KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!
Dupree Dance Regional Event Guidelines and Procedures
Our ‘Know Before You Go!’ resource includes everything attendees need to know prior to arrival at our regional events. Convention and competition details are carefully planned by our Dupree Dance team to ensure an enjoyable experience while keeping attendee safety a top priority. We kindly ask that both attendees and observers review this information in advance so everyone arrives prepared and informed.
Convention Information
Registration Packet Pick Up & Distribution
Two options for convention registration packet pick-up will be communicated via email with registrants several days in advance of our event. One option will be offered for Friday early evening and customized around the Friday competition schedule for each event, and the secondary option will begin at 6:30 AM on Saturday morning.
A single studio owner/director/teacher or independent registrant will visit our Dupree Dance desk to obtain their registration packet and will distribute the convention class registration wristbands and audition numbers to their registered dancers in advance of the Convention Kick Off and/or start of their first class on Saturday morning.
Onsite Registration & Ballroom Switches Prohibited
We will not allow any switching of classroom levels at the event or at registration packet pick-up. Onsite convention or competition registration and/or onsite observer band sales will not be offered at our event at any time, as stated on our website and during the online registration process.
All dancers must remain in their pre-registered convention classroom the entire weekend. Dancers will not be permitted in the classroom without the appropriate convention registration wristband and audition number.
Pre-registered Student & Observer Bracelets
All pre-registered dancers, teachers and observers will be issued a removable wristband that will allow them the flexibility of taking it off overnight and/or during the competition portion of our event. We require that all registered dancers, teachers and observers wear their convention registration bracelets during our entire convention class schedule ONLY (including Kick Off and Closing Ceremony). We do ask that dancers and observers store their convention registration wristband in a safe area so that they do not lose it during our event.
Replacement convention registration bands for registered dancers in the Launch, Mini, Junior, Teen and Senior rooms will cost $10 and may be obtained at our Dupree Dance registration desk during convention class hours. We will not offer replacement observer bands.
Saturday Kick-Off & Convention Class Schedule
A customized convention class schedule can be accessed on the event page on our website approximately one week prior to each event. Attendees can choose to either print their own schedule before they arrive or may easily access the direct link to the class schedule on our website at any time prior to and during the event. Printed schedules will not be provided at the event.
As reflected on the convention schedule, an all-group Kick Off will be held on Saturday morning in our mainstage ballroom. Dancers and observers must wear their designated convention registration or observer’s bracelet in order to gain access to our Kick-Off.
We are proud to offer a diverse range of genres and training opportunities for dancers of all levels! If a dancer sees a class on the schedule that is new to them—or one they may not have the proper shoes for—we encourage them to jump in and embrace the experience. Exploring new styles is an essential part of the convention journey and reflects our commitment to fostering well-rounded, versatile dancers.
We will require that dancers immediately clear their designated classroom on Saturday once convention classes are over, as those rooms will transition to purposes designated for our competition schedule.
Sunday Closing Ceremony & Scholarship Presentation
Our Closing Ceremony & Scholarship Presentation will take place on Sunday in the mainstage ballroom. During this special event, we will announce all Mini, Junior, Teen, and Senior Scholarships, following the Judges’ Choice Showcase and Faculty Performances.
To allow for a safe and comfortable transition, a scheduled break has been built into the convention schedule prior to the Closing Ceremony.
Access to the mainstage ballroom will be granted first to all registered dancers, teachers, and banded observers. Space permitting, un-banded observers will be admitted shortly thereafter. Our team of door monitors and event staff will be on hand to assist with this transition and ensure an organized audience experience. We greatly appreciate your cooperation and look forward to celebrating with you!
Launch Program Dancer Wrap-Up
All registered Launch Program dancers will be recognized with a special certificate during their dedicated Wrap-Up Session on Sunday morning, as reflected on their convention class schedule. Scholarship recipients from the Launch Program will also be announced at this time.
While Launch dancers are invited to attend our formal Closing Ceremony if they would like to, attendance is not required unless they are performing in a competition piece selected as a Judges’ Choice Award Winner.
Observer Rules
Observer bands are required during the convention class schedule only; they are not required during competition. Pre-secured observer bands will be included in each registration packet.
PRE-REGISTERED POLICY
Per our strict observer band policy, observer bands were only offered during the initial online registration process. Additional observer bands will not be added to registrations after they are submitted and onsite observer bands sales will not be offered during our event at any time.
