North Shore Dance Studio
North Shore dance studio

What is the Company

"The Company" is North Shore Dance Studio's Elite Performance & Competition Group. It is specifically designed for exceptionally talented students. Not only do they take more rigorous classes at NSDS, they also compete at regional and national dance competitions, competing against other dance studios. Being a part of the company is a commitment to a team, and should be taken seriously by dancers and guardians alike.

Our Name, the “Novas”

  • What exactly is a Nova? A Nova is a bright star that shines incredibly intensely. At times, that star will nearly explode to make it even brighter, before returning to its normal brightness.
  • In 2009, some of the students suggested we get a studio mascot. They thought of many different things starting with "N" but eventually landed on NOVA. From then on, we have adopted a star theme in many of our designs and brochures.
  • As NSDS continued to grow, we needed to have a way of distinguishing between different groups of dance companies, which is when we decided to come up with "Nova" related terms. Here is a list of past and present company names: Galaxy, Cadettes, Cosmos, Comets, Astros, Orbits, Equinox, Solstice, Infinity, Twilights, Sonics, and the Eclipse.
  • So there you have it, the story of how The Novas came to be!

Q&A

Types of Dance

  • Dance Styles: Jazz, Contemporary, Ballet, Hip-Hop, Tap
  • Group Sizes: Solos, Duets, Trios, Quartets, Small Groups, Large Groups, Productions

Names of Companies

  • Each year we assign new names to each of the companies, rotating through the list of Nova related words. There is no official ranking of companies; each name is arbitrarily assigned to each team.

 

Awards/Adjudication

  • Competitive Dance is based on a point/grading system out of 300 points. Each judge is responsible for 100 points. The judges may have score sheets to write on and/or be speaking into a recording device during the routine. We are able to listen to the judges critiques after the competition to hear their thoughts.
  • Some examples of awards at a competition include: Double Platinum, Platinum, High Gold, Gold, High Silver, Silver Crystal, Titanium, Ultimate Victory, Precision, etc. It’s not a straight “GOLD>SILVER>BRONZE” like the Olympics; each competition has their own ‘gimmick' about their awards. Dancers will also be ranked based on score, making a dancer possible to get “1st overall” or in the “top 10”.

Locations

  • We mainly compete around the metro-Milwaukee area, frequenting the Milwaukee, Madison, and Chicago areas. However, we do venture out further at times, especially when it comes to National competitions. Some previous locations include:
    • Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Steven’s Point, Chicago, Minneapolis
  • We will always provide details on the location well in advance to allow you the opportunity to book hotels, plan carpooling, etc.

Specific Competitions

 

Benefit Concert (Ben-Con)

Before the competition season starts, NSDS puts on a yearly benefit concert (“Ben-Con”) to not only provide the kids a chance to perform their dances with an audience and kick-off the competition season, but also raise money for a cause. It is required for company members to attend.

Click here for more information.

 

Team Spirit

  • Team Captains
    Each year, 2 or 3 students will be voted in to become “Team Captains”. They are the leaders of the company, being excellent role models for all company members. Whether it be giving pep-talks or comforting distressed, these captains keep the company spirit alive.

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  • Ambassador Program
    NSDS is offering students the chance to become official “Ambassadors of NSDS” for a dance season. The ambassadors will not only be known for their excellent dance ability, but also their work ethic, respect, and kind behavior in and out of the dance studio.

     

 

  • Hype Squad
     The “Hype Squad” was implemented to help create more NSDS spirit for all dancers, company and recreational. Specific teams will “hype-up” the studio during their given month. At the end of the season, it will be decided which team brought the most hype. That team will decide on a fun event out together provided by Miss Katie.


  • Company Pool Party
    At the beginning of each dance season, we like to have a company meet-and-greet for the kids in a non-dancer setting to get to know other members of the company. For a few years now, one of our dance families has graciously offered to host a pool party for all the company dancers.

 

Commitment

  • “The Company” attends several conventions and competitions in the Midwest throughout the dance season (September-June). They also perform in the NSDS annual winter Benefit Concert and end of the year Recital. Member attendance at all performances are required to be a part of the company. Transportation, food, and lodging are each dancer’s responsibility. Carpooling is highly recommended.
  • It is also expected and required that company members attend dance class throughout the entire year. That entails…
    • Fall Semester
    • Spring Semester
    • Summer Dance
    • Guest Teacher Workshop
  • Company members who are a part of Jazz, Contemporary or Ballet companies, are also required to take Ballet classes! Dancers who are Level IV and above are required to take Ballet class twice a week. There are no exceptions! NSDS also offers Pointe class for their level V and above dancers.

 

To Register, click here