General Information

With ‘Dance’ constantly peaking in surveys as the most practised art form in Malta, the advent of Zfin Malta, as the National Company of Contemporary Dance and the Mediterranean Conference Centre’s long traditional connection with all that’s best in local and international dancing, the Management of the MCC will be proudly presenting an intensive dance programme over two days in December 2017.

Saturday 16 will feature a selected number of Schools of Dance while six Dance COMPANIES will be presented on Sunday 17. ZFIN MALTA will appear as a Special Guest.

This Showcase also serves to bring together the local dancing fraternity in celebrating Dance in its diversity of forms; while giving the opportunity to choreographers and dancers to perform their work before a wider audience in Malta’s foremost ‘indoor’ theatre.

This is not a competition.

This invitation is open to all principals of registered Dance Schools and Directors of Companies.
All styles in dance are eligible to apply.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

Principals are solely responsible to engage, if any, choreographers/dancers: 
While dancers may only participate with one school/ company, choreographers may apply with more than one school/ company. 

A minimum of 3 minutes and maximum of 6 minutes is allocated to each School’s presentation; while a minimum of 6 minutes and maximum of 11 minutes is allocated for each of the Companies. These timings include entry, length of piece, curtain call and exit from stage. 

Duets and Solos cannot be entered on their own but may be included as part of a larger group choreography.

Although Schools and Companies may present work from their existing repertoire, in the case of the latter, original choreographies will be preferred. 

ALLOWANCE FOR EXPENSES: The MCC management will donate €1200 towards the costs of each participating Company (not Schools).

Minimum age for participants: 10 years on the day of the performance. (In cases of exceptional talent, these may be brought to the attention of the Organising Committee whose decision, following due investigation, is deemed to be final).

Both Schools and Companies, if they feel that it benefits the artistic level of their performance, may merge together to produce a more formidable cast and performance. 

Participating Schools and Companies are responsible for:

• Choice of music
• Costumes
• Props, with allocated props manager, (after ensuring they may be set & cleared within specified time).
• Back-stage minders (according to number of participants).

The number of participants must not be less than ‘Ten’ for Schools and ‘Four’ for the Companies. 

There will be a Technical Rehearsal (comprising Lighting/Sound/Props) allocated to each School and Company. Specified time and date will be announced at a later date by the respective Artistic Directors.

The Artistic Directors will work with the respective directors of schools/companies to implement the vision of this showcase. The Artistic Directors will keep constant track of the development of the performances under their brief, directing finale rehearsals in the Theatre and ensuring the smooth running of the Showcase. 

SELECTION PROCEDURE: By DVD, MP4 or YouTube link, showing the Schools’ or Companies’ most recent work, as well as a short proposal of the kind of work that will be presented. A team of experts, including the artistic directors, will make the final decision. The successful entries will be duly notified by the organisers. 

MUSIC: Must be of high quality, fully edited to the correct time limit, in the form and manner requested by the Sound technician

CONDUCT: The principals/directors will be held responsible for the behaviour of his or her group.

FACILITIES: The School/Dance Companies will have the following personnel provided by MCC.

• Artistic Director
• Producer
• FOH Manager
• Stage Manager
• Lighting and Sound engineers.
• Dressing Rooms

ENTRY FORMS: The Organising Committee must receive the completed forms, and accompanying DVD/videos, addressed for the attention of the Chairman, Dance Showcase 2017, by not later than Thursday, 30th March 2017, at noon.

ENTRY FEE / PURCHASE OF TICKETS: Along with their entry form, Schools are to pay a non-refundable €50 entry fee. On acceptance Schools, must also purchase not less than 40 tickets (each costing €10 in Balcony; €15 Stalls and €20 Dress Circle) for the Sunday 17th Dec performance. It is the Schools' prerogative to buy the 40 tickets from any - or a mixture - of the three categories; subject to availability. 

All the participating Schools and Dance companies are obliged to promote this event through their networks in order to ensure good audience numbers. 

A rehearsal will be scheduled sometime in September to view choreographies. During this Rehearsal the Artistic Directors will introduce the lighting and sound technicians thus initiating the drawing up of the technical aspects by the choreographers/designers and the backstage crew. Venue, time, and date will be specified in due course. 

FURTHER QUERIES or information; please contact Lucia Piquero Alvarez on 99929640, Sandra Mifsud on 79938584, or Tony Cassar Darien on 9942-7727.