Taking my students to there first competition this year - I've also never gone as an instructor, only as a student and thats been 15+ years ago... so I'm wondering if any of you can answer this for me.

I have a group of 6 kids, and a song I'm very excited about using with them. For small group the limit is 3:00. I've had to edit the song to fit that time and have gotten it down to 2:59.7699 on the editing software. On media player/Cd player it shows up as 3:00 minutes. Am I going to be okay with that, I can't edit it anymore without ruining the song.
Being their first comp. I would hate for them to lose points over something as silly as I edited the music to close to the time limit.

You'll be fine!

Yes you will be fine, I think there's generally a few second grace period. Our music was once like 20 seconds over because one competitions rules were different from everyone elses and they just wrote a note on our judging sheet, but didn't count off.

yes, you'll be fine. Sometimes when I'm cutting it close or am slightly over the time limit, I'll edit the music to speed it up just 1%, which the kids don't notice even in tap, but it'll get me in under the time limit. Just a thought for the future!

Wow, thats short. In Australia the limit is usually 3 minutes for a solo, 4 minutes for a due or trio and 5 minutes for a group of 4 or more.

Wont be a problem at all! I was going to say what Frogdance said...speed it up just a tad if you are nervous!!! I almost always speed up competition music a month before competition, if keeps them on their toes haha

Good luck! and have fun!!

RileyA wrote:

Wow, thats short. In Australia the limit is usually 3 minutes for a solo, 4 minutes for a due or trio and 5 minutes for a group of 4 or more.

Ouch! Time limits are getting longer here, and I don't really like it. 3 minutes is a very long solo...depending on age of course, and so many times, the dancer is exhausted halfway through the piece and then it looks sloppy. When I choreograph for solos, I won't give them anything over 2:30 which is the old solo time limit.

Agreed, it will be fine.

It's perfect and you'll be fine! I don't even see anyone ever timing the dances anyway (just my experience though, I know many do!) Even if you were at 3 minutes 4 or 5 seconds, I don't think you'd be counted off for it.

It shouldnt be a problem at all, I think they give you a few extra seconds

Wouldn't be a problem.

Just for future, we started doing almost every dance about 45 seconds shorter than the time limit. They always say the judge's make-up their minds within the first 30 seconds anyways. Any teachers who have come to us from other studios love it and wish their old studios did that too. Just my two cents