NATIONAL FINALS
OVERVIEW, REGISTRATIONS & PROGRAMS
Please visit our National Finals event page for dates, venue, and hotel booking links.
Overview
We design our National Finals schedule so that attendees can easily pair amazing dance education along with a fantastic National Finals competition experience! We choose our location carefully each summer to ensure that dancers and dance families can enjoy the amenities and incredible leisurely options at the host hotel as well as surrounding area. Our convention class schedule is customized around our specific competition schedule each year and classes are typically spread out over 3-4 days. Dancers in our Junior, Teen and Senior ballroom can expect to receive approximately 3 hours of dance training/classes per day during our Intensive. Dancers registered in our Launch Program and Mini ballroom can expect a slightly lighter class schedule during the Summer Intensive portion of our event. While we do give age recommendations for our convention classroom levels offered, registrants may opt to register any dancer “up” or “down” a class level if they desire. However, National Finals competition age divisions are strict and are determined as of January 1 of the same calendar year of National Finals.
We guarantee our event schedule will allow our attendees and dance families to enjoy every aspect of our exciting Nationals experience. We host an action-packed Kick Off Party with the Dupree faculty at the top of our event and release full details to attendees shortly after our registration deadline. Our general National Finals competition schedule is released no less than one month prior to the event. Our detailed convention class schedule will be customized around the National Finals competition schedule and released within 3 weeks prior to our event.
Registration
All National registrants must be convention registered under a studio profile in order to compete. While we do accept independent registrations for our convention classes, we do not accept independent entries for the National Finals competition portion of our event.
We can accept an unlimited number of routines at our National Finals event and we have favorable qualification rules that allow our regional studio supporters the ability to add additional dancers and competition entries to their National Finals registration, despite whether or not they were included in the studio’s regional qualifying event registration. A dancer may register up to 2 solos at National Finals. There is not a convention registered minimum required under a Nationals registration in order to proceed with competition registration.
Regional attendees will register for our National Finals event through the same studio profile as your qualifying regional event. We have a convenient Transfer Feature that allows a studio to transfer their qualifying regional convention and competition registration to our National Finals event at the onset of the registration process. After transferring, you are able to edit, add and omit existing dancers and/or routines. New students and new entries MAY be added to your studio’s National competition registration, despite whether or not they were represented at the regional event your studio attended and competed at.
We provide age guidelines for our convention classroom placement, but registrants may opt to register any dancer “up” or “down” a class level if they desire. However, National Finals competition age divisions are strict and are determined by the average age as of January 1 of the same calendar year of National Finals.
All entries for our National Finals will be registered on a first come, first served basis. It is possible that our convention and/or competition will fill up before the registration deadline, so register early!
Registration Data accuracy is critical due to the unique nature of how we organize our schedule and prepare for our event. Triple check the selected Dancer Level (Performance or Competitive) as well as DOB of each dancer and carefully review the song titles and dance genres of your competition registration prior to finalizing and submitting your registration. Once you complete your registration (by selecting a payment option), our system will not allow you to make changes yourself.
Shortly after the registration deadline, Dupree Dance will remind registrants to review their registration summaries and competition entries carefully. Dupree will provide a specific date to where ‘late changes’ may be made to existing entries if necessary. After this time, changes will NOT be permitted. ‘At event’ competition changes are not permitted, STRICT.
Qualification
By attending and registering any number of competition entries under a studio profile at any regional event within 1 year of our National Finals, a studio automatically qualifies to register unlimited entries at our Dupree Dance National Finals. A studio must register under the same studio profile as their regional event in order for our system to deem them as a Nationals qualifying account.
There will be a $50 per dancer qualification fee for studios who did not have the opportunity to attend a Dupree Dance regional convention/competition but would still like to register and compete at the Dupree Dance National Finals. There will be a $100 per studio (one-time) qualification fee for studios who did attend one of our regional conventions within 12 months prior to our National Finals, but did not register for any competition entries during that event. During the registration process, our system will recognize the studio profiles that qualify for our Dupree Dance National Finals and charge the appropriate qualification fee(s) if they apply.
