COMPETITION APPRENTICE FAQ 20 25
MESSAGE FROMUS
Competition season can be both exciting and stressful! It is the culmination of months of hardwork and sacrifice - from your dancer, and from you as parents as well Itisafast-pacedcoupleofdays,and emotions are heightened The schedule is always tight, and many things are not within our scope of influence/control Often it's a "hurry up and wait" situation Emotionally, your dancer might be a little testy because nerves tend to intensify whatever else we ' re feeling The most important thing you can do to help your dancer during competition is to be prepared!
Inthespiritofpreparation,thishandbookisprovidedtoanswertheFrequentlyAskedQuestions regarding the competition season. It is updated yearly to reflect current practices, and to include any new tips or tricks that develop over time. On the next page, you'll find a Table of Contents to help you easily locate the category you are looking for. Of course, if you have a questionthatisn'tansweredhere,orifyouneedmoreinformation,feelfreetoreachouttous.
Whodeterminesthecompetitionschedule?
Thecompetitioncompanysetstheschedule
Canweaskforaschedulechange?
Short answer: Nope. Once the final schedule is published, changes cannotbemadebythestudio.Itisimportantthatyoucarefullycheck the schedule we forward to you, and ensure that your dancer is availabletodancewhenrequired.
Longer Answer: from time to time, due to circumstances that are completely out of our control, and for highly serious reasons (as in, a University student who has an in-person exam during the exact time that they are scheduled to compete, for example), a competition will grant a schedule change But not often So we never count on it Essentially, when you are given the competition dates in the fall, you havetoassumethatyouwillbeneededonallofthosedays.
Dowehavetostayovernightduringcompetition?
No Ifyourscheduleallowsit,youcandriveupjustforthecompetition
Just remember things like travel time, sleep time for your dancer, traffic, and weather conditions. You are required to be at the competitionvenue2hourspriortocompeting(1hourfor8amstarts).
Dowehavetostayatthehotelthestudiochose?
No. You can stay somewhere else. The hotel we choose is across the streetfromthecompetitionvenue,andhasagrouprate,butifyouare morecomfortablesomewhereelse,goaheadandstaythere.
Do we have to reserve rooms through the studio, or can we book ourselves?
Asyouplease Thisisaconvenience(andgrouprate)thatweprovide, butyoucanbookyourselfifyouprefer.Ifyou'rebookingthroughus,it's important that you use the link right away because the hotel will not keepoursavedroomsforverylong.It’softena48hoursituation,tbh.
Canwemissacompetition?
No. To complete your Apprentice program you must compete your solo at BOTH mandatory competitions. Once you have signed up for anoptionalcompetition,feescannotberefunded.
Howearlydoweneedtoarriveatthecompetition?
Dancersarerequiredtobeatthecompetitionvenue(notthehotel)2 hours prior to their first dance of the day. For those who dance first thinginthemorning(likeournovicesolos),youshouldbetherewhen the dressing rooms open which is usually about 1 hour before the competitionstarts (So7amfor8am-9amstarts)
Whenislunch(orsupper)break?
There isn’t really a lunch break for dancers – we just eat small things throughoutthedayastimepermits.Sometimesyoucantakeaproper lunch break, but don't count on it. Just because the competition schedule says “lunch break” doesn’t mean that all dancers have time to go to the cafeteria. (Really, that's just a scheduled break for the judges) If you are dancing right after the break, please check with your instructor to know when you are expected to meet them to go backstage
Can we leave the competition venue to do other things during the competitionday?
Yes and no. It’s better to be at the venue as much as possible just in case there is a last minute schedule change, but if you have a long break(like4hoursorsomething),youcouldgobacktothehotelroom forabit,ordowntothecafeteriaforlunch,butit’sabadideatotryto drivetoanotherlocationifyou’renotdonedancingfortheday.
Soifwe’renotscheduledtodance,wecandowhateverwewant?
Not really. The competition can also adjust the schedule based on various factors throughout the day, so it is important that you remain in contact with the studio even if you have a long break. (it’s more likely that a dance is delayed than moved early, but it has happened, and it could happen, so we need to be prepared) Please don’t leave, or shut off your phone for long periods without letting us know – we ask that this communication come directly from you to us, and not throughanotherparent/dancer.
