A Solo performer may not compete against themselves in any given category. If the same soloist has more than one solo, only the highest scoring routine will be eligible for overall high score. A soloist can only place in the overall awards once. 

We reserve the right to limit solos to 3 routines per dancer, depending on the venue capability and space.

No Duet/Trio may compete against themselves in the same performance category with the same performers. There must be a 50% difference in performers to be in the same age division and same category.

Lines – performances can portray a theme or style of dance, but should not portray a storyline, plot or narrative.       

Production – May combine all ages and abilities, and may be a combination of dance styles. Performances must portray a storyline, plot or narrative throughout, resembling that of a film, book, play, musical, etc. Productions will compete against one another in combined designated age groups; 12 & Under (combines Mini, Petite & Junior age groups), and 13 & Over (combines Teen, Senior, and Adult age groups). Productions will all compete in the Majesty (Intermediate) or Supremacy (Advance) levels.

Any dancer taking the stage before/during/at the end of a routine must be a registered dancer to the routine, regardless of the amount of time the dancer is present on stage. This includes any person who can be seen by the judges for any amount of time or the performer who may be in a costume that covers their face.

Extended performance time is available, up to 2:00 minute for a fee of $10.00 per routine.

Routines exceeding their allotted time will result in an automatic point deduction of 1-point for every 30 seconds if extended time has not been registered for prior to the performance.

Age divisions for all routines are BASED ON THE AVERAGE AGE OF ALL DANCERS' AS OF JANUARY 1.

For routines with multiple performers, Add the ages of all the dancers, and then Divide by the number of dancers. Drop the decimal point when averaging the ages, DO NOT round up or down. Example: an age average of  11.5 would compete in the Junior 10-12 year old division.

Dancers maintain their Regional Age at Nationals.

You must recalculate the average age of a routine for Nationals if any of the dancers in a routine change.

Adult Age Division: Any routine averaging in age of 20 years old or above will compete in our adult division. All levels in the Adult division will be combined for High-Score awards. Adults may include teachers, professionals, parents, etc.

Performers may be required to present proof of age in the form of a birth certificate if an issue regarding age occurs.

Dance Champs Elite reserves the right to combine Age Divisions if there are less than 2 Routines per Divisions for overall High-Score if necessary, as follows:

• • Mini: 9 & Under
  • Junior: 10-15 Years Old
  • Senior: 16-19 Years Old

Our competitive levels are designed to give dancers an opportunity to compete against other dancers, at their same level. This allows dancers to build confidence and self-esteem.

As we are always striving to keep every dancer's competition experience positive and inspirational, the following are suggestions to be used in determining the appropriate level placement for each performer.

Nobility- This level has been designed specifically for children, teens and adults with special needs. We are excited to offer dancer's a level to be judged fairly and an opportunity to freely communicate through dance regardless of their abilities or challenges. This level will be adjudicated as well as receive overall high score placement within the entries division. When registering you will be able to let us know your specific dancers challenges in our notes section.

Duo/Trio routines with 1 or more dancers in the Nobility level can be entered at the Nobility level.

50% or more of the individual dancers in a group must be in the Nobility level for the routine, as a whole, to be placed in the Nobility level

Royalty- Dancers with little or no competition experience who take 1-3 hours of class per week. It is designed to let the novice dancers get the feel for competition, stage performances, judges, audiences, etc., and will be adjudicated, as well as receive overall high score placement within the entries division. It is NOT mandatory that beginner dancers enter at this Level. Groups may be placed in the Royalty level only if that group is made-up of at least 50% novice dancers.

Majesty- Dancers taking approximately 4-5 hours of classes per week. This is the intermediate level for DCE and meant for dancers who are not beginners. This level will be adjudicated as well as receive overall high score placement within the entries division.

Supremacy- Dancers taking approximately 6 or more hours of class per week. This is the more advance level meant for more experienced dancers. This level will be adjudicated as well as receive overall high score placement within the entries division.

