Rules & Regulations

New in 2025:

At In10sity, we pride ourselves on always taking into consideration the invaluable input of our participating studios. One such topic that has surfaced is separating Production routines from Lines, creating a space where they can be adjudicated and acknowledged for their unique composition and performance quality. From 2025 forward, both Lines and Productions will still require 20 or more dancers, however at the point of registration, amongst the various divisions in which a routine is automatically classified based on the number of dancers selected, upon selecting 20 or more dancers, studios will be given the option to classify their routine as either a “Line” or a “Production”. In addition, studios will still have the ability to specify the category of said routine. All other competitive class and age division parameters will apply. 

With the dance world continuously evolving and changing, and after observing a growing trend within our industry, In10sity is adding a long-awaited registration style: Ballroom! Ballroom routines are choreographed utilizing classic ballroom technique and the dancer(s) must be wearing ballroom shoes.

Cameras

Absolutely no cameras, camcorders, or any other recording devices are permitted for use within the performance arena or dressing areas unless otherwise specified by the show director. Repeat offenders will be asked to leave the competition. Please understand that the purpose of instituting this guideline is to protect the dancers and the intellectual property of the choreographers.

Con10der Title Program

In the 2018 season, In10sity Dance launched its first title competition where dancers have the opportunity to compete for one of four Con10der titles awarded at each Regional and Nat10nal event: Mini, Junior, Teen & Senior. Each dancer submits a solo and competes in an exclusive Con10der improv competition for their respective age division. Con10ders are chosen by our judges, taking into consideration their solo as well as their improv performance. As Con10ders compete in their own separate improv competition, they will not be eligible to compete in their respective age division’s In10se Improv competition. You must be registered as a Con10der in the final program. Once the final schedule has been released to all participating studios, any dancer(s) who are/were not registered for Con10der prior to final schedule release is/are ineligible to compete for Con10der.

Continuing in 2025 at Regional events, Con10ders will be eligible for their respective age division’s solo overalls and each winning Con10der will be awarded a $100 cash award and a $100 scholarship for the following Regional season. Dancers must have competed in the Con10der title program at a Regional event in order to compete in the Con10der title program at a Nat10nal event. Dancers may only submit one solo into the Con10tion title program, but there is no limit on additional solos that may be entered into their respective age division. Only soloists competing in the Elite class of competition are eligible to compete for Con10der. As soloists ages 6 and under compete within the Petite age division and therefore default to the Debut class of competition, they are ineligible to compete for Con10der.

As of 2024 at Nat10nal events, Con10ders will have their own divisional overall which will be announced after the Interview and Improv Honorees have been announced. In10sity will announce placements with the exception of the top 3 or 5 (depending on division size) which will be announced in no particular order as they will re-perform for our judges. If a dancer is an Interview AND Improv Honoree but not a high scoring soloist within their respective Con10der divisional overall, they are classified as a “Dual Winner” and will also have the opportunity to re-perform their solo. 

Continuing in 2025, Nat10nal winning Con10ders are each awarded a $500 cash award as well as an All Access Pass, redeemable for a full scholarship to any event(s) the recipient chooses to participate for an entire calendar year. If the Senior Con10der is a graduating senior, they will be awarded a $1,000 cash award in exchange for the All Access Pass. Our Nat10nal Con10ders have the distinct honor of performing their solo as featured performers in our GRP Finale on the final day of competition.

In10se Dancers

In10se Dancers are invited to perform in the opening number of our GRP Finale at Nat10nals. These dancers will have the opportunity to perform alongside In10se Dancers from across North America in a routine choreographed by a top industry professional. 

In each Regional city, the judges will select outstanding soloists from the Elite and Premier competitive class in the Junior, Teen, and Senior age divisions. Studios with mixed Elite and Premier dancers will be chosen from the Elite class of competition.

Note: Studios attending Nat10nals that do not have solo performers may nominate two performers each in the Junior, Teen, and Senior age divisions to participate as In10se Dancers at Nat10nals. Additionally, dancers who wish to participate in the opening number but were not awarded an In10se Dancer certificate will have the opportunity to audition on the FIRST DAY of the Nat10nal event. For more details, please visit the Nat10nals section of our website. 

The choreography, learning opportunities, and the many new friends made during the process make this an awesome experience sure to create many wonderful memories.

