Competition Handbook
Our competition students are held to higher expectations than our recreational students, but dont worry- our competition dancers are always having fun! Our competition program is pre-professional and we want our dancers to get as much out of dance as they possibly can! Serving as ambassadors of our studio at competitions and local performances, competition dancers must be dedicated and passionate about the world of dance. Below is a copy of our competition handbook.
MgM Dance Studio
Competition Contract and General Rules 2022-2023
This contract is for your benefit and mine. I have tried to outlay everything that you will need to know from now until next June. This is a commitment of both parents and students. Due to unforeseen circumstances, there is always a possibility of changes.
STUDIO POLICIES
Studio Rules
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There is absolutely no smoking in the studio or by the front door of the studio.
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Good conduct is expected from all students, parents and visitors in the dance rooms, waiting room and competitions. Please keep a positive vibe. No discussing teachers or students. No negative comments about performances.
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No gum chewing, eating or drinking in the dance rooms. Water is allowed. Please dispose of any uneaten or big food items in the outside trash cans.
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This is a professional business; parents are responsible for the care and control of students and siblings in the waiting rooms.
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No one is allowed in the office except the office staff unless on official business.
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Parents should not enter dance rooms unless invited.
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Absolutely NO CELL PHONES in the dance room unless the teacher allows. We reserve the right to hold the cell phone until the end of class if this rule is broken.
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Discipline measures may include push ups, sitting out in or out of the classroom, and dismissal.
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Students that compete with MgM Dance Studio (private or group) may NOT attend any other studio without permission from the director.
My goal is to have discipline, bring out their natural talents, become a team member and be proud of themselves, their group and their studio. Those students that do not have the same goals do not belong in a competitive environment. We reserve the right to ask any student or parent to leave the studio if he/she violates any of the rules. These rules apply to all students and parents with no exception. No refunds will be offered.
Dress Code
Dance Attire:
Ballet Days:
Shooting Stars Thursdays
Starbursts and Dazzling Stars Mondays and Tuesdays
Plain Black leotard with Black or Tan Bra, that does not show. By the start of the new year, all students will be required to have a specific leotard. 3 choices will be given. Pink footed or convertible tights. Tights may not be rolled up or have holes in them. Theatricals Adult Sheer Wrap Skirt. Starbursts will be Mint Green, and Dazzling Stars will be Purple. Hair must be secured in a bun for ballet class with no bangs. Hair must be secured out of the face for other dance classes. No bras or underwear sticking out.
Non-Ballet Days
Shooting Stars Mondays
Starbursts and Dazzling Stars Thursdays
Any color leotard with or without tights. A tight dance top is also acceptable. Must have either tights or tight leggings. No bare legs and no sweat pants. Capris are acceptable. Hair must be pulled back neatly and proper shoes be worn. (I do allow bare feet for some technique classes)
In General:
Black dance booty shorts with no fancy designs or writing, etc. may be worn except for ballet and will be worn for some performances.
Shirts may not be worn over the top and jewelry may not be worn (except stud earrings and belly button rings and other piercings must be secure). All Piercing must be removable for performances, Competitions and recitals. A ballet sweater may be worn at the beginning or class.
Students must have their hair at length that would enable them to pull it up into a bun and must be of natural color. Any tattoos must be able to be covered.
Dance Shoes:
Ballet Shoes: Pink Leather Split Sole Capezio Juliet for performance.
Students can have any kind of pink split sole ballet shoes for class.
Tap Shoes:
Shooting Stars - Black Mary Jane u-shell Capezio tap shoes
Starbursts, Star Dust, Dazzling Stars, Solar Waves- Full sole tap shoes by Capezio or Bloch
Competition: please check with me before buying shoes. Costume lists are done before competition. Other shoes may be required for competition.There will be shoes required for other dances including but not limited to jazz, acro, lyrical, pantomime, Etc.
Logo Wear: ALL competition students must purchase a studio warm up jacket. We are working on new jackets. Students should also have a purple MgM t-shirt to wear under the jacket. These warm ups must be worn at all events to support the studio.
