2023-2024 Sino-Swiss Dance Ambassador Competition
17.09.2024
SINO SWISS Dance Ambassador Competition (SSDA）are committed to facilitating the exchange of dance education and talent development between countries, focusing on Chinese aesthetic and artistic spirit promotion. The competition evaluates education outcomes from both global dancing professional and social level experts through strict international dance selection criteria, summarize experiences and increase the dance education quality and performance. At the same time, SSDA selects the potential ballet talents and support them with more abundant opportunities to shine at the global stage.
A communication platform of fine-tuned dance resources
SSDA brings together the outstanding art education resources of SNAA from Switzerland and other European countries, invites several internationally influential professionals in the performing arts to form a jury to promote the development of China’s dance industry with global quality dance resources and to upgrade the quality of youth dance teaching and performance standards.
The base of performing talents development and selection
SSDA will establish an SSDA Club in China to gather promising juniors who are committed to dance performance, and to provide sustainable educational content and progressive growth training for potential dance students through master classes, education tours, cultural and artistic exchange forums, and cultural and artistic exchange performances, while selecting and nurturing outstanding international dance stars step by step.
Organizers
Organizer: Swiss Nobleness Art Academy
Co-organizer: Swiss Centers & China Nobleness
PROCEDURE
2023-2024 SSDA consists of 5 stages: Promotion Events, Online Pre-selection, Semi-finals, Finals, GALA Awarding.
- Promotion Events
Time: 11/2022 – 01/2023
Invited by the organizing committee or recommended by teachers.
- Online Pre-selection
Date: 1/2023 – 5/2023
Submission: submit candidate’s info online
The preselection registration will be submitted online, applicants must complete the application fee payment online before sending the completed “2023-2024 Sino-Swiss Dance Ambassador Competition Application Form” to ssda@ifdcchina.com in accordance with the requirements of the event, please make sure to select the appropriate age group.
After the deadline, the jury of the SSDA will judge the videos of the participants nationwide and select the top 100 contestants among the solo dancers according to their professional skills and performance abilities to be issued PASS cards for the semi-finals. Group dancers will be issued PASS cards in appropriate proportions depending on their registration status.
- Semi-finals
Time: 7/2023
Location: Beijing China
The semi-finals are a week-long training, assessment, and selection process in accordance with the criteria of technical and artistry aspects.
- Finals
Time: 1/2024 – 2/2024
Location: Switzerland
The top 10 semi-finalists of each group will go to Switzerland to participate in the Grand Final. For the other top 100 contestants, will have the opportunity “CALL-BACK”. During the finals, there will be opportunities to perform in Switzerland and get arts exchange, close to world-class dance halls.We will support the organizing committee reserves the right to extend invitations to the top performers for a return trip to Switzerland, depending on their performance. See the updates of “SNAA亚太”.
- GALA Awarding
Time: 3/2024 – 4/2024
Location: Beijing China
The annual award ceremony and Gala Show will be held in Beijing, and the announcement of the next annual event will be held at the same time.
SEMI-FINALS
The semi-finals are a week-long training, assessment, and selection process in accordance with the criteria of technical and artistry aspects.
DAY 1——Arrive, registration
The organizing committee will support by distributing a program for the activities throughout the week.
DAY 2-3——Master Class
Solo dancers in Junior A and Junior B will take part in master classes, and will be scored by a panel of judges during the training period based on their learning ability and training as part of the scoring for the 100 to 40 knock-out round; solo dancers in the pre-comp A and pre-comp B divisions and group dancers in all age groups can practice in the dance studios on their own (dance studios are subject to booking according to the service hours and numbers advertised on site)
DAY 4——100 to 40 Preliminary Round
In the morning, the dancers will have their own practice sessions with their respective instructors; in the afternoon, all the dancers will perform in turn to start the knockout round, which will be jointly judged by the Sino-Swiss jury, and the top 40 dancers (in principle, 10 from each age group) will be selected from the 100 solo dancers and 3 groups from the group dancers to enter the final semi-finals.
DAY 5-6——Master Class
The 40 soloists who have progressed from the 100 into 40 knockout rounds will attend a masterclass, and during the intensive training period the judges will score the dancers based on their learning ability and training as part of the annual Top 10 scoring.
DAY 7——Top 10
The 40 soloists from the 100 to 40 knockout rounds will perform in turn to challenge for the top 10 places in each age group, and the progressing group dancers will perform in turn to challenge for the top 3 places.
DAY 7 Night——Semi-finals Awarding
The annual semi-final award ceremony was held on the night of Day 7 .
CERTIFICATE
SSDA has the final decision on all competition and results. If a participant does not meet the requirements for the award, the SSDA Jury reserves the right to suspend the award.
- Certificate of Honorary Membership
All contestants of the Sino-Swiss Dance Ambassador Competition 2023-2024 will be enrolled in the SSDA Members’ Club and become registered members of SSDA, and will receive the “2023-2024 Sino-Swiss Dance Ambassador Competition Honorary Membership” certificate.
