PHOENIX FESTIVAL OF DANCE INC

GENERAL RULES AND CONDITIONS

Entries

1 This competition is open to amateur and professional performers.

2 Responsibility for correct entry rests entirely with the competitor. No entry will be accepted unless correctly signed and accompanied by full fees.

3 The closing date for entries is 30^th April 2025. Late entries may be received at the committee’s discretion and if accepted will incur a late fee of $25.00 per entry.

4. The Committee reserves the right to refuse any entry.

5 A breach of the rules and conditions will result in either disqualification of the competitor, or at the Committee’s discretion, the opportunity to perform for a crit only.

6 Competitors entering solo sections shall enter only their own age group.

7 Competitors may enter NOVICE or OPEN. Novice applies to competitors who have not won 1^st 2^nd or 3^rd place in any competition in the style they enter prior to the closing date.

8 Troupes must contain a minimum of 6 members. Except for Hip hop, min 4 members

9 Each troupe entry must be accompanied by a list showing name and date of birth of all troupe members. Entry will only be accepted upon receipt of list. Subsequent alterations need to be verified.

10 Duo/trio entries must be on the separate forms provided showing full name and date of birth details of each member, with total payment for the duo/trio attached.

11 Entry fees will be refunded if a section is cancelled. Competitors are not entitled to any refund of fee or fees in cases of non-appearance in any section.

12 Competitors must perform the work of the school whose name appears on the entry form and must have received tuition with that teacher for a period of at least two months prior to the commencement of these competitions. (Excluding troupes.)

13 A solo competitor must still be a student at the school stated on the entry form to compete. If a competitor is a student at more than one school, multiple entry forms must be submitted to correctly acknowledge the work of these schools.

14 The competitor’s teacher/school will be identified in the printed programme. This information is not available to the adjudicator.

Age

15 Age to be taken on 1^st January 2025.

16 The Committee reserves the right to ask for a birth certificate at any time where

age limits apply.

Adjudicator

17 The Adjudicator’s decision is final, subject to Rules 47 & 48.

18 Communication with the Adjudicator at any time during the competition by any person other than Committee members is strictly forbidden. Refer Rule 5

19 The Committee reserves the right to appoint a co-Adjudicator or assistant or substitute Adjudicator when necessary.

20 Competitors must not have had tuition from any of the Adjudicators after 2^nd February 2015.

It is acceptable to have had summer school tuition with an adjudicator but not private lessons

or nor is choreography from adjudicator allowed.

Music

21 A tape/CD player with operator will be provided for competitors. Tapes/CD must be named, cued, marked on correct side and handed to the operator at the same time as booking in. All competitors are advised to bring a practice tape/CD for use after the master is handed in. There must only be one item on each side of the tape. There must only be one track on each CD. The Committee will not be responsible for CD skipping. The volume of all recordings will begin where the Committee deems appropriate. To avoid any problems with volume please ensure that each recording is of high quality. Teachers may not adjust volume control themselves but may direct tape/CD operator to do so.

22 Teachers must book in prior to the section but may retain troupe tapes/CDs until time of the item.

23 Time limits will be strictly enforced. The time of the item will be taken as the operator presses “play” or the appearance of the competitor, whichever occurs first, until the competitor leaves the stage or the fall of the curtain. A five second allowance will be given to compensate for music not cued correctly.

24 Music with vocal background in any Song & Dance or Song & Tap section is not allowed.

25 Music with shoe tapping beats in any Tap section is not allowed.

26 The Committee has obtained an APRA and PPCA licence.

Curtains, Props and Special Effects

27 Performances should be designed to be safe for the performer, audience and theatre. Any unusual items should be discussed in advance with the Stage Manager.

28 No front curtain is to be used for solo / duo sections. Mid-curtain allowed at the discretion of the stage manager, subject to conditions of rule no 54 & 55.

29 No fresh fruit, flowers, vegetables, hay bales or glass will be permitted on stage. This rule will be strictly enforced. Teachers in doubt should contact the committee when submitting entries.

30 No hand held props are to be used in Classical Ballet solo sections, eg. Fans

31 No special lighting effects are to be used for solo sections. Teachers are to contact the committee or website for details of lighting availability for troupes. Lighting cue sheets must be handed to the check in desk by the day prior to performance.

32 The use of strobe lighting must be advised in advance to the audience for health and safety reasons, and used in 10 secs intervals only.

33 No naked flames or lighted cigarettes to be used. Approved smoke or fog machines may be used for troupe sections subject to the agreement of the Stage Manager and the Theatre technician. Power requirements must be advised by 27^th June 2015 and also approved by the technical staff.