Class Information
Studio Closing:
In the event of inclement weather, an email will be sent out at 8AM for morning classes and after 2PM for evening classes. You may also check the studio Facebook, Instagram and emails. There will be some extra days in the schedule for make-up classes. We do not give refunds or credits for closings.
We will be closed on the following holidays:
Labor Day
Halloween (Varies on day of week)
Thanksgiving- Thursday, Friday and Saturday
Christmas Break-Christmas Eve-New year’s day
Easter- Good Friday
Memorial Day- Monday
July 4th
Summer is mandatory for competition students and there will be no discounts for vacations
Observations
Parents will be allowed to view the last five minutes of choreography class only during the last full week of the month to view new steps and ask any questions. This policy also applies to all private and Semi-Private classes. Parents will not be allowed to sit in an entire class or interrupt during class (this includes private and semi private classes). It is suggested to video tape all new routines to help your child practice. It is recommended you pose questions to the office staff, or ask them to set up an appointment with either Mary Mock or any other teacher. You may also email me at mgmdancestudio@gmail.com.
Absentees:
Students of competition groups must make class time a priority. Excessive misses may result in consequences of sitting out of competitions or dismissal from the group. You must notify the studio if you will be absent or late. Please know that I do not want your children attending with an illness. If injured, students should come to class and do what they can or take notes. This rule was set up so that students do not miss class because of poor excuses. If classes are missed, it is the students’ responsibility to learn the steps missed on his or her own before the next class. Excessive tardiness may result in suspension from the group. There will be, from time to time, extra practices to benefit your children, which I will expect them to attend. It is suggested to get homework done early and not leave class.
Privates: Must sign a Private/Semi Private contract
Recital Information
Recital Fee:
Recital fees include Trophy and one DVD of the show of your choice. Each additional DVD can be purchased for 35. Prices for DVDs are subject to change.
Fees are listed below:
Single Student
Family
Paying fee
$60
$80
PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Possible Recital Dates
Dress rehearsal is scheduled for Sunday May 21st. Possible recital is scheduled for Saturday June 3rd and Sunday June 4th, or Saturday June 10th and Sunday June 11th. Competition students must attend all recitals and dress rehearsals that they are performing in. Again, please don’t plan vacations until after July 4th.
Possible Picture Day: May 13th, 2023
Costume Fees:
Costumes will not be handed out unless they are paid in full. Accounts must be up to date in order to receive the costume. Any students requesting a change or return will be subject to a $20.00 service charge. Please be aware that sometimes costumes may not be exchanged and cannot be returned due to the company’s rules. Any alterations will need to be made by you. Solo, duo and trio costumes must be approved by the director.
Recital Tickets:
Recital Tickets go on sale in the middle of May. Until we know of the venue, tickets will be TBD. Dancers are free. All parents must purchase a ticket to enter the auditorium. There will be a pre-show performance for private and semi-private dances. The pre-show may or may not be part of the DVD. Dancers will still only be able to dance one private and one semi-private.
Fees and Tuition
Solo/Duo Prices
Sr. Teacher $18.00 ½ hour private
$16.00 ½ hour semi-private
Jr. Teacher $16.00 ½ hour private
$14.00 ½ hour semi-private
Payments:
Shooting Stars: $138.00
Starburst: $230.00
Star Dust: $ 200.00
Dazzling Stars: $ 240.00
Moonbeams: $78.00
Solar Waves: $ 78.00
Any Additional Classes:
1 ¼ hrs or longer $40.00 per class
1 hrs or shorter $35.00 per class
Payment is due by the 1st of the month. There will be a $10.00 late charge for amounts less than $100.00 for payments made after the 7th of the month. There is a $25.00 fee for all returned checks.
Parades and Extra Shows:
It is mandatory for all competition students to attend parades and/or shows. Any students not able to attend for a GOOD reason must speak to Mary Mock. Throughout the year, the students will be asked to perform at shows. I feel that this is an honor to be asked and a great experience for the students. I will notify you as soon as I have dates and times. I expect everyone to make his or her best effort to be there for the show.
