Updated Performance Program Level Requirements

We’ve updated our performance program levels to better support your dance journey and growth! These changes are all about making sure you’re learning in a way that keeps you safe, challenges you just enough, and helps you reach your goals without missing out on the fundamentals. Training at the right level lets you develop essential skills, stay injury-free, and, most importantly, have fun along the way.

Let these levels be your guide—stay motivated, be honest with yourself, and trust the process. Every step you take is progress, and we’re here to support you in every single one!

YDC reserves the right to move dancers to the level best suited for them if needed.

Program Level Requirements

Beginner Heels

No experience required! At this level, dancers will be introduced to struts, spatial awareness, counting music, and foundational heels movements and dance vocabulary. This level is perfect for those brand new to heels and dance.


What You Need For This Level:

- Black heels and kneepads
- A willingness to learn

Advanced Beginner Heels

To register for Advanced Beginner Heels, dancers are expected to be comfortable counting music and possess the spatial awareness required to safely dance in a group setting.

At this level, dancers will be introduced to heels and dance movements including (but not limited to) pirouettes, chaine turns, hairwhips, jazz splits and candlesticks.


What You Need For This Level:

- Black dance heels and kneepads
-Strong Front & Side Melting Pots
-Strong chest and hip isolations
-Clean chest and hip rolls
- Ability to transition to the floor
-Cleanly executed pivot turns
- Articulated body rolls
- The ability to pickup and retain choreography week over week and apply corrections

Beginner Intermediate Heels

To register for Beginner Intermediate Heels, dancers are expected to be able to perform a high energy routine with sustained endurance for a minimum of 2 minutes. In addition, dancers must be able to cleanly perform struts in accordance to the music (slow strides vs. punchy struts) and bring both facial and physical performance quality to their dancing.

At this level, dancers will work on skills including (but not limited to) fan rolls, knee spins, splits, connecting pirouettes to chaine turns, side lunges to the floor, kicks and improvisation.

What You Need For This Level:

- Cleanly executed single priouettes on both sides
- Strong melting pots with hairwhips
- The ability to seamlessly transition between the floor and standing movements
- Cleanly executed hair whips
- Technically sound jazz splits on both sides
- Ability to confidently execute 32 counts of improvisation
- Cleanly executed cobras
- Ability to cleanly maintain a candlestick for 16 counts
- Ability to hold a single leg balance for 16 counts
- Mastery of all previous level’s required skills

Intermediate Heels

To register for Intermediate Heels, dancers are expected to be able to perform a high energy routine with sustained endurance for a minimum of 3 minutes. In addition, dancers must be able to pickup and execute intricate choreography in various genres of heels with ease both standing and on the floor.

At this level, dancers will work on skills including (but not limited to) double pirouettes, splits, kicks, shoulder rolls, improvisation, tricks, needles and elevating performance skills.

What You Need For This Level:

- Cleanly executed melting pots with weight transitions
- Ability to quickly pickup and retain choreography
- Ability to adapt to choreography changes
- Technically sound fan rolls
- Controlled execution of figure 8 hair whips
- Cleanly executed single pirouettes into a chaine on both sides
- Effortless integration of technical skills into improvisation
- Controlled execution of side lunges to the floor on both sides
- Ability to perform knee spins with control on both sides
- Ability to execute technically sound kicks above 90 degrees on both sides
- Flexibility to execute at least one split
- Confident execution of scorpion cobras
- Mastery of all previous level’s required skills

Advanced Heels

To register for Advanced Heels, dancers must be able to effortless execute all required skills from prior levels and possess the ability to quickly pickup and execute stylised choreography with technical precision.

At this level, dancers will train with guest choreographers to refine their skills and gain performance experience as an advanced level dancer.

**Please note, dancer submissions are required for Advanced Heels Programming*

What You Need For This Level:

- Cleanly executed double pirouettes on both sides
- Ability to execute technically sound kicks above shoulder height on both sides
- Ability to confidently perform choreography both as a solo performer and as part of a group
- Ability to confidently freestyle for up to 1 minute
- Controlled execution of shoulder rolls/fish flops
- Flexibility to execute all splits

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT FOR ADVANCED HEELS

Beginner Intermediate Jazz

To register for Beginner Intermediate Jazz, dancers are expected to have previous jazz dance experience and the ability to perform a high energy routine with sustained endurance for a minimum of 2 minutes.

What You Need For This Level:
- Cleanly executed single pirouettes, chaine turns, and pique turns on both sides
- The ability to seamlessly transition between the floor and standing choreography
- Technically sound jazz splits on both sides
- Ability to confidently execute 32 counts of improvisation
- Ability to hold a single leg balance for 16 counts
- Ability to execute technically sound kicks above 90 degrees on both sides
- Technically sound fan rolls
- Familiarity with jazz and ballet vocabulary
- Knowledge of jumps including: jetes, sissones and firebirds
- Ability to quickly pickup and retain choreography

Beginner Intermediate Jazz Funk

To register for Beginner Intermediate Jazz Funk, dancers are expected to have previous jazz funk experience and to be able to perform a high energy routine with sustained endurance for a minimum of 2 minutes. In addition, dancers must bring both facial and physical performance quality to their dancing.

At this level, dancers will work on skills including (but not limited to) fan rolls, knee spins, splits, connecting pirouettes to chaine turns, figure 8 hair whips, kicks and improvisation.

What You Need For This Level:
- White sneakers
- Cleanly executed single pirouettes on both sides
- Strong melting pots with hairwhips
- The ability to seamlessly transition between the floor and standing movements
- Cleanly executed hair whips
- Technically sound jazz splits on both sides
- Ability to confidently execute 32 counts of improvisation
- Ability to effortless transfer weight during footwork including ponies and pas de bourees
- Ability to hold a single leg balance for 16 counts

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Not sure which level you should sign up for?

We can help with that - click below!

YDC Level Assessment

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