Instructions for registration for this FREE program are included on the back of your In10se Dancer certificate received in the awards ceremony at your Regional event. If you have questions please email: In10seDancer@In10sity-Dance.com

In10se Improv

Dancers registered for an In10sity Dance competition are welcome to register for the In10se Improv competition at their Regional or Nat10nal event, which is divided by age division (Mini, Junior, Teen, & Senior) and occurs just prior to awards. Con10der participants have their own separate improv competition, and therefore are not eligible to compete in the In10se Improv. Any dancer in the Petite age division will participate in the Mini In10se Improv. Dancers will be notified to check-in backstage with the Backstage Manager immediately before their respective In10se Improv competition to receive an improv number. All participants will be brought on stage to listen to an excerpt of the music we have selected for them. Participants will perform in groups of 3 to 10 for the preliminary round(s) and may advance through quarterfinal, semi-final, and final rounds. Based on the final round, the 3 remaining dancers will be ranked with 1st and 2rd runner up each awarded a $50 scholarship and the champion awarded a $100 scholarship, all redeemable towards the following regional season. PLEASE NOTE: Participation in In10se Improv is non-refundable. Past the point of sign up, no refunds will be issued for any reason.

In10sity Honors

At all Regional events within our award ceremonies, In10sity names five In10sity Honors recipients as designated by our panel of adjudicators. A Technical Excellence Award is given to a routine that displays exceptional technical skill and ability showcased and executed by the performer(s) within the routine. The Perfect Precision Award is given to a routine that is performed with emphasis on attention to detail and superb execution. Our panel of adjudicators names an Exceptional Entertainment Award winner that puts forth an especially compelling / entertaining performance. The Couture Costuming Award is granted to a routine that is costumed in a manner that best suits the music and theme of the piece and is complimentary of the performer(s) while the Cutting Edge Choreography Award is reserved for the piece selected with complete objectivity, as which piece artistically resonates most with our panel.

Beauty With In10tion

Dancers are invited to participate in our photogenic competition, titled Beauty With In10tion. All proceeds from submissions are applied directly towards our scholarship program, Living With In10tion, which provides scholarships to graduating seniors at our Nat10nal event. To register for Beauty With In10tion, those wishing to participate must provide a digital photo, along with the $25 submission fee onsite at our merchandise table. Participants will be required to complete a Google Form with general information such as studio, dancer’s name, and competitive age, in addition to uploading their digital photo(s). Participants are able to submit multiple photos for consideration, each with a separate submission fee. We will continue to accept submissions up to the award ceremony in which the winner is announced. The winner for each age division (Mini, Junior, Teen, & Senior) will be announced during their respective group award ceremonies. Petite age division dancers will enter the Mini division for Beauty With In10tion.

Best Of Category

“Best Of Category” awards will be given at each Regional event. In both the Premier and Elite competitive classes, In10sity Dance will recognize the top overall non-solo routine in each age division and category with a minimum of 5 entries.

Studio of Xcellence

The “Studio of Xcellence” award will be given at each Regional and Nat10nal event. As of 2023, the Studio of Xcellence award will have an Elite winner AND a Premier winner. Studios are only eligible to win one Studio of Xcellence award per competition. If a studio is eligible for both the Elite and the Premier Studio Of Xcellence, the respective studio will be awarded one or the other based on whichever cumulative total is higher. In the event of this occurrence, the opposing Studio of Xcellence award would be given to the eligible studio possessing the second highest cumulative total. 

To qualify for the Elite Studio of Xcellence, a studio must have at least one Elite non-solo routine in each age division (Mini, Junior, Teen, & Senior). The studio’s highest scoring non-solo routine in each age division will be added together. The studio with the highest cumulative total out of a possible 1,200 points will be recognized as the Elite Studio of Xcellence.

To qualify for the Premier Studio of Xcellence, a studio must have at least one Premier non-solo routine in each age division (Mini, Junior, Teen, & Senior). The studio’s highest scoring non-solo routine in each age division will be added together. The studio with the highest cumulative total out of a possible 1,180 points will be recognized as the Premier Studio of Xcellence.

All Elite and Premier Studio Of Xcellence winners are awarded a trip for two along with the In10sity staff in the fall following each season. All communication for this trip will be done strictly through the In10sity Office and the winning studio.

The In10sity Challenge

The In10sity Challenge will take place at each Regional and Nat10nal event. In order for a studio to be eligible, they must compete at least five non-solo routines. For each eligible studio, In10sity Dance calculates the average of the top five highest scoring non-solo routines and compares that average to the averages of the other participating and eligible studios. The top five highest studio averages are awarded cash at the close of the event. See our cash awards section below for more details.

