While RealDance could be considered a “competition studio” because we do have three teams of dedicated students that participate in dance competition, the focus of our studio is on education.  Our objective is to help dancers secure placement in college dance programs and/or provide the training to make them employable dancers as adults.  Though no one attends dance competitions to “lose”, WINNING TROPHIES IS NOT OUR GOAL!  Our dancers are always challenged with a variety of styles of choreography with the intent of gaining dance skills that will be used in the professional dance world.  We don’t create pieces asking “what can we do to win?” but “what can we give these dancers to help them improve and develop their performance skills and refine their technique? ”  Usually, with the competitions we choose to attend, they end up being one in the same.

When it comes to competition choreography, the repertoire for the season is structured like a pyramid. All team members participate in large group pieces. From there, we will break the teams down into smaller groups, duo/trios and finally solos. All of the choreography is by invitation with the faculty and director casting the groups and duo/trios and selecting soloists. Senior dancers are able to request certain choreographers and/or duo/trio partners but final decisions are made by the director.

We believe that slow and steady wins the race. We do not believe that dancers should peak at 12 or 13. Our goal is to lay a strong foundation and keep them dancing so that when they are in high school they are prepared to take on more intensive training in preparation for college or professional work. We encourage outside study, especially in classical ballet and Pilates, provided it doesn’t interfere with their class schedule.  National competitions in summertime are currently open to senior dancers only, and every other year for juniors. We do not travel out of Florida for summer nationals. We attend several dance conventions as a studio every year, including but not limited to NYCDA in Orlando, and Shock the Intensive and DEA  locally.

Competitive dance, like any competitive sport, is not inexpensive. Families who have children who dance competitively must be prepared for the various expenses that dance competitions involve. We always try to be sensible and will do our absolute best to give you the approximate total of what the year will cost, but in very rare cases an unexpected expense can arise.

Once we give our competition dates at the beginning of the season, dancers need to be available both for those dates and the weekend before for additional rehearsal if needed.

Our mini team consists of elementary school aged dancers. They are invited from our student body to participate in the program when they have completed several years of study in at least ballet and tap. They must have sustained an excellent attendance record. They also must be above average in ability to focus and consistently work hard in their classes, apply corrections quickly, be engaged, enthusiastic and practice class work at home. We also observe dancers both at the dress rehearsal and recital, as they need to be able to smile and have fun on stage!  They must be able to receive criticism easily and have a “thick skin” – as must their parents!  The parent is as integral to the team as the dancer.   Our team parents trust that we are the professionals and we know what is best when it comes to dance education.  They are able to communicate concerns in a non-confrontational manner, even when they are under stress or when their dancer may be upset.  We LOVE to teach parents about what we do and why we do it and welcome all opportunities to do so. We encourage dialogue about anything we do, we WANT you to understand how it all works. However, the RealDance houses one of the most EXPERIENCED faculties in South Florida and our decisions and methods are in place because they are proven and effective, therefore they are final and non-negotiable.

The mini team class commitment is 3 days a week, with occasional weekend rehearsal. They will do one or two large groups, as well as duo/trios and eventually, when they’ve proven to be exemplary team members, solos.  Many mini team dancers have other extra curricular activities besides dance, but they are expected to make dance the priority when it comes to their outside activities.

Our junior team dancers are middle school age. They are either dancers who have “graduated” from the mini team, or have been selected out of the student body by their teachers, meeting the same criteria as listed above.  Additionally, they are expected to be able to maintain good grades in school AND have excellent attendance. Dancers begin to learn time management skills and how to plan ahead to get schoolwork done in a timely manner so they may be present at all classes and rehearsals.  One of the things we stress from the beginning is attitude and it becomes very apparent in middle school who can maintain a good one! Being respectful, positive, supportive of their fellow dancers, non-gossiping, hard working and energetic are qualities that are essential to be successful within our teams.  While dance is still expected to be their priority within their after-school activities, we encourage the junior team dancers to try whatever other activity they think they’d like to explore so when it’s time to decide whether or not the senior team is a consideration for them, they don’t have any regrets about not getting to try some other activity they’ve wanted to.