34 No body paint or loose glitter will be permitted to be used by a competitor.

35 Damage to the stage, dressing rooms or other public areas will be repaired at cost to the competitor. (See also Rule 39)

Audience

36 No cameras, tape recorders, video cameras, mobile phone cameras, pagers or mobile phones are to be used by members of the audience. Under Government copyright, privacy and safety laws all unauthorised recording of sound and image is strictly prohibited. Any offender will be requested to leave the audience and delete illegally copied sound/vision. (Note: The ringing of a mobile phone or pager is both inconsiderate and rude to the performer and audience.)

37 Children under 12 years are not permitted to sit in the first 3 rows of the Theatre.

38 The Committee expects the behaviour of both audience and competitors to be appropriate to the occasion.

Dressing Rooms

39 Dressing room areas will be allocated and posted each day. These areas must be kept clean and tidy at all times. Where additional charges are imposed by venues on the Committee, the Committee will pass on these excess cleaning and damage charges to applicable schools or competitors. OH &S guidelines must be adhered to in dressing rooms at all times.

40 The presence of males in female changing areas is always a sensitive issue. Where common sense does not prevail the Committee reserves the right to speak to people to change the situation. The Committee are always available for discussion to seek a suitable dressing room solution.

General

41 All competitors dance completely at their own risk. All competitors are responsible for insuring themselves against personal injury arising out of participation in the Festival. Phoenix Festival of Dance Inc has obtained public liability insurance to cover the entire Festival. However this public liability insurance specifically excludes acrobatic aerials. The responsibility for insurance of such work rests with the teachers or the competitors. Please note: Having a duty of care, teachers must ensure that all work has been properly rehearsed in a simulated stage environment, without mats and with props and lighting effects as applicable.

42 All competitors must appear in the order listed in the programme. Competitors arriving late may appear at the end of the section for a crit only.

43 Competitors may appear ONCE only in any section including troupes. (Showcase N/A )

44 All competitors’ will be issued with a pass to enable them to enter the side stage area and/or audience at approved times. The cost of this pass is $7.00. The pass must be properly displayed and is not transferable. Transferring passes to another person may result in disqualification or the loss of aggregate points for the competitor or their school, subject to the Committee’s discretion. Adult participants in the Phoenix Character Ballet and Phoenix Concert Item sections are not entitled to a Competitor’s pass. Replacement passes will issued at a cost of $7.00.

45 The Committee reserves the right to join any sections where insufficient entries are received. Conversely sections may be split as deemed appropriate by the Committee. This includes Championship and Award Sections.

46 Where only one competitor presents they will be adjudicated to such standard, as the Adjudicator deems appropriate.

47 Any protest must be made in writing, along with a fee of $20.00, signed by the protestor and lodged with the Committee within 30 minutes of the completion of the section. In the case of the protest not being upheld, the fee will be forfeited.

48 The decision of the Committee will be final on all matters.

49 Choreography, costume and music of a dance are copyright of the teacher who taught the item. Students must have permission from the original teacher in order to perform the routine at this competition. A teacher may withdraw permission at any stage.

50 The Committee will not be responsible for any lost property, including uncollected tapes/CDs.

The committee is not responsible for technical problems.

51 No item is to be repeated in this competition except for the Phoenix Classical Cup and Showcase Spectacular Sections, where the repeat of an item is permissible. (Refer to Special Solo Section rules)

52 No rehearsal is allowed on stage during the Festival. However special arrangements may be made for Championship, Award and Cup sections.

53 A competitor who leaves the stage before completing their presentation may re-appear at the end of the section for a crit only. A competitor may also elect to perform for a crit only provided the correct entry forms have been submitted by the entry closing date.

54 Only competitors and teachers are allowed side stage (i.e. no senior students, parents etc). This applies to all solo and duo sections in all age groups, except Baby class sections.

A Prop Manager is available for any assistance.

55 A maximum of two teachers per soloist or duo/trio entrants will be permitted side stage.

56 All teachers eligible for a Teacher’s Pass must be nominated and verified in writing by the Principal of the School. This pass is not transferable and must be worn at all times. Transferring passes to another person may result in disqualification or the loss of aggregate points for their school, subject to the Committee’s discretion.

57 Tap shoes are not to be worn in Song & Dance sections.

58 Two general categories are applicable:

a. Classical incorporating the following styles: Character, National, Classical Ballet or Neo Classical and Contemporary,

b. Theatrical incorporating the following styles: Tap, Song & Dance, Jazz / Musical Comedy Lyrical. Hip Hop or Song & Tap

59 A timetable will be available on the web-site www.phoenixfestival.org.au within

4 weeks of the entry closing date. Where possible a copy will be mailed to participating schools for information.

60 The Committee reserves the right to amend the stated venue or the dates advertised.

61 Respect for all committee and volunteers is expected at all times. This rule is to be strictly adhered too. Consequences for any unpleasant behaviour will be forthcoming.

Aggregates

Solo Age Aggregates Points will be awarded to prize winners in all OPEN solo sections, Championship, Award and Cup sections. Points will not be awarded in Novice, VCE Dance, The competitor with the highest point score in each age group will be awarded an aggregate trophy, and will receive two complimentary tickets to the award presentation.