Age Divisions

In10sity Dance offers six age divisions under which all routines will compete: Petite (6 years of age and younger), Mini (7-8 years of age), Junior (9-11 years of age), Teen (12-14 years of age), Senior (15-19 years of age), and Adult (20 years of age & older).

The age division for routines with multiple dancers is determined by calculating the average age of the dancers in said routine as of January 1st of the year in which the competition is held. If the average age does not calculate to a whole number, In10sity Dance drops the decimal and rounds down to the nearest whole number. The age division under which a soloist competes will also be determined by the dancer’s age as of January 1st of the year in which the competition is being held.

All routines which compete within the The PETITE age division (6 years of age and under) will default to the DEBUT class of competition.

The MINI age division (7-8 years of age) will still include all competitive classes (Debut, Premier, and Elite).

As of 2021, no routine will be permitted to “bump up” to an older age division.

Size Divisions and Time Guidelines

All routines will fall under the size division of Solo (1 dancer), Duet & Trio (2 or 3 dancers), Small Group (4 to 9 dancers), Large Group (10 to 19 dancers), Line (20 or more dancers), or Production (20 or more dancers).

New in 2025, In10sity Dance will split Lines and Productions, each with their own divisional overall. At the point of registration, studios will now have the option to choose if their routine with 20 or more dancers should be classified as a “Line” routine or a “Production” routine. 

Regarding time limits, In10sity Dance exercises a unique perspective. We respect dance as an art form and to that end, placing a time limit on a performance would be the equivalent of limiting a painter to the number of brush strokes. Rather than enforcing time limitations we offer the following suggestions:

Solos: 3 minutes
Duets & Trios: 3 minutes
Small Groups: 3 minutes
Large Groups & Lines: 4 minutes
Productions: 7 minutes

To reiterate, we do not clock each individual performance nor will we objectively penalize routines that do not fall within our suggested time parameters. Our assumption is that choreographers have a good grasp of how long it takes to make an impression and will use their best judgment in composing pieces that do just that.

Categories

All routines will register and compete under the context of one of the following:

Acro: Routine comprised of gymnastics and/or acrobatic work in addition to dance choreography that must account for 50% or more of the routine.

Ballet: Routine is choreographed utilizing classical or contemporary ballet technique(s). Dancer(s) must wear ballet shoes.

Ballroom: Routine is choreographed utilizing classic ballroom technique(s). Dancer(s) must be wearing ballroom shoes. 

Character: Routine where performers portray a character. May incorporate any form of dance.

Contemporary: Routine is choreographed using contemporary technique and movement.

Clogging: Routine consisting of clogging choreography and technique. No clogging sounds are permitted in the music and dancer(s) must wear clogging shoes.

Folk/Ethnic: Routine is choreographed using ethnic styles and techniques such as Asian, Hawaiian, African, Latin, Middle Eastern, Indian, etc.

Hip-Hop: Routine is choreographed utilizing various hip hop, street, and/or jazz funk techniques and movement.

Jazz: Routine is choreographed utilizing jazz technique and movement.

Lyrical: Routine is choreographed utilizing lyrical technique and maintains the theme of the musical selection.

Modern: Routine is choreographed utilizing modern movement derived from Graham, Horton, or the like.

Musical Theatre: Routine is theatrical in nature and is choreographed to music from Broadway or a Cinematic Musical.

Open: Routine that contains any combination of genres or does not fall under any other genre recognized or represented herein.

Pointe: Routine is choreographed utilizing traditional or contemporary pointe technique and movement. Dancer(s) must wear pointe shoes.

Pom/Drill: Routine is choreographed utilizing poms and dance team/drill technique and precision.

Tap: Routine is choreographed utilizing traditional, contemporary, or hoofing techniques, steps, and/or rhythm patterns. Dancer(s) must wear tap shoes.

Competitive Classes

All dancers who are registered for an In10sity Dance competition will be classified as a Debut, Premier, or Elite class dancer. In10sity Dance has no way of qualifying a dancer for any of the three classes, nor do we have objective criteria by which a dancer is to be classified. It is the responsibility of each studio to place their dancer within whichever class they feel they are best suited. That being said, In10sity Dance suggests that dancers classified as Debut have very little competitive tenure; perhaps this is their first year of competing. In10sity suggests that dancers classified as Premier would have more competitive tenure than a Debut class dancer, but may train at a more recreational level. In10sity suggests that the Elite class is reserved for dancers who are very active competitively and are part of a comprehensive and intense training regimen.