Canwevisitthemuseum,orgodosomeshopping?
Oncompetitiondays,weaskthatthefocusremainondancing.Family activities, including visiting the museum, shopping, and family meals, shouldnotbescheduledduringthecompetition.Weaskthatyousave thoseactivitiesforoncethecompetitionhasconcluded.
Canweusethehotelpool?
The hotel has a pool, and of course you are welcome to use it during freetime,butjustconsiderthata4hourpoolsessionthenightbefore alongdayofdancingmightnotbeconducivetohavingtheenergyto puttheirbesteffortsonstagethenextday.(thisisalsotrueofawhole day of walking around the museum, the mall, or any other physical activity that is out of the ordinary for your dancer) It’s especially disheartening to your team members if your dancer isn’t at their best becausetheyspentthewholedayplayinginthepool.
Butwhataboutmyotherkids?Won’ttheybebored?
Tobehonest,yeahthey’llprobablybebored.Thefocusoftheweekend is on dancing, and making sure your dancer is prepared/supported. It’s not really a family fun weekend (Though we do have a lot of fun!)
Howyoudecidetohandleyourfamilydynamicsisobviouslyuptoyou, butyoumightwanttoconsidersomeorallofthefollowing:
Canmydancer’ssiblingsrealisticallysitstillandquiet,inatheatre forlongperiodsoftime?
Willmyotherkidscomplainthewholetime,andkindaruintheday forallofus?
Willmyotherkidspullmyattentionawayfrommydancer’sneeds (hair, makeup, costume, food, emotional support, emergency run backtothehotelforsomethingweforgot...)
Are my other kids able to follow instructions without complaining? (sitstill,bequiet,don’tstandthere,waithereanddon’tmove ) What devices can I provide to my other kids to help them make it throughtheday?
Will my other kids get jealous that so much of my time is being spentfocusedonmydancer?
Could my spouse/mom/friend take my other kids somewhere for most of the day, and just come for short periods to watch my dancerperform?
ShouldIbringagrandparent/aunt/friendtohelpme?
Would it be better to make this a mom-dancer weekend as opposedtoawholefamilyevent?
**youmayalsowanttoconsidersomeofthesequestionsinrelationto your spouse – not every dad is cut out to be a great dance dad from day1!Someofthemhavetoworkuptoitovertheyears.
Whathappensifwemissadance?
To be honest, this has never happened to us (and we do everything humanlypossibletomakesureitneverdoes),butitwouldmeanthat you’ve missed your opportunity, and that your team had to dance withoutyou.Whichsucks.Sodon’tmissadance,lol.
DowehavetowatchallStudioCdances?
WeaskthatyoutrytowatchasmanyStudioCdancesaspossibleat thecompetition.Obviouslyifthere’sadaythatyou’renotdancing,you don’t have to stay in Gatineau just to watch, but many of our families dojustthat.Overtheyearswe’veseensomanytimesthatourseniors get up early to watch the minis, and our younger dancers stay up as late as they can to watch the seniors. Our dance family has always beensupportiveofeachother,andwereallyhopetoseethistradition continue.Ifyoucanwait5minutestoeatlunchsothatyoucanwatch ourdancers,wehighlyencourageyoutodoso.
Whowilldomydancer’shairandmakeup?
You Or them Not us, �� Dancers and parents are responsible for hair and makeup. Instructors will be busy with responsibilities to the whole team, and are not available to help get anyone ready for the stage. Remember, that hairstyles must be secure, smooth, and precise. Makeup must be appropriate for stage – not for everyday life – and shouldbetoucheduppriortogoingonstagetoensurethateverything iscleanandpolished.
HowdoIknowwhichshoes,whichaccessory,whichhairstyle,etcis foreachdance?
Consult the checklist for each dance (This is provided when you receive your costumes, and is personalized to your dancer). Please read carefully to know shoes, tights, hairstyle, accessory, and accessoryplacementforeachindividualdance.
Whatshouldmydancer’smakeuplooklike?
Makeupstaysthesamethroughoutthecompetition(andindeedstays consistent throughout your dancer’s competition career) Check the makeupdocumenttoknowwhatyouneed,andyoucanclickthelinks to watch some videos or see some examples. It's important that all dancers are wearing "stage makeup" that will enhance their facial expressionsforthejudgeswhoaresittingquitefaraway.
