Our Rules

All entries must register through a studio.

Studio directors determine the performance level of each dancer. Each routine’s level is determined by the level of the dancers registered.

The level of each routine is determined by the level of the dancers registered in the routine. Studio Directors should use the following criteria to determine the level of each dancer but should also take into consideration the dancer’s overall ability. The level of each dancer may need to be adjusted each year prior to registering for a competition. Please take note that our judging panel also uses the following criteria to assess level placement.

Spirit Division – At Breakout, we believe that dance should be an inclusive and welcoming place for everyone, of all abilities. Our Spirit Division is geared toward dancers who have a physical, sensory, or mental disability.

• We will work with studio directors to provide a safe space for those dancers to perform/compete.
• Dancers registered in the Spirit Division will perform in the Spirit level for their solo. In the case of dancers using an aide, the aide’s age and level will not be considered in determining the placement of the routine.
• Dancers will be recognized onstage during adjudications and are eligible for judges special awards. To be eligible for overall awards in the Spirit Division, all performers in the routine must be registered as Spirit dancers.

Beginner Division – This division is for beginner dancers who take 3 or less hours of dance per week and have very limited or no competition experience.

• A dancer in this division may compete in no more than 6 routines. Beginner dancers may compete in the Up and Coming Division and Production Division.
• Beginner dancers may compete only 1 solo.
• A well-executed Beginner level dancer has a simple and clean routine that they are executing with attention to musicality and performance quality.

Up & Coming Division –This division is for intermediate dancers who take 5 or less hours of dance per week and have limited competition experience.

• A dancer in this division may compete in no more than 8 routines. Up and Coming dancers are eligible to compete in both the Beginner and Celebrity divisions.
• Up and Coming dancers may compete in no more than 2 solos.
• A true Up and Coming dancer will have more simplistic choreography with less difficulty than a Celebrity dancer would have. • A dancer at this level, should have a basic knowledge of their technique, and while every second of the routine won’t be executed flawlessly, our judges are looking for dancers who are becoming technically proficient, command the stage, and are invested in their performance.
• At this level, dancers should be above average in terms of their staging, musicality, and confidence, but still lack the technical soundness of a Celebrity level dancer.

Celebrity Division –This division is for advanced dancers who take 5 or more hours of dance per week or have extensive competition experience. Celebrity dancers may also compete in the Up and Coming Division.

• Celebrity dancers may compete in an unlimited number of routines, but a maximum of 3 solos.
• Dancers who wish to compete for Title, be picked for our National Opening Number, and compete for cash awards MUST be in the Celebrity Division.
• Dancers at this level have difficulty in their choreography that they are able to execute confidently with correct technique. These dancers have a strong level of showmanship and are clean and polished. At this level, dancers are beginning to find their artistry, style, and creativity. At this level, dancers should be above average in terms of their staging, musicality, and confidence, but still lack the technical soundness of a Celebrity level dancer.

Correct level placement is necessary for maintaining a key factor in our company philosophy – a fair event. If the judges unanimously decide that a dancer is under-placed, a level advancement will occur and the dancer/routine will be moved to the appropriate level. If the overall has already happened, that performance will be for adjudication only. If the overall has not yet happened, then the routine will have the opportunity to recompete at its correct level. If the level advancement recommendation is not unanimous, then the studio director will receive a level advancement card that serves as a recommendation for a level advancement of the particular dancer/group of dancers moving forward. Our judges are trained to provide consistency in their judging for all competitors at each event and monitoring that dancers are placed at their appropriate level is a significant part of a fair experience. THE DECISION OF THE JUDGES IS FINAL!

Routines with the exact same dancers must compete in the same age division and level.

Solos – Dancers must compete in the level they are registered.
Duos/Trios – The most advanced dancer determines the level of the routine.
Small Groups, Large Groups & Lines – No more than 49% of the dancers may be from a higher level. Productions – All Productions compete against each other in the Production Division. Awards are given in the 12 & Under and 13 & Over divisions.

Acro: Routine combining the artistry of dance technique along with the athleticism of acrobatic skills. Choreography must contain 50% dance technique.

Ballet: Routine consisting of classical ballet movement and technique.

