disqualified immediately. This rule is also for the protection and safety of all performers.

If you would like a performance video, some festivals have a service on site. Teachers allow videotaping in class as long as you are not posting on public sites. Alternatively, Dance Connection hires a professional to produce a DVD of our year-end recital. Order forms will be available at the front desk.

It is very distracting and unprofessional. Dancers need to focus 100% on what is happening on stage with their group. We request that you sit at least 5 rows back from the front.

We encourage dancers to sit and watch performances but ask that if they are in costume, that they are totally covered. We want their costumes reserved for the stage only and don’t want to distract the audience.

Dance changerooms are an extremely easy place to lose parts of your costume and valuables. In a single changeroom, there might be over 100 dancers sharing the space throughout the day, so there are many bags and hiding places for small pieces to disappear.

Please make sure you have labelled all parts of your costumes with your name and studio “DC” including shoes and double check before you leave the venue that you have everything. To reduce the risk of having something stolen, do not bring valuables!