MD Public High School Dance Showcase

For questions, please e-mail mphsds@gmail.com

Why have a State Public School Dance Showcase?

To highlight the status of and continue building the quality of dance instruction in Maryland Public Schools.
To expose students to other school dance programs and educators throughout the state of Maryland and celebrate community through dance.
To provide high quality master classes in a variety of genres and styles to broaden student experiences.
To foster high-quality performance in dance as a fine art, aligning to the Dance National Core Arts Standards and the MSDE dance curriculum.
To create a professional learning community for students and dance teachers in Maryland.
To receive constructive feedback from professional adjudicators to improve dance performance.
To present the All-State Dance Awards.
Recognize schools with Awards for Professionalism at the Showcase Day and Concert. Schools have the opportunity to vote for this award.

T - Shirt Design for 2025

Who is eligible?

All MD Public schools that offer fine arts dance classes that embrace National and State Arts Standards within their daily academic schedule are eligible to participate in Showcase. Each school may bring a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 20 total dancers.

DATE: January 10th, 2025 (Snow date Jan. 13th)

TIME: 9:00a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Goucher College, 1021 Dulaney Valley Rd, Baltimore, MD 21204

All attendees will start in Kraushaar Auditorium

Sample Schedule of Activities and Events:

• Welcome, Orientation & Performance

• 90-minute master class or technical rehearsal*

• Lunch (bring your own/brown bag)

• 90-minute master class or technical rehearsal*

• Dinner (more information coming - each school is responsible for ordering dinner on their own from an off-campus site or Goucher Dining Hall)

• Evening Concert at 7:00 p.m. – All students/schools will attend the concert. The 2025 All-State Dance Awardees will be acknowledged after the concert.

* Every student will take 3 master classes – note: schools that are performing will take a Somatics class before or after their tech.

Dance Showcase Timeline - All forms for submission can be found below under Links to Teacher forms

September 20, 2024: Intention Form Due

November 8, 2024: Piece Submission & Program Information Form Due, School & Dancer Fee Form(mandatory), T-shirt Order Form (optional) all fees are due by check.

November 23 & 24: Acceptance of pieces and Program Order sent to schools

December 18, 2024: Class Schedule and Ticket information sent to schools

January 10th, 2025: Showcase

January 13, 2025: Snow Date

SCHOOl FEES & DEADLINES

What are the fees and optional costs?

All fees are used to fund the cost of facilities, housekeeping, security, lunch for master teachers and administrators, technical services, audio-visual, accompanists, awards, AEMS’ administrative fees, adjudication, and more. The Showcase is planned, implemented, and run by volunteers. (Tricia Gooley, Suzie Henneman, Karen Kuebler, and Trish Spruill)

The master teachers are all from or living in MD and volunteer their expertise for the good of public-school dance education.

2025 Required Fees

$150 per school fee
$20 per dancer fee (includes the cost of the ticket to the evening concert)

2025 Optional Fees

T-shirts – $15 per T-shirt
$20 per dancer fee for All-State Auditions (Auditions were held September 17, 2024)

All School and Student Fees are due November 8, 2024 and are to be mailed to:

Checks should be made out to AEMS

Karen Kuebler

709 Sudbrook Road

Pikesville, MD 21208

If you have questions, please email Suzie Henneman at mphsds@gmail.com

LINKS TO TEACHER FORMS

Showcase Day Forms & Information

2025 Teacher Checklist

School Roster Template

School Acronym Codes (Badges)

2025 Class Schedule

2025 Master Teacher Bios

Lunch Information - Dining Hall

Dinner Information - Dining Hall

Dinner - Local Options

Evening Concert Program

Professionalism Award Voting

Goucher Campus Map

Kraushaar Auditorium Technical Specs

Tech Procedures & Light Cue Sheet

Accompanist Bios

Intention & Piece Submission Forms

School Intention Form - Due 9.20.24

Program Information Form - Due 11.8.24

Fee Submission Form - Due 11.8.24

T-shirt Order Form (optional) - Due 11.8.24

Sample Adjudication Rubric

Goucher Campus Map

Kraushaar Auditorium Technical Specs

**If you are looking for your school code for your video submission, please email Judi Fey dancer4ever@rjfey.com

VIDEO SUBMISSION & Adjudication INFORMATION

Each school may submit up to TWO, pieces for consideration. Submission will be accepted via Google Form titled Program Information. Submissions should reflect completed work from this school year and performed by current students. Pieces can be up to 5 minutes in length.

The Showcase pieces are adjudicated by a panel of MD professional dancers/artists/educators. The adjudicators are not employees of or associated with a school system. The adjudicators represent a high level of experience with high school dance, Ballet, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Modern, Musical Theatre, World/Ethnic, Somatics, Hip Hop, and Tap. All adjudicators have a national presence in dance and are either from Maryland or working in MD. The criteria for selection will consist of 3 areas: Piece Unity, Performance, and Technique. See sample adjudication rubric above.

