Urban Talent Showcase Auditions

THE URBAN SHOWCASE AUDITION
Auditions will be held at the " target="_blank">Ballet Afrique Dance Studio on Monday, March 8, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Judges will select five winners from each category to proceed to the Semi-finals. Performers must report to the audition site 30 minutes prior to their slotted time.

• DANCERS All dancers should have a 2 minute routine prepared. Each team is responsible for providing music. The music should not contain any obscenities. Performers should be limited to 10 people. Accompanists are permitted on stage, but must not assume visual importance in the performance. There must be no taps or blatant tap effect on a taped recording or CD used by a dancer.
  
  
• SPOKEN WORD All poets should have a 1-2 minute piece prepared.


• VOCALISTS All vocalists should have 1 song prepared to sing a capella. The song length should not exceed 5 minutes. instrumental accompaniment by the person in the act or others is allowed, but is not judged. It must assume the pure character of accompaniment. The test shall be whether the performance would stand alone. A recorded musical backup may be used, subject to the restrictions in rules. No voice or voices or synthesized vocal utterance may be used for an accompaniment by contestants entered in the Vocal categories. This includes recorded live voices and voices that are produced and recorded synthetically (i.e., synthesizers or digitally sampled.)


• STEPPERS All step groups should have a 5 minute routine prepared. Each team is responsible for providing music. The music should not contain any obscenities. Performers should be limited to 10 people.

THE SEMI-FINAL ROUNDS
Vocalist and Spoken Word Contestants will compete on Wed, March 10 at Aces Lounge, doors open at 9pm. The top two performers from each category groups will be chosen to proceed to the Finals

Dance and Step Contestants will compete on Wed March 24 at Aces Lounge, doors open at 9pm. The top two groups from each category will proceed to the Finals.

THE FINALS COMPETITION
The Finals Competition will be held at Karma Lounge on Thursday, April 1, doors open at 9pm. The Winner in each category will receive $500 cash and the opportunity to perform on stage at Urban Music Fest. The Runner Up in each category will receive $250 cash.

RULES AND REGULATIONS
1. Under no circumstances may an act run more than 5 minutes. ACTS RUNNING OVER 5 MINUTES WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED. The act is timed from the first vocal utterance in any vocal category or the first body movement in any dance category

2.  No fire and/or pyrotechnics, smoke or smoke-effect will be allowed on stage at any time.

3. It is to the participant’s benefit to ensure all CDs are of superior quality. Please label each CD with your name for identification. A CD must include only the piece of music required for the performance, and must be cued properly. We cannot be responsible for any CD which is not picked up following your performance.

4. Organizers reserve the right of final decision on any matters pertaining to the Urban Showcase not covered by the rules.

5. Contestants are asked to wear appropriate attire to the competition. Unless part of a costume, contestants wearing cut-off shorts and midriff tops will not be allowed to perform.

JUDGING AND ELIGIBILITY
There will be a minimum of three judges for each competition. Decision of the Contest Judges is final. Contestants will be judged on the following basis:

• Natural Ability
• Quality of Performance
• Showmanship and Suitable Appearance
• Audience Support

Each audience member's vote counts as one point. Each Contest Judge's vote counts as 25 points. In the Semi-Finals, the two contestants with the highest cumulative point total will advance to the Finals Competition. During the Finals, the contestant with the highest cumulative point total will be declared the winner.

ELIGIBILITY
The contest is open to non-professional performers only. For the purpose of the Urban Showcase, a professional entertainer is:

a) one who earns more than $16,000 after cost recovery in earned entertainment dollars, in a given year;

b) one who is a union member, or

c) one who has a professional agent or manager securing employment in the entertainment field; or

d) one who sings or is the principal performer on any CD released for commercial distribution through contracts with recording companies paid to promote them. (This does NOT prohibit an entertainer from having a self-produced CD for sale or distribution to friends and associates such as in church group activities or friendly retail outlets.)

Permission for performer substitutions in the Semi-Finals, Finals or at Urban Music Fest are not allowed without prior permission from the Organizers.

Each member of an act age 17 or younger, whether performing as a soloist or as a member of a group, must have a signed Waiver of Permission from a parent or guardian at the Audtion. As well, a parent or guardian must be in attendance for every minor at all performances.