A large ensemble performs one prepared contemporary dance, judged on how well many bodies share one flowing idea, with unison, spacing, technique and feeling all counting.
Large group contemporary dance is the ensemble class of the contemporary section: a big cast of dancers shares one piece built on soft, continuous movement, controlled balance and a clear mood. Where a small group can rely on a handful of strong individuals, a large cast is judged on whether it can fill a stage without losing shape. The best pieces use the numbers on purpose, with waves that travel through the cast, sections that split and rejoin, and a single stillness that falls on everyone at once.
A round is one rehearsed routine. The cast takes its opening formation, the music starts, and the choreography moves through unison passages, canons, layered levels with some dancers low and others standing, and group shapes that grow and dissolve. Because so many bodies are moving, the panel watches the whole picture first and then picks out details: who is a beat late, whose arm sits lower, where a line bends. Clean entrances and exits matter as much as the dance itself, since moving a large cast on and off a stage can easily look untidy.
On eTalenter the item appears in two talent templates in the Dance category. The junior template lists it for a Junior Group of ages 7 to 12 with a five-minute limit, marked out of 5. The international teen template lists it for ages 13 to 19, rated out of 10 with a maximum of 5 and no time limit printed. In both it is a team item, open to both genders, in English, and the teen template's source sets a large group at seven or more performers, with two to six entering the small group class.
Organisers value the class because it gives a whole dance school, youth group or class a way to enter together, spreads the stage fright across many dancers, and produces the kind of finale piece an audience enjoys, without needing props or an expensive set.
Where Large Group Contemporary Dance is run
On eTalenter this item is carried by two talent templates: a junior talent template and an international teen talent template. Ensemble contemporary dance classes turn up in school concerts, dance festivals, youth talent programmes and community showcases in many countries, but this page records only the templates that carry the item, so organisers should check their own notice for the minimum cast size, stage limits, time limit and music rules.
- United States
- Worldwide
Key facts
- Team item: seven or more dancers performing one prepared contemporary routine together, per the international teen template's source
- Smaller casts of two to six belong to the separate small group class; a solo class is also separate
- Two templates carry it: junior group (ages 7-12) and international teens (13-19)
- Only the junior template prints a time limit: five minutes
- Scored out of 5 (junior) and as a rating out of 10 with a maximum of 5 (teen)
- Open to both genders; English-language programmes in both templates
On eTalenter, Large Group Contemporary Dance is filed under Dance and typically scored with Marks, Rating out of 10. It appears in 2 ready-made event templates — each one can adjust its time limit, age-group assignment and scoring setup independently.
Across the templates that use it, Large Group Contemporary Dance is most often entered as an Team competition, typically scored out of 5, commonly time-limited to around 5 minutes where a limit is set.
What judges look at in Large Group Contemporary Dance
What a Large Group Contemporary Dance panel is actually weighing up, and where the marks are usually won or lost:
- Ensemble unison: matching timing, height and finish across the whole cast, where one late dancer is visible from the back of the hall
- Spacing and formations: even gaps, clean lines and circles, and shapes that change without collisions or gaps
- Technique and control: balances, turns and extended lines held to a common standard by every dancer, not only the front row
- Expression and mood: a shared focus and eye line so the large cast reads as one story rather than many individual performances
- Choreography that uses the numbers: canons, waves, split sections and levels that make the size of the cast an advantage
- Musicality and flow: phrasing that follows the music, with smooth transitions between sections
- Stage entry and exit: orderly walk-on, set-up and finish that keep the performance tidy within the time limit
Treat these as the judging focus, not a fixed rubric: publish your own weighted criteria for Large Group Contemporary Dance under Scoring Setup, or start from the full dance judging criteria guide.
How to prepare for Large Group Contemporary Dance
How entrants and their teachers usually get Large Group Contemporary Dance right on the day:
- Choose a single idea for the piece and let every section serve it, so the cast has a reason for each formation
- Split rehearsals into sections with a leader for each block, then combine them once every block is clean
- Mark every formation on the floor with tape and number the dancers so spacing is the same at every run-through
- Put the strongest technicians where they help weaker dancers hold timing, but rotate positions so no one hides
- Practise the walk-on and walk-off as carefully as the dance, timing them against the limit
- Film from the front and from above if possible, and check lines and gaps with the sound off
- Prepare for a smaller stage than your hall by rehearsing a tighter version of each formation
- Name a backup dancer for every position in case of illness, and keep a spare copy of the music on two formats
Frequently asked questions
Is Large Group Contemporary Dance judged individually or as a team?
Across eTalenter's templates it's most often run as an Team entry, though an organiser can set either participation type when assigning the item to an age group.
How many dancers make a large group in contemporary dance?
The international teen template's source sets a large group at seven or more performers and a small group at two to six. The junior template does not print the range, so organisers should publish their own.
What is the difference between small group and large group contemporary dance?
The templates list them as separate classes with their own results. The difference is cast size, and a large cast is additionally judged on spacing, formations and managing the stage.
How long can a large group contemporary dance be?
The junior template prints a five-minute limit. The teen template prints no limit, so organisers should publish one and teams should rehearse to it.
Is the whole group scored together?
Yes, the panel scores the ensemble as a team. Individual mistakes still matter because they weaken the shared unison and picture.
Can a dancer be in both the small group and large group class?
The templates treat them as separate classes, so entry rules depend on the organiser. Check your notice before putting one dancer in more than one.
Want the full judging picture? Read the full dance judging criteria guide, or browse every dance competition item.
Try Large Group Contemporary Dance in eTalenter
See every ready-made template that runs Large Group Contemporary Dance, and install one as a live event — age groups, rules and scoring included.
