Grand Jeté | SC Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities

South Carolina's Student Ballet and Contemporary Dance Competition and More!

SAVE THE DATES - March 20-26, 2023

Join us for the week or just for a specific event! (See the full schedule below.)

Ballet students, ages 10-19, are invited to compete for cash prizes and participate in master classes, audition classes, and a dance recruiting fair during Grand Jeté, presented by the SC Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities. All events are open to both competitors and non-competitors.

Participants compete by age group divisions:

Pre-Competitive (Ballet only) - ages 10-12
Junior Division (Ballet and/or Modern/Contemporary) - ages 13-15
Senior Division (Ballet and/or Modern/Contemporary) - ages 16-19

This year’s Grand Jeté will take place over six days on March 20-26, 2023, and will be in person for South Carolina student competitors and non-competitors, adjudicators, audition, and master class teachers. Recruiters and SC dance teachers can participate in person or via Zoom.

Grand Jeté 2023 reserves the right to cancel at any time. In the event of a cancellation due to Inclement Weather, Grand Jeté will not be rescheduled.

Congratulations to the Grand Jeté 2022 Winners!

Senior Division

Senior Ballet

1st Place - Anna Ohi, SCGSAH
2nd Place - Kayla Breedlove, Academy of Lexington Youth Ballet
3rd Place - Jonimarie Purtle, DanceArts Greenville

Senior Contemporary/Modern

1st Place - Kendra Brown, Dance Conservatory of Charleston
2nd Place - Ava Kabealo, SCGSAH
3rd Place - Caolin Witherspoon, SCGSAH

Junior Division

Junior Ballet

1st Place - Lily Grace Patterson, Independent
2nd Place - Lillian Mozie, International Ballet
3rd Place - Genevieve Grunenwald, DanceArts Greenville

Junior Contemporary/Modern

1st Place - Lillian Mozie, International Ballet
2nd Place - Lily Grace Patterson, Independent
3rd Place - Genevieve Grunenwald, DanceArts Greenville

Choreography

Kendra Brown, Dance Conservatory of Charleston

Honorable Mentions

Senior - Sophia Brown, International Ballet
Junior - Sarah Tiller, Okatie Youth Ballet

Promise Award

Kinsley Henry, Academy of Lexington Youth Ballet

2023 Participation Guidelines

Below is an overview of the guidelines to participate in Grand Jeté. Students do not have to compete to participate in the recruiting fair, master classes or audition classes.

Eligibility

Grand Jeté is happy to announce that it will not limit the number of participants per school.

Grand Jeté welcomes dance students from throughout the state of South Carolina. All participants must be attending elementary, middle or high school in South Carolina at the time of the competition.

Participants must be full-time residents of the state of South Carolina to apply and to participate.
Grand Jeté is open to dance students, ages 10–19 as of January 1 of the event year.
Proof of age and SC state residency eligibility may be requested.

Grand Jeté is an equal opportunity organization and does not discriminate based on race, nationality, age, sex and non-disqualifying physical disability.

Deadlines

Early Registration: December 1, 2022

Regular Registration: February 1, 2023.

See below for discounts for early registration. Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. A minimum number of participants may be required in order for this event to take place. Registration will close when Grand Jeté reaches its maximum capacity. Additional applicants will be placed on a waitlist.

Fees

No entry is guaranteed until payment has been processed. A confirmation will be sent to each studio for their records and approval.

Early Registration (December 1, 2022)

Competitor Registration Fee: $75.00, includes master classes and audition classes
Solo Fee: $60.00 per solo. Maximum of three solos-either two classical ballet variations and one contemporary solo or two contemporary solos and one classical ballet
Non-Competitors Registration Fee: $60.00, includes master classes and audition classes
Teacher Workshop for Private Studio Teachers Fee: $50.00

Regular Registration (February 1, 2023)

Competitor Registration Fee: $90.00, includes master classes and audition classes
Solo Fee: $70.00 per solo. Maximum of three solos-either two classical ballet variations and one contemporary solo or two contemporary solos and one classical ballet
Non-Competitors Registration Fee: $70.00, includes master classes and audition classes
Teacher Workshop for Private Studio Teachers Fee: $60.00
Teacher Workshop for Public School Teachers Deposit: $50.00 (Deposit that is refundable upon successful workshop completion.)
Information Sessions: Free of charge

Refunds

Registration fees (including competitor and non-competitor) will not be refunded under any circumstances, unless Grand Jeté is canceled.
Solo fee refunds are given only in the event of physical injury or illness. All refund requests must be accompanied by a doctor’s note with ink signature and office letterhead.