Don’tforget:
ApprenticedancerscanwearPINKlipstick.
Should I practice doing my dancer’s hair and makeup prior to the competition?
YES!!Yes.Yes,youshould.Yes.Ihonestlycan’tsayyesenoughtimes. It seems straightforward, but stress and time constraints are a factor Youshouldpractice.
WhenshouldIdomydancer’shairandmakeup?
Makeupandhairshouldbecompletedwellbeforeyouareexpectedto dance Prior to going onstage, we stretch and run dances, and it isn’t fairtoaskthewholeteamtowaitforyou.Generallyspeaking,hairand makeupshouldbecompletedatleastanhouraheadoftime.Earlieris fine too, just be careful to check it out to make sure it still looks good closer to competition time. Please be extra careful to check lipsticksomehowlittlelipsmanagetoeatitoff,lol
Should I do my dancer’s hair and makeup at the hotel or in the dressingroom?
Ifyoucandoitatthehotel,that’seasierforeveryone.Ifyou’reoverat the venue all day, watching other dances in the morning, and don’t compete until the afternoon, (like many of our older dancers) then of course you can use the dressing room, but just be very mindful of sharingthespacewitheveryone,andoftimemanagement
Canmydancerhavefakenailsorwearnailpolish?
No. Natural nails please. Anything special draws attention where we mightnotwantit.Pleaseplanaheadforthis.
Doesmydancerhavetowearthetightsprovided?
Yes Consult your costume checklist to know what is worn for each dance,includingshoes,tights,andaccessories
Whathappensifweripthetights,orgetarun?
Tell us right away. Each season your dancer is provided with one pair of competition tights free of charge, but we have replacement tights with us. They are available for a fee of $20, invoiced to your account afterthecompetition.
Mydancerdoesn’thavepiercedears,buttheearringsprovidedare pierced.WhatdoIdo?
Hopefully we are realizing this well before competition weekend, but basicallyjusttellus.Wehaveclipons.Wetrytogiveyoutherightones, butwedomakemistakes.
WhatshouldIdoifmydancer’snecklacebreaks?
Tell us. The sooner the better. (also try to be careful so this doesn’t happen) Wehaveextras
CanIlaunderthecostumes?
No. Please do not try to wash anything. If something happens, ask Candy/Alannaforhelp.Dancefabricisfinickyandneedsspecialcare.
CanIironthecostumes?
Nope. These are not iron-friendly fabrics. Most things will melt. Try to packandstorecostumestopreventwrinkles.Ifacostumestillendsup super wrinkly, please talk to Candy/Alanna, and they’ll help figure out whattodo
Whathappensifwe’veforgottensomethingathome?
Shortanswer–don’t!lol
Longer answer – I guess we hope someone from the studio has somethingtolend,butifit’sacostumepiece,we’resortofoutofluck. Thisiswherediligentplanningandpackingisessentialaheadoftime. Usethechecklistsweprovide,anditwillhelptominimizethechances offorgettingsomething.
Whoisallowedinthedressingrooms?
Dancers,andasame-genderedparentifneeded Pleasedonothang outinthedressingrooms.It’snotaplacetoeatlunch,ortakeanap,or set up camp for the day. Other dancers (probably even from other studios)willbechangingandgettingready,sometimeswithverylittle time, and we need to respect that. Dressing rooms are shared, and often cramped Only 1 parent per dancer is permitted to help in the dressing room. Grandparents, friends, siblings, and others are not permittedinthedressingrooms
Isthereanytimewe’renotallowedinthedressingrooms?
Sometimes,becauseofquickchanges,weneedtoprioritizeaccessto thedressingroomforsomeoftheolderdancers. Ifyouareaskedbya studio staff member not to enter the dressing room for a period of time,pleasecooperate.
Arethedressingroomslockedwhenwe’renotinthere?
Dressing rooms are not secure – the doors are not locked, and we might be (probably are) sharing with another studio People are generally kind, and respectful, and we’ve never had anything tampered with or sabotaged or anything, but I still wouldn’t leave anythingvaluableunattendedinthedressingroom.
Isourdressingroomprivate?