Points will be awarded as follows.

1^st 6 points 2^nd 4 points 3^rd 2 points H.M. 1 point.
In the event of a tie, the greatest number of 1^st points will decide the winner. If there is still a tie the greatest number of 2^nd points will determine the winner. If there is still a tie the greatest number of 3^rd points will determine the winner. If a tie still exists then a tie is declared.

Solo Grand Aggregate An aggregate trophy will be presented to the solo age aggregate winner with the overall highest aggregate points.

Teacher’s Aggregate Troupe aggregate points will be awarded in all troupe sections. Points will be awarded as follows.

1^st 6 points 2^nd 4 points 3^rd 2 points H.M. 1 point.

Novice Encouragement Award At its own discretion the Committee will present this award to a novice competitor. The award is not necessarily based on the number of prizes won by that novice competitor.

SPECIAL SOLO SECTION RULES

Junior Jazz Championship

Competitors to perform a Jazz / Musical Comedy style solo. To be eligible competitors must perform in the Open Jazz solo section for own age group and one other solo (any style).

Junior Ballet Award

Two dances to be performed (a) Classical and (b) Character. To be eligible competitors must perform at least two solos from the Classical category (Classical Ballet, Character, Neo-Classical / Contemporary or National) in their own age group.

Junior Tap Championship

A slow and a fast tap to be performed without leaving the stage. To be eligible competitors must also appear in the Open Tap solo section for their own age group and one other solo (any style).

Junior Song and Tap/Dance Award

One dance to be performed: either Song and Dance, or Song and Tap.

A repeated item is NOT permitted. No qualifying conditions.

Intermediate Jazz Championship

Competitors to perform a Jazz / Musical Comedy style solo. To be eligible competitors must perform in the Open Jazz solo section for own age group and one other solo (any style).

Intermediate Ballet Award

Intermediate Tap Championship

A slow and a fast tap to be performed without leaving the stage. To be eligible competitors must also appear in the Open Tap solo section for their own age group and one other solo (any style).

Intermediate Song and Tap/Dance Award

One dance to be performed: either Song and Dance, or Song and Tap.

A repeated item is NOT permitted. No qualifying conditions.

Senior Ballet Award

Senior Tap Championship.

A slow and a fast tap to be performed without leaving the stage. Competitors must also appear in the Open Tap solo section for own age group and one other solo (any style).

Mendoza Senior Jazz Championship.

Competitors to perform a Cabaret / Jazz / Musical Comedy style solo. Chorus shoes are preferred. To be eligible competitors must perform in the Open Jazz solo section for own age group and one other solo (any style). Eight finalists to be chosen to dance at later date.

Phoenix Classical Cup

Female Short Tu Tu must be worn.

Male Classical Male costume to be worn.

Competitors to perform a Classical Ballet solo.

A repeated solo is allowed in this section.

A surcharge will be paid by competitors who do not enter and perform in two other solo sections.

Phoenix Theatrical Cup

Two dances to be performed (a) Tap solo and (b) Song & Dance or Jazz solo

A surcharge will be paid by competitors who do not enter and perform in two other solo sections.

VCE Dance Section

Dancers choose their own music and style of dance according to the VCE criteria. This must be FULLY the student’s own work. Adjudication in this section will not necessarily be based on the VCE criteria, but on performance and technical ability. No aggregate points.

The Nova Senior Modern Award

8 Finalists will be chosen by the adjudicator from the heats of section 1312 to repeat the same solo in the final. In the event of any finalist not able to reappear in the final a substitute will be chosen.

Baroque Senior Contemporary Award

8 Finalists will be chosen by the adjudicator from the heats of section 1912 to repeat the same solo in the final. In the event of any finalist not able to reappear in the final a substitute will be chosen.

Lyrical Awards

Competitors to perform a solo in the Lyrical style. No qualifying conditions

Lyrical dance is a modern dance form fusing jazz and ballet conveying the emotions of the song’s lyrics, requiring a strong technique. Eight finalists to be chosen to dance at later date.

SPECIAL TROUPE SECTION RULES

Announcing: -

Phoenix Showcase Spectacular -

The Phoenix Committee is excited to provide the opportunity for full time students to perform on a first class stage; we know that our audience will have the opportunity to experience top class entertainment from our full time performers. We will be providing a broad spectrum of dance at Phoenix in the name of Showbiz.

Troupe Sections are made available to Full time Studios, with the opportunity for Part time Studios (open age troupes only) to compete, after having been awarded a wild card entry. These wild card entrants may repeat a routine.

Rules for the General Sections apply.

There are three genres:

1. Jazz / Commercial.

2. Contemporary / Lyrical.

3. Musical theatre.

The Phoenix Committee reserves the right to decide on the qualifying numbers for these sections. On the occasion that these sections cannot go ahead, full time studios that wish to do so may perform in open sections in that style.