Dance Comp 5000

Supervisor: Mimi, here's a report from one of the current trainees on that dance competition you asked about. I've also sent you the links to their main website and streaming channels.

REPORT: Dance Comp 5000 by (Trainee)]

Within the Human cities exists a group that started a sub-culture of their own. This group began with a dance competition for high school students, with regional and country wide competitive days similar to sports carnivals and competitions. A few centuries later and the competition has expanded to primary schools, other Races and adult categories. There are in person, v-tuber and digital competitions - each grouping with their own specialties, fanbases and rulesets.

This is Dance Comp 5000.

Dances

The initial creation of the dance competition was a joint project between school subjects, using dance as a way to express a story. Every school subject was a category for the competition, with the dance to contexualise a key point or point of interest the student / students had leanrt in class. Extra points were given to dances that brought together multiple topics in clear and real world ways. For example, the winning school of the first competition in North City danced in the science category with a dance about cell division and multiplication, integrated with a famous story of a Rabbit-kin warrior mother. The story of the Rabbit-kin would be lost to history if not for its inclusion in a Dance Comp 5000 dance (and the Dance Comp's continued fame and prevalence).
As the competition gained fame, not only its audience, but its number of competitors grew. So too did the types of entries and eventually even the age groups and types of competitors expanded. First to primary school entrants, then university entrants, then other adult and other Races. Now, there are over 200 categories within these 5 groups that a dance could be entered into.

Fame

Their are fanbases for individual dancers, group performers, schools, dance organisations, dance directors, storytellers, choreographers and even stage crews. The stage hand Gardi Meln is even more famous than Human Hero Steve and his party. Any time he is working for a competition, he shows up on stage before and after the competition to welcome his (and other) fans and remind everyone to applause, respect and enjoy all performers and crew on the day. It is not uncommon for his brief welcome to gain as much applause, if not more, than the winners of that day.

Common Etiquette

Etiquette is of great importance to all who enter and view the competitions. Their are strict guidelines for competitors, crew and audience members of each competition, regardless of whether it is an in-person or online event. The security teams (and mods, etc.) often have very full days in keeping sure all adhere to these guidelines, and those that don't are taken away (often with more than a warning).

However, outside of competition times, there is a vast array of what is considered 'appropriate'. It has been known, for example, that children in the top 3 high schools in Mid City with dance groups competing in Dance Comp 5000 often have relatives (e.g. mothers / aunts / step-fathers / cousins-twice-removed / etc.) who will look down on relatives of children of the other schools (in that top 3) and only converse in snide comments, about everything except the Dance Comp 5000. When the Dance Comp is mentioned, they will turn into the most doting relatives who can only say good things about the Com and (especially) their child in general. In order to 'keep etiquette' and not bring any problems to their children, you can hear multiple conversations at once - each talking up their own child while not listening to the others. Without listening to the 'conversation' however, they look almost as if they are best of friends in animated conversation.

Dress Code

Dress codes adhere to the rating of the dance stages. Ratings are similar to movie ratings and no dance may be above an 'M', regardless of the age of the dancers. The high school dance competitions is still the highlight and focus of the Dance Comp 5000.

(Mimi: I should check that Gardi guy)
(Jim: you can't go out yet. How about watch the streams for a little while?)
(Mimi: I'm steadily getting better! I'm even allowed to breath in the same room as Jazzach without either one of us in a protective suit!)
(Jim: ... yes, but...)
(Mimi: Fine, I'll start with the streams.)

(Taegrin: How many packages have you got today? 5?)
(Jim: This is her 7th)
(Mimi: And now I nearly have all of the Dance Comp 5000 Naiad v-tuber cosplay gear for this year!)
(Taegrin: I'm worried to even see what that looks like...)
(Jim: .... even i have questions.... And I've watched half of the v-tuber streams)
(Mimi: No questions. Just dance.)