Almost never. Even if it is just our studio we’re still sharing with about 40 dancers so it is a constant compromise with everyone’s need for space. Sometimes we have access to hanging racks, sometimes there are chairs to sit on, sometimes there are tables to use, sometimes there are mirrors - and sometimes not We just have to make the best of it. If you have a Rack ‘n’ Roll, please try to set up in such a way that it doesn’t block anyone’s path or limit access to something. In general, take care of your costumes, limit personal items,anddon’tleavethingsdraggingaround.
On the flip side, please don’t touch things that don’t belong to you –that includes things belonging to our studio dancers too Maybe that costumeislaidoutlikethatbecausesomeonehasaquickchangeto come back to later on. “Being helpful” without being asked, is generallynothelpfulatall.
What'saRac'n'Roll?(oraDreamDuffel)
Dance is a weird little world with its own little gadgets and items. A Rac ' n ' Roll is essentially a rolling suitcase that has a pop-up clothing rack inside it. It comes in different sizes, and there are a bunch of differentaccessoriesthatcanbepurchasedaswell.
DoIhavetobuyaRac'n'Roll?
No, absolutely not required If you only have 2 or 3 costumes, it's probably not even that helpful tbh. But you'll see that as dancers get older, they tend to increase their dance hours and end up with many more dances and costumes. At some point, most people get one (it makesaprettygoodbirthday/Christmasgiftwhenthetimecomes).If you 'reinthemarketforone,herearethelinks:
Rac'n'Roll https://racnrollca/collections/bags
DreamDuffel https://www.dreamduffel.ca/duffel-bags/ GritDanceTower https://gritinc.net/collections/dance-bags
Wheredomaledancerschange?
Thereisusuallyonedressingroomunderthestagethatisdesignated for all male dancers. It is shared between all of the studios. For the most part, dance moms enter these dressing rooms to set up their son ' s costumes, and then wait in the hall. Many male dancers are young,butsomeofthemareteenagers,andtheydon'twantanyone's mominthedressingroomwhiletheyarechanging.
Sometimes our male dancers prefer to hang their costumes in the Studio C dressing room, and have their mom bring them out so they canuseanearbywashroomtochange. That'syourchoice.
Any team meetings, rehearsals, etc will happen outside the theatre in acommonareasothatalldancerscanparticipate Nothinghappens inthedressingroomsexceptgettingready.
Areparentsallowedbackstage?
No
Whendoweeat?
Youcaneatwheneveryouwant,butyoushouldplanaheadtoeaton the run, in small amounts throughout the competition day. Proper meal breaks are a luxury, but it’s important that dancers eat when they can. It’s also a bad idea to force a big meal on a dancer right beforetheyhavetodance Onthatnote,it’salsoabadweekendtotry new foods – let’s please limit the possibility of allergic reactions and upsetstomachs.
Wheredowegetfoodfrom?
You can pack a cooler from home, you can send someone to pick up some food, or you can use the cafeteria at the museum (it’s not cheap, but it is convenient). Although, to be fair, the cafeteria hasn't been open since before Covid, so maybe check ahead to make sure. There is a little cafe, but it gets pretty slammed during competition week Foodisaplan-aheadactivityduringcompetition
Dothedancershaveacurfew?
That’s your call as a parent, depending on your child’s needs. Please ensurethatyourdancer(whethertheyare6or17)getsanappropriate amount of sleep prior to competing That amount is different for everyone,soweleaveituptoyouasparents.
Isthereaticketfeeforobservingthecompetitionfromtheaudience?
No. Dancecompetitionsaretypicallyfree.
Can anyone come observe the competition, or is there a limit of spectatorsperdancer?
It’sopenaccess,unlessotherwisestated.
Doweneedtosittogetherwiththestudio?
No,notnecessarily,butweusuallydo.Wehaveafavouritespotinthe balcony area on the left that we’ve sat in for years But you can sit somewhere else if you want. It’s nice to be together to cheer for our dancersthough.
CanIsaveseats?
You can try It depends on how packed the auditorium is, and most peoplewon’ttaketookindlytobagsandjacketsonseatswithnoone sittingthere.Likelyyourstuffwillgetmoved.Buthavinganotherparent saveyourseatwhileyougotothewashroomorrunbacktothehotel is reasonable. Dancers change seats about 100 times a day, so don't worryaboutsavingthemone
Are there specific theatre etiquette/rules that we need to follow as audiencemembers?