Duo/Trio, Groups, Line & Production- The level for all routines will be determined automatically by our registration system once each individual dancers' levels are entered. The majority level of each dancer in a routine will determine the level of the routine. Example: 1 Supremacy Dancer and 8 Majesty Dancers will determine the routine to be in the Majesty Level. In the event that there are equal number of level performers in a routine, the system will default to the higher level of the performers. EXAMPLE: 6 Majesty level dancers and 6 Royalty level dancers will determine the routine to be in the Majesty Level.

Routines may be placed in a higher performance level than the average of the participants, but never a lower level. This must be done PRIOR to the competition.

Placement in any level is left to the discretion of the instructor, however, it is the discretion of our judging panel to move any entry up if they feel has been under-placed. All decisions are final.

NO level changes can be made at the competition.

All routines, music, choreography, and costumes must be suitable for family viewing and listening. Failure to comply with this rule may result in point deductions or entry disqualification.

A three-point deduction will be made for dancers that leave the stage without completing the performance. At the discretion of our DCE event producer and back stage managers, dancers may have the option to re-perform the routine, but for adjudication only. If they choose to perform again, they will not be eligible for overall high score placement.

A Solo performer may not compete against themselves in any given category. If the same soloist has more than one solo, only the highest scoring routine will be eligible for overall high score. A soloist can only place in the overall awards once. 

In some of the above dance categories, acro/gymnastic tricks are permissible. An acro/gymnastic trick is defined as movements that pass through or stop at a fully inverted (upside down) position with both feet off the floor (the torso passing or stopping directly over the top of one’s head/shoulders). Acro/gymnastic tricks include: forward rolls/backward rolls, headstands, handstands, handstand rolls, chin stands, shoulder rolls/chest rolls, cartwheels, roundoffs, walkovers, aerials, handsprings, tucks, pikes, layouts, fulls. A tumbling pass is considered one acro/gymnastic trick. Lifts with other dancers are not considered acro/gymnastic tricks. Lifts that incorporate any of the acro/gymnastic tricks listed above within the lift, would then be considered an acro/gymnastic trick.

The Pointe category can only be entered in the Majesty and Supremacy levels.

Student Choreography- Please note if a routine is choreographed by a current dancer participating in this competition.  All student-choreographed routines are eligible for a specialty award.

All Entries must be submitted Online through your Dance Comp Genie account. We do not accept Paper Registrations. 

Registration is accepted on a first come first served basis and is limited to the amount of competition time available. This varies by city. Many of our events reach capacity well before the deadline and any entries exceeding the limit will be turned away.  

There are no limits to the number of entries a studio may register, unless otherwise noted on the Event Details page. All routines will be adjudicated.

**IMPORTANT: Once registration is complete, please review ALL entries are entered CORRECTLY!

i.e., ROUTINE TITLE, PARTICIPANT NAME(s), as they should appear in the Program. ENSURE the proper AGE DIVISIONS, PERFORMANCE CATEGORIES and LEVELS are entered correctly. This is to avoid any additional fees that may be added if changes have to be made. (See Changes and Late Entry Fees, under the Entry Fees and Royal Discounts Tab)

Dance Champs Elite ACCEPTS independent entries. Dancers are allowed to compete without their full studio present. All Entries must be submitted Online through your Dance Comp Genie account. We do not accept Paper Registrations.  All event communication and details will be emailed to the address which is associated with your Dance Comp Genie account. 

Entry fees can be located by logging in to your Dance Comp Genie account. This information will be shared with studio owners/faculty only and is not publicly posted anywhere.

FULL PAYMENT

All fees must be paid by studio check, credit card, or cashier check. Payment by check is appreciated and can be mailed to 12 Osprey Drive, South Amboy, NJ 08879. Personal checks will only be accepted 30 days or more prior to the event. Credit card payments can only be made through the online registration system.  We cannot accept credit card payment over the phone. A 4% service charge will be added to all credit card payments. Entries are not secured until a deposit or payment has been made in full.

Entry fees are due 30 days prior to the first event date. All payments less than 30 days of the event must be paid by credit card or cashier check ONLY.  Absolutely no personal checks for entries will be taken at the event, and any unpaid entries will not be allowed to perform.​ No entries will be accepted at the event.

There is a $35.00 fee for returned checks. 