Categories

Note: Each student may compete in a maximum of three solos: two ballet and one contemporary or two contemporary and one ballet.

Classical Ballet Solos
The competitor will perform a variation selected from the classical ballet repertoire list provided.

The Pre-Competitive Age Division students are allowed to modify and/or simplify the variations to fit their technical level or may select a solo that is not represented on the Repertoire list, but must be a dance age and skill-appropriate choreographed ‘classical’ ballet piece. For the safety and wellness of our Grand Jeté Competitors, we strongly discourage the Pre-Competitive participants from dancing on pointe.
Contemporary Solos and Student Choreography
Contemporary Dance is a genre of concert dance that may include principles of various dance styles such as classical and neo-classical ballet, modern dance, postmodern dance, and others. Some of the dance styles may include theoretical concepts and philosophies from pioneers such as Martha Graham, Pina Bausch, Mary Wigman, Ted Shawn, and Alvin Ailey to name a few.

Competitors may perform and/or choreograph their contemporary solo on or off pointe.

Jazz and lyrical dance may be integrated, as the choreography may require. However, tap, hip hop, and similar dance is not permitted in the performance.

If applicable, for original or protected choreography not in public domain, it is the responsibility of the competitor, competitor’s parent, teacher or coach to obtain all required choreographers and/or musical releases, and to pay any required royalties.
Student Choreography - Solo only
Competitors are encouraged to submit their own choreographic works.

Student Choreography will be adjudicated on Originality, Creativity, Musically, Execution, Style, Character, Personality, use of Time (Rhythm, Speed, Syncopation), use of Energy (Quality of Movements) and use of Space.

Competitor Details

Headshot
All competitors must submit a current headshot. Headshots need to be submitted to grandjete@scgsah.org no later than February 1, 2023.

Time Limits
Ballet variation choices must be selected from Grand Jeté’s Ballet repertoire list, and contemporary solos are limited to a maximum time of 2:30 minutes in length. Though bows are not included in the 2:30 time, please refrain from bowing unless your solo finishes on stage.

Costumes
Costumes are encouraged and must be provided by the competitor/competitor’s school.

Props
Please note that all props used by participants are used at the participant’s own risk.

Grand Jeté is not responsible for any injury or incident resulting from a participant’s use of props of their choice.

The use of props must be pre-approved by Grand Jeté and must be identified at the time of registration. Please email morganpatterson@scgsah.org with the subject line “Grand Jeté prop usage request” and a description of all props to be used. Performers may not use dangerous props or props that could damage the venue or harm people.

There is no storage space for props off stage and Grand Jeté does not provide assistance with the movement of props on or off the stage. Parents, teachers or coaches are responsible for maintaining control of props off stage and bringing the props on and off the stage in a timely manner not to exceed 1 minute. The stage must be cleaned and cleared of any props immediately after the performance and the props removed from the wings.

Music
Competitors are required to provide their own music using an MP3 file. Music is to be uploaded online as part of registration by February 1, 2023. All music must be cued properly and must be recorded at the competitors’ desired speed. Please note that no adjustments can be made at the competition. Music must be labeled as “ Last Name First Name Solo Title”.

Studio owners must have available a recorded copy of their music that can be sent via email to morganpatterson@scgsah.org, in case the downloaded music malfunctions. The music must be cued properly and must be recorded at the competitors’ desired speed. Please note that no adjustments can be made at the competition. If applicable the competing student, student’s parent, teacher or coach is responsible for obtaining any required musical releases and is responsible for the payment of any royalties.

Lighting
A general warm wash will be provided to all competitors. No special lighting requests will be granted.

Video & Photography
Absolutely no photography or videography is permitted by participants, visitors or any other person other than those designated by Grand Jeté.
All participants must complete and submit the Grand Jeté Photo and Video Release Form. Registration will only be completed once the Photo and Video Release Form has been submitted.

Repertoire
Download the Repertoire List

Changes to Entries
All changes to the originally submitted entries must be received in writing seven days prior to the competition. No verbal requests will be honored.

Adjudication Scoring

There will be three adjudicators that are out-of-state internationally recognized dance professionals. The scoring system is based on Technique and Artistry with each having a 100-point value. Each judge’s final score is then the average of the technical and artistic marks. The average score given by each of the three judges will be added together to produce a final score out of a possible 300 points.

Grand Jeté utilizes the most advanced technology available for judging and tabulation of scores. While watching the competitors, each judge will simultaneously and individually record oral critiques, comments and encouraging remarks into the state-of-the-art adjudicating software. When the competition is completed, the tabulator will record the score of the participant.