Decorum
Student Decorum
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Competition team members are to be considered “role models” of the studio, and will, therefore, be held to a higher standard of behavior, participation, and dedication. We expect all team members to be supportive of each other, to exercise extremely good sportsmanship in class and at competitive events, and to be respectful of the rules, other dancers, judges, etc.
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Competition team members will require the highest level of commitment and requirements. Team members are expected to have a strong work ethic, and high energy levels.
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Dancers - be proud of your accomplishments! Always stay committed to your classes, dance full-out, and pay attention to your teachers.
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Remember to show respect to all teachers, your parents, your classmates, and your competitors and judges at competitions.
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Do not be discouraged if you do not receive the score or award you were expecting at a competition. Keep in mind that the scores are from one person’s opinion, on one given day. Also, please celebrate the accomplishments of your peers. There will be situations where you may be in direct competition with other students from MgM.
Parental Decorum
Competitive dance requires a positive atmosphere from all of those involved. Cooperation from all parents is expected always. For the benefit of their children, parents must always maintain a positive attitude during classes and Competition. A positive and enthusiastic outlook extends to your child. Negative comments and feedback can be harmful to the progress and education of our students, and will not be tolerated.
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Good conduct is expected from all students, parents and visitors in the dance rooms, waiting rooms and competition. Any person who is constantly disruptive will be asked to leave. Any one speaking negatively about the studio, studio policies, teachers, students etc. may be asked to leave the waiting room. If the behavior continue, you will be asked to leave permanently
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If you can’t say anything nice, keep your mouth closed. We do not build up our own children by tearing down someone else’s child.
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It is not acceptable to talk about other students within the studio, or outside of it.. We have eyes and ears everywhere and will discover if this behavior is occurring.
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Gossiping about students, parents, teachers and staff with MgM will NOT be tolerated
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If you have an issue with the studio, teacher, competition, student, dance, costume, etc., please speak directly with the Studio Owner to determine the appropriate way to handle the situation. Do not let it escalate, or cause a scene by not properly addressing the issue. It is a terrible example to show children, and is not healthy practice.
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We will not tolerate any student or parent behaving in an unsportsmanlike manner
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Congratulate every dancer as they come off of the stage ; including our studio, and our competitors. It takes a lot of courage to perform, and the students know if they performed their best. A smile, and simply saying, “Good job!,” can make a huge difference in someone’s day.
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Parents and students are expected to display good sportsmanship to everyone they come in contact with at the studio, competitions and/or conventions.
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Please do not offer any dance or performance corrections for your child or anyone else’s child. Suggestions or comments should be given to the Studio Owner directly, not to the dancers.
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Parents will not coach their child or teacher, director or any other student during class or competition.
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Any parent or student discussing the placement, or the ability of other students may be asked to leave the competition group.
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Parents should NEVER directly contact a competition. All communication between the studio and the Competition will happen directly with the Studio Owner. Parents are not allowed backstage or to talk to any competition staff.
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No bullying will be tolerated. Instances of bullying if reported or witnessed will have consequences
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Social networking (Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, Twitter, etc.) is a personal choice, but is not an appropriate place to spew negativity. It is NEVER acceptable to post negative comments about the studio, teacher, students, competitors or competitions.
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All choreography is the intellectual property of MgM.
BE A TEAM MEMBER – this means supporting all children on the team, not just the ones you like.
