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Dallas  Ballet  Company  RDA  National  Festival  Information  Packet  

For  only  the  fourth  time  in  its  60-­‐year  history,  Regional  Dance  America  will  be  gathering  on  a  national  level  for  one,  five-­‐day  dance  festival.  The  five  regions  of  the  United  States  -­‐  Northeast,  Southeast,  Southwest,  MidStates  and  Pacific  -­‐  will  bring  86  companies  and  2,000  dancers  to  Phoenix,  AZ.  The  festival  will  feature  master  classes  by  world-­‐renowned  faculty,  five  evenings  of  performances,  and  seminars  for  dancers,  directors,  board  members,  guild  members  &  costumers.  

The enclosed information is not complete or final Further details will be shared in October following the RDA Directors’ Board Meeting

May 1-7

 

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 Regional  Dance  America—See  America  Dancing!  Each year, the members of RDA meet at a festival. The dancers participate in master classes, scholarship auditions and evening performances. The directors are given opportunities to connect, network and gain perspective.

Recruiters from professional companies, colleges, and universities are welcome and encouraged to attend. They observe the dancers in class and performance, meet with the directors, participate in college roundtable discussions, hand out information on their various programs, and take advantage of the various auditions to award contracts, scholarships, early admissions, and letters of encouragement to apply.

A  National  Association  of  Dance  Companies  Quality dance is an important part of the rich and diverse culture available to all individuals in every community across the United States and Canada. The pre-professional dance company is at the core. It can reach communities and populations that may not be served by larger, professional companies. As members of Regional Dance America, these companies claim national and international recognition for the standards to which they are held. Young dancers regardless of geographic boundaries have access to quality dance performances, training opportunities, and over $250,000 in scholarships annually. Choreographers thrive in enriching settings with all the resources necessary to grow and develop into regional, national and international stature. Regional Dance America is the national identity for 86 member companies, unifying the five regional associations.

Regional  Dance  America/Southwest  Region The Southwestern Regional Ballet Association was established in 1963. Austin Ballet Society hosted five companies in attendance for the first Southwest Festival. Our southwest region has grown to represent 5 States: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas! Now 22 Member Companies strong, each maintains a high profile in their prospective communities through annual performances and outreach programs. We celebrate the three former member companies that evolved into professional companies: Ballet Austin, Delta Festival Ballet, and Tulsa Ballet.

In support of the Regional Dance America activities, the Southwest Region offers valuable scholarships to the RDA Choreography Intensive and contributes to the attendance and volunteer positions at the National Festivals. Over the years, we have had the privilege to perform in the RDA Concert at the USA International Ballet Competitions held in Jackson Mississippi.

Dancers from the Southwest Region have enjoyed careers in professional companies such as: American Ballet Theatre, Atlanta Ballet, Ballet Austin, Boston Ballet, Houston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Miami City Ballet, New York City Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, and Texas Ballet Theatre. Numerous dancers have accepted scholarships to universities across America. We also forge opportunities for creative technical theatre jobs in stage lighting design, set design, costume design, and even in dance photography and videography. RDA/SW has inspired many new directors, teachers, and choreographers to continue the legacy of RDA! Our 60 Year History has been exciting! RDA is excited about the brilliant future of dance and looks forward to the growth of individuals and young talents during the 2017 National Festival in Phoenix, Arizona.

 

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What  is  Dallas  Ballet  Company’s  History  with  RDA?  Dallas Ballet Company joined RDA/Southwest Region in 2007 and is currently an RDA Honor Company. DBCo hosted the Southwest Region RDA Festival in 2014. The festival was held in Richardson, and was a very successful event due to the help of our many DBCo volunteers. Through RDA, Dallas Ballet Company is recognized for their high caliber training and artistic standards. What  do  National  Festival  preparations  involve?  Five years of planning have gone into the RDA National Festival. The RDA Board of Directors, the City of Phoenix, and Phoenix’s Convention Center, hotels, and transportation entities are all involved in the preparations. World-renowned instructors and professional dancers are ready to train students in a whirlwind week of dance!. How  does  the  Adjudication  process  work  before  Festival?  Adjudicators tour the member companies to evaluate and choose one work to be performed at the National Festival. Thom Clower is the adjudicator for the Southwest Region. DBCo’s adjudication performance will be in February. Who  performs  at  RDA  Festival?  Member companies present a set number of works at the adjudication performance. Dallas Ballet Company will show two to three works by in-house and guest choreographers. Each choreographer is responsible for selecting the dancers most suitable for their work. A choreographer is looking for technical maturity, responsibility, availability, adaptability, strength, consistency, presentation, individuality & unity, musicality, and ability to learn quickly. There are no guarantees of being cast in a choreographer’s work. Who  should  attend  RDA  National  Festival?  All levels of Dallas Ballet Company (Senior Company, Apprentice, Apprentice Trainee, and Junior Company) are encouraged and invited to attend. Dancers do not need to be performing to benefit from attending RDA. The instruction gained and the experiences felt by attending a ballet festival are encouraging, motivating and long remembered. Parents are needed and encouraged to attend as chaperones. What  are  DBCo’s  Chaperoning  Needs?  DBCo needs to have one chaperone per three dancers for the Apprentice Trainee and Junior Company levels. Two chaperones are needed for the Senior Company and Apprentice levels. Chaperones will assist during travel, order/pickup breakfast & dinner food for the dancers, walk dancers to and from their

 

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class venues, keep dancers safe and secure in their rooms at night (Apprentice Trainee and Junior Company chaperones will room with their dancers), and provide any other help needed during festival.  What  are  the  Perks  of  Chaperoning?  Because chaperones are required to purchase Observer Kits, DBCo will offer a 50% discount off the kit price to the first 4 chaperones to register. In addition, the opportunity to bond and experience festival with your dancer, observe master level dance classes, and attend the wonderful evening performances is priceless. If your schedule won’t allow you to chaperone, consider a full or partial chaperone scholarship for another parent. What  does  the  RDA  Agenda  look  like?  

