COMPETITIVE TEAM

DMS Competition Team Auditions 2023 / 2024 Season

Competition Team is a commitment for the entire 2022 – 2023 Season. The season runs August 6, 2022 – June 5, 2023. There will be 3 competition teams at DMS for the upcoming season, the Littles Team, the Junior Team and the Senior Team.

Summer Technique Classes – All prospective competitors must take a minimum of 35 summer technique classes at DMS and attend the Competition Team Choreography Workshop week August 6 – 14.
- Classes that count towards your 35 Summer minimum technique class requirement are ballet, contemporary, jazz & lyrical.
- If you are attending a summer program out of state, those classes will count towards your requirements.

Calendar – DMS will provide a full calendar of Mandatory Competitions, Group Rehearsals, & other workshops for the upcoming year by the workshop choreography week August 6th as long as all competitions have released their dates. All Littles, Junior & Senior Team Groups, Duos, Trios & Solos will be determined by the end of workshop week and you will know exactly which competitions you will be required to partake in as a DMS Competitive dancer. Some rehearsals may be scheduled last minute depending on the quality of the piece. Please understand that exact times for each competition may not be available until the week of the competition.

As a competitive dancer you will be expected to compete in the following:
- 1 group dance minimum for Junior Team and 2 group dance minimum for Senior Team, but no more than 5 group dances
- Senior DMS Team
  - YAGP Competition location TBD
  - 2 Conventions in nearby cities for example Detroit, Lansing, Chicago, Indianapolis, Cleveland
    - ASH (Artists Simply Human) Convention / Competition
    - Tremaine Convention / Competition
  - 2 Local Competitions
- DMS Littles & Junior Teams
  - 3 Local Competitions
  - ASH Convention
- Solos are a privilege to those who make a commitment to us and will be communicated if earned. You are not required to compete your solo at every competition.
- Our competitive dance team will primarily focus on Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz & Lyrical. Hip Hop, Musical Theater and Tap will be determined depending on want, need, and appropriate skill level to take to competition level.

Understudies – You will be expected to be an understudy for a minimum of 1 piece. As an understudy you are expected to attend rehearsals, but will not be charged for your time in class, registration fees or costumes unless it is known 4 weeks before competition that you are taking the place of the original dancer. In that case, you are responsible for any rehearsals at that time, registration and costume fees. If your dancer is unable to perform you are to lend the understudy your costume.

Being a team member of the David Matthew Studios Competition Team is a privilege, based on the dancer’s ability and hard work. If, at any time during the dance year, the instructor determines the dancer is not performing to the best of their ability or the dancer is not respectfully following the guidelines set forth for Competition Team members, he/she may be removed from the team.

Minimum Class Requirements for 2022 – 2023 Season are as follows.
- Senior DMS Team
  - 1 Competition Team Class
  - Weekly 30 min rehearsal class for each dance competing
  - 4 Technique Classes
    - 2 Ballet
    - 2 Technique of your choice
    - Must take a technique class of each style of dance you are competing

- Littles & Junior DMS Teams
  - 1 Competition Team Class
  - Weekly 30 min rehearsal class for each dance competing
  - 2 Ballet Technique Class
  - 1 Technique Class of each style of dance you are competing

Many opportunities to work with guest choreographers, such as Tyler Angell, Jessy Hendrickson, Andrea Spiridonakos, Crystal Ahlberg, & Melissa Parker plus many other accredited instructors/choreographer opportunities. DMS will offer the most diverse choreography.

Many opportunities to perform in front of world-renowned dancers and performers.

Smaller Group Classes and rehearsals allowing closer attention to technique, critiques and proper social distancing.

The competitive team will elevate your dance career to the next level and display dance skills in the best possible light through competition and ownership of hard work and dedication.

The drive to push through the difficult road to success. Some days you won’t want to show up or work hard, but at DMS we will prove that hard work does in fact pay off through breeding champions. We can push our dancers past the hard times, while still creating a positive experience for all.

Our competitive team will help build self-confidence, goal setting, & commitment.

Additional performance opportunities including Spring Workshop, Choreography Show and Festival.

Most importantly our team will have the most fun! The past few years have been so fantastic to witness the bond of our competitive girls grow to our own little dance family. Girls will develop friendships, team bonding and experiences to last a lifetime.