Video submission requirements are outlined below.

Submissions will be accepted until November 8, 2024 by 8 p.m. Submissions received after the November 8 deadline or without lyrics, program information, music upload, and costume picture will not be reviewed or accepted.

Dance pieces can be in any genre or form of dance. Think outside the box, challenge students with a unique form and consider bringing pieces that are non-Western.
Two pieces may be submitted by each school. If you are submitting two pieces, one must be student choreography. Only one piece may be selected for the evening concert. Approximately 20 pieces are in the concert each year.
Choreography may not be plagiarized. The adjudicators check this.
Length guidelines: up to 5 minutes
Cast must be at least 5 dancers max 20. Students are not required to perform and may opt not to submit a video. In this case, the teacher should fill out the Program Information form and indicate that no pieces will be submitted.
Movement, music, costume, concepts, and lyrics must be appropriate for an audience of all ages, genders, races, religions, and ethnicities. Remember that there may be small siblings in the audience and the elderly.
A copy of the lyrics, that match the music, must accompany videos of dances using words. If no lyrics are submitted with the video, the video will not be screened.
Costume selection should consider choreographic intent, and suitability for dancers, the audience, and the dancers involved. No bare midriffs or short shorts. Costumes should not shed on stage, as there is no time to sweep the stage.
When recording in a gym or other space, mark off a stage-sized area for the dancers (about 40’ wide X 30’ deep). It’s alright if it is a smaller space.
Record in a gym or other brightly lit area if bright light is not available on stage. Experiment with both auto-focus and manual focus, and use what will give the clearest picture in the lighting conditions.
Dancers on the video must accurately represent the same cast that will perform at the Showcase. Previous year’s videos are not acceptable. Dances need to be performed at Showcase with the same number of dancers that are on videos. (with the exception of illness or injury)
The Program Information Form will include a request for the choreographer's intent statement.
All schools participating in master classes are also committed to attending the Showcase Concert, including the All-State Awards ceremony following the concert.
Performers and audience members may not use confetti, glitter, or like materials.
Music files must be purchased and submitted in an mp3 format.

DANCE SHOWCASE PROGRAM INFORMATION SUBMISSION FORM - DUE November 8, 2024

Dance showcase expectaTions

Please review these expectations and discuss with dancers prior to Showcase day.

1. Be on time for the entire Showcase schedule. All registered dancers must attend the full day and participate in the finale.

2. In addition to the teacher, schools must provide one chaperone per 10 students who will accompany the group throughout Showcase day. The minimum number of chaperones is one. (e.g., 20 dancers = 2 chaperones + teacher). Chaperones and teachers are to remain with students throughout the showcase day.

3. Monitor student behavior to ensure professionalism and appropriateness. Remind students that they are in an academic setting and guests of Goucher College. Respectful behavior reflects positively on your school and the Showcase.

4. Follow directions given by showcase coordinators, tech, and theater staff.

5. Discuss the responsibilities of being a guest of Goucher College with students (picking up trash, neatness in assigned dressing rooms and rooms, responsibility for clothing and belongings, and noise level.)

6. Do not bring headphones, tablets, jewelry, or other valuables. Goucher College and/or MPHSDS cannot be held responsible for unsecured property.

7. Make sure students are properly dressed for class and rehearsal. Appropriate dress is a leotard/tank top/fitted top, tights or leggings, and appropriate shoes for class. Hair should be secured up and out of the face, and no gum or jewelry permitted. Dancers must wear cover-ups while traveling between classes/tech.

8. Studios may not be used for rehearsing pieces during the Showcase day.

9. Lunch and Dinner is to be eaten in the specified areas only. Schools may not leave the campus for lunch or dinner.

10. Dancers should either be in class, in a designated space or in the auditorium/auditorium lobby at tech and should not be sitting in hallways.

11. Schools must bring a first aid kit. Ice packs are highly recommended.

12. Students must remain seated during the concert except to go backstage to perform.

13. Review appropriate audience etiquette with students. Applause is the only appropriate response at a fine arts dance concert; yelling, whistling, and calling dancers' names are unacceptable responses. Cell phones should be off, and no texting or recording should occur during the entire Showcase day including tech and concert. Teachers must enforce this.

14. Bring a backup copy of your music.

15. Before leaving Goucher College, check that the dancers have all their belongings. Pick up the seating area; remove all programs and trash. Each school is responsible for cleaning up throughout Showcase day before leaving all Goucher facilities. Leave no trace!

16. Make sure dancer transportation is arranged for after the completion of the concert (Approx. 9 pm). All dancers are expected to stay for the entire performance.