REGISTERED TEACHERS
All registered teachers and studio owners/directors are able to observe and/or take classes in any ballroom throughout the weekend by display of their registered teacher wristband and/or their studio owner/director lanyard.
SCHOLARSHIP AUDITIONS
Scholarship auditions in the Junior, Teen and Senior rooms are closed to all parent/guardian observers, including paid observers. A Dupree Dance faculty member will clear the room of observers approximately 5 minutes prior to the start of a designated scholarship audition and we appreciate observer cooperation.
LAUNCH PROGRAM
One complimentary band per every registered Launch Program dancer is automatically gifted during the online registration process. The Launch observer bands will only allow access to Launch classes. We kindly ask that Launch observers and dancers clear the classroom as soon as there is a designated break on their schedule, as we have a tight connection in the same room to transition to another class. If a Launch Program parent/observer has a secondary dancer registered in the Mini, Junior, Teen or Senior ballroom then he/she will need to wear both the complimentary Launch observer’s band in addition to the paid observer’s band in order to gain access to the older child’s classroom.
Owner/Director & Registered Teacher Access to Auditions
Audition class observer access will be limited to Studio Owners/Directors and registered teachers only. To enter, please present your Owner/Director lanyard or the designated registered teacher convention wristband. We kindly ask that Owners, Directors, and Teachers refrain from coaching dancers during the audition. While we recognize the value of observing your students in this setting, it is important that their focus remain fully on the audition process. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
Audition Numbers
An audition packet with assigned numbers will be included in each convention registration packet. Audition numbers are to be worn by all Launch-Senior dancer’s during their entire convention class schedule. Each dancer will receive two numbered stickers (one per day). We ask that studio owners/teachers or independent registrants distribute both stickers to their dancers and remind them to wear a sticker each day in every class on their convention schedule. For studios with a large number of dancers, it may help to assign an additional teacher or representative to assist with audition number distribution.
Front Desk Hours and Apparel Sales
Our front desk will open approximately 45 minutes prior to the start of the first class on schedule each day and will close at 1 PM on Saturday and at 1:15 PM on Sunday. If event needs cause us to change our front desk hours at any time, we will communicate those details directly with registrants prior to our event and reflect those changes on at-event signage.
Apparel sales will not begin until after the start of our convention class schedule on Saturday morning and will be available during Saturday and Sunday front desk hours. Apparel sales will not be offered during our competition schedule.
Competition Information
Competition Line-Up & Time Schedule
The final competition line-up will be available on each city’s event page 5-7 days prior to each event. Please note that, due to set-up needs, competition seating will open 15 minutes prior to the start of competition. If we run ahead of schedule within a designated set of entries, please be prepared as we will stay ahead of schedule. However, we will adhere to the designated start time of each competition block regardless of whether the set of entries that performed in advance ran ahead. We will not provide printed line-ups at the event. Families and dancers are encouraged to either print their own schedule in advance or access the live line-up link directly from our website at any time before or during the event.
Backstage Line-Up Procedures
Dancers are responsible for lining up outside the designated competition entrance doors. For each routine, one dancer representative will need to check in with a Dupree Event Assistant backstage approximately 3–5 dances prior to their scheduled performance. Our Backstage Assistants will notify the representative when the full routine is cleared to enter the backstage area.
To ensure a safe and efficient flow, we ask that all dancers exit the backstage area immediately following their performance. Please note that parents and observers are not permitted backstage. Only dancers performing in routines that have been approved to line up, along with their studio owner/director and/or teachers, will be granted backstage access. We understand that quick costume changes are often necessary and appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a smooth and timely program.
Competition Live Stream
We will live stream our entire Competition Schedule for the benefit and option of all attendees and as a courtesy to family members who cannot attend in person. The livestream can be accessed on the home page of our website.
Dressing Areas
Dressing Room signs will be located outside of the designated dressing areas during each day of competition. Our dressing rooms will open 45 minutes prior to the scheduled start time of competition each day. If an attendee needs help locating our designated dressing rooms, we encourage them to ask any of our Dupree event staff and/or our backstage team members.
We appreciate dancers clearing the dressing area as soon as their last routine has competed on stage. Dupree Dance is not responsible for items left in the dressing areas.
