Performance Team
The performance teams represent TDC at dance competitions, community events, and festivals. It is an opportunity for dancers to further their dance training and be part of a team of like-minded individuals, building friendships and learning life skills through dance.
Requirements and Commitments
Preparing for competitions and performances requires a commitment to extra classes and rehearsal time. It must be a sport that takes priority. Performance team members must understand what is expected of them and be fully committed, as each student's actions impact the group. Therefore, students and parents will be required to sign a terms and conditions contract to acknowledge that they fully understand the commitment of a group member.
The Performance team is a year-round commitment; competitive dance is a sport. Like any athlete, staying active and in shape is critical to technique and minimising injury. Performance team students are expected to lead the way when it comes to workshops and activities that can further their dance development.
Performance team dancers attend their competitive class each Friday night during school terms 1-3 (in addition to their regular class schedule). These competitive classes end at the end of term three due to the competition season being completed.
It is compulsory for performance team members to take at least one skills/technique class that is the same style as their performance team group. e.g. Jazz performance group means the dancer has to attend a Jazz Skills or Technique class during the week. Dancers on the lyrical/contemporary teams must also be registered for a ballet class.
We HIGHLY suggest at least one classical ballet class weekly for all team members. Ballet is the foundation of dance in the styles we compete with and provides the basis of technique that will be required of competitive dancers. This is exceptionally important if you are also competing with any solo, duet, or trio routines.
Why Be Part Of A Competition Team?
Dancers in a competitive team gain so much more than just technique. They learn to work collectively as a group. Teachers have higher expectations of dancers when teaching a competition class, as the pressure is a bit higher than in a non-competitive class. This pushes the dancers to reach their full potential.
At competitions, there are usually one to three judges who score on technique, timing, costume, stage presence, and overall performance. Dancers who compete learn to perform all aspects necessary for a good score and, hopefully, a placing and/or award. Competitive dance programs help to make the dancer less intimidated and more confident in their abilities and themselves. Dancers quickly learn to take and apply corrective criticism, which helps them tremendously later in life.
Being surrounded by a group of friends who support you and your interests is a very valuable benefit to the dancers and can create lifelong friendships.
Even though it’s nice to win awards, it’s not the main focus of our competitive program. We value the experience and learning through the feedback loop that competitions provide for our dancers.
How To Apply
Students wishing to join our competitive dance team can complete an application form in November for the following dance season and enroll in their “regular” class. E.g., Be enrolled in a Jazz Skills class if applying for the Jazz performance team.
All students 7 years and above are welcome to apply. {Must be in Year 3 at school}
The deadline to apply is December 1 st, 2026.
Teams will be decided in late 2026 based on age and dance ability.
Students must commit to the team and dance classes for an entire year.
Please note that team selection is based on age and current dance ability. How many applications we receive will also depend on which groups we can accommodate. If we don’t have enough dancers in a particular age group, we won’t be able to form a team for those applicants. Competition entries are all based on age.
As we receive enough applications and create teams, we will update all applicants with class days and times.