Monday  May  1  Air Travel – Depart DFW or Love Field to Phoenix for Dancers/Chaperones Train Ride/Shuttle/Taxi from Phoenix Airport to Hotel Hotel Check In Board of Directors Meeting Kit Pick-Up Meeting for DBCo Dancers/Chaperones/Observers Welcome Party

Tuesday  May  2  through  Saturday  May  6  Classes:  Dancers/Chaperones attend classes with renowned faculty Classes taught include Classical Ballet Technique, Pointe, Variations, Men’s, Partnering, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Contemporary, Modern, Character, Flamenco, Pilates, Health & Injury Prevention Performances:  Dancers/Chaperones attend performances each night

Tuesday  May  2,  Thursday  May  4,  and  Saturday  May  6  Southwest Region Performance Dates— DBCo dancers will perform on one of these festival nights

Sunday  May  7   Hotel Check Out Train Ride/Shuttle/Taxi from Hotel to Phoenix Airport

Air Travel – Phoenix to DFW or Love Field for Dancers/Chaperones Parents pickup dancers at the airport

   

 

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What  are  DBCo’s  Travel  Plans?  DBCo will travel as a group with an all-inclusive travel package for dancers and chaperones. A shortened travel itinerary will be offered to Senior Company dancers ONLY after the adjudication results are received (February). How  Much  will  the  Trip  Cost?  

Estimated  Cost  Per  Person  

Travel  Round Trip Airfare $300 - $450* Ground Transportation to/from Hotel $20

Hotel  6 Nights $324-$430*

Kits  Dancer/Chaperone Kits $495

Meals  Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner $340

Estimated  Totals:  

Senior Company $662 - $918 Other Dancers & Chaperones $1,479 - $1,735

Senior Company 3-4 Day Itinerary $639 - $740 *Southwest Airlines, Delta and Hyatt are on our Scrip plan! Provided that we are able to use these vendors and obtain their 4-10% discounts, those savings will be passed on to families traveling with DBCo.

Not  Included  • Optional auditions, approx. $25/audition

(Open Scholarship, NCI Scholarship, RDA/SW Summer Scholarship) • Spending Money • Spirit Wear

Will  there  be  RDA  Scholarships?  The DBCo Executive and Guild boards are putting together a generous grant. The exact amount given to each DBCo dancer will be based on the number of dancers attending, with preference given to Senior Company members. May  I  make  my  Own  Travel  Reservations?  Families that opt to make separate travel reservations will not receive the benefit of DBCo’s group discounts or scholarships, will not travel/stay with the group and a parent/guardian will have to travel with the dancer.    

 

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What  are  the  Meal  Plans?  What  if  my  dancer  has  special  Dietary  and/or  Medical  Needs/Restrictions?  All meals are included in the DBCo plan. All families with dietary/medical restrictions will meet one-on-one with an RDA Coordinator before the trip to ensure their dancer’s needs are safely taken care of. Breakfast will most likely be a high protein bar, piece of fruit and a jug of milk or OJ eaten in the room while dressing. The hotel will be too busy for ordering breakfast and getting to class on time.  Lunch will be “boxed lunches” ordered in advance through RDA. They will be health conscience and allergy and gluten friendly. Dinner – Chaperones will order dinner to the hotel so the dancers have time to eat and get ready for the evening performance.  Travel – Dancers will be given cash to purchase food while traveling.    What  if  my  dancer  is  taking  AP  tests  during  the  week  of    May  1-­‐5?  RDA is setting up special arrangements with the AP exam coordinators. They will need the students’ names and academic courses for those who are planning to attend RDA and test for AP exams. More details will follow. Can  I  use  Scrip  to  help  pay  for  the  Trip?  Yes! Once your dancer’s 2016/17 DBCo dues are paid in full, you may apply scrip rebates to your RDA account. How  do  I  Reserve  a  Spot  for  my  Dancer  (and  Myself  as  a  Chaperone)?  Complete the RDA Reservation Form with a commitment deposit of $50 per registration (may be applied towards your total or refunded). Turn in at the parent meeting, 9/18, or in the tuition box before 9/30. This will allow us to make better informed decisions regarding reservations and costs. When  are  Future  Payments  Due?  Non-refundable Airfare Deposit (Actual Airfare minus $50 deposit) November 1 (3) Remaining Payments, Balance Due ÷ 3 (non-refundable) 1/15, 3/1, 4/15

What  if  I  have  Questions?  RDA National Festival will be discussed at the DBCo Parent Meeting, Sunday, September 18, with time for Q&A.

The RDA Coordinators are Coleen Roudebush and Farrell Chapman. They can be reached at rdacoordinator@dallasballetcompany.org.

Future correspondence including registration information, forms, deadlines, and reminders will be via email.