All dancers considering joining the DcD Company, Apprentice & Junior Company must review the following information with their parents first.

Being a dancer with any Company requires that you put forth mental and physical effort, combined with dedication and time management skills. Dancers must be alert and physically responsive when most people are taking a break. Your reward is the exhilaration of dancing and performing onstage in a professional setting and being part of an elite group of young dancers working together as part of a team. Being a member of a Ballet Company requires a lot of energy, and Company dancers must learn how to pace themselves; knowing when it is time to rest, and when it is time to push a little harder. Knowing what your responsibilities are as a Company dancer should help you to organize your time more efficiently in your weekly routine.

It is important to understand that your commitment to the DcD Youth Ballet Company is matched by the DcD staff. We are dedicated to providing you with the opportunity to develop technically and artistically as a dancer and to gain performance experience in an atmosphere of professional quality. Volunteers and DcD parents donate their time and money to make performances possible for dancers who are making the most serious commitment to dance. In short, the dancers are the performing members of an organization in which everyone has a job to do and responsibilities to meet.

At DcD, we discourage competition as a part of dance training. Our focus is to develop a long lasting passion for dance while keeping it both professional and fun. We want all of our dancers to feel like their roles in our productions are crucial to the success of the overall performance. Please understand that being part of a large production means that some dancers will, undoubtedly, be disappointed with their roles and it‘s likely dancers will repeat roles from year to year. With that in mind, it’s important for dancers and parents to manage their expectations. As a Company, Apprentice or Jr. Company member it is your responsibility to accept your roles graciously and be supportive of your peers’ roles. All discussion of casting should be kept positive and dancers are discouraged from comparing their roles to those of other dancers. Remember, the goal is to have a successful performance and to HAVE FUN!