DANCE

ISTD Challenge

Take part in the Inspirational Spaces to Dance Challenge.

An opportunity

Inspirational Spaces to Dance

Do you have a space that inspires you to dance? The ISTD Challenge is an exciting site-sensitive performance opportunity to promote creativity and individuality.

What is the ISTD challenge?

We’re inviting you, as a soloist, partner, trio, or quartet, to take on the challenge and enjoy finding ways to adapt or create a dance by weaving the choreography into a completely different space than you might normally choose to use.

This space should inspire you and give you the perfect location to create a performance that truly communicates your love of dance in any style or genre.

Designed to take place in your everyday settings, the Challenge provides you with the opportunity to:

Be creative in the spaces you have
Improve on your performance skills and confidence
Be part of something exclusive
Share your love of dance with others
Support other young people to achieve their dance ambitions.

Teachers will register and pay on behalf of the entrant.

The Challenge is open to dancers across the globe

Minimum age of entry is five years old, with no upper age limit. We welcome entrants at any grade or level, dancing in any genre. Currently, entries to the Challenge can only be submitted by Full Teaching and Life members.

Split into three tasks released throughout 2021

Dancers can choose to take part in an individual task (A) or enter all three parts (A)(B)(C) to complete the full challenge. We will celebrate some of the most exciting and innovative performances via celebratory highlight films throughout the year.

Creative Tasks

Task A: ‘Dance Inside’

e.g. Kitchen, bathroom, living room, home studio

Where better to dance than at home? The theme of our first task is Dance Inside. Whether your new inspirational dance space is in your kitchen, living room, or home studio, test your creativity in an indoor location of your choosing. Good luck!

Task B: ‘Dance Outside’

e.g. The beach, a garden, your local park, urban space

Where better to dance than the great outdoors? Dance Outside is now open for submissions. Adapt or create your dance inspired and including an outdoor location of your choosing and enter today.

Task C: Dance with a prop or object.

Enter all three tasks to complete the entire Challenge.
More information on the next task will be released here later in 2021.

Why should I enter?

Entrants will have the chance to:

be assessed by an Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing Examiner
receive a limited edition Inspirational Spaces to Dance Challenge badge, part of a collectable series. Each badge features one of our unique 'dancing characters'
have their performance considered for public screening as part of our Challenge Highlights films.

Teachers will receive:

a congratulatory letter to share with their pupils
a social media digital asset to advertise their participation in the Challenge
their school name included on the Challenge web page, if selected to feature in highlights.
their school name included in any pieces chosen for the Challenge highlight films.

At the end of 2021, special guest adjudicators will select their choice of the Challenge Highlights to be a part of the digital Inspirational Spaces to Dance Festival (tbc).

Teachers will have the opportunity to purchase a limited edition ISTD Challenge t-shirt on behalf of their entrants

Guidance

Guide for Students

Download

Guide for Students (under 12)

Download

Guide for Teachers

Download

Inspiration and Resources

Looking for some inspiration?

We have pulled together a collection of videos into one handy YouTube Playlist to get you inspired. Check it out here.

Here are a few highlights:

Resources & FAQs

Find documentation and guidance, including our helpful webinars and FAQs, by clicking below.

Browse resources FAQs

Enter Now

Please note: The Challenge is currently only open to our Full Teaching and Life members.

There is a £10 entry fee per dancer, per task.

International members: A step-by-step for Teachers on how to apply for assessment via Quest

Download

UK members: A step-by-step for Teachers on how to apply for assessment via Quest

Download

A charitable donation

COVID has resulted in financial hardship for many

As an educational charity, we want to ensure that every child and young person can enjoy the benefits of learning and progressing in dance. We are proud to be donating 10% of each Challenge entry fee and t-shirt purchase to a dedicated bursary fund, to give crucial support to dancers on low incomes with the cost of their dance examination fees.