Rules & Regulations

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE RULES COULD RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION

Regional entries and payment must be entered online 21 days prior to the competition date.

Any late entries or payment will be assessed an automatic 10% late fee.

SKILL LEVELS

In recognizing that competing studios may have dancers with different skill levels, Leap! has designed the following two levels of competition.

Leap! LEVEL: (Advanced)

This level is for dancers who take more than 5 hours of dance per week and have a competitive background.

Skip! LEVEL: (Recreational / Intermediate)

Recreational dancers with limited or no competition experience, dancing less than 4 hours per week, may enter this LEVEL. There will be no cash prizes in this division.

If a specific LEVEL is not selected online, the routine will automatically be placed under the Leap! LEVEL.

Soloists may only perform in one LEVEL. For example: the same dancer may not perform a Tap routine under the Skip! LEVEL and a Jazz routine under the Leap! LEVEL.

In placing Duo/Trios, Groups, and Lines, experience should be averaged. If a routine has an equal 50% of dancers from both the Leap! & Skip! LEVELS then that act must be entered in the Leap! LEVEL.

Though your studio may have more than one competition team, they may both be placed in the same LEVEL. It is possible that both teams should be entered in the Leap! or Skip! LEVEL. LEVELS should not be used to separate a studio's groups from competing against one another. Each group placement should be based only upon the qualifications of that team. In addition, even though technically a routine qualifies to enter under the Skip! level, please keep in mind that the levels are designed to provide dancers an opportunity to compete with other dancers of their SKILL LEVEL.

Because it is not possible for Leap! National Dance Competition to know how many hours a competitor dances or for how many years they have danced, teachers are left to their own sound judgment when entering routines. Routines placed under the Skip! LEVEL, but deemed by the Leap! judges to be entered incorrectly, may be elevated to the Leap! LEVEL by the Judges or Leap! Management. All decisions are final. Routines that are moved to the Leap! LEVEL by the Judges or Leap! Management is exempt from the rule regarding the percentage of Skip!/Leap! dancers in a routine.

Violation of these rules will result in disqualification of the routine in question from the overall awards. A studio may move a routine to the Leap! LEVEL prior to the performance of the routine to correct a LEVEL error.

AGE DIVISIONS

Petite:

8 years old and under (0-4, 5-6, 7-8)

Junior:

9-11 years old (9, 10, 11)

Teen:

12-14 years old (12, 13, 14)

Senior:

15-19 years old (15-16, 17-19)

Adult:

20+ years old (20-infinity!)

The age category for all routines is determined by using the average age of the performers as of January 1st. Performers maintain their regional age category at Nationals. You must recalculate the average age of a routine for Nationals if any of the dancers in a routine change.

The average age of all performers in a Duo/Trio, Group, or Line determines the appropriate age division. To figure the average, add the ages of all the performers in a routine and then divide by the number of performers. DROP THE DECIMAL POINT. For example, if the average age is 12.9, this routine would compete in the 12 year old age division. Any routine is allowed to compete in one age division higher but must be approved by Leap! when entries are submitted. Additionally, if a protest arises regarding age, all competitors must be prepared to present proof of age. All protests must be presented in writing to the Leap! Director within one half hour of the incident. All protests must be signed. EACH PERFORMER MUST BRING PROOF OF AGE. We will require this proof be presented in the event of a protest.

Dancers may not compete against themselves. Different Rountines must have more than 50% of the same dancers competing in the same Age, Category, and Skill Level.

SIZE DIVISIONS

Solo (1 dancer)
Duo/Trio (2-3 dancers)
Small Group (4-9 dancers)
Large Group (10-19 dancers)
Line/Production (20 or more dancers)

If a dancer 20 years of age or older (regardless of professional or amateur status), competes in a routine, the routine must be in the Adult age division. The Adult age division will be adjudicated only. If there are 2 or more adult entries, a high score will be presented. There will be no cash award in the Adult age division.

Limit 2 solos per dancer at listed rates. Additional solos are permited but will be charged an exta $20.

If any act drops below the minimum number of performers required in the group they registered for, the act will be given their award based on points, however, the act may not be eligible for Overall Awards depending on the circumstance for the dropped dancer.

EXAMPLE: A group of 10 performers registered as a Large Group and one performer is unable to perform, this will then drop the number in the group to 9. They can still be judged as a Large Group, so that all 10 can attend the Nationals, but they may or may not be eligible for the Overall Awards depending on the situation. Overall eligibility is determined by the Director and Judging panel.

