What is Company?
Our competitive dance company at Academy of Dance Westlake Village is comprised of dancers who are interested in taking their commitment to dance to the next level and share their love of dance with a wider audience. Our philosophy about competition is that while it is a competition, it is above all else, a chance for you to grow and do what you love… DANCE. Each competition should be viewed as a performance opportunity with constructive feedback from experts in the industry. It doesn’t matter if you get an honorable mention or a quadruple platinum diamond award just as long as you are doing what you love and being the best representations of yourselves and your abilities. If you performed at your highest ability, overcame a fear or obstacle on stage, or finally achieved a personal goal, you’ve won all of the awards in our book!
Company members are trained in multiple styles in order to improve their placement, technique, and versatility while expanding their understanding of style and overall quality of movement. Being a part of a competition team encourages teamwork, develops work ethic, and builds long-lasting friendships. We encourage everyone to audition for our Company!
General Company Requirements
Below you will find general Company information based upon our Company structure over the last few years. Please note that we cater the structure of our Company to the dancers we accept on the team each year so please keep in mind that the structure will change for the 2023-2024 Season.
Mini Company
- Ages 5-9
- Beginner/Intermediate level
- 4.5 hours minimum per week including rehearsals
- 2 Competitions
Team
- Ages 9+
- Beginner/Intermediate level
- 6.5 hours minimum per week including rehearsals
- 2 Competitions and 1 Convention
Company
- Ages 9+
- Intermediate/Advanced level
- 9 hours minimum per week including rehearsals
- 3 Competitions and 3 Conventions
Performances: Mini Company dancers attended 2 competitions throughout the 2021-2022 Season, Team attended 2 competitions and 1 convention and Company dancers attended 6 competitions. In addition, Company dancers were given the opportunity to attend at least 12 optional competitions as well as several community performances. Company dancers will also have a Company Showcase in January.
Required Group Pieces for all Company Dancers: 1 Jazz Production, 1 Contemporary/Lyrical Small or Large Group
Optional Group Pieces: Dancers may also choose to perform in any of the following styles as long as there are enough dancers within the same age range participating.
Up to 4 small groups choreographed by outside master class teachers/choreographers.
Solos, Duos, Trios: Open to ALL of our Company dancers. Dancers may choose to do up to 3 solos and as many duos and trios as you would like. Dancers may choose the style of each solo, duo, trio and can select any permanent faculty member or master class teacher to choreograph each piece as long as it works for the choreographer’s schedule.
Mini Company Classes & Rehearsals (ages 5 – 9): 1 Ballet, 1 Jazz, 1 Lyrical/Contemporary, plus 1 class in the style of any optional group piece you choose to do. In other words, if you choose to participate in the Hip Hop group piece, you would have to take a Hip Hop class during the week. Dancers take a minimum of 3 hours of class per week plus 1.5 hours of rehearsals on Thursdays.
Team Classes & Rehearsals (ages 9+): 2 Ballet, 1 Jazz, 1 Lyrical/Contemporary, 1 class in a different style (hip hop, tap, heels, etc.), and a class in the style of any/all optional group pieces you choose to do. Dancers take a minimum of 5 hours of classes per week plus 1.5 hours of rehearsal on Thursdays.
Company Classes & Rehearsals (ages 9+): 2 Ballet, 1 Jazz, 1 Lyrical/Contemporary, 1 Technique, 1 class in a different style (hip hop, tap, heels, etc.), and a class in the style of any/all optional group pieces you choose to do. Dancers take a minimum of 7 hours of classes per week plus 1.5 hours of rehearsal on Thursdays.
2023- 2024 Company Auditions
If you have a dancer who LOVES to perform, ADWV’s Company may be the right choice for you!! Even if you have not yet made your decision about whether or not Company is the right choice for you, come to the audition to see what we are all about! It’s a FREE Master Class taught by a wonderfully talented Guest Faculty member so why not come try us out?
Company Auditions for our 2023 – 2024 dance season have been released!!
Date: Saturday, August 12th
Times:
- Ages 5 – 8 – 10:00a – 12:00p
- Ages 9 – 11 -11:15a – 2:30p
- Ages 12 – 14 – 11:45a – 3:00p
- Ages 15+ – 2:30p – 5:45p
What to wear: Dancers should wear form fitting, black dance attire to show body lines and technique, hair secured back away from face in a neat ponytail or bun, with jazz shoes and a clean sneaker for the jazz funk section of the audition.
What to expect: The audition will be taught by a Master Class teacher as well as our director, Jess Warfield. Dancers will be given jazz progressions to showcase technique and will be taught choreography in both Contemporary and Jazz Funk. After the choreography has been set, dancers will perform the choreography and improv in smaller groups for assessment by some of our permanent faculty members.
After the audition: The results of our Company Audition will be emailed a week after the audition date. From that point, dancers who are asked to join our Company will be given a week to respond to our invitation. Once all potential Company members have been confirmed, dancers will receive an email containing her/his final group piece assignments and rehearsal dates/times.
Parents: A parent/guardian of ALL of our auditioning Company dancers are required to attend one of the Company Information Meetings listed below before committing to our Company. At this meeting, parents will be given all of the information necessary for the coming season including dates, competitions, pricing, requirements, and more. Please inform the front desk of which meeting you are able to attend.
Meetings for our 2023-2024 Season will be announced shortly!
A Previous Year at a Glance
AUGUST
Summer Intensive 2015
Company Auditions
Choreography begins for group pieces, solos, duos, and trios.
SEPTEMBER
Classes begin
Choreography continues for group pieces, solos, duos, trios.
The BEAT MS Dance Walk in Pacific Palisades, CA.
OCTOBER
Company BBQ
Company Sleepover
Shaping Sounds Performance field trip
NOVEMBER
Company Fundraiser
DECEMBER
The Pulse On Tour Las Vegas Convention & Performance (Optional)
Radix Dance Convention & Competition (Optional)
JANUARY
Company Showcase
NUVO Dance Convention & Competition (Optional)
FEBRUARY
Company dancers asked to participate and compete on Dance Moms.
Our Company dancers were invited to audition for America’s Got Talent.
Revolution Dance Competition (Required)
The Pulse On Tour San Diego Convention & Performance (Optional)
MARCH
Several Company dancers invited to private SYTYCD audition.
Open Call Dance Competitions (Required)
APRIL
Tremaine Dance Convention & Competiition (Required)
ASH Dance Convention & Competition (Required)
Velocity Dance Convention & Competition (Optiona)
MAY
JUMP Dance Convention & Competition (Required)
Next LeveL Dance Competition (Required)
Photo Days at ADWV
JUNE
Company Celebration Dinner & Pool Party
Dress Rehearsals at the Agoura Performing Arts & Education Center
Annual Performance at the Agoura Performing Arts & Education Center
ARE YOU READY TO DANCE?
Registration is now OPEN! Register today to reserve your spot in your favorite class!