Competition Prop Management & Guidelines
The management, loading/unloading, and temporary storage of larger props during our event will vary depending on the event venue, backstage space, and the specific rules provided by the host property. If you have larger props and need guidance, please contact our Event Coordinator, Zack Anderson, at Zack@DupreeDance.com at least two days prior to the event.
Important: Dupree Dance is not responsible for loading or unloading competition props at any time. If your routine requires additional hands to move props on or off stage, please arrange your own assistance in advance.
If your routine involves throwing items on stage or any activity that could result in the transfer of materials (such as paint, glitter, powder, etc.) to the stage, you must obtain written approval by the Tuesday prior to the event from Zack at Zack@DupreeDance.com. Some items may jeopardize lighting, sound equipment, or the integrity of the dance floor, and cannot be used without prior approval.
Please bring your own cleaning supplies and rehearse an efficient cleanup plan in case your routine requires clearing the stage after your performance.
Awards Ceremony Guidelines
Individual and overall awards for all routines will be announced during the designated awards ceremonies on the competition schedule. When a ceremony begins, only dancers from that specific set will be invited on stage. Observers, siblings, or dancers who did not perform in the current set will not be permitted on stage.
STUDIO INSTRUCTIONS:
Studio owners/directors, please pre-appoint one dancer representative per competition routine. This representative should sit on stage or very close to the stage to retrieve the routine’s award(s).
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The designated representative will stand to receive both the trophy and individual dancer tag(s) when their routine is announced.
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If their routine is announced as an overall winner, the representative may also be invited to the front red carpet to accept the overall trophy.
TO MAINTAIN ORDER AND ENSURE A SMOOTH CEREMONY:
The pre-appointed awards representative should wait until after the ceremony to distribute individual tags to dancers, and do so in an area away from the main stage.
UNCLAIMED AWARDS:
If a studio’s trophies or medals are not picked up during the ceremony, they will be available for Sunday pick-up by or before 1 PM.
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Dupree Dance is not responsible for awards or trophies that are not collected by a studio representative.
Judges Choice Award
Throughout our Group, Line, and Production competitions, our Judges have the discretion to select any routine as a Judges’ Choice Nominee. At the conclusion of Saturday’s competition, 3–4 official Judges’ Choice Award winners will be announced.
These winning routines will not only be invited to perform at the start of Sunday’s ClosingCeremony, but they will also receive a free bid to the upcoming Dupree Dance National Finals! Be sure to join us for the final group awards ceremony—either in person or via livestream. Judges’ Choice Winners will receive an official award along with additional details regarding their participation in the Closing Ceremony.
Digital Score Sheets
All studio accounts will be emailed digital score sheets no later than the Monday following the event. This eliminates the need to require at-event score sheet retrieval.
Videotaping / Photography Policy
Photography and videotaping are strictly prohibited during competition. Studio Owners and Directors, please ensure your dancers and parents are aware of this rule. Our production team monitors backstage areas and notifies us of any violations of our photography and videotaping policy. We appreciate your support in reinforcing this with your dance parents and observers, as it helps us minimize in-the-moment reminders and maintain a smooth event experience. Protecting the safety of your dancers, the integrity of your choreography, and the overall quality of the show remains our top priority.
If our videotaping and photography policy is repeatedly violated, we will contact the attending studio owner or teacher directly to address the issue and work together to resolve it.
Photo and Video Services
Same Day Productions will professionally capture videos and photos of all competition routines! Studio accounts will receive an email from Same Day Productions before the event with details on purchase options.
Competition Audio/Video Critiques
Dupree Dance partners with Same Day Productions in order to deliver 3 complimentary judges audio/video critiques for each registered competition routine. A studio with one or more registered competition entries will receive their audio/video critiques no later than the Monday following our event via Dropbox. The audio/video Dropbox email will come directly from Same Day Productions (not Dupree Dance).
Additional Information
Bring Your Own Water
Although water stations will be available throughout the event, we kindly ask attendees to arrive with their own filled water bottles. This helps reduce wait times and provides an alternative for those who prefer not to use shared stations during classes and competition.
Dining Options / Host Hotel Information
We encourage attendees to visit the host hotel website to access information about dining options on site. We will also share any additional food and beverage options or additional information relevant to our event with registrants via email the week prior to each event and will ask that they share that with their attending dancers and dance families.
We will require that dancers clear their designated ballrooms on Saturday’s lunch break once convention classes are over, as we will be transitioning those spaces for use during our competition schedule.