Competition Rules:
All competitions listed below that are mandatory must be attended. Students who fail to attend competition will be immediately dismissed from the group, (Exceptions may apply only to be determined by the director, Mary Mock). Competition fees will vary depending on the competition. I do not receive an exact schedule and times until one to two weeks before the competition. I will post times immediately upon receiving them. You are responsible for obtaining these times and reporting to the competition site at least one hour prior to the first dance. (please double check with the official schedule as we do make mistakes from time to time) At this time the student should be in costume and with his or her group. Every parent should have a clean copy of the music in case of a problem. (CDs are no longer being accepted. We suggest either having a flash drive of the music or on an ipad or ipod.) Please keep a checklist of everything you need for costumes. Failure to bring part of the costume may result in the student not being able to perform that routine. It is your responsibility to make reservations for hotels. I suggest you book your hotel rooms in advance. Competition forms must be handed in by my deadline to allow me time to organize and review them. Forms not handed in by the deadline will have a $25.00 late fee added to the account. All fees are due with the forms. Credit cards may be used with a 3% processing fee. Checks should be made out to MgM Dance Studio. Forms will not be accepted without payment. Payment is non refundable for any reason according to competition rules. A student may not compete if there is a balance on his/her account!
Competition Dates: There will be a $20.00 per student competition coaching fee added to accounts for each competition. (This may include optional competitions for solos.)
Competition Students will be attending all Mandatory competitions listed below.
Beginner Competition students will only attend the Precision Arts Challenge Dance Competition (PAC).
-COMPETITIONS-
-Talent Olympics – December 1st-4th (Mandatory Advanced Competition Students)
Solo’s Duos, and Trio’s- Thursday night, Friday
Groups and Lines- Saturday
Awards-Sunday
Split Rock Resort
100 Moseywood Rd
Lake Harmony, PA 18624
(570) 722-9111
FEES Due by October 3, 2022
Registration Fee $25.00
Solos $25 per routine
Duos/Trios $24 per dancer
Groups- $25 per dancer
Photogenic $25.00 per photo
-Precision Arts Challenge – February 10th-12th, 2023 (Optional Solos & Duos)
We only have 25 spots for this competition first come first serve
Pullo Center
York, PA 17406
FEES Due by December 19, 2023
Solos $114 per routine
Duos/Trios $70 per dancer
Groups- $57 per dancer
- Revolution Talent Competition- March 17-19th, 2023 (Mandatory Advanced Competition Students)
Pullo Center
York, PA 17406
FEES Due by January 16, 2023
Solos $155.00 per routine
Duos/Trios $84.00 per dancer
Groups- $66.00 per dancer
-Imagine National Dance Challenge- April 14-16, 2023 (Mandatory Beginner Competition Students)
Pullo Center
York, PA 17406
FEES Due by February 13, 2023
Solos $TBA per routine
Duos/Trios $TBA per dancer
Groups- $TBA per dancer
-Star Power - April 28-30, 2023 (Mandatory Advanced Competition Students)-
The Greater Philly Expo Center
100 Station Ave, Oaks, PA 19456
FEES Due by February 27, 2023
Solos $164.00 per routine
Duos/Trios $89.00 per person
Groups $69.00 per person
-World Dance Championship- TBA
-Revolution Nationals- June 27th-July 1st, 2022 (Mandatory Advanced Competition Groups)-
Kalahari Resort Poconos, PA
FEES Due by April 23, 2023
Solos $187.00 per routine
Duos/Trios $104.00 per person
Groups $77.00 per person
Other optional competitions available at later dates.
Please read the whole contract carefully and return
I have read the competition contract and general rules of MgM Dance Studio and agree to follow the rules set for competition. I realize that competition classes require more time, dedication, and money than regular classes. I agree that it is my job to encourage my child to practice and keep his/her commitment to the group.
___________________________________________________________________Parent
_________________________________Date
I have read the competition contract and general rules of MgM Dance Studio and agree to follow the rules set for competition. I realize that competition classes require more time, dedication, and money than regular classes. I promise to practice and keep my commitment to the group.
___________________________________________________________________Student
____________________________________Date
All of your class requirements are available at the stores listed below!



https://www.lifeisdancegymswim.com/
Life is...Dance Gym & Swim
351 Loucks Road, Suite E-5
York, PA 17404
717-793-2199 | store@lifeisdancegymswim.com
http://www.thedanceshoppe.net/
The Dance Shoppe - Located in the Factory on the first floor
39 E. Forrest Avenue, Shrewsbury, PA 17361
(717) 227-2174 | thedanceshoppe@comcast.net