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Relevé Dance Company

About Our Dance Companies

Dance competitions can be a wonderful experience for dancers! Having the opportunity to compete in something you love can be very rewarding. At ArtWorks Academy, development of proper technique is the foundation of our dance program. By developing strong dancers first and then preparing them for competition, they will be successful in competitions, classes, and any other dance endeavors they may choose.

To prepare for competition, dancers need to develop strength, flexibility, and proper dance technique. We do not aim to simply teach a dance for competition and have the students perfect only the steps required for the dance. We want to develop dancers who compete. For this reason, it is important that our company members continue to study their dance technique in ballet, tap, and jazz. For advanced company members, we also require a Leaps and Turns class, which is intended to help students develop strength and flexibility as well as improve their turns and jumps for competition.

To be competitive with other dancers their age, younger students need to be in class at least two days a week. Students in 6th grade or higher should be dancing three days a week. Adding the optional classes may have students dancing one more day a week.

Petite Protégé and Protégé

Do you have a young dancer who LOVES dance and wants MORE?  We assess students at the end of each season and during the summer for our Petite Protégé and Protégé classes.  These advanced, invitation only classes, will give dancers extra time in class, further challenge them and serve as a stepping stone to the Relevé Dance Company!  

  • PreK and Kindergarten students
  • Students will take a Petite Protégé ballet and tap combo class and must also take an Acro Dance class.
  • If you would like your child to be evaluated for Petite Protégé, please click on the button below.
  • This level does NOT go to dance competition.
  • For information on tuition and fees, plus view our Tuition and Policies page. 
  • 1st and 2nd grade students
  • Students will take a Protégé ballet/tap/jazz combo class and must also take an Acro Dance class. They may also take an optional hip hop class and Dance Cirque.
  • For information on tuition and fees, plus view our Tuition and Policies page. 
  • This level will go to one dance competition. The entry fee for the competition is generally $60-$70.
  • Auditions for Protégé for the 2023-2024 season will be held on Tuesday, June 20 from 6:00-7:00 pm.
  • Please fill out the form below, to let us know your child wants to audition for Relevé Dance Company.

Relevé Dance Company

Required Summer Classes

Students selected for Relevé Dance Company must enroll in the required Relevé classes on Tuesdays/Thursdays in the summer. These classes will include technique and choreography.  They may also choose to enroll in classes and camps offered on other days, which will be beneficial, but not required.

Required School Year Classes

Mini Company:

  • Mini Company members must take ballet and jazz/tap combo every week. They must also take at least one of the following classes each week, although more than one is recommended: hip hop, acro, or musical theatre dance technique. 
  • Weekly rehearsals for company dances, separate from technique classes
  • Company production numbers will require occasional Saturday rehearsals
  • All members must attend at least one dance convention in the fall.  Prices range from $50-$200 per convention

Junior Company:

  • Junior Company members must take ballet, tap, modern, and acro every week. If they are enrolled in pointe (by invitation only) they must be enrolled in ballet twice per week. We also recommend our Junior Company dancers take musical theatre dance technique, jazz, leaps and turns, Dance Cirque, and hip hop.
  • Weekly rehearsals for company dances, separate from technique classes
  • Company production numbers will require occasional Saturday rehearsals
  • All members must attend at least one dance convention in the fall.  Prices range from $50-$200 per convention

Teen/Senior Company:

  • Teen/Senior Company members must take ballet twice per week, modern, and acro (or a leaps and turns class). They must also take AT LEAST one of the following classes each week, although more than one is recommended: hip hop, tap, leaps and turns, jazz, Dance Cirque, or acro.
  • Weekly rehearsals for company dances, separate from technique classes
  • Company production numbers will require occasional Saturday rehearsals
  • All members must attend at least one dance convention in the fall.  Prices range from $50-$200 per convention

Attendance

Students must attend required classes and rehearsals. Company members are allowed four absences from rehearsal each school year. They MUST be in attendance for the two weeks prior to competition. If a company member misses two or more weeks in a row, they will be required to schedule a private lesson with the instructor at the rate of $25 per half hour. Missing more than the allotted absences may result in dismissal from the company.

Fees and Tuition

Fee Per Dance for Mini, Junior, Teen and Senior Company: $450.00 (includes three competitions)  These fees will be split between nine monthly payments.

