CDC Competitive Team Program
Our philosophy:
Being part of the Canmore Dance Competitive Team is both an exciting opportunity and a shared commitment to excellence. Our team thrives on the CORPS philosophy: a team-first attitude required from every dancer and family through hard work, consistency, and positive sportsmanship. By working together, we foster a supportive space
where every dancer is inspired to reach their personal best within the group learning environment.
Our group dances serve as the team's main area of opportunity and primary focus of performance at competitions.
Because we prioritize this collective strength, advanced opportunities such as solos, duos, and trios are earned over time.
These roles are awarded to dancers who have built a strong foundation of technique and performance quality,
and who have consistently demonstrated what it means to be a dedicated CORPS member.
where every dancer is inspired to reach their personal best within the group learning environment.
Our group dances serve as the team's main area of opportunity and primary focus of performance at competitions.
Because we prioritize this collective strength, advanced opportunities such as solos, duos, and trios are earned over time.
These roles are awarded to dancers who have built a strong foundation of technique and performance quality,
and who have consistently demonstrated what it means to be a dedicated CORPS member.
Training requirements and recommendations:
All competitive dancers must take a minimum of three classes per week, two of which must be ballet.
The average number of classes that our team members currently take is SIX per week.
We love seeing our dancers explore multiple styles, which is a fantastic way to build incredible versatility and full-body strength! To help everyone feel confident and connected, we also encourage training at a similar pace as your peers. Matching your classmates' training hours helps set dancers up for success within the group,
providing them the opportunity to grow, learn new skills and choreography, and thrive alongside their peers
The average number of classes that our team members currently take is SIX per week.
We love seeing our dancers explore multiple styles, which is a fantastic way to build incredible versatility and full-body strength! To help everyone feel confident and connected, we also encourage training at a similar pace as your peers. Matching your classmates' training hours helps set dancers up for success within the group,
providing them the opportunity to grow, learn new skills and choreography, and thrive alongside their peers
Expectations and Guidelines
Maintain the values of the CORPS: A supportive and respectful attitude is at the heart of everything we do. We ask our competitive dancers to always lead by example—arriving prepared, on time, and in the required dress code for every class. By representing Canmore Dance Corps with pride and professionalism, our dancers inspire each other and uplift our entire community.
Attendance: Every rehearsal matters! To set our CORPS up for success and keep our dancers safe from injury, we require team members to maintain at least an 85% attendance rate in their weekly classes. Because consistent attendance is vital to competition preparation and team unity, falling below this threshold may unfortunately limit performance opportunities or future team placement. Please note that we cannot accommodate longer-term absences of more than two consecutive weeks (ex. an extended family vacation). Please notify us in advance if your dancer is going to be absent from class. If your dancer is ill, please keep us informed and keep them home until they have recovered.
Competition dates and Availability: Planning ahead is essential! Our team participates in three spring competitions, with final dates announced over the summer before classes begin. Full availability for all three events and the final classes leading up to them is required to ensure the team is fully prepared. If your dancer has a mandatory school conflict during the season, please reach out in advance so we can discuss it together. Competitions can take place on school days so please be aware and prepared for school absences during competition season.
Supplementary rehearsals: While all group choreography is taught during weekly classes, we host supplementary rehearsals for our more experienced dancers to ensure they feel fully prepared and polished. These take place on one or two Sundays per month from January through March, and attendance is mandatory for team success. We also host a mandatory team Dress Rehearsal on a weekend approximately two weeks before our first competition—this is an exciting and essential milestone that sets our dancers up for optimal preparation and confidence on stage!
Injuries: Managing injuries with care ensures our dancers can enjoy long, healthy dance journeys. If an injury occurs, we ask that you seek proper medical attention and keep us closely informed so we can support their recovery. Even when sidelined, injured dancers are still an important part of the team and are expected to attend and observe classes to stay connected with choreography and their peers. For long-term or chronic injuries, we will collaboratively discuss the best and safest path forward for your dancer's participation on the team.