Studio owners and independent competitors will have access to each adjudicator’s oral comments on each of the competitors through the registration portal following the competition.

Awards

The decision of the Adjudicators is final. The Adjudicators reserve the right to withhold awarding one or more prizes if the performances do not meet a certain standard. Grand Jeté reserves the right to cancel any award prior to the competition if a minimum number of competitors are not participating.

FIRST PLACE: $500.00
Four will be awarded: one for best score in Classical Ballet for seniors, one for best score in Contemporary dance for seniors, one for best score in Classical Ballet for juniors, and one for best score in Contemporary dance for juniors.

Senior Category - Highest score of 270 or above applies to both Classical Ballet and Contemporary Dance
Junior Category - Highest score of 265 or above applies to both Classical Ballet and Contemporary Dance

SECOND PLACE: $300.00
Four will be awarded: one for best score in Classical Ballet for seniors, one for best score in Contemporary dance for seniors, one for best score in Classical ballet for juniors, and one for best score in Contemporary dance for juniors.

Senior Category - Highest score of 260 or above applies to both Classical ballet and Contemporary Dance
Junior Category - Highest score of 255 or above applies to both Classical ballet and Contemporary Dance

THIRD PLACE: $150.00
Four will be awarded: one for best score in Classical Ballet for seniors, one for best score in Contemporary dance for seniors, one for best score in Classical ballet for juniors, and one for best score in Contemporary dance for juniors.

Senior Category - Highest score of 250 or above applies to both Classical ballet and Contemporary Dance
Junior Category - Highest score of 245 or above applies to both Classical ballet and Contemporary Dance

SCHOLARSHIP AWARD: $500.00
Tuition scholarship for the 2023 South Carolina Summer Dance Conservatory in Columbia, SC. Awarded to the junior student with the highest score.

Highest score of 265 or above

THE PROMISE AWARD: $200.00
Two will be awarded for the best score in Classical Ballet for pre-competitive, one for a female student competitor and one for a male student competitor. A minimum of 4 competitors must be registered for this award to be given.

Highest score of 235 or above

MALE DANCER AWARD: $200.00
One will be awarded for the best score for a junior or senior male dancer in either Classical Ballet or Contemporary. A minimum of 3 male competitors must be registered for this award to be given

Highest score of 235 or above

STUDENT CHOREOGRAPHY AWARD: $150.00
One will be awarded based on the adjudicators’ choice. A minimum of 3 competitors must be registered for this award to be given.

Adjudicators’ choice

HONORABLE MENTION: Gift Certificates of $100 each from The Sock Basket. Two will be awarded.

Adjudicators’ choice

Each competitor will receive a Certificate of Participation.

Master Classes - Ages 10-15

Master classes for ages 10-15, (Grades 4-10)
Grand Jeté Master Classes are included in the competitor’s registration fee and are $50(early registration) and $60 (regular registration) for non-competitors.

For students in grades 4-10, master classes will be held in person for dance students. Recruiters can view in person or via Zoom access.

Audition Classes - Ages 15-19

Audition classes for ages 15-19 (Grades 11 & 12)
Grand Jeté Audition Classes are included in the competitor’s registration fee and are $50(early registration) and $60 (regular registration) for non-competitors.

For students in grades 11 and 12, audition classes will be held in person for dance students. Recruiters can view in person or via Zoom access. Teachers and parents are not permitted in audition classes.

Selected University and Trainee dance program recruiters from across the nation will observe the competition as well as the audition classes. The audition classes will be used to recruit seniors, to offer scholarships, to invite for Summer Intensives and to personally invite some juniors to audition for their programs the following year.

Recruiters will be looking at criteria such as potential, technique and artistry, response to correction, coordination, and musicality.

In the Competition, students will be assigned a number for each solo they perform. In the Audition Classes, students must wear the first number that was allocated to them and must wear it for the duration of the audition.

Teachers and parents are not permitted in Audition Classes.

Virtual Information Sessions

Open to competitors and non-competitors ages 15- 19 (grades 10-12), these free information sessions will be presented by selected university and trainee dance program recruiters. Sessions will occur virtually, March 20 – 23.

Workshops for Private Studio Teachers

Teacher workshops providing in-person instruction on Beginning Ballet, Intermediate/Advanced Ballet, and Intermediate/Advanced Contemporary will be offered with a registration of $50. More details to come!

Workshops for K-12 Public School Teachers

These workshops are offered through the SCGSAH Office of Outreach and will be taught in person with the option of Zoom access for teachers. More details to come!

For questions, contact:
Adair Kempf, Event Coordinator
grandjete@scgsah.org