- Top 100 of the Year
The top 100 dancers will be selected to enter the semi-finals of the nationwide online pre-selection round, and the top 100 dancers will receive the “2023-2024 Sino-Swiss Dance Ambassador Competition National Top 100” certificate.
- Top 10 of the Year
The semi-finalists in Beijing will be selected based on their scores in the first round of the “100 to 40 elimination rounds”. 40 dancers (in principle, 10 from each age group) will be selected to enter the second round of the competition, and then the top 10 from each age group will be selected based on their scores in the second round, from highest to lowest, to receive the “2023-2024 Sino-Swiss Dance Ambassador Competition National Top 10 (Each Group)” certificate, which will be marked with their group ranking.
- Certificate for Best Choreography Creation
For the group dancers, the judges will award the top three choreographers with a certificate for the “2023-2024 Sino-Swiss Dance Ambassador Competition Best Choreography Creation”, based on the professionalism, age-appropriateness, stage presence and innovation, appropriate concept, novelty, connection within the dance piece.
- Best Teacher Award Certificate
The instructor who takes two or more students to the final will receive the “2023-2024 Sino-Swiss Dance Ambassador Competition Best Teacher Award” certificate.
RULES & REGULATIONS
The 2023-2024 Sino-Swiss Dance Ambassador Competition includes four categories: Classical Ballet Solo, Contemporary Dance Solo, Classical Ballet Group Dance and Contemporary Dance Group Dance.
- Classical Ballet Solo
Each soloist’s performance consists of Classical Ballet Solos.
Pre-level comp A and B shall perform in soft Ballet shoes, Junior A and B perform can both have soft Ballet shoes or pointe shoes.
- Contemporary Dance Solo
The music will be sent to the email after registration. You can select one of the songs and choreograph by your instructor. Contemporary refers to Neoclassical, Modern, Lyrical and/or Jazz styles. Failure to do so will result in a scoring penalty OR disqualification from the competition; depending upon the decision of the SSDA Judging Panel.
- Classical Ballet Group Dance
Ensembles 2 dancers
Time limit of 2:30 minutes for Duet (2 dancers)
Ensembles 3 dancers
Time limit of 3:00 minutes for Trio (3 dancers)
Ensembles 4 to 40 dancers
Time limit of 4:00 minutes (4 – 7 dancers)
A competitor who surpasses the required time limit will receive a scoring penalty OR disqualification from the competition, depending upon the decision of the Judging Panel.
- Contemporary Dance Group Dance
Ensembles 2 dancers
Time limit of 2:30 minutes for Duet (2 dancers)
Ensembles 3 dancers
Time limit of 3:00 minutes for Trio (3 dancers)
Ensembles 4 to 40 dancers
Time limit of 4:00 minutes (4 – 7 dancers)
A competitor who surpasses the required time limit will receive a scoring penalty OR disqualification from the competition, depending upon the decision of the Judging Panel.
Rules：
Contestants may enter more than one event, but each event can only be entered in one age group. Each entry must be an independently recorded video, with each video containing only one dance piece. In the semi-finals, each event will be scored independently and one person is allowed to win more than one award at the same time.
Tips：
The organizing committee recommends that no choreographies are choreographed that are contrary to the age ability of the contestant, and excessive technical difficulty may be used as a minus point by the judging panel.
VARIATION LIST
Classical Ballet Solo is present in Classical Ballet repertoire from the lists.
Pre-Comp A&B Division Female variation
| Variation Name | From |
| Cupid variation | Don Quixote Act 2 |
| Peasant Girl variation | Giselle Act 1 |
| Candide Fairy variation | The Sleeping Beauty : Prologue |
| Coulante Fairy variation | The Sleeping Beauty : Prologue |
| Princess Florine variation | The Sleeping Beauty Act 3 |
| Silver Fairy variation | The Sleeping Beauty Act 3 |
Pre-Comp A&B Division Male variation
| Variation Name | From |
| Peasant Boy 1st variation | Giselle Act 1 |
| Peasant Boy 2nd variation | Giselle Act 2 |
| Pas de Six Boy 1st variation | Napoli |
| Pas de Trois Boy Variation | Paquita Act 2 |
| Blue Bird variation | The Sleeping Beauty Act 3 |
| Benno variation | Swan Lake Act 1 |
Junior A&B Division Female variation
| Variation Name | From |
| Cupid variation | Don Quixote Act 2 |
| Peasant Girl variation | Giselle Act 1 |
| Lise variation | La Fille Mal Gardée Act 2 |
| Odalisque 2nd variation | Le Corsaire |
| Pas de Trois Girl 1st variation | Paquita Act 2 |
| Pizzicato variation | Raymonda |
| Candide Fairy variation | The Sleeping Beauty Prologue |
| princess Florine variation | The Sleeping Beauty Act 3 |
| Silver Fairy variation | The Sleeping Beauty Act 3 |
| Pas de Trois Girl 1st variation | Swan Lake Act 1 |
Junior A&B Division Male variation
| Variation Name | From |
| Franz Variation | Coppélia Act 3 |
| Peasant Boy 1st variation | Giselle Act 1 |
| Harlequin variation | Harlequinade |
| Colas variation | La Fille Mal Gardée |
| James variation | La Sylphide Act 1 |
| Pas de Six Boy 1st variation | Napoli |
| Pas de Trois Boy variation | Paquita Act 2 |
| Blue Bird variation | The Sleeping Beauty Act 3 |
| Benno variation | Swan Lake Act 1 |
SCORING
Competitors will be judged individually by a panel of jurors comprised of international dance dignitaries. Competitors are judged on artistry, technical skill, and musicality. Based on a 10-point system, each juror will vote individually for each competitor in each round. The SSDA does not release jury scores. Decisions of the jury are final and without appeal. The Jury reserves the right to withhold any medal.