This fee includes class time during the school year (Summer Session is charged separately), entry fees for three competitions, costume, tights, and shoes IF shoes other than those required for technique classes are required. (i.e. black jazz shoes rather than tan, etc).  These fees will be split between nine monthly payments.

Monthly Tuition: Tuition is dependent upon the number hours your child is in class each week. Tuition for the minimum required classes is as follows:

Mini Company –  $123.00

Junior Company –   $135.00

Teen/Senior Company –  $174.00

Conventions and Master Classes

Dance Conventions: Dance conventions offer company members the unique opportunity to study with teachers and choreographers from around the country. All company dancers will attend the FREE convention classes offered in conjunction with the Precision Arts Challenge Competition.  We highly suggest dancers attend one to two other conventions. We will let members know of dates when we have them.

Master Classes: As the opportunity presents itself, we will bring in outside teachers to work with the dancers. When possible, we will do this at no extra charge to our families. Otherwise master classes are usually $10-25 per dancer.

Spring Showcase

We will host our showcase fundraiser in February 2024. Each family will pay a small production fee to cover the theatre rental.  We will run a silent auction before the show and at intermission, as well as a bake sale.  You may invite everyone to attend for free or as a donation to your dancer.  If you would like to help with this, please let Cheryl or April know!

Competition Weekends

We will attend three competitions in March, April or May.  We are currently waiting on the competitions to finalize their dates.  Please do not make any vacation plans during this time (we understand you may be gone during spring break). 

Dancers must be available the entire weekend of competition. They do not provide a schedule for the competition until 10 days before hand. Depending on the size of the competition, students may perform Friday night, or at anytime on Saturday or Sunday. Studios cannot make requests for certain days and times.

Solos and Duets

If your child would like to perform a solo at competition, they are required to take a weekly private lesson. Preparation for competition will be done during the lessons. Lessons are $95.00 per month for 30 minutes. The costume fee for a solo or duet is $80 per student.  The solo entry fees range from $150-$175 per student PER competition (we attend three competitions.) The duet entry fees range from $60-$90 per student PER competition. Please note that your child would like a solo on your audition form

Please Note:  If a student misses a private lesson, the teacher will make up ONE lesson per year.  If the teacher misses a lesson due to illness, vacation, etc., that lesson will always be made up.  Any student absences beyond one absence will not be made up.  You cannot skip a month of lessons and not pay.  Your payment is holding your child’s spot.  We have a waiting list for lessons and every lesson, whether or not your child is present, must be paid for.

Dance Material

It is the policy of ArtWorks Academy to always present students with material that is age appropriate. This will be strictly enforced with our competition dances. We carefully consider the music, costumes, and choreography for each dance.

Fundraising

We attempt to provide as many opportunities as possible for students to fundraise for their competition fees. Fundraisers are parent organized. We do Butter Braids and Blue and Gold each year. Other options include car washes, rummage sales, parents’ night out, craft markets, Scentsy, bake sales, etc. If you are interested in organizing a fundraiser, please let Cheryl Morris or April Holzberlein know.

Auditions

Auditions for Relevé Dance Company for the 2023-2024 season will be held on Tuesday, June 20 from 6:00-7:00 pm.

The audition will include some basic technique work and stretching, and a couple of small combinations across the floor as well as one longer combination. Students will dance in groups. We will evaluate each dancer on flexibility, technique, ability to learn combinations, and performance.

Please click on the button below to fill out the Relevé Dance Company Contract. Dancers may participate in 2-6 group dances at competition. Prior to the audition, decide how many dances in which you will allow your dancer to participate (please look at the costs per dance). You will need to note this on the contract. We will then place students in dances where we feel they will be the most successful. 

“My daughter has been attending ArtWorks Academy for dance since 2009. There aren’t enough words to express how much this company means to us, but I will try! Every single instructor we have worked with at ArtWorks has been more than just masters of their craft; but wonderful teachers, caring mentors, and inspirational leaders. My daughter has always struggled with confidence and social anxiety, but she found a home with ArtWorks, and they have encouraged and guided her to find herself in the world of dance, and she truly has. Dancing gives her so much joy and she just radiates confidence now. This studio has become more than just a school for her, it’s a second home. And the staff are more than just teachers, they are family. They genuinely care about her and want to see her succeed, in dance and in life. ArtWorks is our forever dance home and we know you will adore it just as much as we do!” –April H.