Absolutely!Seethelistbelow:
Do not enter/exit the theatre while people are dancing (our dancersordancersfromanotherstudio).
Do not hold full-voice conversations, or call out for someone while peoplearedancing
Donotmovethroughtheaisleswhilepeoplearedancing
Donotallowchildren(oryourselfforthatmatter)tothrowanything aroundintheaudiencewhilepeoplearedancing
If your child (or you) is using an electronic device, turn the sound off,oruseheadphones
Turnyourphonetosilent/vibrate
Follow the venue rules – even when they seem dumb, or even if it seemslikeotherpeoplearen’t.There’saparticularlyannoyingrule at our venue that says you can’t sit on the very wide, very convenient stairs to watch. Sometimes they enforce this.
Sometimes they don’t Sometimes one guard enforces it after literallydaysofotherguardsnotcaring...justdoasyou’reaskedin themomentthatyou’reaskedplease.
Applaudforallroutines–ofcourseit’stotallyok(andexpected)to cheerandclaplouderforourowndancers!
Clappingandcheeringatthebeginningandendingofourdances is encouraged! During the dance itself, some cheering is also acceptable, but don’t call out someone’s name as it can be very distractingforthedancers.
Do not critique dances (or dancers) while you’re sitting in the audience You never know who’s listening, and honestly, we all needtorememberthatthesearechildrenwhoaredoingtheirbest. Be kind If you didn’t like a routine, just save that info for later on, whenyou’reinprivate.
Treat people with kindness - our people, the competition people, otherdancersandstudiosandparents. Justbekindplease.
CanItakepictures/videosduringthecompetition?
No That’s a hard no It’s a bit of a sticking point for dance competitions, and is announced over and over again. You may be askedtoleaveifyouarecaught. AndasarepresentativeofStudioC, we require that you follow this rule in order to participate in competitions. There are videos and photos for purchase (sometimes availableforfree!)fromthecompetitioncompany Butyouabsolutely cannot take photos/videos during the competition, even of your own child Ifyouwanttohearthereasoningbehindthis,feelfreetoaskus Thereareverygoodreasons.
CanItakepictures/videosduringtheawardssessions? Yes.
CanItakepictures/videosinthelobby? Yes.
CanItakepictures/videosinthedressingrooms?
No Peoplearechanging Thisseemsobvious,butpeoplegetexcited aboutcostumesanddon'tthink...sopleasetrytobecareful.
CanIpostphotostosocialmedia?
In past years, we have asked that no costume pictures be posted to social media until after the recital, but we are now letting go of that rule. You can post to social media, but just be reasonable when it comes to photos of other people’s kids. Group shots and videos from awards and in the lobby are generally well-received by most people, but if it’s something more private/personal it’s a good idea to check beforeyoupost
ShouldItagthestudioinmysocialmediaposts?
Yes!Absolutely!Wewouldloveitifyouwouldtagus. Ifwedon'trepost, like or comment right away, please just remember that the people who run our social media are the same people who are preparing everyonetocompete. Sopleasebepatientwithus
Willthestudioposttosocialmedia?
We'll try our best. It's busy, but we do try to update as much as possible. Likeorcommentonourpoststohelpkeepusmotivated;)
Willtherebealivestreamofthecompetition?
Maybe. Before Covid, this was unheard of. But now it seems to be standard practice. If there's a livestream we'll let you know. And if there'saspeciallinkorpassword,we'llshareitviaemailoncewegetit (usuallyatthelastminutetbh).
WhatdoesNovice,Pre-competitive,andCompetitivemean?
Thesearethedivisionsthatdancerscompetein,andtheyarelinkedto experienceandtraininghours.Thereisnostandardacrossthedance world,andeachcompetitionsetstheirowndefinition. Luckily,thetwo competitions that we usually compete with have a very similar definition:
Novice=firstcompetitiveseason. Nolimittotraininghours
Forgroups,morethan50%ofthedancersmustbefirst-timers.
Pre-competitive=2ndormorecompetitiveseason Dancerstrain1-6hoursperweek.
Competitive=2ndormorecompetitiveseason. Dancerstrain6+hoursperweek.