In the Petite age division (age 6 and younger), all routines will be classified as the Debut competitive class only.

Please note: If attending multiple events in the same season, soloists must compete in the same competitive class at all events.

The competitive class of all non-solo routines will be determined by the competitive class of each dancer in a given routine. For routines comprised of dancers of varying competitive classes, the routine will default to the competitive class in which the majority of dancers are classified. For example, a routine comprised of six Elite class dancers and four Premier class dancers would default to the Elite class. In the event that a routine contains an equal number of dancers from two competitive classes, the routine will default to the highest level. For example, if a given routine contains five Debut class dancers and five Premier class dancers, the routine would automatically default to Premier. If a studio should desire for a non-solo routine to compete in a higher competitive class than that in which it is organically registered, they may bump the routine up. No routine may have its class bumped down.

Please note: Under absolutely no circumstances may any changes to competitive classes be made past the date of the final schedule release per competition. The final schedule is traditionally released one week prior to competition.

Please understand that the intent of instituting the competitive classes is to enable dancers to compete against other dancers of comparable ability, training, and tenure. If any inquiries, concerns, or considerations should arise relating to the competitive classes and the regulations listed herein, please feel free to contact us as we are always open to questions and feedback that would enable us to create a superior experience for our dancers, studio directors, dance teachers, choreographers, and audience.

Adjudication

All routines will be scored within the following criterion: technique (35% of the cumulative score), showmanship (25% of the cumulative score), precision/execution (15% of the cumulative scores), choreography (15% of the cumulative score) and overall performance (10% of the cumulative score).

The following are the cumulative scoring breakdowns as they relate to the respective levels of distinction:

Elite

  • IN10SE PLATINUM
  • 285-300
  • PLATINUM
  • 270-284.9
  • HIGH GOLD
  • 260-269.9
  • GOLD
  • 255-259.9
  • SILVER
  • 0-254.9

Premier

  • PLATINUM
  • 264-300
  • HIGH GOLD
  • 255-263.9
  • GOLD
  • 250-254.9
  • SILVER
  • 0-249.9

Debut

  • PLATINUM
  • 259-300
  • HIGH GOLD
  • 250-258.9
  • GOLD
  • 245-249.9
  • SILVER
  • 0-244.9

Top scoring routines will be acknowledged within each division (age and size) and competitive class. At each competition, In10sity Dance will recognize the top ten highest scoring routines for each division and competitive class containing ten or more routines. For any division and competitive class containing between five and nine routines, In10sity Dance will acknowledge the top five highest scoring routines. For any division and competitive class containing three or four routines, the top three scoring routines will be acknowledged. For any division and competitive class containing one to two routines, the top scoring routine will be acknowledged. As of 2023, In10sity Dance will recognize the top twenty highest scoring routines if there are seventy or more routines in any division and competitive class. Please note for solo overalls, In10sity Dance will only recognize the top twenty highest scoring routines in any age and competitive class if there are seventy or more unique soloists. 

In the event of a tie, the technique score will determine the higher overall placement. If the technique scores are tied, the showmanship score will determine the higher overall placement. In the event that both the technique and showmanship scores are tied, the precision/execution score will determine the highest overall placement. If two or more routines are tied with equivalent technique, showmanship, and precision/execution scores, the choreography score will determine the higher overall placement. Finally, if two or more routines are tied with equivalent technique, showmanship, precision/execution, and choreography scores, the overall performance score will determine the highest placement within the overalls.

A soloist may only place once within the overalls within their respective age division with their highest scoring solo.

Scheduling

In10sity Dance releases a tentative schedule 7 days prior to each competition. All competition fees must be paid in full before a studio will receive the tentative schedule. Accompanying the release of the tentative schedule will be an email outlining our expectations of our participating studios and deadlines by which requests for modification must be submitted. New in 2025, in the event that a modification request is submitted past the deadline outlined in the email, a $5 fee will be charged PER request to the respective studio account. This includes but is not limited to altering a routine’s registered dancers, category, competitive class, routine name, etc. At In10sity’s discretion, changes may be made past the deadline if it is the result of an unforeseen event or dancer injury.

Performance schedules with approximate times will be made available solely to studio administrators. It is the responsibility of studio personnel to distribute the schedule to their participating dancers, as In10sity Dance does not publicly post the schedules of any of our competitions. Please be prepared to compete 90 minutes prior to your designated performance time. In the event that a studio performs out of order, the affected routine will compete for adjudication only and be ineligible for divisional overall awards. In10sity Dance has the intention of running each show on time, if not early, and reserves the right to adjust the schedule in an effort to do so. In10sity Dance reserves the right to modify the dates of competition as needed to accommodate the competition schedule for a specific city.