TIME LIMITS & ENTRY FEES

Please create a studio account to view entry fees. Fees are due no later than 21 days prior to the first day of competition to avoid the automatic late fee of 10%.

SOLO

DUO / TRIO

SMALL GROUP

LARGE GROUP

LINE / PRODUCTION

Time Limits:

2:45

3:00

4:00

All SIZE DIVISIONS except for solos are eligible to purchase extended time for an additional $3.00 per dancer.

UP TO 1 ADDITIONAL MINUTE GIVEN FOR DUO/TRIOS AND SMALL GROUPS

UP TO 2 ADDITIONAL MINUTES GIVEN FOR LARGE GROUPS

UP TO 4 ADDITIONAL MINUTES GIVEN FOR LINES/PRODUCTIONS

PAYMENT OPTIONS

Leap! accepts studio checks, money orders, certified checks, and all major credit cards. All entries received after the 21-day deadline will be assessed a 10% late fee and must be paid by a certified check or money order. Studio checks will not be accepted after this deadline. All checks returned for insufficient funds will be assessed a $35.00 service fee.

There will be a $10.00 fee for each change made after the schedule and event "Timetable" has been published. This fee must be paid by credit card at the time the change is made.

NO CHANGE WILL BE PERMITTED AT THE COMPETITION WITHOUT DIRECTORS APPROVAL.

ABSOLUTELY NO CASH REFUNDS will be issued after the 21-day deadline. Leap! reserves the right to reschedule the competition due to inherent weather conditions or any unforeseen circumstances. In the event that a dancer is injured, a credit may be issued for solos only. Credit can only be used by that specific dancer for a future competition. A copy of a doctor’s note must be sent in along with the request. Credits are subject to approval and are at the sole discretion of Leap! Management.

SCHEDULE & FORMAT

A Time Table will be posted on our website at www.LeapCompetition.com 7 days prior to the competition, as well as emailed to the designated studio representative. The Time Table lists when each age division, group size, and category begins. It also lists each break and all scheduled Awards Ceremonies.

Leap! does not have a general format that we follow for our Regional Competitions. Every regional schedule is designed solely on the breakdown of entries for that particular city. We do not have this breakdown in numbers until all of the entries have been processed. At that time we set up a schedule, which will best accommodate the dancers at that regional. We do it this way to utilize time in the most efficient way possible. This would not necessarily be possible if we followed a pre-determined format.

MUSIC

All music is to be uploaded with your registration and is the preferred method of getting your music put into the order of the show.

*It is required that you bring a backup Thumb/Jump drive of music in the event of a malfunction.

MUSIC PERFORMANCE LICENSES: All Studios and independent competitors shall procure, in advance, all licenses required by any music performance societies, such as ASCAP, BMI and SESAC, for music or other works to be utilized or displayed in connection with the Event. Licensee agrees to make direct payment and accounting to ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and any other similar organizations for the use of musicians and/or musical works in the Event and at the request of Licensor to furnish proof of payment.

PROPS

Leap! staff is not responsible for any props. The putting on and taking off of props is the sole responsibility of the studio. Fire, swords, knives and helium balloons are strictly prohibited. Some exceptions can be made in advance, please call the Leap! Office. Props must be freestanding. Scenery or backdrops requiring the use of theater fly bars or special lighting may not be used. Special fog, and smoke are not permitted.

Entries that elect to use helium balloons will be disqualified from receiving an overall award if the balloons are accidently released and float to the ceiling.

No form of liquid, gel, aerosol, glitter, etc. may be used that would affect the dancing surface. If the stage is "littered" during a routine, please be prepared to clean it up immediately after the routine is finished.

In addition, for safety measures, choreography that allows any dancer to be physically placed more than 6 feet off the ground of any scenic piece or prop could be considered hazardous. Though the 6-foot height is only a benchmark, Leap! reserves the right to disqualify any routine that it deems unsafe.

MAXIMUM acceptable set-up times for props or sets are as follows:

For Solos and Duet/Trios: 1 Minute
For Small Groups: 3 Minutes
For Large Groups and Lines: 5 Minutes

Set-up times that exceed these limits are subject to point deductions or disqualification. Approval for an extended setup time may be granted but must be requested at least one week prior to the event. Depending on the additional time needed, an additional $50.00 fee may be imposed.

*Any entry using a prop brought onto stage without prior approval is subject to disqualification.