KSU Dance Festival 2024

Kennesaw State University's 2024 Dance Festival will be held February 3-4, 2024. This unique platform supports and celebrates the work of high school dancers. Through diverse dance classes, workshops, seminars, and performance opportunities, high school students immersed themselves in the professional practice of dance. A panel of three nationally recognized dance artists adjudicated the two Celebration performances and provided detailed feedback to the emerging choreographers and performers.  
  
The weekend-long Festival aims to build community engagement between KSU's Department of Dance and performing arts high schools and dance studios. 
 
Early Bird Registration opens Oct. 2, 2023 - $110 
Regular Registration opens Nov. 2nd - $120 
Registration closes Jan. 5, 2024.

Join Us Feb 3-4!

Register early and enjoy our discounted rate of $110 per student. 

Early Registration Opens Oct. 2

Faculty

More information coming soon!

Adjudicators

More information coming soon!

Concerts 

More information coming soon!

Festival Guidelines 

For the 10th anniversary of the KSU High School Dance Festival, there are some changes to the Performances at the Festival. The afternoon concert of student choreography is now being moved to, and combined with, the Celebration concerts.

We presented student choreography during the evening concerts and some have received Festival Recognition from the Adjudicators. By moving all the performances to the Dance Theater, all works will be fully produced on stage, have a technical rehearsal, and get a video recording of the performance.

The 2024 KSU Dance Festival will feature two Adjudicated Concerts – The Celebration Concerts. Concert A on Saturday, February 3rd at 6:00p.m. and Concert B on Sunday, February 4th at 3:30p.m.

The two Celebration Concerts will be reviewed by a panel of dance adjudicators. Written feedback from the adjudicators will be provided to each performance group following the festival.

This is a private performance and only festival attendees can attend the concerts although each group will be given two tickets to use for two outside guests of their choice. There will be no additional tickets available.

  • The 2024 KSU Dance Festival takes place on Saturday, February 3rd and Sunday, February 4th 2024.

    1. All students must be current high school-age students.
    2. The festival is open to High School Dance programs and Dance Studios. There are no individual student registration options.
    3. Early Registration runs from October 2nd, 2023 through October 31st, 2023 is $110 per student.
    4. Regular Registration runs from November 1st, 2023 through January 5th 2024.
    5. Each group may bring 3 chaperone/faculty at no additional charge.
    6. All Festival attendees must be registered. No unregistered guest will be allowed into or at any Festival location or eve
    7. Chaperones/faculty must be onsite at all times while their students are present.
    8. There is an initial cap of 25 students per organization. On December 1st, 2023, if the Festival has not sold-out, this cap will be lifted and groups can register additional students until the Festival is at capacity.
    9. All classes take place at the Department of Dance Facilities at Chastain Pointe just off the main Kennesaw Campus. All parking is free for the Festival week-end.
    10. Lunch will be provided each day at the KSU Commons on the main Kennesaw campus. This is a food court-type facility with a variety of meals to accommodate all tastes and dietary restrictions.
    11. There are two Celebration Concerts. Each group may present one work total between these two concerts. There is an additional $50 fee to perform in the Celebration concerts. Please see concert guidelines for more details.
    12. The Celebration Concerts will take place on the Marietta Campus at the Dance Theater.
    13. The Celebration Concerts are private and only open to registered Festival Attendees. At Saturday morning check-in, each group will be given 2 tickets to each concert to use for outside guest. There are no additional tickets available for the concerts.

    Additional information will be posted on the Festival Website at ksudance.com. Emails with additional registration details and weekly updates will be sent to the group contact once they have registered. Questions can be sent to KSUDance@kennesw.edu 

    1. All performers must be current high school-age students.
    2. All performers must be registered for the KSU Dance Festival by January 5th, 2024.
    3. There is a limit of 25 performers per organization.
    4. All performers must be available for one technical rehearsal. Tech rehearsals will be scheduled in advance on the evenings of January 31 through February 2nd. There will also be limited tech rehearsal times on Saturday afternoon 2/3/24 but these slots will result in students missing an afternoon festival master class. Each group will be assigned a 20 minute tech rehearsal time slot.
    5. Each dance must be a minimum of 3 minutes, and no more than 7 minutes in length.
    6. Only one work can be submitted from each organization (i.e. high school or studio).
    7. Choreography may be by a faculty member, guest artist, student, or a re-staging of classic repertory.
    8. There can be no hanging or rigging of scenic elements. Any scenery or props must be set and struck by the company performers within 1 minute of the start and end of the work.
    9. There is a $50 adjudication fee to perform in this concert and each group will be given a link to download a video of their performance
  • There is no showcase concert. All work will be performed at the Dance Theater on one of the two Celebration Concerts.

