Student Company
Eligibility​
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You want to perform a lot.
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You have time in your schedule or can make time to allow for required training and rehearsals.
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Level 2+ skill level in dance, acrobatics or aerial dance.
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Participate in CC&DC's Training Program in the High Intensity Level.
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Ages 10+
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Desire to perform more than in the Spring Student Showcase
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Able to handle feedback from faculty and choreographers as well as can work well with their peers.
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Auditions
Date: Saturday, May 18
Time: 1pm - 2:30pm
Location: Charlotte Cirque & Dance Center
Complete the Audition Form by May 16.
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Expectations
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Perform in at least 2 CC&DC shows per year
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Oz does not count as 1 of the 2 shows
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In the audition form, you will check a minimum of 4 shows that you are available for.
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Casting is determined by the School Director and Student Company Manager.
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Students might not be cast in every show that they are available for.
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Attend All Wednesday Rehearsals and Trainings (scroll down for details)
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September - May (all Wednesdays)
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6:10pm - 8:30pm
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Each month students will participate in a Performance Workshop during the Wednesday timeframe
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Kick-Off Meeting and End of Year Party.
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To participate in the entire year even if their last CC&DC show is in December.
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If they do not complete the year or is asked to leave the Student Company, they cannot participate in the upcoming season. They will have to wait a full year to audition.
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No more than 2 unexcused absences
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Family vacations are not an excused absence.
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If you do not include an excuse in JackRabbit, the absence will count as unexcused.
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Not giving 3 weeks notice, will count as unexcused. Emergencies happen though and those will not count as unexcused.
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COMMUNICATION is key to everyone's success.
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Performance Opportunities
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September 4, 6:10pm: Kick-Off Party and Student/Parent Meeting
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September 17: Casting Announced
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September 21 - 22: Festival in the Park TBC
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October 27: Tricks and Treats at CC&DC
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December 5 - 10: Caroline Calouche & Co.'s Clara's Trip
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December 11 - 16: UNCSA Adjudication Application due
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January: UNCSA Adjudication Notification
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end of February or first week of March: University of NC School of the Arts
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March 22: Spring Forward (TBC)
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April 26: International Circus and Dance Celebration
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May 22 - 25: Spring Student Showcase / The Wizard of Oz
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May 28: End of Year Celebration
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Year Round Training Requirements
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Minimum Number of Training Hours per Week: 6 hours (includes the 2 Hour Guided Practice)
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Wednesdays 6:10pm - 8:30pm: Weekly Rehearsal, Performance Workshop and/or Guided Open Practice.
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Performance Workshops: Once a month classes in performance skills.
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Guided Practice: 1 - 2 Faculty Members will lead a thorough warm-up, followed by rotating stations in Aerial, Acrobatics and Dance. Students can ask the faculty member(s) questions about skills and each other questions if they missed a class. This is dedicated practice time to improve skills they learned in class or choreography.
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NOTE: No August Student Company Training Week
Summer Training Requirements
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Minimum Summer Training Hours: 40
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10 max personal training / open practice hours
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All other hours can be done at CC&DC or another dance and/or circus training facility
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Benefits
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Only students in the student company can audition for lead roles in Oz
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Additional coaching during Open Practice
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Mid-Year feedback from Student Company Manager
Fees
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Student Company will be a 2 hour class fee.
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Charged in 1 or 2 payments on September 1 (September - December) and January 1 (January - May)
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No performance fees except for the Spring Student Showcase as a Training Program Student.
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Questions? Contact info@cltcirquedancecenter.org.
Meet the CC&DC Company
Maya Anavim was originally born in New York City, New York. While living there she took up dancing, and quickly fell in love with the style of Modern. At age five she joined the DanceWave Youth Company in Brooklyn New York, taking classes in ballet and modern for two years. After moving on from DanceWave at age eight she began taking ballet and modern at Creative Arts Dance Studio, shortly after joining their student modern company. After Covid-19 began she moved to Charlotte with her parents and two sisters and began taking silks at CC&Co., and fell in love with circus and the atmosphere at Charlotte Cirque and Dance shortly after. Maya is now thirteen years old and in seventh grade, and attends Northwest School of Arts as a dance and Ballet major. She looks forward to learning new apparatuses and continuing to be a part of the student company.
Mahalia Esposito Although she has been dancing since age 4, Mahalia Esposito found love at first sight when she saw her first cirque performance in 2019. Her passion was truly ignited once she began taking classes shortly thereafter and Charlotte Cirque and Dance quickly became like a second home for her. Combining the joy she finds in dance and in being in the air, Mahalia especially loves working on aerial silks and lyra. Mahalia is also a dedicated student and talented visual artist. She is currently finishing her last year at Matthews Elementary School and will then attend Randolph Middle School's IB program.
Emerson Kelley Emerson loves being active and performing, so she was a perfect fit for competitive gymnastics, which she began at the age of 6. With the COVID shutdown, she began exploring new areas to satisfy her continued interest in performing and discovered Charlotte Cirque and Dance, which checked both boxes while also granted her the creative freedom to participate in the choreography. She began her training in Aerial Silks and Partner Acrobatics with her twin sister, Payton, and since then she has participated in CC&D Creation Lab where she gained new experience in dance and choreography, while building on her aerial silks and acrobatics skills. She loves a challenge and her CC&D training provides that challenge. In the short time with CC&D, she has quickly realized how exciting dance and choreography are and how she can take advantage of her gymnastic background to develop in all disciplines offered by CC&D. Emerson is now 14 years old and in 8th grade. While not training at CC&D, she enjoys traveling with her family, snowboarding with her sister and taking advantage of outdoor activities in the NC mountains.
Payton Kelley Payton has loved tumbling and performance as long as she can remember. She started competitive gymnastics at the age of 6 and trained/competed until COVID impeded her progress. In 2021, she discovered Charlotte Cirque and Dance and she has not looked back since. She began her training in Aerial Silks and Partner Acrobatics with her twin sister, Emerson, and since then she has participated in CC&D Creation Lab where she experienced dance, choreography, aerial silks and acrobatics. She is eager to continue her cirque and dance training and especially looks forward to the performances. This year she has quickly realized her enjoyment of dance and choreography and is excited to learn the many forms of dance while incorporating aerial silks and partner acrobatics. Payton is now 14 years old and in 8th grade. While not training at CC&D, she enjoys traveling with her family, snowboarding and home design.
Lydia Schmidt has been dancing since age two, training in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acro, and Contemporary. She discovered cirque training at age six and loved how it combined Dance, Acro, and climbing like a monkey. Lydia has performed with Elite Academy of Dance and Imagine Youth Theater in Pinehurst, NC. She appeared in the 2021 production of Clara's Trip. She has enjoyed performing in Charlotte festivals such as Festival in the Park and Fall for Matthews. Lydia hopes to someday learn flying trapeze and teeterboard. She is a fifth grader at Beverly Woods Elementary. When she is not doing cirque, Lydia likes to do crafts and play with friends.
Jr. Student Company
Dana Giacobone
Joni Hutton
Sara Kellam
Sophia Maggio
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