General VERT-I-Go Rules:
Invitation Required: To ensure this is the right kind of event for your studio, an invitation to attend is required. Please email if you would like to inquire about an attendance permission.
Dancers must be registered in Tier One and be in a group to be eligible for the Provincial Finals.
No performer may enter this competition as an independent entry, all routines must be registered with a studio.
As this is a zero-waste event we ask that teachers return their access passes so they can be sanitized and reused.
Competing dancers must perform in their scheduled order unless permission is given for costume changes.
​
Time Limits
Solo (1 Performer): 3 minutes limit
Duo/Trio (2-3 Performers): 3 minutes limit
Small group (4-10 Performers): 4 minutes limit
Large group (11-19 Performers): 5 minutes limit
Line (20+ Performers): 5 minutes limit
Studio Production (20+ Performers): 20 minutes limit including set up/strike
Etiquette
Etiquette and behaviour is expected from all performers, teachers, and parents at all times. Failure to comply may result in a disqualification of performers, routines, or a studio from the event. This may also include attempts to recruit dancers to join your studios.
Please remain seated at all times during each performance and only exit the theatre between performance numbers. Remain respectful of the performers and adjudicators as they work hard to both entertain and evaluate.
Re-Dances
Re-Dances for technical complications: music skipping, volume/speaker malfunctions are permitted in all divisions and will be judges as if they are being seen for the first time. Re-Dances for performance issues: costume, prop, shoe malfunction, injury, run around obstructions or forgetting choreography may be permitted but for adjudication only. They will not be eligible for category scoring, high score, or cash prizes.
Levels
Level Suggested Guidelines
Tier Three
Dancers in this category typically dance as a hobby sport but may also do other activities such as soccer. These dancers often have a few years of experience so they are above the recreational level but do not dance as seriously as the full company competitive dancers or perhaps they started dancing a little later. ​Dancers in this division typically train less than 4 hours a week.
Tier Two
Dancers in this division have some experience and are training approximately five to seven hours week.
​​
Tier One
Dancers in this division are competitive dancers training multiple hours and may train more than eight hours a week and support their training with various masterclasses, camps, conventions and other training opportunities.
​
Age Calculation
Group: Each dancer must perform in at least 50% of the routine, the average of all the dancers age as of January 1st of the competition year is the registered age of group.
Soloists: Age is to be calculated as of January 1st of the competitive season.
Duo/Trio: The average age as of January 1st of the competition year. If the age averages have a separation of more than two age categories, they will automatically bump one age up.
Props
The placement and removal of props is the responsibility of each individual studio. They must be freestanding, and sturdy. The use of substances that alter the stage condition (feathers, water, glass props) are not permitted in any categories.
Examples of prohibited items include:
-Fire
-Smoke
-Fog
-Swords
-Knives
-Guns
-Any form or liquid, glitter, gel or power that can coat the stage. This is to ensure the safety of all dancers.
Disciplines
Competing dancers may enter as many categories as they wish, but they must not compete against themselves if a dancer has a second solo in the same category they may register that dance in the “open” category. Duo/Trio dancers must have a change of partners to compete twice in the same category. A dance routine may move UP an age division in order to avoid competing against itself within a category…but never lower.
*Safety Policy*
If a routine displays a high risk of injury may be disqualified and/or prevented from performing again in the finals.
Acrobatics Division
AcroDance: Routine contains 50% dance and 50% acrobatic content derived from gymnastics, tumbling, or limbers etc. Contortion: Routine focuses on the display of flexibility and balance through act of contortion and body bending.
Ballet Division
Ballet: Routine includes classical, precise and highly formalized sets of steps, gestures, and movements with ballet technique.
Character Ballet: Ballet routine in which the performer portrays a recognizable character throughout the entirety of the performance.
Contemporary Ballet: Division utilizing overall contemporary/modern/ballet training.
Variation Ballet: A solo from a ballet production performed alone. The choreography does not differ significantly from what was set by the original choreographer of the ballet.
Pointe Ballet: 30% or more of the dancers must be on pointe with a majority of the routine performed on pointe. The same style of show must be on both feet. The division is to be calculated utilizing overarching ballet training, not pointe training.
​
Jazz
Jazz: Routine to include jazz techniques such as leaps, splits, floor rolls, kicks, etc.
Lyrical
Lyrical: Routine to include emotional interpretations using combination of ballet and jazz technique. Balance, control and extension are main focuses of the dance whilst portraying a story and connection to the lyrics.
Musical Theatre & Stage
Musical Theatre & Stage: Musical Theatre routine to include lip-synching and dramatization. Stage routines do not include lip-synching but have theatrical Broadway elements. Both styles include theatrics and facial expressions.
Modern
Modern: Interpretive dance using balance and control. Demonstrated free, creative, and expressive movement styles that closely relate to actual human life.
Tap
Tap: Routine to include tap technique. Must be wearing tap shoes. NO RECORDED TAP SOUNDS are permitted in the music.
Contemporary
Contemporary: A contemporary exploration of fundamental ballet, jazz, modern and lyrical training.
Street Division
Hip Hop: Routine consisting primarily of hip-hop and street dance technique.
Break Dance: Routine consisting of break dance and tricking elements within a street styled routine.
National/Traditional
National/Traditional: A routine of national origin: Highland, Irish, Polynesian, Chinese, and traditional routines such as: Cha Cha, Salsa, Tango, and Latin/Ballroom origins. There is no ranking and only medal standings.
Open
Open: This category is for those routines that do not fit into any of the above categories. There may be a variety of interdisciplinary routines within this category with no restrictions. This category may be merged with another category for overall scoring and ranking purposes.
​
Song & Dance
Song & Dance: This category highlights singing while dancing. No pre-recorded vocals are permitted. The routine should be equal parts singing and dancing.
​
Student Choreography
Student Choreography: Self choreographed routines or young choreographers 18ys and under. Solos, Duo/Trio, Group. Festival Division. High Score student choreography routine advances to our demo reel shooting emerging choreographer.
Age
Divisions
Toddlers 3-4yrs
Newbies 5-6yrs
Micro 7-8yrs
Mini 9-10yrs
Junior 11-12yrs
Intermediate 13-14yrs
Teen 15-16yrs
Senior 17-19yrs
Young Adult 20-24yrs
Adult 25-39yrs
Legends 40yrs+
​