Festival Schedule (Sample)

8:15 Orientation (Gym)

  STUDIO 1 STUDIO 2 STUDIO 3 STUDIO 4 GYM CLASSROOM
9:00 – 10:15 a.m.            
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.            

12:00 – 1:00 p.m. - Lunch at the Commons

  STUDIO 1 STUDIO 2 STUDIO 3 STUDIO 4 GYM CLASSROOM
1:15 – 02:30 p.m.            
2:45 – 4:00 p.m.            

6:00 p.m. - Celebration Concert A at the KSU Dance Theater on the Marietta campus

Festival Pizza Social immediately after!

 
  STUDIO 1 STUDIO 2 STUDIO 3 STUDIO 4 GYM CLASSROOM
8:30 - 9:45 a.m.            
10:00 – 11:15 a.m.            
11:30 -12:45 p.m            

1:00 – 2:00 p.m. - Lunch at the Commons

3:30 p.m. - Celebration Concert B featuring KSU Dance Company at the KSU Dance Theater on the Marietta campus

Festival Award Ceremony immediately after.

Locations and Directions

KSU Dance Department and Gym at Chastain Pointe (Classrooms and Studios) 
Dance Studios at Chastain Pointe (Kennesaw Campus)
1200 Chastain Road, Bldg. 300, Suite 306
Kennesaw, GA 30144
(Gym is directly across the street from Suite 306)

  • Take I-75 N toward MARIETTA / CHATTANOOGA.
    Take the CHASTAIN RD exit, (Exit #271).
    Turn LEFT onto CHASTAIN RD NW.
    Go through THREE traffic lights.
    At the 4th light, turn RIGHT onto Big Shanty Road.
    Turn LEFT into CHASTAIN POINTE (Gray Warehouses).
    Proceed up the hill to the 300 building.
    The Department of Dance is located in Suite 306.

    Festival orientation will take place in the Chastain Pointe gym (Athletics Practice Facility, Suite 202).

  • Take I-75 S.
    Take the CHASTAIN RD exit, (Exit #271).
    Turn RIGHT onto CHASTAIN RD NW.
    Go through TWO traffic lights.
    At the 3rd light, turn RIGHT onto Big Shanty Road.
    Turn LEFT into CHASTAIN POINTE (Gray Warehouses).
    Proceed up the hill to the 300 building.
    The Department of Dance is located in Suite 306.

    Festival orientation will take place in the Chastain Pointe gym (Athletics Practice Facility, Suite 202). 

    Or Take I-575 S.
    Take the CHASTAIN RD exit, (Exit #3).
    Turn RIGHT onto CHASTAIN RD NW.
    Go through EIGHT traffic lights.
    At the 9th light, turn RIGHT onto Big Shanty Road.
    Turn LEFT into CHASTAIN POINTE (Gray Warehouses).
    Proceed up the hill to the 300 building.
    The Department of Dance is located in Suite 306.

    Festival orientation will take place in the Chastain Pointe gym (Athletics Practice Facility, Suite 202).

Dance Theater on the KSU Marietta Campus (Evening Concerts)
Joe Mac Wilson Student Center
1100 South Marietta Pkwy
Marietta, GA 30060
  • Take exit 263 towards Marietta from the 2nd right hand lane (South Marietta Parkway-GA 120 Loop/KSU Marietta Campus). 
    Merge onto South Marietta Parkway. 
    Go one mile and turn left onto Technology Way, which leads into campus. 
    Take the first right onto North Drive. 
    Ideal parking: (P2, P35, P36)
  • Take exit 263 (South Marietta Parkway-GA 120 Loop/KSU Marietta Campus).
    Turn right onto South Marietta Parkway.
    Go one mile and turn left onto Technology Way, which leads into campus.
    Take the first right onto North Drive.
    Ideal parking: (P2, P35, P36)

KSU Commons (Dining facility on Kennesaw Campus)
540 Parliament Garden Way NW
Kennesaw, GA 30144 

  • Turn right onto Big Shanty Road.
    Turn left onto Campus Loop Road (before you hit Chastain Road). 
    At the roundabout, take the first exit on Prillaman Way and then turn right on Owl Drive. 
    Take a right into Parking Lot D. 
    The Commons is across the street past the Prillaman Health Sciences Building. 

Contact & Information

E-mail: ksudance@kennesaw.edu 
Phone: 470-578-7673