Any studio that competes and qualifies at a regional event is permitted to add new students and/or additional entries to their National Finals registration with no additional qualification fees for those students or routines.
Invite Programs
Dancers who attend one or more regional qualifying events are eligible to receive various scholarships that include invites to amazing programs and opportunities during our National Finals. Below is a list of regional awards that are considered National “Invites” along with a brief description of each program.
CREW AWARDS - Dancers who receive a Dupree Dance Crew Award are eligible to participate in an exciting Hip Hop video & live performance experience. Crew participants will receive choreography ahead of our National Finals event and rehearse/film an amazing video with Erick Yanez on location at Nationals. Our Dupree Dance crew will perform live during our Gala and the Crew video will be debuted at the conclusion of our event and shared on our social media platforms throughout the season.
NATIONAL FINALS SCHOLARSHIPS - Dancers who receive a National Finals Scholarship have 100% of their convention class tuition covered at Nationals and are additionally invited to participate in our incredible Opening Number Performance Team. A select Dupree faculty member will send participants choreography ahead of our National Finals event and dancers will rehearse on location at Nationals. Our Opening Number Performance Team will kick start our incredible Gala that falls at the conclusion of our event. Please note that Opening Number participants first required rehearsal will always begin at 1 PM the day before the official advertised date of our National Finals event. This requires participants to arrive a day earlier in order to be included in this exciting opportunity.
COLLECTIVE SCHOLARSHIPS - Dancers who receive a Collective Scholarship have 100% of their convention class tuition covered at Nationals, are invited to participate in our prestigious Collective routine that falls at the conclusion of our Gala, and are extended the opportunity to register for our Collective National Finals Competition (CNFC). Winners of our CNFC are announced at the conclusion of our event and receive a year-round regional scholarship and an invitation to assist our Dupree Dance faculty members on the following regional tour. Please note that Collective Program participants first required rehearsal will always begin at 1 PM the day before the official advertised date of our National Finals event. This requires participants to arrive a day earlier in order to be included in this exciting opportunity. Please visit our Collective Assistant Company page for complete information about our Assistant Program.
May 1 Invites Participation Deadline
In order to confirm a dancer’s participation in our Crew, Opening Number or Collective programs at our National Finals event, we ask that the same account in which the dancer won their regional award(s) access their online profile INVITES tab by/before May 1. Simply select the “Accept Invite” button next to the winner’s name and proceed with entering the personal (parent) email address of the awarded dancer. This is REQUIRED for participation and will enable both the studio email as well as the personal (parent) email of the winner to receive the correct program specific information prior to our Nationals event.
The ability to formally accept an Invite to participate will expire after May 1. Requests to participate after the May 1 deadline must email Dupree@DupreeDance.com and are not guaranteed.
An ‘Accept Invite’ status update is NOT considered registration for our National Finals event. It is simply a way we communicate with both the studio and attending dancer participants about their invite program and how we finalize our participant’s roster. All attendees must also be formally registered by/before the stated registration deadline for our Nationals event in order for them to be permitted to participate in their selected invite program(s).
If you do not accept an invite by/before the requested May 1 participation deadline for any dancer, please reach out to Dupree@DupreeDance.com about the status of late inquiries. All decisions made after May 1 to grant late participation in any invite program will be made pending our program registration status at that time.
NOTE: If a single dancer is the recipient of two invite programs (example: Crew and Opening Number OR Crew and Collective), the studio account must “Accept Invite” and enter the personal (parent) under BOTH Invites areas to ensure they receive information and are included in the roster for each program.
Time Schedule
A general competition schedule will be issued and posted on our event page within 3-4 weeks prior to our National Finals event. A minute-to-minute schedule will be issued via email to each registered studio account no later than 10 days before the National competition start date. Each Nationals competition schedule is based solely on the breakdown of entries by solos, duet/trios, groups, lines, productions and super productions in each age and competition level. This breakdown is not available until all of the entries have been processed. At that time, a schedule will be set to best accommodate the entrants at that competition. No time requests will be accepted.
