Dear Parents,

Welcome to our NYCDA 'family'. We consider your young dancers to be our 'kids'. All of us at NYCDA take our responsibility to you, your dancers, and your teachers very seriously. We want each convention to be EDUCATIONAL. We want each convention to be MOTIVATING. We want each convention to be INSPIRING. We want each convention to be FUN!

Most importantly, we want each of you to leave a NYCDA convention truly believing that we care about your dancers - and their futures. We want to make sure we offer you the necessary resources to help your dancers take the next steps in their lives.

All my best,

Joe

	HOW TO PREPARE ONSITE REGISTRATION FOOD AND DRINK OBSERVER GUIDELINES SCHOLARSHIP AUDITIONS PARENT'S SEMINAR WITH JOE DANCING IN COLLEGE WITH LEAH

How to Prepare

Your teacher will have all convention information from NYCDA. We always send out a complete confirmation packet for each studio to the teacher. Additionally, you can find most schedules for each convention weekend on this site about a week in advance. Go to Regionals and click on the city you're attending.

Your teacher has been preparing for quite some time. He/She may require extra rehearsals before a convention. You might also expect specific dancewear, costumes or team jacket requirements - check with your teacher to see if they have a list of what to bring for conventions - many do!

Onsite Registration

During registration on Saturday morning, your teacher or studio representative will pick up the school's registration packet from the NYCDA table. Each dancer doesn't not need to individually check-in at this time. Be sure that you know where your teacher wants you to meet during registration. You'll need to meet with them to get your wristbands, scholarship numbers and pre-registered observer passes.

Food and Drink

NYCDA arranges, wherever possible, for cash and carry breakfast and lunch options. We guide the hotel or convention center to make healthy choices and let them know of our designated breaks. Bringing a snack or water bottle along is a good idea -the dancers are expecting a lot out of their bodies! Occasionally a venue won't allow outside food in their establishment. When this happens, we make every effort to let your studio know in their confirmation packet.

Observer Guidelines

We want this to be a great weekend for you AND especially your dancers! Parents have the option of being able to register through NYCDA to observe workshop classes. If you do it in advance through your studio, they will have your pass. You may also register at the NYCDA table during the convention weekend. There are two reasons we register people going in and out of the workshop rooms - security and overcrowding. Our two day pass is a NYCDA "Proud Support Squad" t-shirt.
Please help us by keeping the following in mind:

1. Talking and socializing in the dance room should be kept to a minimum.
   
2. No video cameras or flash photography.
   
3. No coaching from the sidelines - let your dancer focus on the teacher.
   
4. Keep the dance space for dancing. As much as possible, keep dance bags and “stuff” under the chairs and to the sides of the room.
   
5. Keep your observer shirt or wristband visible for our staff. It helps us keep the space secure for our dancers.

Always remember - admission to the competition is FREE!

Scholarship Auditions

Encourage your dancer to participate in the scholarship auditions - with NYCDA, it's approached from an educational place - not a competitive one!

SCHOLARSHIP AUDITION PROCEDURES

Seniors and Teens

All Seniors and Teens auditioning for scholarships should wear their assigned numbers in every class starting Saturday morning. Attendance is monitored in all workshop classes and does effect final scholarship decisions. The actual audition class is on Sunday 2:30 - 3:45 pm in the Senior Room and is open only to dancers auditioning for scholarship. The class starts with an informal discussion, based on the “in’s and out’s” and “do’s and dont’s” of approaching a professional audition. Following, the dancers experience the paces of a NY professional audition, performing combinations which have been taught throughout the weekend. The experience is designed to be non-threatening and educational - it’s a great place to learn about the audition process and to “show your stuff”. Please encourage your dancers to participate in the class if they wore numbers all weekend. There is a “cut” made, but it is handled in a positive manner. The finalists perform the combinations again during the Convention Finale and Scholarships at 3:45 -4:00 pm. The Senior and Teen Scholarship winners will then be announced.

Juniors

All Juniors auditioning for scholarship should wear their assigned numbers in every class starting Sunday morning. Attendance is monitored in all Sunday workshop classes and does effect final scholarship decisions. The actual audition class is Sunday, 12:00-12:30 pm in the Junior Room. Junior dancers who have worn numbers all day and want to audition should stay during their lunch break. If you are attending a convention where the Juniors are in two rooms (7-10) and (11-12), please know that finalists from the (7-10) workshop room, in designated jazz class, will be chosen and asked to join the audition at 12 noon, which is held in the (11-12) room. There is a “cut” made, but it is handled in a positive manner. After Senior and Teen finalists perform for the entire faculty during the Convention Finale and Scholarships at 3:45 -4:00 pm, the Juniors finalists perform their combinations. The Scholarship winners will then be announced.

Parent's Seminar with Joe

We invite all parents to join Joe each convention weekend, Sundays at 12:30 PM, for the NYCDA Parent's Forum. It's an opportunity to share thoughts, ask questions, and make new contacts and friends. Feel free to bring lunch. It's very casual and informal.

Dancing in College with Leah

During a convention weekend attended by our Managing Director, Leah Brandon, she will host an casual informational seminar on the topic of college and including dance in your college degree or experience. Dancers, teachers and parents are invited to join our Managing Director, Leah Brandon on Sunday at 11:30 AM in the Senior Room to discuss some of the options available. This is during the Senior break, so bring your lunch! Feel free to email, leah@nycdance.com or call our toll-free number 866-NYC-5678 if you're attending a city that Leah isn't.