To all the local dancing machines, and anyone with a competitive spirit, it’s time to shine those dancing shoes and get ready for the very special Atomic Ballroom Classic, happening on Saturday, February 27th. This isn’t just your ordinary dance competition, as it’s ultra inclusive, ultra fun, and ultra easy to enter!
Starting at 10:00am on February 27th, the stage will come to life with performances from a variety of dance styles, danced by participants representing a wide range of experience levels. There are four categories to choose from. Depending on your what stage you’re at as a dancer, choose just one, more, or even all four!
1. Am-Am – Means two amateur dancers paired up to compete together against other amateur dancers in their category.
2. Jack & Jill – Each dancer enters to compete as either a leader or follower, from which couples are then randomly formed. Without a chance to rehearse together, they must improvise their movements to a surprise selection by the DJ. Since there isn’t much advanced preparation that can be made, this division is a true test of ones adaptability to the unknown, and can really show a dancer, as well as the crowd just what that dancer is made of. Much like on the social dance floor, participants should be able to connect and adapt to a partner they may have never danced with before. Through this process ones lead and follow skills are vastly improved.
3. Pro-Am– For students who don’t have a regular dance partner, are still in search of a good match, or just want to up their game by working more closely with their favorite professional, they may pair up with an instructor to compete directly against other student/instructor teams. While being judged only against their student peers, they will have a level playing field while still reaping the benefits of working so closely with/teaming up with a more experienced professional/mentor.
4. Lastly, in the Showcase division, almost anything goes. In this category, pairings of student-student, student-teacher, as well as groups of two or more dancers compete against one another using a preexisting routine from another event, or a newly choreographed piece. Performs can push the limits of creativity by including costumes and props.
Dancers will compete in either the beginner, intermediate or the advanced category. They may also compete in more than one division, paired with a pro in one, with a group for another, and so on! (For example, an amateur dancer may compete with a fellow student friend in the am-am division, also with their favorite instructor in the pro-am division, as well as with another dancer or group in the showcase division, and also with a random selection (and potential stranger) in the Jack & Jill division!
Deadlines for entries are on February 10, 2016 for Pro-Am, Am-Am, and Showcase divisions, and February 23, 2016 for Jack & Jill Entries.
The entry fees are as follows:
Pro-Am Single Entry: $40*
Am-Am Single Entry: $20/person*
Jack & Jill Entry: $20/person
Showcase Entry: $100
One entry = One dance at one level for one partnership (for example, beginning pro-am Lindy Hop would be one entry).
*For Pro-Am and Am-Am single entries, after purchasing six entries, the 7th is free, with no limit on the total amount!
This promises to be a fun, high energy event for all, so grab a partner and shuffle those dancing shoes-feet on over to Atomic to sign up and take your dancing to the next level!
