Audition for the mad city dancers

Dance with TEAMMATES as a member of the MAD City Dancers.

Auditions to become a member of the MAD City Dancers will be a Saturday, April 6, 2024.

Minis: 11:00 AM (Previous Mini Dancers and any potential new dancers age 7 - 10 years of age at the time of audition).

Juniors: 12:00 PM (Previous Junior Dancers and any potential new dancers age 11 - 13 years of age at the time of the audition.)

Teens and Seniors: 1:00 PM (Previous Teen and Senior Dancers, Juniors asked to stay and any potential new dancers that are 14 years of age at the time of the audition.)

Mini members are required to take 2 weeks of the Emerging Dancer Workshop. Current Mini Team Members that have been apart of team for two years or longer are welcome to register for the 4 week intensive.

Emails offering roster spots to our MAD City Dancer TEAMS will go out April 8, 2024. Thank you!

2024-2025 Season

All 2024-2025 Group Competition pieces will tentatively be set the week of July 22nd-26th, 2024.

Possible Competitions in 2024-2025

January 2025 - Possible YAGP - Chicago - unconfirmed date

February 2025 - Possible YAGP - Chicago - unconfirmed date

February 2025 - NYCDA Chicago - unconfirmed date

March 2025 - Beyond the Stars - Madison - unconfirmed date

March 2025 - NYCDA Minneapolis - unconfirmed date

About us

The MAD City Dancers rehearse together on Saturday mornings at the Madison location of Monona Academy of Dance. The Minis rehearse from 9:00AM - 11:30AM, Juniors 9:00AM - 11:30AM, Teens 11:00AM - 2:15PM and Seniors 11:00 AM - 2:15PM. All group levels have a 30 minute company class during the week.

Members of the team are required to take weekly classes in ballet, tap and jazz. Modern and Hip Hop are optional. If wishing to compete as a soloist, private lessons are required. Billing is done at the beginning of the Academic Year (Aug/Sept 2024) and billed in three terms. 2023-2024 dancer dues per term were Minis $250, Juniors $250, Teens $300 and Seniors $300. Competition fees are additional and include: choreography, shoes, costuming, entry fees and day of coaching.

Teams are composed by age and ability. Minis (Ages 7-12), Juniors (Ages 10-13), Teens (12-14) and Seniors (13+). The competition philosophy of Monona Academy of Dance and the MAD City Dancers is first growth as a dancer and person, to have fun and to have success in the competition setting. Dancers will have the opportunity to compete at least one regional convention and sometimes multiple regional competitions including but not limited to: New York City Dance Alliance, Youth America Grand Prix, Showstoppers, NUVO, Hollywood Vibe, OnStage, Beyond the Stars and Imagine. Two of our favorites are described below.

Youth America Grand Prix - soloists and small groups will compete at YAGP based upon Jo Jean's selection. Soloists must be taking private lessons through Monona Academy of Dance, be members of the MAD City Dancers and choreography purchased through Monona Academy of Dance. During the past decade Monona Academy of Dance has had dancers place in the Top 3 in Contemporary, Top 12 Contemporary and Top 20 Classical Variations. A number of small groups have also earned a spot to compete at the International Finals.  YAGP is the largest ballet scholarship awarding competition in the world.

New York City Dance Alliance - over the course of the last two decades the MAD City Dancers have regularly participated in the Chicago Regional Competition of NYCDA.  Ms. Retrum loves the philosphy of NYCDA and how it exposes her dancers to all types of dance performance.  NYCDA offers multiple scholarships to regional workshops, its national finals and its summer intensives. Monona Academy of Dance has had numerous soloists in the top 15 at various age levels and its small group performances have earned multiple Platinum awards and nominations for Critic's Choice.