Once an event is announced as “Sold Out”, you will be required to make a 25% deposit based on 100% of the entry fees to secure your entries spot, if you have not yet paid in full.

Early Royal Discounts
To be eligible for the Early Royal Discount you must have entries registered and make a $500 non-refundable deposit by October 31, 2022. If you do not have all entries registered and deposit paid by October 31, 2022, NO discount will be given. A minimum of $2,500 in entry fees before discount must be met. If entry fees do not reach $2,500 before all Royal Discounts, you will not be eligible for said discount.

Regal Rewards

Discount offers cannot be combined with any other offer, other than Early Royal Discount. Please email or call our event producer, Sharon Stevenson, with any questions [email protected] / 888-545-9161 ext.1

Changes and Late Entry Fees
Mailed in payments must be postmarked by registration deadline to avoid said late fees. Any changes made to existing entries within 15 days of event date will be subject to a $10 change fee per change. Any payments or entries added after the registration deadline will be subject to a $10 late fee per dancer. All fees are non-refundable, NO EXCEPTIONS.

IMPORTANT: Please review over your Preliminary Schedules very closely prior to the Final Schedule being sent. Notify our Registration/Scheduling Coordinator, Dee Alvoeiro, via email, [email protected]  immediately of any changes.

Refunds/Credits
A studio credit may be issued for the removal of an injured dancer if a doctor’s note is provided prior to the start of the competition. Any cancellations of entries/dancers made by the studio less than 15 days prior to the competition, will result in a loss of all deposits and entry fees for that event. Studio credits are applicable towards the entry fees of all DCE events (excluding deposits). Studio credits must be used by the studio they were awarded to. We do not offer refunds in the case of day-of scratches/injury/dropped dancer. No credits will be issued during or after the completion of the event.

DCE reserves the right to expand or reduce any and all competitions from/to a multiple day event.

DCE reserves the right to change an event’s location, venue and/or date(s). Upon changing a location, venue and/or date(s), a representative from DCE will contact all registered studios via phone or email. DCE will not be held liable for any costs endured for any type of travel arrangements made upon cancelling an event or an event selling out, including but not limited to: hotel fees, transportation fees or bank fees. We HIGHLY recommend registering for an event prior to making ANY travel arrangements. 

Furthermore, DCE reserves the right to cancel any and all events that do not meet the minimum number of acceptable entries, inclement weather, health crises or other unforeseen circumstances. In the event of a cancelled competition all entry fees will be refunded. NO refunds/credits will be issued if the event is taken place or rescheduled.

Advanced submission of music must be submitted 2-weeks PRIOR to the date of the competition through your Dance Comp Genie account as an mp3. Music upload is mandatory!  NOTE: The song length will determine each routines length. Please verify that each routines length is the same as the song length or the system will not allow you to upload the music for the specified routine.

Please verify that all music uploads are the correct versions of the song as pitch and speed cannot be adjusted at the event.

BACKSTAGE

Teachers should check-in students backstage by the call time listed on their schedule.

Dancers, teachers, studio owners and prop coordinators are the only persons allowed in the wings/backstage area up to 15-minutes prior to their performance. In order to minimize delay, we ask that all parents, family members and audience members remain in the main venue or the lobby. Backstage areas need to remain clear of dancers, parents, and teachers and stay organized all other times.

ROUTINE DELAYS

DCE prides itself on running an organized, on time event. To do so, routines must perform in the order they are scheduled.

If for any reason a routine can not perform during their scheduled time, please inform our backstage coordinator. They will reschedule the routines performance prior to the divisions award ceremony. The routine will still be eligible for adjudication and overall placement awards.

If for any reason a routine can not perform during their scheduled time and prior to the divisions award ceremony, it may perform out of order for adjudication ONLY. The routine will not be eligible for overall placement awards.

Any Studio that delays the competition because they are rehearsing will have points deducted from their total score.

INCOMPLETE ROUTINES

Except for technical difficulties on the part of DCE, A three-point deduction will be made for dancers that leave the stage without completing the performance. At the discretion of our DCE event producer and back stage managers, dancers may have the option to re-perform the routine, but for adjudication only. If they choose to perform again, they will not be eligible for overall placement awards.