**Studio C traditionally competes at the novice and pre-competitive level
Whokeepstheribbons,trophies,andspecialawards?
Solos–thedancer
Duet/Trio–ribbons/pinstoeachdancer Ifthere’smultipletrophiesor specials,eachdancer.Ifthereisonlyonetrophyorspecial,thestudio
Group Dances – ribbons/pins to each dancer. Trophy and special to thestudio.
Howareawardsgivenout?
Periodically,throughoutthecompetition,anawardssessionisheld At this time, all dancers are called to come sit on the stage. All studio dancers (even if they didn’t dance in that particular session) are welcometogositonstagetogether.Judges’SpecialAwardsaregiven out, and then each routine receives its placement award that indicates a level of achievement Every routine earns one of these awards. The name of each achievement level, and the number of points needed to earn that level, varies from competition to competition, but one important thing to know is that “gold” is pretty much never the highest achievement level (I know that seems weird, but you’ll get used to it) Overall awards are given out at the end of thecompetition.
WhatarePlacementAwards?
Every dance receives a placement award - basically an achievement level like at school. Routines are competing against a technique and performance checklist or rubric of sorts, and there is no limit to how manydancescanscorewithinanyparticularachievementlevel.
Kick it Up: Silver, High Silver, Gold, High Gold, Platinum, Ultimate Platinum,Titanium. Weusuallyearn
Dance Canada: High Bronze, Silver, High Silver, Gold, High Gold, DynamicGold
Inspire: Silver, High Silver, Gold, High Gold, Platinum, Ultimate Inspiration,PureInspiration
Runway:Silver,Gold,Emerald,Sapphire,Ruby,Diamond,Runway
WhatisaJudges’SpecialAward?
Just like the name suggests, it is chosen by the judge, and rewards certain routines that stood out (to the judge) because there was something “special” about it. These awards are named on the spot, and often recognize specific details about technique or performance or costuming or something else They usually have some sort of cheesy name like “Perfect Pirouettes” or “Fierce and Fabulous” or something like that, and they may seem silly, but honestly these are probablysomeofthemostcovetedawardsatthecompetition.
WhatareOverallAwards?
This is the actual ranking of who placed highest within age divisions and categories Essentially it’s the podium So for example, out of all the Junior aged duets (all dance styles) they award a trophy to the top 3 (or 5) scores. They do this for all age divisions, and for all categories (solo, duet/trio, small group, large group, production). Again,theseareverycovetedawards.
Whenawardsareannounced,whogoesuptocollecttheribbons?
Forgroups,whoevercaneasilygetupandmaketheirwaythroughthe crowd. There’s no formal choosing process, and our senior dancers just make sure that someone goes to collect the ribbons for each dance Forsolos,duets/triosthedancersgogettheirribbons
What do dancers do with the ribbons, trophies, and special awards oncetheyhavebeenpickeduponstage?
Solos,duets/trioscanbedistributedtotheappropriatedancer. Group dances – please do NOT try to hand them out onstage. Hand them in to Candy when you leave the stage. Please do not take awards with you into the dressing room, or put them in your bag or purse,astheycaneasilygetforgotten/lost
Dowehavetoattendallawardsessions?
You must attend the awards for all sessions that you danced in. That may mean that you have to wait for a while before leaving the venue for the day or the weekend We feel strongly that all dancers from a routineneedtobepresenttosupportandcelebrateeachotherduring theirawardssessions
Since Overalls are given out at the end of the competition, some dancersmaynotbepresent,astheymayhaveleftforhomealready. Thatbeingsaid,ifyoucanmakeittotheOveralls,yoursupportofour dancerswhomightplaceisverymuchappreciated Andyourdancer might place as well! Every year we have a surprise placement or two, and we always feel sad for dancers who are not there to experience that.
Whatdodancerswearforawardssessions?
Dancers can wear their costume or warmups, and their team jacket. Anyandallstudiomerchisagreatidea.Nostreetclothes–especially jeans–onstageforawardsplease.
Whenwilldancersgettheirgroupribbons/pins?
Oncewe'rebackatthestudio,we'llgeteverythingorganizedandhand them out at a future class To be completely honest, we are sometimesslowtomakethishappen,butwe'lldoourbesttogetthem handedoutinatimelyfashion.
