Rules & Regulations

  • ✦ Payment Options - Cheque or Money Order.

    ✦ Payment Deadlines - Please contact Illuminate Dance Challenge for payment deadlines.

    ✦ Payment Deposit - $1,000.00 Deposit to hold your spot.

    ✦ Studios are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

    ✦ Illuminate Dance Challenge reserves the right to increase or decrease the length of the competition.

    ✦ Illuminate Dance Challenge is not responsible for any damage, loss or theft of personal items at any venue.

    ✦ Videography and photography are strictly prohibited within the auditorium, except during adjudication.

  • ✦ Dancers must be ready to perform at least 30 minutes prior to their scheduled time.

    ✦ All music must be submitted by the submission deadline. Music containing profanity or inappropriate content will not be accepted.

    ✦ Independent entries will not be accepted. All entries must be submitted through a studio.

    ✦ Any entry displaying suggestive or inappropriate behaviour will be disqualified.

    ✦ Entries with the use of props and sets must be declared to Illuminate Dance Challenge prior to the schedule being finalized.

    ✦ Props that may pose a safety hazard are strictly prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to liquids, fire, knives or swords.

    ✦ Except for rosin, any substance that may cause damage to the stage is not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to, baby powder, paint, and oil.

    ✦ Dancers may not compete against themselves in any performance style and category. The only exception is for group dances, provided at least 50% of the dancers are not the same.

    ✦ Dancers who perform outside their assigned category will not qualify for overalls awards.

    ✦ All dancers must have their parent/guardian complete the waiver (through DanceBUG) to compete and perform at Illuminate Dance Challenge.

    ALL JUDGES’ DECISIONS ARE FINAL

  • ✦ Only dancers will be permitted backstage with their teachers. Parents are not allowed backstage.

    ✦ Dancers may not sit in the wings to watch other performances.

    ✦ All participants are expected to clean up after themselves.

    ✦ Bullying of any kind will not be tolerated. Everyone, including teachers and parents, is expected to always behave respectfully.

  • Solo: 1 dancer
    Duet: 2 dancers
    Trio: 3 dancers
    Small Group/ Extended Small Group: 4 to 9 dancers
    Large Group/Extended Large Group: 10 to 16 dancers
    Line/Extended Line: 17 or more dancers
    Production: Any number of dancers

  • NOVICE (Separate Overall Awards)

    ✦  Novice Solo:
    A dancer performing a solo for their first competitive season. They may have previously performed in a duet/trio or group.

    ✦  Novice Duo/Trio:
    This is the first year the dancers are performing in a duet/trio. They have not previously competed in a solo, duet/trio but may have danced in a group.

    ✦ Novice Group:
    At least 75% of the dancers have never danced in a solo, duet/trio or group.

    PRE-COMPETITIVE (Separate Overall Awards)

    ✦ Dancers in this division must train less than 6 hours per week. A pre-competitive dancer may compete in a competitive routine but cannot enter a competitive solo.

    COMPETITIVE

    ✦  Dancers in this division train more than 6 hours per week. A competitive dancer may not compete in the Pre-Competitive or Novice divisions.

  • Age Divisions (As of December 31st, 2025)

    6 & under (mini)
    7-8
    9-10
    11-12
    13-14
    15-16
    17-18
    19

    Categories with 8 or more dancers will be split into two divisions.

  • Jazz
    Tap (no prerecorded tap sounds permitted)
    Classical Ballet
    Demi-Character Ballet
    Pointe
    Lyrical
    Contemporary
    Modern
    Acro
    Musical Theatre (combination of lip-syncing and dance)
    Song & Dance (dancers must use own vocals and incorporate dance elements)
    Hip Hop
    Open (a routine does not fit into any of the above categories)
    Production (may contain any style of combination of styles)

    ✦ All genres can perform up to three acrobatics tricks. This excludes Acrobatics, Hip Hop, Open, and Production categories, which have no limit on acrobatic elements.

  • Solo/Duet/Trio: up to 2.5 minutes
    Small Group: up to 3 minutes
    Small Group Extended Time: up to 5 minutes
    Large Group: up to 3 minutes
    Large Group Extended Time: up to 5 minutes
    Line: up to 4 minutes
    Line Extended Time: up to 6 minutes
    Production: up to 10 minutes

    Note: WE DO NOT ENFORCE TIME LIMITS; however, we kindly request that you inform us if your routine exceeds the suggested time. There are no penalties for going over the time guideline.

  • All participants will receive an Illuminate Dance Challenge Medal for their performance.

    Trophies will be awarded to the top 3 routines in each category.

    Scoring

    95.00 & Over  Spotlight
    93.00 – 94.99 Platinum
    90.00 – 92.99 High Gold
    85.00 – 89.99 Gold
    80.00-84.99 High Silver
    75.00 - 79.99 Silver

    Session Awards:

    ✦  Judges’ Special Awards Each Session
    ✦  Highest Score of Each Session
    ✦ Highest Score of Each Day
    ✦ Choreography Award Each Session

    Overall Awards 

    Overalls will be awarded in each age division across all classifications—Novice, Pre-Competitive, and Competitive—in the following categories:

    Solo
    Duet
    Trio
    Small Group
    Extended Small Group
    Large Group
    Extended Large Group
    Line
    Extended Line/Production

    Each overall award recipient will receive a custom trophy.

    Judges Choice Awards

    ✦  Choreography Award (12 & under / 13 & over)
    ✦ Costume Award (12 & under / 13 & over)
    ✦  Judges' Top Routine (selected by each judge - 12 & under / 13 & over) 

    Additional Awards

    ✦ Iconic Awards - Highest Scoring Group Routines in each Genre
    ✦  Junior Overall Winner Banner - Highest Group Score - Ages 10 & under
    ✦  Teen Overall Winner Banner - Highest Group Score - Ages 11-14
    ✦  Advanced Overall Winner Banner - Highest Group Score - Ages 15 & over