FROM THE NYSDC FAMILY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN 2020! ALTHOUGH WE MISSED SEEING SO MANY OF YOU, WE ARE GRATEFUL WE WERE ABLE TO HOLD A FEW OF OUR EVENTS AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A BETTER AND BRIGHTER 2021! WE WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY HOLD A FEW REGIONALS IN THE SUMMER AND FALL OF 2020 WITH OUR NEW COVID-19 PROCEDURES IN PLACE. THESE EVENTS RECEIVED POSITIVE FEEDBACK AND WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THE COMPETITIONS AS NORMAL AS POSSIBLE, WHILE BEING SAFE, CAUTIOUS AND RESPECTFUL OF ONE ANOTHER. UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, NYSDC WILL PLAN OUR 2021 REGIONALS THE SAME WAY, WITH THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES IN PLACE TO ASSIST WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING AND INCREASED SAFETY AND SANITATION.
PLAN “A” FOR 2021
NYSDC WILL BE PLANNING THE 2021 REGIONAL SEASON FOR IN-PERSON EVENTS. NYSDC WILL BE LIMITING ATTENDANCE INTO REGIONAL EVENTS, WORKING WITH OUR VENUE PARTNERS TO INCREASE PERFORMANCE SPACE AND IMPLEMENTING ALL HEALTH PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CDC AND NEW YORK STATE. HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS CAN BE FOUND BELOW.
PLAN “B” FOR 2021
IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL (HYBRID): THERE MAY BE SOME STUDIOS THAT MAY NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE ATTENDING AN IN-PERSON EVENT. NYSDC TOTALLY UNDERSTANDS THIS! WE WILL BE OFFERING THE VIRTUAL OPTION TO ALL STUDIOS THAT WOULD FEEL MORE SAFE GOING WITH THIS OPTION. COMPETITION ROUTINES WILL BE UPLOADED AND JUDGED VIRTUALLY. AWARDS CEREMONIES WILL BE BROADCAST LIVE FOLLOWING THE COMPETITION.
PROTOCOLS MAY CHANGE AS SAFETY GUIDELINES AND RESTRICTIONS ARE MODIFIED PER THE CDC AND NEW YORK STATE
Each studio has been given a time block to come into each designated venue to perform their entries. Depending on the size of each studio and number of dances (10 Entries or Less), there could be 1 or 2 additional studios within the same time block. To avoid unnecessary crowding in the designated dressing rooms, please have the dancers arrive performance ready. At the conclusion of your last scheduled entry, students and the studio director will meet with our awards team to be presented with your adjudication awards for each of your entries. Upon receiving your adjudication awards, you will be asked to gather your belongings in your dressing area and to vacate the building so that we can sanitize and allow the next scheduled studio to enter. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, THE NEXT STUDIO’S DANCERS, SPECTATORS AND STAFF WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ENTER THE VENUE UNTIL THE LAST GROUP HAS TOTALLY LEFT THE PREMISES. The TOTAL capacity that we can hold in the venue space will be determined at the time of each regional pertaining to New York State Guidelines and Restrictions. Each person going in and coming out will be monitored and counted. Each venue will vary in total occupancy guidelines. We ask that you consider this number when allowing family members from your studio to attend. Depending on WiFi availability, each regional will be live streamed so that family and friends may watch from home. NYSDC will be holding OVERALL AWARDS at the conclusion of all entries at the conclusion of each regional. Each studio is asked to bring up to (2) people total to receive awards at this final awards ceremony. The judge’s critiques and videos will be uploaded to DanceBUG after each regional.
All interior doors will be open to reduce touch points. Please do not congregate in the openings before and after the event.
*PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF YOUR MUSIC IS UPLOADED TO DANCEBUG BY NO LATER THAN 10 DAYS FROM THE START OF EACH REGIONAL.
Studio Directors will be asked to provide their entries in the order desired for competition 2 weeks before the regional dates.
TEMPERATURES MUST BE 99.5 AND UNDER TO BE ADMITTED! NYSDC staff will have temperatures taken and a wellness check-in every day. Staff will also always wear a mask.
Our safety plan has been developed in compliance with the Centers of Disease Control, OSHA, and New York State Department of Health guidelines to prevent the spread of, and to help ensure the safety of, our NYSDC Staff, our customers/dancers and teachers, our vendors and the Regional Location that we are at. This plan has been developed to inform all employees and customers/dancers and teachers of our standards to maintain clean and sanitary facilities.
