KSU Dance Festival 2025

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Kennesaw State University's 2025 Dance Festival will be held February 1-2, 2025. This unique platform supports and celebrates the work of high school dancers. Through diverse dance classes, workshops, seminars, and performance opportunities, high school students immerse themselves in the professional practice of dance.

For the Celebration Concert, audience participants may provide feedback to all choreographers, and a panel of KSU Dance seniors and faculty will provide detailed written feedback to 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 throughout the region.  
  
Registration opens November 1, 2024. 
Registration closes January 10, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. 

Registration now open!

Register

 

 

Festival App 


NEW THIS YEAR: We will use an online platform called Whova for our event. Download the Whova App to access our event. 
-View the event agenda and pre-register for classes 
-Review class descriptions and faculty bios 
-Have access to documents shared by KSU Dance 
-Find out who else is attending the event and reach out to others ahead of time 
-Discover area attractions such as restaurants, hotels, and shops! 
-Participate in concert feedback activities 
-Receive updates from KSU Dance 
 

A link to the app will be sent after registration is complete!

 

Festival Guidelines

  •  Please read Festival Guidlines below.
    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. Registration runs from November 1st, 2024 through January 6th, 2025. 
    4. Each group may bring 3 chaperones/faculty at no additional charge. 
    5. All Festival attendees must be registered. No unregistered guest will be allowed into or at any Festival location or event.  
    6. Chaperones/faculty must be onsite at all times while their students are present.
    7. There is an initial cap of 25 students per organization. On December 1st, 2024, if the Festival has not sold-out, this cap will be lifted, and groups can register additional students until the Festival is at capacity.
    8. 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 weekend.
    9. NEW THIS YEAR: Registrants will have two options for lunch:
      • $120 registration fee includes lunch each day at the KSU Commons, a food court-type facility with a variety of meals to accommodate all tastes and dietary restrictions. The Commons is located on KSU’s Kennesaw Campus at 540 Parliament Garden Way NW Kennesaw, GA 30144.
      • $110 registration fee does not include lunch. Participants may choose to bring their lunch or utilize the many food delivery services in the area. Students can remain on site at Chastain Pointe to eat lunch.  
    10. NEW THIS YEAR: There are two Performance opportunities. Each group may present one work at each performance opportunity. See performance guidelines for details.
      • Celebration Concert, Feb 1, at 6PM in the Dance Theater on the Marietta Campus.  
      • Festival Showcase, Feb 2 at 4PM in the Gym at Chastain Pointe.
    11. There is an additional $75 fee to perform in the Saturday Celebration concert. Please see concert guidelines for more details.
    12. The Celebration Concert is 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 guests. 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, 2025. 
    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. There will also be limited tech rehearsal times on Saturday, 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) for the Celebration Concert. 
    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 $75 adjudication fee to perform in this concert and each group will be given a link to download a video of their performance 
    1. All performers must be current high school-age students.  
    2. All performers must be registered for the KSU Dance Festival by January 6, 2025.  
    3. Each organization may submit one work for presentation during the Festival Showcase.  
      • Showcase works MUST be choreographed by students.  
      • Showcase works must be 3-5 minutes in length.  
      • No hanging or rigging of scenery is permitted for the Festival Showcase, any scenery or props must be carried in and out of the studio by the performers.  
    4. The Festival Showcase will take place at the Gym at Chastain Pointe. There will be no theatrical lighting or curtains. Students should plan to bow after their performance.  
      • There will be no spacing or technical rehearsal prior to the informal concert.  
      • Please note this event will take place in the gym and there will not be a marley floor.
    5. All festival attendees will attend the showcase. 

Festival Schedule (SAMPLE)  (View/Download)

8:15 Orientation (Gym)

*Location of classes subject to change.

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

Ballet

O'Kelley

Tap

Everhart

Limon Technique

Hawkains

Classical Indian Dance

Thakurta

African Dance

Howard & Hayes

*Gryrokinesis for Dance Educators

Barsky

 *This class is Faculty only 
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

Ballet Repertory

Eckman

Tap

Everhart

Choreography 

Knowlton

Classical Indian Dance

Thakurta

African Dance

Howard & Hayes

  

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.

Pointe/Variations 

Alvis

Meditation

Ragsdale

Graham Repertory

Eckman

Improvisation

Hawkains

Commercial Jazz

Gray

*Trauma Informed Educators

O'Kelley

 *This class is Faculty only 
2:45 – 4:00 p.m.

Contra Dance

Berry

Meditation 

Ragsdale

Yoga for Dancers

Barsky

Dance Filmmaking

Knowlton

Commercial Jazz

Gray

  

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

 

 

8:15 Orientation (Gym) 

*Location of classes subject to change.

STUDIO 1 STUDIO 2 STUDIO 3 STUDIO 4 GYM CLASSROOM ROTC
9:00 - 10:15 a.m. 

Classical Ballet

Terminus Modern Ballet

Cross Training for Dancers

Buckley

Mock Audition Class

O'Kelley/Eckman

Ballet Basics

Berry

Contemporary Hip-Hop

Louis

*Injury Prevention 

Hilbrands

*This class is Faculty only

 
10:30 - 11:45 a.m. 

Contemporary Ballet

Terminus Modern Ballet

Cross Training for Dancers

Buckley

Flamenco

Boulard

Breaking

Honey Rockwell
Contemporary Hip-Hop

Louis
Injury Prevention 

Hilbrands

 *Festival Wrap up 
(Directors/Faculty) 

*This session is Faculty only
12:00 - 1:15 p.m. 

Improvisation

Knowlton

Voice and Movement

Sprinfield

Contemporary Repertory

Alvis

Breaking

Honey Rockwell

Musical Theatre

Ellis

The Dance Major Experience

KSU Dance Ambassadors

 

1:30 – 2:30 p.m. - Lunch at The Commons

3:00 p.m. - Festival Showcase

Festival Award Ceremony & Social (immediately afterwards)

5:00pm - End of Day

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.
    Drive up and turn around in the traffic circle
    Turn RIGHT 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.
    Drive up and turn around in the traffic circle
    Turn RIGHT 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.
    Drive up and turn around in the traffic circle
    Turn RIGHT 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 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