All directors must register and pay for each of their students individually online. Students must be associated with a school or company to participate. NO individual registrations. NO registration fee refunds.

Registration will close on January 15, 2025. However, it may close earlier if we reach our maximum enrollment of 600 participants. NO exceptions.  

Students must be age 11 or older to participate. All students must have had at least two to three years of ballet training and demonstrate a certain knowledge of vocabulary. Please no beginners.

Our Young Dancer classes are specifically designed for students 11-12 with a specialized curriculum appropriate for this level of training. Young Dancer classes are taught by faculty from the UNCSA Preparatory Dance Program.

Advanced dancers should have a strong command of ballet technique and be accomplished in their pointe work. If the dancer is stronger in contemporary technique, accommodations will be made to substitute composition or improvisational work for pointe classes. Intermediate students will be offered pointe work which is appropriate for that level. If students have had no pointe work, they will be offered other classes. All gentlemen will receive a men's class instead of pointe.

Once registration and payment are complete, the Festival director will be emailing directors a welcome packet, which will include more details about the schedule for the weekend.

• Students may wear any color of leotard with pink or black tights.

• Gentlemen may wear T-shirts with gray or black tights.

• Ballet slippers are needed for ballet technique classes and only those who have had experience on pointe should have pointe shoes.

• Contemporary classes will be conducted in bare feet.

• Jazz oxfords, jazz sneakers, character heels or ballet slippers should be worn jazz, musical theater, or character classes.

• Students may want to have a mat for Pilates or other conditioning classes.

Only teachers and directors are permitted to observe Festival classes and are welcome to sit in the studios.

No parents will be permitted to stay in the buildings on UNCSA campus during the Festival. If parents are being used as chaperones, older students can be dropped off and picked up at the end of the day. For younger dancers, one chaperone for every ten students will be allowed in the buildings during classes. Their names must be given to the Festival directors before the start of the weekend so we can notify them on where they can wait.

The school offers several options for meals. Our campus cafeteria will extend its hours to offer breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the Pickle Jar will be open for salads, sandwiches and other grill items. The campus store, located in the student commons, offers quick snacks such as yogurt, power bars, and drinks or chaperones may also choose to bring food onto the campus grounds for picnicking (weather permitting).

Options for lodging will be sent out to directors for your convenience. There are several places close to school that offer discounts, and some great restaurants in the downtown area that we can recommend.

Any questions should be directed to the Festival co-directors Robert Gosnell, at uncsa.festivalofncdance@gmail.com or Taryn Griggs at griggst@uncsa.edu, by the school director.