Festival FAQs

The following are some of the most frequently asked Festival questions from parents and participants. For more specific faqs visit Competition, Performance or Master Classes.

POLICY REGARDING VIDEO TAPING OF PERFORMERS
It is not possible for DanceWorks to ensure that dancers are not being recorded. Please note that when agreeing to perform, dancers are accepting this reality. There will, however, be zero tolerance for flash photography as this puts the dancer at risk. Also no photography or recording where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, eg. dressing rooms.

General Questions

What is the Victoria DanceWorks Festival?: The Victoria DanceWorks Festival is an annual event produced by Victoria DanceWorks Association. It was started in 1993 to provide an alternative to the competitive dance festival which existed at the time and is a program of culture, education and entertainment.; The idea was to provide a collaborative, cooperative learning and performance opportunity in a festival setting, where the personal growth and development of each individual dancer would be paramount.
Where is the Victoria DanceWorks Festival held?: The entire festival is held at the Charlie White Theatre in Sidney, BC (part of the Mary Winspear Centre) [directions].
What makes Victoria DanceWorks Festival different?: The DanceWorks Festival is made up of three sections: the Performance, Competition and Master Classes sections. Each section serves a very specific purpose and dancers are encouraged to pick the section which best serves their personal needs. They can take advantage of all three should they wish. Rules are kept to a minimum to avoid restricting creativity and innovation is encouraged.
Why is the Victoria DanceWorks Festival often called “the learning festival”?: DanceWorks has been given this title because it offers the participants a large number of Master Classes and generous scheduling allows time for the dance specialists to go into greater detail when presenting their assessments. In the Performance Section of the Festival participants are not compared with each other, and no marking or ranking takes place. The sole purpose for participating is to learn from the experience.; In the Competitive part of the Festival the dancers are ranked and marked not only on their performances but in the Master Class as well where their work ethic and attitude to learning is taken into account in the evaluation.
What is an “Independent Entry”?: DanceWorks offers this unique option to dancers. This option allows dancers to participate in the festival without a studio endorsement. Simply complete the appropriate lines on the Entry form and make sure that parent information is included if the performer is under 19 years of age.
Is the Victoria DanceWorks Festival a competition?: Yes and no. The Victoria DanceWorks Festival has two very different sections: one is called the Victoria DanceWorks Festival Competition and the other the Victoria DanceWorks Festival Performance.; In the Competition the dancers are grouped by age and dance style and they compete (marked and ranked) against each other for the honour of winning the title of Victoria DanceWorks Award of Distinction in their age group and style. The winner also has the option of representing DanceWorks at the BC Performing Arts Festival (also known as the Provincial Festival).; The much larger portion of the festival is the Performance Section. It is not competitive as each performance is assessed on its own merit. The dance specialist provides an evaluation based on what they consider to be an appropriate standard.; DanceWorks likes to recognize extraordinary effort and achievement through awards, trophies and the honour of participating in the Gala Evening of Dance.
Why do you need so much information on the Entry Forms?: All this information is used by different people for different reasons.; The audience likes to have a varied program and in order to do that the programmer needs to know what the dance is like. Also, it allows us to schedule similar performances at timely intervals to avoid comparison.
How do I get more information about the Victoria DanceWorks Festival?: Keep checking the web site or email the festival coordinator at festivalco@victoriadanceworks.ca.
When I arrive to perform, where do I go?: You can gain entrance to the Charlie White Theatre through the front main doors. The stage doors will be locked to ensure security backstage. Please go to the main doors of the theatre, show your Dancer’s Ribbon to the DanceWorks volunteer and proceed backstage.
Are parents allowed to go backstage?: Unfortunately we are unable to allow parents backstage. The backstage area is very small and cannot accommodate anyone except for the designated and official staff. Dance teachers will have designated parents to prepare the dancers. Please check with your child’s dance teacher if you are unsure who will be assisting backstage.
I do not live in Victoria. Can I still participate?: You are most welcome! The DanceWorks Festival does not have any geographic boundaries.
What are Dancer’s DanceWorks Ribbons?: Every performer should receive a DanceWorks ribbon prior to the festival. Make sure that you hang on to your ribbon! Your ribbon provides our volunteers with important information on how to help you when you arrive at the venue, and more importantly, it is your ticket for your free seat at the Gala. When you arrive at the Gala at the Royal Theatre please show the staff your Dancer’s Ribbon and they will seat you in the balcony.
What happens if I misplace my Dancer’s Ribbon?: If you lose your ribbon please see a DanceWorks Festival volunteer at the venue. Performers who have lost their ribbon will be provided with a Session Pass.