About Us
History • Objectives • Performances • Competitions • Spring Break Performance Trip • Year • Spring Show • Competitions • Organization • Auditions • Rehearsals • Facilities • Costs
In 1992, professional judges selected 32 outstanding dancers to be the charter members of Plano Dance Force. This original group of talented individuals was looking for an alternative to Senior High School Drill Team. This tradition continues today with Dance Force celebrating its 15th competition season this year. PDF has become a very important part of the lives of its members and their families over the years. They have furthered their dance training as well as experienced wonderful events and developed valuable friendships. Additionally, the Plano community has benefited from community service projects conducted by Plano Dance Force as well as enjoying many performances by the enthusiastic and talented dancers over the years. Our organization provides professional dance training on a competitive dance team without the time demands of drill team or a local studio dance company. The legacy of PDF enables the members to be associated with an organization possessing a stellar reputation, high standards, talented alumni and 15 years of tradition to uphold.
Over the 15 years of its existence, PDF has played a significant role in the overall development of hundreds of young ladies. While competitive dance is the primary objective, Dance Force focuses on overall development, direction and preparation for life. The PDF philosophy is to develop positive character qualities (discipline, teamwork, work ethic, courage, vision, dedication) through the challenges provided in a dance team setting.
Our primary objective is to provide professional dance training in the areas of Jazz, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, Modern and Pom. We have been very successful in developing these dance skills within advanced dancers. Dance Force develops and enhances dance talents to gain individual and team recognition through active participation in local performances, competitions, annual performance trips, and school and public events. All of this is achieved within an atmosphere of fostering team spirit and camaraderie.
These objectives have been proven to provide the best environment for the girls to grow as dancers and as young ladies.
The team operates under the Plano Dance Force Rules and Guidelines. Direction of the team is guided primarily by the Director with significant input from the dancers and their parents. Decisions are made that benefit the entire team.
Team Leaders among the team members are elected annually to assist the director with certain aspects of running the organization. This gives the members opportunity to gain valuable leadership experience and serve very important roles on the team. Team leaders are chosen for spirit/inspirational, social, historian, and dance.
Booster Club Officers are also elected annually from the dancers parents’ to assist in the following areas: Ways and Means, Special Events, Historian, Costumes, and Spirit.
The dance leaders compete in the officer category at the regional and nationals
dance competition.
Plano Dance Force is not a dance studio which is open to the public. Dance
Force is a dance company consisting of no more than 35 dancers. The only
funding source comes from the monthly tuition of the team members.
Plano Dance Force operates similarly to the academic school year. Tryouts are held in May, the team begins practice in June and the year ends the following May.
Dance Force has performed at many wonderful events over the past 13 years. These performances are the core of PDF. With many hours of practice and rehearsal, the team is prepared to deliver great performances to a variety of appreciative audiences.
For a complete listing visit our “Performances” page.
Annual Spring Break Performance Trip
The team takes an annual performance trip every school year during Spring Break. This trip is a great avenue to combine vacation and dance together. The Spring Break Performance Trip is highly anticipated by each team because of the unique opportunity to travel and perform during Spring Break. Dance Force has accepted invitations to perform at: Disney Land, Disney World, Santa Fe Dance/Ski Festival, and on five cruises to the Caribbean. Each year several parents and family members go on the trip as well. This year’s team has accepted an invitation to perform on a Royal Caribbean Cruise Line that will depart from Fort Lauderdale, Florida and cruise to the Florida Keys, the Grand Cayman Islands and Cozumel, Mexico.
PDF produces an annual spring showcase every year in May at the Eisemann Center in Richardson. The dancers perform their award winning dances from contest season along with special guest performances by other local dance companies, singers and performers. This show is professionally-produced and has sold over 600 tickets the last two years. This is a wonderful performance opportunity for the team to display their talents and gain invaluable performance experience. Additionally, the Spring Show features the fan-favorite performances by the PDF Moms, Dads, and guy/girl dance.
Dance Force has rich tradition of award-winning teams. PDF history is full of National Champions and Regional titles in jazz, hip hop, lyrical, pom, novelty, and modern. The dancers have also received numerous awards for their outstanding technique, choreography, and presentation. During the course of the year, PDF will compete at the American Dance/Drill Team School (ADTS) Regional Competition in Allen, Texas and the ADTS National Championships at The University of North Texas in Denton, Texas.
The social committee along with the special events coordinators plan a Summer Luau, Halloween Costume Party, Holiday Progressive Dinner, and Spring Awards Banquet.
The team consists of high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Auditions are held annually for those candidates interested in trying out for the team. Dancers are chosen by professional judges along with the director, assistant director, and performance coordinator. Candidates are judged on their dance ability, technique, showmanship, timing, memory, confidence, energy, and timing. Please see additional information in our audition section on the website.
The new team begins rehearsal the first week of June. During the months of June and July the dancers will meet one day a week for four hours. The date and time will be determined by the summer schedule of the members. Once school has begun, rehearsals will be held every Tuesday and Thursday beginning at 6:30 PM. The team rehearses 4-6 hours per week depending on the team performance schedule.
Annual Registration Fee is $50 (new dancers and veterans).
Monthly tuition is based on 4-6 hours of instruction. PDF's tuition is $160 per month. This averages out to $27 an hour when we rehearse 6 hours a week and $40 an hour when we practice 4 hours a week. Most studios in Plano charge $45 for one hour of instruction.
The team also goes to dance camp in the summer which cost approximately $290. The dancers compete in four styles of dance therefore at least four costumes are needed.
Competition fees, spring break performance trip, and yearly spring showcase are examples of additional costs. Not all of these costs are “out-of-pocket” expenses as the girls have the opportunity to fundraise.
The organization currently sub-leases space from Miss Billye's School of Dance in Plano. The organization had it own practice facility for ten years. Unfortunately, rising costs (rent, taxes, insurance, maintenance) became prohibitive to have our own facitlity AND KEEP MONTHLY TUITION TO A MINIMUM. Dance Force has been leasing space at Miss Billyes for three years. The studio is located at the corner of Custer and Parker - next door to the Department of Public Safety - 2109 West Parker Suite 112 Plano TX 75023.