Parents must start to help their children develop communication skills with their teachers, avoiding interfering with that communication whenever possible. They must encourage their children to speak with their teachers directly with questions or concerns. They also need to understand that there is nothing unusual about a dancer that occasionally cries when they get home from dance. Most of the time it is out of frustration, or they are struggling with the overall difficulty of an advancing dance curriculum. Those emotions are completely normal, and unless the dancer is never happy after class or has more complaints than positives, parents must be able to allow their dancer to get past whatever it is that is bothering them on their own without interfering in the training.

The junior team class commitment is 3 days a week with occasional weekend rehearsals.  Almost all Junior team members are eventually offered the opportunity to do a solo. It is not mandatory and many dancers are happy just participating in their group pieces, but there is nothing quite like the one on one time spent with the teacher when working on a solo. Summer session is required of all Junior team dancers and it usually starts the first week of June and is 5 or 6 weeks long.

Our senior team is high school age dancers.  By this time, dancers rarely have time for any other extra curricular activity outside of dance, but dancers who choose this team are doing so because dance is their passion.   Most of our dancers participate in their high school dance team program (we currently have dancers on both the Cardinal Gibbons and North Broward dance teams). We do our best to work with their schedules to allow them to do so. Senior dancers often spend their weekends from September to March, as well as during winter break,  in the dance studio rehearsing. They are offered the opportunity to work with guest choreographers and master teachers.

By this stage in their training, dancers are working as if they are planning to enter a college dance program or begin the audition after graduation, whether or not they actually end up doing so.  They cannot make the decision to train that way any later than when beginning high school, or it will be too late.

Parents are now no longer part of the communication process between dancer and teacher. Parents communicate with the studio manager and director, about finances or the dancer’s health, unless it is some sort of unusual circumstance. Dancers will often come home and vent to their parents (not only about dance- but about life!) but it doesn’t mean they want their parent to step in and pass on what they have vented!  When it is important, they must communicate it and discuss it themselves.

Dancers in this program spend a lot of time together and are like-minded teens. They are almost always high achieving students academically. They develop relationships that last a lifetime. They “get” each other. If they are not in school or doing homework and studying, they are dancing. Very little if any time is left to get into any sort of trouble that some of their non dancing counterparts in school with too much free time on their hands get into.

All dancers are not created equal.  For example, just the way a student will be exempt from a final exam in school because they’ve maintained a certain grade in a class, similar circumstances often occur in the dance studio.  Dancers attending Dreyfoos High School will often have special allowances made in their class commitments, especially when rehearsing and performing.  Every dancer is unique and has unique needs.  We set up programs for each of them based on a number of factors, and requirements can vary from dancer to dancer based on their strengths and weaknesses. What is important is that parents don’t concern themselves with what any other dancer is doing other than their own. What we CAN assure every parent of is that each dancer will adhere to whatever their particular requirements are or they will be dismissed from the program.   We operate under the assumption that the parents who agree to have their child in our program trust that we are not only trying to set their children up for success, but that when it comes to their dance education, we have the experience and the knowledge to guide them in wherever their dance path takes them.

Summer session and nationals rehearsal is required and post-national intensives are VERY strongly suggested. At this level it is not recommended that dancers take off more than a couple of weeks in the summer time as their skills deteriorate quickly.

The assumption is made, both by us and by the child's team mates and their parents, that the dancers and parents are committing for the season. While we don't have signed contracts or security deposits, if your dancer is selected for the team, it is because we believe your family to be trustworthy, reliable and dependable. By registering for the program, you are promising the other children and parents that you will uphold the agreement to complete the season, (with a good attitude!) so the dancers may achieve the highest level of success through consistency and stability. There is an understanding among the parents of the competition team children that by staying until the end of the season ("end of season" is the recital for minis, after the occasional nationals for juniors and after annual nationals for seniors) you are going to always do what is best for the TEAM and not only consider your own child's wants and needs.

RealDance has graduates attending such prestigious college dance programs as Texas Christian University, University of the Arts and FSU.  Our faculty has a proven track record of training working professional dancers and knows what it takes to train a professional dancer.  We are able to slowly build a well-trained, well rounded dancer while not “burning out” the dancer by the time they are starting high school. We gear our program for the benefit if the dancer POST graduation, with their long-term success in mind.  It is by no means an easy road, but any road to success – no matter WHAT the career- is not easy!  We have the knowledge, background and tools to help them succeed.   The rest is up to them.