Competition Team

 

The GDP Company is comprised of multiple dance teams and soloists that represent the studio at regional and national dance competitions.  It’s a great opportunity for our dedicated dancers to perform on-stage, sharing their love and passion for dance while also competing.  Through competitive dance, our dancers learn and demonstrate good sportsmanship, grasp the true meaning of teamwork, and grow individually. GDP Company is audition-only and for dancers serious about making the season commitment.  We offer competitive opportunity for all ages starting at 5 years, genres, and talent levels.  We typically participate in 4-5 regional competitions, ending our season at Nationals. 

 

Auditions for next year's 2021-2022 GDP company will be held at the studio on Saturday, June 19th starting at 12:30pm.  Auditions are open to any dancer enrolled (or planning to be enrolled) at GDP and are at least 5 years old.  For those that are enrolled at GDP, please register via your parent portal by searching for events. 

 

For dancers not currently enrolled at GDP use the link below to register for auditions. Only use this link if you are NOT currently enrolled at GDP.  In the calendar, click on the GDP Audition event (6/19) and register.

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2021-2022 GDP Dance Company Registration (not currently enrolled at GDP)

 

GDP Dance Company Frequently Asked Questions:

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1.  Is it ok if I've never competed before?  Absolutely.  We care most about your commitment to competing.  The competitions we attend have 3 levels: Novice - for newer dancers with little to no experience competing, Intermediate - for "on-the-rise" dancers and Advanced  - for those competing at an advanced technical level.  If you want to compete and have never competed - there is a place for you!

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2.  What should we expect on audition day?  Each dancer will be expected to learn a short routine in either lyrical, jazz, hip hop or tap.  They will be expected to perform it with a group of dancers close to their age and dance experience.  That performance will be judged.

 

3.  Are there set teams for me to select from?  No!  Each year GDP determines the teams/dances we would like to compete based on the dancers that audition. This allows us to pull on the strengths of the dancers rather than try to conform to a pre-set team.  The teams/dances (to which company members will be invited to perform) will not be formed until dancers audition.

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4.  How are the teams/dances formed?  At registration, dancers will be asked if they're interested in doing only a solo, team or both.  If a dancer indicates they are interested in a team, GDP staff will pair them with dancers of similar dance experience for their audition. GDP staff will evaluate dancers in a variety of group pairings to ascertain which teams/dances we'd liked to move forward with for the competitive season.  It's possible that a dancer is invited to a team/dance that's not the style the indicated on the registration form.  We encourage all dancers to remain open to all possibilities as they could find enjoyment in new things!

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5.  How will I know if I made it?  We'll notify those we'd like to invite to be members of the company via email.  For those that indicated a desire to be on a team, we'll also share our team proposals/invitations at that time.  Each dancer/family will need to accept or reject their company invitation and the proposed teams/dances. Each dancer does not have to accept all teams/dances to which they're invited to join. Those not selected to be a member of the company will also be notified along with a plan to close any gaps in preparation for next year's season.

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6.  What costs can I expect with competing?  Choreography costs - These are costs associated with the time to learn each dance. They can range from $40-$75 per dancer, per dance.  Company Gear - Company members are required to purchase a company jacket ($75-$100) at a minimum. Costume Costs - We attempt to keep costume costs as low as possible. Costs are dependent on the number of dances.  Costumes typically range from $20 to $40 per costume. Competition Costs - Competition costs can vary.  Solo costs range from $95-$130 per competition. Group costs are dependent on the number of dancers per dance:  Duets/Trios can range from $50-$75 per dancer, per dance while small groups range from $40-$60 per dancer, per dance. We attend roughly 4-5 regionals and a nationals each year.  We typically do all we can to spread costs throughout the year.

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7.  How am I able to pay? Some families rely on fundraising to raise money for competition costs.  Parents of GDP members develop fundraising plans by month and proceeds from the fundraisers are applied to competition balances.  Parents can also choose to not participate in fundraisers and pay for costs directly.  A payment plan is also available for families that would prefer a set amount withdrawn monthly to pay for competition. 

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8.  How far away are competitions and is overnight stay required? Most of the competitions we attend are within 2 hours driving distance from the studio.  Currently, competitions are block scheduling so we compete all together - the only studio present.  Non-COVID scheduling is a weekend full of dancing with dancers performing at different parts of the day.  The time spent at a competition depends on the number of dances a dancer competes in.  The more dances - spanning from solos to groups - may result in more than one day at the competition. Overnight stay isn't required, though depending on competition times, you may find it convenient to do so.

 

9.  When is competition season? Most of the competitions we attend are held in the late winter/spring from January to April. Nationals is usually in the summer. All competitions are over the weekends.

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10.  Are there extra classes I'll need to take? All members of dance company competing at the intermediate or advanced levels are required to take a least 2 classes, one being in the style of which they're competing.  Novice or beginner level members will only need to take 1 class in the style in which they're competing.

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11.  When does the company practice? The company practices weekly, at a minimum.  Practices may increase in frequency closer to competitions.

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To learn more about the GDP company, or ask additional questions, please email us at gilliamdanceproject@gmail.com.

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