Fees: Investing in the competitive program offers a progressive and rewarding experience for our dancers. To support this, competitive classes have a higher fee than recreational classes, which includes a studio fee to help cover our supplementary team costs. Families should plan for competition entrance fees (set by the event companies at approximately $40–$55 per group dance, per event) and costume costs for each routine. Finally, because we typically attend at least two events in the Calgary-Cochrane area, families should factor in local travel costs for these exciting weekends!
Attendance: Every rehearsal matters! To set our CORPS up for success and keep our dancers safe from injury, we require team members to maintain at least an 85% attendance rate in their weekly classes. Because consistent attendance is vital to competition preparation and team unity, falling below this threshold may unfortunately limit performance opportunities or future team placement. Please note that we cannot accommodate longer-term absences of more than two consecutive weeks (ex. an extended family vacation). Please notify us in advance if your dancer is going to be absent from class. If your dancer is ill, please keep us informed and keep them home until they have recovered.
Competition dates and Availability: Planning ahead is essential! Our team participates in three spring competitions, with final dates announced over the summer before classes begin. Full availability for all three events and the final classes leading up to them is required to ensure the team is fully prepared. If your dancer has a mandatory school conflict during the season, please reach out in advance so we can discuss it together. Competitions can take place on school days so please be aware and prepared for school absences during competition season.
Supplementary rehearsals: While all group choreography is taught during weekly classes, we host supplementary rehearsals for our more experienced dancers to ensure they feel fully prepared and polished. These take place on one or two Sundays per month from January through March, and attendance is mandatory for team success. We also host a mandatory team Dress Rehearsal on a weekend approximately two weeks before our first competition—this is an exciting and essential milestone that sets our dancers up for optimal preparation and confidence on stage!
Injuries: Managing injuries with care ensures our dancers can enjoy long, healthy dance journeys. If an injury occurs, we ask that you seek proper medical attention and keep us closely informed so we can support their recovery. Even when sidelined, injured dancers are still an important part of the team and are expected to attend and observe classes to stay connected with choreography and their peers. For long-term or chronic injuries, we will collaboratively discuss the best and safest path forward for your dancer's participation on the team.
Fees: Investing in the competitive program offers a progressive and rewarding experience for our dancers. To support this, competitive classes have a higher fee than recreational classes, which includes a studio fee to help cover our supplementary team costs. Families should plan for competition entrance fees (set by the event companies at approximately $40–$55 per group dance, per event) and costume costs for each routine. Finally, because we typically attend at least two events in the Calgary-Cochrane area, families should factor in local travel costs for these exciting weekends!
How do you become a member of the Competitive Team?
Entry into our competitive program is by invitation, and in some circumstances, by tryout or audition. Throughout the season, our faculty closely and quietly observes our dancers’ technique, attendance, coachability, and overall attitude. Because the competitive track requires a unique level of dedication and resilience, it isn’t the right fit for every dancer—which is why we take great pride in offering both a vibrant recreational stream and a focused competitive stream.
Toward the end of the season, we reach out via email to recreational families we feel are ready for this next step. We also connect with our returning competitive families to discuss goals for the upcoming year; please note that team placement is evaluated annually based on a dancer's ongoing growth and dedication. To be considered for the team, dancers must have completed RAD Grade 1 Ballet and be currently training in classical ballet.
If your dancer has a strong desire to join the team, you are always welcome to share your interest with Owner and Artistic Director, Jill Danielson, at [email protected]. While expressing interest does not guarantee an invitation, it helps us know who is eager to grow, allowing us to keep a close eye on their progress in class.
Toward the end of the season, we reach out via email to recreational families we feel are ready for this next step. We also connect with our returning competitive families to discuss goals for the upcoming year; please note that team placement is evaluated annually based on a dancer's ongoing growth and dedication. To be considered for the team, dancers must have completed RAD Grade 1 Ballet and be currently training in classical ballet.
If your dancer has a strong desire to join the team, you are always welcome to share your interest with Owner and Artistic Director, Jill Danielson, at [email protected]. While expressing interest does not guarantee an invitation, it helps us know who is eager to grow, allowing us to keep a close eye on their progress in class.