Ballet Diaries
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CND — Concours National de Danse

Regional rounds across France, national final, then European competition · France

Usual dates (to be confirmed)Regional rounds February to April · national final early May 2027

Length
2 days regional, 4 days national
Entry fee
€35 solo, plus a variable regional membership fee
Deadline
About 2 months before the regional round
Age reference
Age on 1 January of the competition year. No exceptions granted.

Age categories

  • Préparatoire 1 — demi-pointe — 8–10 years old
  • Préparatoire 2 — demi-pointe — 9–11 years old
  • Élémentaire 1 — demi-pointe — 11–13 years old
  • Élémentaire 2 — pointe — 11–13 years old
  • Moyen 1 — demi-pointe — 12–15 years old
  • Moyen 2 — pointe — 12–15 years old
  • Supérieur 1 and 2 — 14–25 years old
  • Excellence — 15–25 years old
  • EAT — 16–25 years old

Levels

Recreational · Pre-competitive — Three levels set by training volume: Amateur 1 to 2 classes a week, Avancé 3 or more, Supérieur timetabled programme, vocational school, or a regional or departmental conservatoire.

Variations

Set variation
  • Set variation — Set variations for all solo entries at every level · 8–25 years old

Set variations for solos, with the official video's choreography to be followed exactly. Dress code: light or bright leotard, light tights. Black, navy and dark grey are banned.

Masterclasses. Not applicable.

Jury. Teachers, artistic directors, choreographic centre directors and choreographers — names not published in advance. The jury may move an amateur scoring 17 or more up a level.

What you can win. From 17/20: unanimous first prize and a place at the national final. National first prizes go on to the European competition the following autumn — Madrid in 2026.

Worth knowing. The reference federation circuit in France, and the only one with set variations — so the only one offering an objective technical comparison. Everything hinges on the level you enter.

Official site →

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Built from official websites and published rulebooks, checked in September 2026. Nothing is guessed: where a date, a fee or a jury is not published, the guide says so rather than inventing one. Rules change from season to season — always check the competition's own site before entering.