Registration

In an effort to simplify the registration process, In10sity Dance makes it possible for you to register for a competition online through your customized studio log-in page on our website. Administrators must first establish a roster of all participating dancers including their name, birthdate, gender, and competitive class. There is no need for an administrator to re-enter their roster each season as our registration system saves all your roster information from year to year and rolls ahead the ages of all participants. Once a roster has been established, the administrator may select the city they wish to compete in and begin entering their routines, specifying the name and category of each routine. Our registration system automatically calculates age and size divisions as well as competitive class. In addition, In10sity Dance’s registration system generates individual invoices for each of your dancers. 

Independent entries are not accepted; all competing dancers must be registered through a studio admin and online studio account.

Registration Fees

Payment for registration fees are due 30 days prior to the start of each event. Entry fees are not refundable for any reason. Please note that the only methods of payment for registration fees accepted by In10sity Dance are cash, check, or money order. There is a $25.00 fee for returned checks. In10sity accepts all major credit and debit cards, however reflective on all studio portals is a 5% discount for satisfying balances with cash, check, or bank-issued cashiers’ check. Furthermore, no studio will be officially registered for a given competition until their balance is satisfied in full. In the event that a given studio submits any payment less than 30 days before the competition in which they wish to compete, the only acceptable methods of payment will be cash, bank-issued cashiers check, money order, or credit card.

As of 2024, In10sity proudly partners with our participating studios providing performance opportunities for special needs dancers. In that spirit, we enthusiastically offer all special needs dancers a 50% scholarship on their entry fees to all In10sity produced events.

Media Fee

All dancers will be charged a one-time media fee at each In10sity Dance competition. In exchange, they will receive all of their photos and videos from the entire competition via digital download. Family discounts are available upon request, please contact the office for more information. Please keep in mind individual photos and videos are not available for purchase at any In10sity Dance event.

Props

In10sity Dance welcomes the use of props at any of our events. Please be aware that transportation, set-up, and tear down of prop(s) is/are the sole responsibility of the studio. For the dancers’ safety, the maximum height of all props both freestanding and hand-held is 10 feet, and no dancer shall stand any higher than 6 feet from the stage floor. In addition, the use of any potentially hazardous materials, pyrotechnics, and/or weaponry of any sort are strictly prohibited. Additionally paint or any other substance that transfers any sort of residue or compromises the integrity of the stage surface is strictly prohibited. Please note that In10sity Dance will not be held responsible or liable for any damage to prop(s) left unattended. Also, any prop(s) left at the completion of the show will be disposed of.

Music

All music must be age appropriate and free of any apparent profanity or vulgar language. In an effort to preserve In10sity Dance’s family friendly environment, infractions of this rule may result in deduction of score or disqualification.

All music must be submitted via audio file upload through your studio account. All music must be uploaded at least one week prior to the start of your event. All studios are highly encouraged to bring backup music should In10sity Dance encounter any technical difficulties with your upload. In10sity will not adjust the speed or make cuts in any music.

General Information

Cash Awards

  1. The top scoring soloist of each age division within the Elite competitive class will be awarded a $100 cash award. The top scoring soloist of each age division within the Premier class of competition will be awarded a $75 cash award. And the top scoring soloist in each age division within the Debut class of competition will be awarded a $50 cash award. Please note that only top scoring soloists from age divisions and competitive classes containing at least three unique soloists will be eligible for a cash award.
  2. Con10der Title Winners: The winning Con10der in each age division (Mini, Junior, Teen, & Senior) will be awarded a $100 cash award. 
  3. In10se Award: The highest scoring non-solo Mini, Junior, Teen, & Senior routine in the Premier and Elite competitive classes will be awarded a $250 cash award.
  4. The In10sity Challenge: In order for a studio to be eligible, they must compete at least five non-solo routines. For each eligible studio, In10sity Dance calculates the average of the top five highest scoring non-solo routines and compares the averages of all eligible studios. The top five highest studio averages are awarded cash at the close of the event. The denominations are as follows:
    • 5th Highest Studio Average: $100
    • 4th Highest Studio Average: $250
    • 3rd Highest Studio Average: $500
    • 2nd Highest Studio Average: $750
    • Highest Studio Average: $1,000