Calling All Choreographers Ages 9 – 18
Announcing a Virtual Competition
for Young Choreographers
Entries must be received by
Saturday May 9, 2020 8pm
We are excited to offer a new kind of competition to the dance community while we are all at home – an online-only event!
More Competition Dates to be Announced!
Follow us for updates
How it Works
- Dancers create and submit a self-choreographed solo dance video made at home.
- All dancers compete at the same level which is broken down by age divisions only.
- Videos should be 2 minutes or less, and be filmed in your home or outside as long as environment/surface is safe.
- Costume & presentation will not be judged or considered in scoring.
- Videos must be uploaded and provided through online link - Youtube, Dropbox or Google Drive.
- Your entry will then be critiqued and scored by 2 Designing Dances Judges, and our Lead Adjudicator, Emily Bufferd. You will receive detailed feedback on your performance.
- Each judge will score the routine out of 100. Final score will be out of 300.
- Once all judges have reviewed your entry, your score will be computed and you will receive it via email over the following week.
- The overall rankings and special awards will be posted online for all contestants to view on Friday May 15 at 10am. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place overall winners in each age category will have their dance featured on our website and socials!
- The categories are: Freshman ages 9 -11, Sophomore ages 12-13, Junior ages 14-15, and Seniors ages 16-18.
This program is designed to prepare young artists for the challenge of creating dances. Our goal is to offer feedback that will encourage growth throughout this quarantine time spent at home. Instead of being part of a larger competition, our choreographers will be the featured talent and can represent their own vision.
We are asking registrants to choreograph an original piece in 2 minutes or under, that tells a story through movement. We will be looking for originality, musicality and connection to the viewer.
Emily Bufferd is the Producer of The Young Choreographer’s Festival, an annual event in NYC presenting the most up-and-coming choreographers, described by Dance Spirit Magazine as, “The perfect way to get inspired.” An Educator in NYC she has taught for World Dance Movement – The International Workshop/Switzerland, University of Alabama, Jazz on Tap – Atlanta, The Eglevsky Ballet, First-Act in Paris, Google Headquarters, 360 Dance Festival, and The Annual Teacher Workshop presented by The Pulse On Tour, among others.
Emily has been featured by Dance Spirit, Dance Informa, Dance Mogul Magazine, Dance Studio Life Magazine, The Dance Podcast, and the television show Inside NYC Dance, and is currently a contributing writer for Discount Dance Supply’s Blog, DanceLife.
As the Choreographer for Made to Dance in Burning Buildings presented by Joe’s Pub at The Public, OnStageBlog.com, “The show was choreographed brilliantly…”. Emily’s concert choreography (BEings) has been presented at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Joyce SoHo, Symphony Space, the 92nd St. Y, New York Moves, The Giving Tree Benefit, The Showcase Series, The Choreographer’s Canvas, The Elan Summer Dance Festival, and Boston Contemporary Dance Festival, among others. Described as, “technically superb and amazingly emotive.” –Examiner.com, and “a display of versatility…” -The DancEnthusiast. Her award winning work continues to be commissioned by dance companies and private studios around the country and abroad.
Emily has served on the selection panel for Dumbo Dance Festival/Wave Rising Series (2010-2019), as guest host for the Hatch Presenting Series at The Works Studio, and is the former Co-Producer of APAP at Peridance. She was the Production Coordinator for Director Wes Veldink, Aimee G.’s 2017 Spring Line, and Assistant Choreographer to Pascal Rekoert, Berenik’s Fall 2017 Fashion Week.
Emily has performed at venues Teatro Galileo (Spain), Carnegie Hall, The Kravis Center, and Lincoln Center, the documentary ‘The 20Something Project’, The View with Outkast, Westy Films ‘Dancebreak’ choreographed by Ginger Cox, and The Beanstalk Foundation/Michele Assaf, among others.
“Emily Bufferd continues to impact the New York dance scene.” – Examiner.com
Visit Emily online at www.EmilyBufferd.com
Only $20 per entry
Guidelines & Rules
- You are between the ages of 9-18 years old.
- You are comfortable designing and performing a dance entirely on your own.
- You will enter as a Choreographer for a solo performance, for a registration fee of $20.
- Your routine will be 2 minutes or less. Please introduce yourself at the beginning of the video.
- Your music and costuming must be appropriate for ALL AGES. Inappropriate song choices will be disqualified.
- No set building. Please use hand props only or items small enough to be carried by one person. We are focusing on the choreography.
- We are looking for original dances. We have the right to disqualify if we feel plagiarism is evident. Please make sure any dances you are seeing on tv or on social media are used as inspiration and not copied.
- Our event will not be live-streamed due to privacy concerns, but winners videos will be posted on our website and social media.