PROPS

Props should be essential to the act and must be carried on & off stage by the performer(s) or your own staff (instructor, parent, coach, etc.).

For safety purposes, all props (hand-held or freestanding) are restricted to a maximum height of 12 feet. The use of safety railings is recommended.

All props must be mobile and under the watch of someone from your studio at all times.

Props must be brought on and off stage in a timely manner (2 minute cumulative). Anything damaging to the stage floor is subject to responsibility of the studio.

Props must be loaded in and out of the venue on the same day they are used.

DCE will not be responsible for props left unattended and will discard any props left behind.

Storing props in the wings or backstage is not permitted.

Scenery or backdrops requiring the use of theater fly bars, or special theater lighting will not be available. Special fog or smoke is not permitted.

No dangerous props may be used on stage such as fire, swords, guns , or knives. Live animals, powders, liquids, glitter, confetti, paint, sand, unweighted helium balloons, etc. are also prohibited on stage at any time. If using Helium balloons, they may not be released on stage or anywhere else in the building.

Any loose props must be cleaned up by the studio members in a timely manner.

Absolutely NO Items may be thrown or shot off the front of the stage at ANY time at any DCE competition.

Dancers may NOT exit or jump off the front of the stage at ANY time at any DCE competition.

Please check the box when you register your routine online if you plan on bringing a prop and write the description of your prop.

We will try to accommodate special requests, PRIOR TO THE FINAL SCHEDULES COMPLETION, for props that take longer than 1 minute to set up. Example: putting the entry right after a judge’s break, awards ceremony, or putting in on at the start of competition to allow extra time to set the prop. In an effort to ensure a smooth competition with on-time award ceremonies, if you have not made special arrangements regarding your prop, prior to the competition, that takes extra time and you go over the allotted time, we will deduct 5 points from said routine. All decisions are final.

**Venues have differing rules regarding prop allowance, storing, and drop off. Please pay close attention to any event details listed or emailed to your studio regarding props.

LIGHTING

Special Stage or House Lighting will not be provided or changed for any performance. 

In the majority of venues, dressing areas will be assigned. All studio representative, parents, dancers and items must remain in your assigned dressing space. DCE cannot be responsible for any items left in the dressing room during or after the event. Men are not allowed in the assigned dressing area. There will be a separate space designated for boys. We ask that all studio owners check their dressing rooms at the end of each day to ensure that the space is neat, orderly and that all personal items are collected. Hallways may NOT be used for changing, makeup application, storage of personal items or for any other reasons other than traveling throughout the building.

All Dancers are required to arrive stage-ready for their first performance, this includes hair, makeup and costumes.

A preliminary schedule of your studio’s entries will be emailed to the address which is associated with your Dance Comp Genie account, 2 weeks prior to the competition. Please review ALL entries are entered CORRECTLY! i.e., ROUTINE TITLE, PARTICIPANT NAME(s), as they should appear in the Program. ENSURE the proper AGE DIVISIONS, PERFORMANCE CATEGORIES and LEVELS are entered correctly.  

A final schedule will be available to each studio the Tuesday prior to the first day of competition. Once the final schedule is completed, the ability to make changes and/or corrections is considerably limited, if not impossible.

Digital copies of our programs will be available for purchase under the Event Details page.

EVERY STUDIO MUST HAVE A FULLY SIGNED WAIVER ON FILE IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE. DOWNLOAD WAIVER (CLICK)

Every Studio must provide us with a completely filled out Studio Blanket Waiver, listing all participants and parent/guardian signature. We would prefer to have Waivers in prior to the competition, but they may be brought to registration and handed in on the First competition day. No Dancer can compete without being listed and parents’ signature.

Dance Champs Elite, its staff, the hotel, theater or site of the competition will not be responsible for any accident, injury, damage or loss that may occur to anyone participating and/or attending these events. DCE cannot be held responsible for unforeseen flaws in theatre stages that may inadvertently lead to the causing of an accident.  Persons entering the competition and/or participating as a spectator or in any other aspect MUST assume the responsibility for any unforeseen injury.  It is the responsibility of the dance teacher and/or person in charge of the participating entries to educate them and other attendees from their studio as to these rules and policies.