ALL ENTRIES MUST COMPETE ON THE DAY AND TIME ASSIGNED. Dupree Dance understands that there are sometimes unforeseen events that can arise. Any entry, which is not able to compete at their assigned day and time, may request an alteration to the routine’s performance time. If this is approved and if the adjusted performance time falls after the other routines in the same age/division, then the routine will be permitted to compete for adjudication only and will not be eligible for high score awards. If the routine falls at any time prior to the other performances in the same age/division and if the same 3 judges can be secured, then it is possible(not guaranteed) that it will be eligible for high score awards. Any change in competition days and/or times is at the sole discretion of the Dupree Dance Directors and will be determined by the time allowance at each event.
The number in which each routine is assigned is for reference and identification purposes. We try to run in numerical order. However, you may be asked to compete out of sequence in order to avoid a delay due to costume changes. Performers should arrive at least 1 hour prior to their scheduled performance time and check in with Backstage Managers no less than 5 numbers prior to their performance. Please be prepared to compete when we call your number, even though it may be a little earlier than you anticipated. If we run ahead of schedule within a set block of routines, we will stay ahead of schedule. However, we are committed to starting each assigned block of entries at the time stated on the general schedule.
**QUICK CHANGES** If you feel that you do not have enough time between numbers to change costumes, we ask that you reach out to Dupree@DupreeDance.com prior to our event, and shortly after you receive your minute-to-minute schedule. If there are at least 4 routines between your entries, we feel it is an adequate amount of time to change quickly and get back on stage. Please do your best to stay on schedule and pre-plan for your ‘quick changes’ accordingly.
Event Kick Off Party
We host an action-packed Kick Off Party with the Dupree faculty at the top of National Finals event and release full details to attendees shortly after our registration deadline. An easy online registration process for our event party will allow studio owners and directors to pass the sign up torch directly to their attending dancers and dance families! Attendees can register themselves and anyone from their family by visiting our website at www.DupreeDance.com. If a studio Owner/Director prefers to register all attendees under their studio account they have the option to do this. Once details are released about our Kick Off Party, it’s important that studio owners and directors communicate with their attendees and dance families regarding event party registration.
“Pump It Up Parents” Dance-Off!
Within 1 month of our National Dance Finals, Dupree Dance will post a ‘Pump It Up Parents’ video on our website and Facebook. We invite, encourage and challenge a dynamic group of willing and brave parents to participate during our Nationals event in our “Pump It Up Parents” Dance-Off! (Little to no dance training needed here parents, come on!) Dupree will play our “Pump It Up” Parents Dance-Off song throughout our Nationals event and pre or post each Awards Ceremony. When the “Pump It Up Parents” song comes on, participants are encouraged to get up off their thing and break it down in the audience! Kids can help too!! During our event party, we invite willing parents to come on stage for the “Pump It Up Parents” Dance-Off! Other than an inflated ego, our Pump It Up Parent or Parent(s) will be nominated by audience participation and will receive a special award.
Additional Information
Dupree Dance reserves the right to expand the dates of our Nationals due to number of entries, move the competition to a new location due to unforeseen circumstances, or cancel any event that does not qualify with a minimum number of acceptable entries. If cancellation occurs, all entry fees will be refunded.
By clicking on the waiver option during the online registration process and by signing the Dupree Dance waiver/release form at the event during registration check-in, all registered contestants do hereby grant permission to Dupree Dance to publish their photographs/routines on social media platforms, within promotional videos or in any other publication to promote its competitions. Furthermore, our waiver releases all owners, directors, officers, or representatives of this competition from any and all claims for damages or injuries sustained while participating in any activity related to this competition. Dupree Dance, LLC and the hosting venue are not responsible for personal injury or property loss.
Sportsmanlike behavior is expected from all Dupree Dance contestants, teachers and families, and failure to comply with this could result in disqualification with loss of entry fees.
No cameras or video cameras of any kind are allowed during any performance at our National Finals. This includes smart phones or tablets with video capabilities. Violation may result in disqualification of a routine from the Overall High Score awards.
Absolutely no coaching is permitted from the audience or backstage during a routine.