Award-Winning TDC Dance Team
About Our Team:
Photo credit: Mango Photography
The Dance Centre offers an award-winning, intensive competitive team program in which students who are more serious about making a commitment or career out of dance can excel. This team is offered by invitation of the director or audition only. This experience requires a serious commitment of time by the dancers who choose to participate and a financial commitment for their parents. Competitive classes are offered in tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, acrobatics and musical theater. Students in South Toms River, NJ are encouraged to compete in multiple styles of dance in order to become well-rounded dancers. Contact us for more information!
2022-2023 Team Audition Information!
Auditions are open to all TDC students who are ages 5 or older and are interested in our competitive team. They are also open to potential new students as well. A New Liability Waiver and media release must be signed by parents and a hard copy brought in with them the day of the audition before entering the audition room.
Please click the link below which takes you to our registration page on our website where you can print both waivers and register for the audition class. Audition classes are set up by age level and located under the summer camps and intensive registration tab.
https://thedancecentrenj.com/
If you have any questions or are unable to make the audition date, please contact the studio director at [email protected] to see if alternative options can be made available.
Team Requirements:
- A minimum of 2 hours of ballet (one recital class and one technique class) per week is required for all team students in addition to their competitive classes
- All team members are required to take a minimum of 5 dance classes per week (this does include acro styles and contortion as well as technique classes such as jumps leaps & turns)
- Acro students are required a minimum of 1.5-2 hours of acro classes per week (depending on level) as well as the 2 ballet classes per week requirements. An additional dance class will also be required for all acro students. Jazz or hip hop preferred- lyrical or contemporary will be accepted.
- There will be three mandatory regional competitions between late winter and spring. Competition dates will be out by September or sooner
- Nationals are typically every other year per director discretion and are also mandatory
- There will be 2 mandatory choreography weekends with students must attend to learn their routines for the season. Dates TBA in September. Acro & full team production will have additional separate choreography practices apart from their normal class schedule. Dates TBA.
- All students and parents must sign a contract each season agreeing to the above terms and the financial and attendance commitments set forth in the contract.
- Class attendance will be closely monitored-students who do not maintain regular appropriate class attendance records will be removed from the team at any point in the season per director’s discretion. Excessive sitting in the front of the classroom due to illness or injury does not count as attending class and will not be tolerated.
Summer Requirements:
- Team members are required to have a minimum of 8 summer evening classes between July 11 – August 4th (3 of which must be ballet) and students also must take at least 1 class in each style of dance that they will be competing in.
- Ballet company students are required to take a minimum of 3 ballet classes and 2 pointe or pre-pointe classes for those not on pointe yet during this time. These ballet and pointe classes do count toward your regular dance team requirements.
- Acro students are required to have a minimum of 8 hours of acro (contortion classes can be counted towards this house) during summer evening classes or during acro intensives. If you are not on any of the other dance teams an additional 2 hours of ballet is also required.
- Mini ages 5-6, and petite ages 7-9 Team Camp days are 4 hours long. Students are required to take 8 camp classes or 2 full days of camp
- Junior, Teen & Senior camp days are 8 hours days (7 hours of class with one hour for lunch and break) students are required to take 10 classes or 2 full camp days.
NEW Elite Team Program:
Placement into additional elite team classes or routines will be determined by the studio director as well as by all of your teachers and announced by the end of August. It will be based on your 2022-2023 audition evaluation as well as on your full camp week performance, previous season performances on stage and in class, ability to take corrections constructively, consistent work ethic, excellence in attendance, consistent respect for all staff and classmates both inside and outside of dance (parent and student), and an overall level of commitment to a positive team mentality. To be considered for these routines and classes, students will be required to take an additional ballet class (3 per week), at least 1 pointe or pre-pointe class and at least 10 total classes per week during the regular dance season. Those who meet the Elite team requirements will be selected and invited to perform in 1-3 extra competitive routines for the season in addition to their regular team classes. These routines may also be entered in additional required competitions throughout the season that do not include the full studio. Elite team members and their parents will be always held to the highest standard of accountability for their behavior and actions and will function as ambassadors to TDC at events and be named as team captains for each age level to assist TDC staff during classes and at competitions. While the elite performance level will be available for most age groups, elite team students who are ages 13 and up will also be utilized as weekly class assistants, daily hall monitors, and assistants to run extra practices for younger student’s solos, duets, or trios- these class assisting hours can be used as community service and or internship hours which the Director will sign off on as required. These requirements must be maintained throughout the entire season to maintain your elite team status and have your service hours signed off on.