About the Axis Dance Competitive Program

​

At Axis Dance & Acro, our main goal is to provide children who love dancing with an intensive program that will increase their technical skills while building values such as perseverance, dedication, teamwork, commitment, and hard work. We delight in our wins, but more important than that, we celebrate our dancers’ individual progress, the bonds they form with their teammates and teachers, and the joy of expressing themselves creatively through dance.

 

Our teachers nd choreographers made up of diverse individuals from all over the country. We offer a variety of styles, teaching perspectives and certifications that allow us to craft well rounded dancers and athletes. Whether your child dances for fun or wishes to pursue higher education in dance or perform and work professionally in the dance world, our expert teachers will make sure every dancer receives the same high quality education in a fun and positive atmosphere.

 

Auditions: May 20th, 2023 & June 10th 2023. linktr.ee/axisdance for more information

You only need to attend one audition date. You may also submit a video audition if you are not available. 

Acceptance into the competitive program is by audition only. Dancers are evaluated on their technique and skills, ability to pick up choreography, and work ethic. Auditions for the competitive dance program are also used to evaluate dancers for placements in groups and in specialty routines such as solos, duets, trios, pullouts, and productions.

​

​

Program Requirements

All Dancers:

Weekly classes:     

2 Ballet Technique Classes

2 Jazz/Lyrical/Contemporary Technique Classes

Group Choreography rehearsals

*Dancers ages 8-12 cast in guest choreography are required to take 3 ballet classes weekly.

*In order to be eligible for a solo, dancers must participate in 1 line per solo.

 

• All dancers are encouraged to take supplementary classes, which include tap, acro, aerial arts, pointe/pre-pointe, flexibility/tricks, and hip-hop.

• All dancers are eligible to dance in productions, lines, pullouts, solos, duets, and trios.

 

Placements for Mandatory Group Dances

Each dancer is required to learn, rehearse and perform in 3 group dances and 1 Production number.

Through auditions, students will be placed in groups with dancers of similar levels of technique and performance ability. Each group will learn and compete 3 in different styles: jazz, lyrical, and an additional style to be decided on by Axis faculty. 

 

Additional Choreography Pieces

Small Groups, Large Groups and Lines: Each small or large group and line will have 15-45 minutes per week of set time to rehearse. Dancers who agree to be in these numbers will be expected to attend practices regularly and to perform in the pieces at all regional and Nationals competitions.

​

Solos, Duos, Trios: Students who wish to be considered for these specialty routines must indicate so on their audition form. Axis faculty will place interested dancers into duos/trios, taking into consideration skill set, age, and concept of choreography. These routines incur a separate choreography fee payable to Axis and require parents to submit a signed Axis choreography agreement for each dance. Solo/Duo/Trios incur private lesson fees divided among dancers. Each routine will also have a separate costume that dancers will need to purchase, and some may require the purchase of a prop (in which case the total fee for the prop will be divided evenly between all of the dancers in the piece).
 

Note: All expenses, including tuition, dues, costume, and other competitive program fees, must be paid in full in order for dancers to perform additional choreography pieces in competitions.

​

Events

​

Competitions: Competitive program dancers participate in 4-5 regional competitions and 1 Nationals competition each year. These events are mandatory. Regional events have generally been held in Woodbridge, Fredericksburg, Manassas, and Baltimore. There also will be opportunities to attend other local competitions and conventions. These events are highly encouraged, but not mandatory. Nationals locations that have received consideration in the past have been: Poconos, PA; Ocean City, MD; and Virginia Beach, VA, Atlantic City NJ, Long Branch, NJ, Orlando, FL, Pigeon Forge, TN.

 

Showcase: Competitive program dancers are required to participate in the Axis end-of-year showcase, which is scheduled for late May or early June, if we hold one that year. TBD.

 

Master Classes: Axis may host master classes and workshops with guest teachers throughout the season. These classes are encouraged, but not mandatory. They will be offered at an additional cost.

 

Camp

Dancers receive instruction in technique (Ballet, Conditioning/Stretch, and Turns/Leaps) and learn their 3 group dances during a mandatory two-week technique and choreography camp, tentatively scheduled for July 31st- August 11th. If your dancer has a conflict with this schedule, please talk to the studio owner to work out alternative arrangements. This date may change as we work with Loudoun and Fairfax County Schools.

​

The camp will run in two blocks (9:00 am to 3:00 pm; 3:30 pm to 8:30 pm), Monday through Friday, with early drop-off options available. The block for which a dancer is scheduled will depend on the dancer’s group assignment. During camp, dancers will be measured for their competition costumes.

 

Guest Choreography sessions for small and large groups, duo/trio and solos may be scheduled anywhere from August to November, most likely on the weekends.

 

Axis Competitive Program Expectations

The Axis competitive dance program maintains high expectations for all its dancers. Dancers are expected to take their craft seriously and be committed to their weekly training and practice sessions. Training and committed attendance throughout the year (including the summer) are crucial to achieve this goal.

​

Parental Support

Parental support during training and competition is very important to dancers’ ability to maintain a healthy and successful dance season. In addition, there are multiple opportunities for parents themselves to be involved with the Axis family, such as volunteering and taking adult classes.