Baton: Routine in which the dancer demonstrates a variety of twirling technique, such as fingerwork, rolls, and/or a variety of tosses and catches, that is coordinated with dance movements.

Character: Routine in which dancers must portray an easily recognizable character.

Clogging: Routine consisting of clogging technique and performed in clogging shoes. Folk/Ethnic: Routine incorporating one or more ethnic styles of dance.

Musical Theatre: Routine choreographed to a song from a Broadway or movie musical. This form of dance strongly focuses on elements of performance quality, such as connecting with the audience, facial expressions, storytelling, and/or character portrayal.

Open: Routine consisting of more than one style of dance that does not easily fit into any other category.

Contemporary: Routine influenced by multiple styles of dance including jazz, modern, and lyrical. The movement is expressive, gestural, and unique in its dynamics.

Hip Hop: Routine consisting of mostly hip hop or street style moves characterized by bounces, rocks, krumping, popping, locking, breaking, etc. This style places emphasis on rhythmic isolations and strong musicality.

Jazz: Routine consisting of primarily jazz technique in which the movements traditionally mimic the sounds, rhythms, and syncopations of the music.

Lyrical: Routine that places an emphasis on expression and connection to the lyrics of a song.

Modern: Routine consisting of codified styles of modern dance technique, such as Graham, Taylor, Cunningham, Limón,Dunham, Duncan, and Horton.

Song and Dance: Routine consisting of singing and any style of dance. Music may only have backup voices. Performance will use the boundary microphones or one handheld microphone provided by Breakout.

Supplemental: Routine consisting of any dance style or any combination of styles. This category differs from the Open category in that it can be used for a secondary dance in a similar style to one already used.

Pointe: Routine containing pointe technique. At least 50% of the performers must be en pointe. This category is only available in the Celebrity Level. Dancers performing en pointe, even if in another category such as Open or Supplemental, will be moved to the Celebrity Level.

Pom: Routine consisting of pom squad dance technique, with an emphasis on precision, clean technique, and sharpness that incorporates elements of Jazz and Hip Hop.

Tap: Routine consisting of tap technique. No pre-recorded tap sounds are allowed. Use of pre-recorded tap sounds will result in a red card and 2-point deduction.

Vocal: Any type of vocal performance using one handheld microphone provided by Breakout. Accompaniment can only be instrumental. Vocal Routines will be eligible for adjudication only. Vocal solos are not counted towards a dancer’s level.

• Only 3 acrobatic tricks are permitted in any performance category except Acro, Open, Character, Hip Hop, Pom, Supplemental, and Production. When a routine has 3 or more acro tricks, judges have the right to move the routine to the appropriate category. An acro trick is considered anything where both feet pass over the head and body is airborne such as, but not limited to, back handsprings, back tucks, front/side aerials, etc. An acro pass is considered one trick. Headstands, walkovers, head cartwheels, kip ups, forward rolls, contemporary inversions, or headsprings are not considered acro tricks.
• Soloists may not compete against themselves in the same performance category.
• In a duo/trio, or group routine 50% of the performers must be different when competing in the same age and performance category.
• Any dancer performing en pointe must be registered in the Celebrity Division.

Age Division is determined by the average age of performers Mini=6&Under//Petite=7-9//Junior=10-12//Teen=13-15//Senior=16-19//Adult=20&Over

If the average age of the group is 15.9, the entry will compete in the 15 year old age division.

• Production age divisions are determined by the average age of performers, 12 & Under and 13 & Over.
• A performer’s age is determined by their age as of January 1st, 2024. Studio directors must be prepared to present
• birth certificates should a protest arise.
• Routines with an average age of 20 or older will perform in our Adult division and are not eligible for overall awards.
• Routines may compete no more than 1 age division lower than the oldest dancer in the routine.
• Example: Any entry with a dancer 16 years old, or older, may not compete in any age division lower than 13-15.
• Any routine including a teacher is not eligible for overall awards. A teacher is someone who choreographs or teaches class and is 20 years of age or older. Entries with teachers in them may perform for adjudication only. This does not apply to student teachers 19 years old or younger.
• Any person who is visible on stage once the routine has started, and prior to the end of the routine, will be considered a performer and is subject to age division and group size rules.