Judging Criteria:
– Facial expressions and body language.
– Footwork.
– Hand and eye movements.
– Costume and presentation.
– Artistic Potential.
– Choreography (technical nuances)
– Selection of the music piece.
– Overall Clarity and Impact.
AGE & DIVISIONS
The 2023-2024 Sino-Swiss Dance Ambassador Competition set up four groups: Pre-Comp A, Pre-Comp B, Junior A and Junior B.
| Category | Date of Birth | Age |
| Pre-Comp A | 1 Jan.,2017 – 31 Dec.,2018
2017.1.1-2018.12.31 |
Age
5-6 |
| Pre-Comp B | 1 Jan.,2015 – 31 Dec.,2016
2015.1.1-2016.12.31 |
Age
7-8 |
| Junior A | 1 Jan.,2013 – 31 Dec.,2014
2013.1.1-2014.12.31 |
Age
9-10 |
| Junior B | 1 Jan.,2011 – 31 Dec.,2012
2011.1.1-2012.12.31 |
Age
11-12 |
REGISTRATION
The 2023-2024 Sino-Swiss Dance Ambassador Competition is now open for online preliminary applications. Welcome to sign up.
Deadline: 24:00 31/05/2023
Official email: ssda@ifdcchina.com
Submissions include, but are not limited to:
– Scanned signed copy of the “2023-2024 Sino-Swiss Dance Ambassador Competition Entry Form”
– Video of dance performance
– Electronic scanned copy of ID card/passport, scanned copy of the first page and personal page of the family register (all applicants for group dance registration are required to upload)
– Picture of proof of payment for application fee
RECORDING VIDEO REQUIREMENTS
In order to record the video successfully, contestants should record the video according to the following requirements to ensure the video quality.
- Shooting Requirements
Video recording time:
Control within the specified time according to the work requirements.
Video recording location:
Professional theater, professional venue or dance classroom.
Recording video requirements:
The horizontal screen front recording must be recorded at the same place on the same day, with one mirror to the end, and cannot be edited.
Requirements for picture quality and sound quality:
Before submitting the video to the organizing committee, contestants should strictly review the sound quality and picture quality of the video to ensure that there is no voice (such as the teacher’s command voice) or any noise that covers the music in the whole video, and late stage synthetic music is not allowed; There is no backlight, dark angle or too strong light affecting the image quality, and the sound and picture must be synchronized.
- Dress Code
You can wear performance costumes or professional dance uniforms. Classical ballet dancers in Pre-Comp A&B must wear ballet soft soled shoes. Classical ballet dancers in Junior A&B can both use soft soled shoes and toe shoes. Contemporary dancers can wear soft shoes, socks or bare feet.
- Video Requirements
The video resolution is 720p-1080p, and the video type is mov or mp4.
Players participating in multiple dances must provide separate video files for each dance. The video files are named in the format of “name+age group+entry+program name”.
The video must be specially recorded for this competition. There must be no copyright disputes or infringement. The video must not have a logo. If the video is infringed, you should bear the consequences. In case of special needs, communication with the organizing committee is required.
The deadline for online preliminary contest registration is May 31, 2023. Before that, please send the required information and video to the official mailbox of the contest: ssda@ifdcchina.com
- Online Pre-Selections Results
After the deadline, the jury of the SSDA will judge the videos of the participants nationwide and select the top 100 contestants among the solo dancers according to their professional skills and performance abilities to be issued PASS cards for the semi-finals. Group dancers will be issued PASS cards in appropriate proportions depending on their registration status.
COPYRIGHT
The Committee will not accept any entry that involves or will generate copyright disputes, and contestants should find out for themselves whether the entry can be entered and participate in the competition.
All photographs, videos, audio-visual recordings, and all media files relating to entries and performances are the exclusive copyright of the organizers of this event.All participants in this event shall waive all rights to any audio or video recordings made by the organizer or any third party authorized by the organizer.
All event rules in the constitution will not be accepted for any objection and the right of interpretation rests solely with the organizing committee of SSDA which can be consulted at any time for any queries.