PLEASE SEE ATTACHED ASSUMPTION OF RISK WAIVER OF LIABILITY RELATING TO COVID-19—THIS WAIVER MUST BE SIGNED BY EACH STUDENTS’ PARENT OR GUARDIAN AND BROUGHT TO THE VENUE LOCATION ON YOUR DAY OF COMPETITION, YOU WILL BE ASKED FOR EACH WAIVER UPON MEETING WITH OUR REGISTRATION STAFF.
SOCIAL DISTANCING:
NEW YORK STATE DANCE CHALLENGE will ensure that the number of people in the building is always no more than 25% maximum capacity per NYS Guidelines at this time. This capacity level is sure to change and it will be updated as needed. All employees and attendees over the age of 2 and medically able to tolerate, must wear a face covering at all times. NYSDC judges will be in masks at all times. There will be additional face coverings on hand in case of need. The sharing of masks is prohibited.
*Please note dancers that are on stage dancing will be permitted to dance without a face covering as long as the 6 foot distance is adhered to. One routine at a time will be permitted in the backstage area. Once exiting the immediate stage, face coverings are to be promptly put back onto face.
NEW YORK STATE DANCE CHALLENGE will strictly enforce a distance of 6 feet between individuals (both customers/dancers and teachers and NYSDC/Venue Location Staff)
NEW YORK STATE DANCE CHALLENGE will be doing all entry scheduling in a Block format. Each studio will be assigned specific time slots for all of their dancers to perform their routines. This will greatly reduce spectators, time spent at the venue and allow the staff time to disinfect the main stage, backstage, seating, and dressing rooms in between time blocks. Dancers and Teachers should arrive at the Venue Location no earlier than 15 minutes prior to their scheduled time block and dancers should arrive at the venue warmed up, in costume and if possible in full make-up for their first scheduled routine. Adjudication Awards will be presented at the end of each time block and should be physically picked up by the studio representative backstage.
DRESSING ROOM INFORMATION:
Only dancers that are performing in the current block of entries are to be in the dressing rooms. To keep capacity in line with state regulations, only 2 studio staff will be allowed into the dressing rooms with dancers to assist in changing and assisting dancers.
COSTUMES:
Costumes are optional and will not affect scoring. Studios wishing to forego costumes/changing of costumes and use of dressing rooms will not have deductions.
NYSDC BACKSTAGE PROTOCOL:
In the backstage area of each Venue Location, only the ACTIVE performers and one (1) studio representative will be allowed.
Those that are helping with prop setup backstage must wear a face covering and must leave the Backstage Area once they have placed the prop on stage. Once the routine is over, they must retrieve the prop and take it completely away from the stage. NO NYSDC staff can assist with prop handling!
NYSDC LOBBY SALES AND MISC. ACTIVITY:
For retail sales and other miscellaneous activity, staff will calculate and enforce maximum occupancy limits and social distancing.
Hand sanitizer will be available at our Registration/Check In Area, Retail Area, dressing areas and conference center. Bringing your own water to drink is also recommended.
We also encourage studio directors to conduct daily temperature and wellness checks on their performers and staff.
Also suggested is washing hands thoroughly and multiple times a day, and encouraging dancers to follow personal health guidelines.
Seating will be modified by blocking off seats or rows within a section to accommodate social distancing of at least 6 feet between individuals from different households.
NYSDC staff will attempt to have as many floor markers and tape lines as we can to keep traffic flow and ample space around the facility.
Signage will also be posted throughout the venue reminding people to social distance, wash hands, sanitize etc. Hand sanitizer stations will be provided throughout the venue.
NYSDC staff will assist in helping to monitor and control the flow of traffic into and within each Venue Location.
Temperature checks will be performed if necessary or mandated at the time of competition.
***ALL MUSIC MUST BE UPLOADED ONLINE THROUGH DANCEBUG***
For those who cannot or choose not to attend in person, if able to do so, our entries and overall awards will be available via live stream, free of charge, on the DanceBUG app! This will be dependent on the internet connection at each venue location.
*For anyone who is running a fever, or has been ill within the last 72 hours should not attend.
*Anyone who has been in contact with someone who has been ill in the past 14 days should not attend.
The following protocols MAY be required by certain venues:
*Checking temperatures and limiting spectator attendance.
*No dressing rooms
*No props that cannot be carried on by the performers.
100% EVENT GUARANTEE: In the event New York State Dance Challenge is unable to host a scheduled event due to COVID-19, studios will have the option to compete virtually or accept a full refund with 7-10 business days of the event.
Again, safety guidelines will be updated as needed.