We do allow photos and videos of your Dancers ONLY. There is absolutely NO picture or video taking  allowed in the Dressing Rooms, Restrooms, etc. This is for the safety of the performers and the privacy and safety for the  choreographers. We reserve the right to confiscate all recording devices used during an event and/or disqualify an entry if failure to comply with this rule occurs.

All attending DCE events grant permission for Dance Champs Elite to use any photographs and video taken during the attended competition for promotional purposes including, but not limited to, advertising, publicity, newspapers, brochures, television, videos, newsletters, posting on social media outlets and the Internet.

We will upload and share a link to all photos and videos taken at the competition, on Google Drive, with all Studio owners following the competition.

All attendees must be affiliated with a registered studio/independent in order to attend any and all of our events.

DCE produces family-friendly events, All inappropriate Music, Costumes and Choreography will not be tolerated. Any routine which contains inappropriate content or profanity will receive a deduction or may be stopped and disqualified. All decisions are final!

All attendees must abide by any state, local or venue mandates and rules set in place.

Smoking is prohibited in or around the competition area. We ask that all smokers stand at least 50 yards from the competition venue to preserve the well-being of our dancers, audience and staff members.

Please adhere to our no food and beverage policy inside the theater, unless otherwise noted at the venue. Most venues do allow food in the lobby and dressing rooms but please have your dancers clean up around them before leaving.

Doors to the theatre open thirty (30) minutes prior to the start of the competition. Doors for dressing rooms open 1 hour prior to the competition.

We ask that all competitors and attendees alike please wear proper footwear at all times to ensure their safety.

All Dancers, teachers, studios owners, family and audience members are required to comply with all of the rules and regulations set forth by DCE and our hosting venue. Those who do not may be removed from the event either by DCE's or the hosting venue’s staff.

LIABILITY

Dance Champs Elite, its staff, the hotel, theater or site of the competition will not be responsible for any accident or injury that may occur to anyone participating and/or attending these events.  DCE cannot be held responsible for unforeseen flaws in theatre stages that may inadvertently lead to the causing of an accident.  Persons entering the competition and/or participating as a spectator or in any other aspect MUST assume the responsibility for any unforeseen injury.  It is the responsibility of the dance teacher and/or person in charge of the participating entries to educate them and other attendees from their studio as to these rules and policies.

Dance Champs Elite reserves the rights to change, delete, or add to any rules, regulations, or policies at any time deemed necessary.

STUDIO HOSPITALITY SUITE 

At each event, studio directors and teachers will have a space to enjoy a quiet moment, some refreshments and coffee. 

RESERVED SEATING

At each event we will reserve 2-3 rows at the front of the auditorium specified for our studio directors and teachers to watch all of their amazing performances. 

SPOIL THE ROYALS' SWEETS & TREATS TABLE

We love to spoil our royals with a table full of emergency supplies & treats for all studio dancers  convenience.

STUDIO CONCIERGE

Our Studio Concierge will greet you at our Check-in Table and take you to your designated dressing areas. they are available to you throughout the weekend.

SOCIAL MEDIA PRINCE/PRINCESS

From Photos to Boomerangs to TikTok, our Social Media prince/princess is there behind the scenes to catch all of the backstage fun and preparation! If you want to be posted on all of our Social Media Platforms, make sure to be Camera Ready when you see them!

ON-STAGE JUDGES & FACULTY MEET & GREET

We believe that giving this personal interaction, not only forms a sense of familiarity and comfort, but helps them get acclimated with the Stage, ease any nerves and builds confidence. Which ultimately translates into excellent results for their upcoming performances!

ON-STAGE WARM-UP CLASS

Dancers wishing to warm up and be ready for the day is encouraged to join us on stage for our stretch and warm-up class.

COMMUNICATION

Who doesn't love to know what's going on and have fun? Our Emcee will keep everyone informed and engaged throughout the competition. In addition, we aim to provide unprecedented customer service before and after the event and welcome the opportunity to answer any question you may have.