Joining competition team at The Dance Academy of Puyallup offers the chance for students of TDA to show their skills at competitions and community performances. Competition teams hone existing skills and develop new skills too. Competition routines require students to test themselves at a higher level increasing their technique, precision, and performance skills. Students have an opportunity to make new friends, have a team experience, and stay busy with fun and exciting performances, competitions, and positive social experiences.
Auditions for team at The Dance Academy of Puyallup take place after the spring Dance Celebration. Private auditions for those that miss the audition are available. Registered TDA Students ages 5-18 are eligible to audition. Student’s ability, age, previous experience, needs of the coach per each dance, and preferences of the student/parent will be considered when placing students in groups, trios, duos, and solos.
The coaching panel will determine the dancer’s placement on the team. Coaches will assign team members to group, trio, duo and solo routines with consideration of style of dance and music choice as well as strengths, age and preferences of the dancer. Parents will be given an interest list to indicate preferences for placements in style of dance as well as interest in groups, duos, trios and solos. It will be at the discretion of the “team” coaches to place dancers in routines. Dancers chosen for any routine have the right to decline their placement, but they do not have the option of choosing their duo, trio, large, small or group routines. Dancers do have the option of helping to select the music and choreographer for their solo if they choose to compete in that category, but choreographers have the right not to accept the request or to decline a certain music choice.
All dancers chosen for Team must commit to a “team class” per group number and take two core classes at their level (Ballet and Jazz). Individuals competing and performing only in Hip Hop, must take a hip hop class and a “team class”.
Each team class could be taught by more than one coach depending on what routines are assigned to a team class. Team classes will be placed on the schedule to align with same level core classes (Ballet, Jazz etc.) whenever possible.
If outside choreography is determined to be the best fit for a particular group or team, a choreography fee will apply to that routine and will be determine based on the choreographer’s hourly rate.
Students are required to attend core classes and team classes. Students are allowed to miss 6 classes per year, per each core and team class. Students committing to the team cannot miss a practice prior to a competition and must attend all scheduled competitions.
Students are required to take two core classes during the summer session (Ballet and Jazz). Students in a team Hip Hop routine are required to take a hip hop class.
Please see TDA calendar for scheduled dance competitions.
Fee’s associated with the competition Team:
Costume fee: $60 per costume (estimate)
Sometimes costumes fit a certain body length, but will not fit a certain body width. A “best size” will be chosen by TDA staff, but the costume may still need alternations. All alterations and chosen accessories will be the responsibility of dancer and their family.
TDA Team sweat suit: $100 (includes embroidery)
Dancers must provide their own tights, shoes, make-up, and hair accessories.
Tights options could include:
1. Convertible Tan Tights (Lyrical, Ballet, and Jazz)
2. Convertible Pink Tights (Ballet)
3. Black Fishnet Tights (Jazz)
Shoe options could include:
1. Lyrical: Nude “Foot Undies”
2. Jazz: Black “Revolution” (or like) Grecian Jazz Shoe
3. Ballet: Pink “Bloch “Ballet Shoes
4. Tap: Capezio (or like) Oxford Tap Shoes
5. Hip Hop: Depends on the costume, but typically would be black high tops tennis shoes.
Competition fees:
Group routine (Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Hip Hop, Ballet, and Musical Theater)
Typical fee: $34-$38 per dancer
Please note: Musical Theater routines do not necessarily involve live vocals, but may.
Duo/Trio routine
Typical fee: $95-$110 per routine
This fee is divided between the number of dancers in the group.
