The Rules

Competition Rules
The competition rules are designed to be as easy and as fair as possible providing consistent criteria for our judges and maximum fun for our teams.

• Generally we advise the group to be no larger than 30 pupils due to dressing room sizes etc.
• Your dance should be no longer than 3m30s.
• NEW RULE: If you exceed the time limit, you will be deducted points (1 point for every second)
• You can feature props etc but are required to provide these yourself. In some cases we will need to secure approval from venue technical team so let us know what you would like to use as early as possible.
• Any style of dance is permitted.
• We will require an MP3 emailed to us at least 2 week before the performance.

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Judging Criteria
Up to 100 marks to be awarded for each performance.   

Choreography: (Up to 30 points)
Creativity (Max 10 points) - Be as creative as you want, think costume & set as well as choreography. Don’t be frightened to tell a story. Think about what you want the audience to feel.
Complexity (Max 10 points) - Make the dance visually exciting to watch, add lifts, holds & freezes. Know the style of dance you’re performing in & explore its catalogue of movement.
Formations / Transitions (Max 10 points) - Make sure you travel / transition with intent making full use of space.
Keep placement & formations neat & tight. Know where you should be.

Execution: Up to 20 points
Synchronisation / Timing (Max 10 points) - Know your music as well as the dance. Work on making sure your execution is in time & sync with each other as well as the music. Repetition is key to bringing timing together.
Spacing / Dynamics (Max 10 points) - Use all the space you have & use it with purpose. Change your levels by jumping, crawling, rolling & kneeling. Introduce moments of stillness to add depth.

Technique: (Up to 30 points)
Placement / Control (Max 10 points) - Think about posture, how you stand & hold yourself. What direction should you face, are your feet turned in or out? Where should your arms be? Avoid fidgeting or fixing hair.
Strength / Fluidity (Max 10 points) - Make sure each movement is smooth & runs seamlessly into the next. If your mixing styles this is an area to focus on. Showcase strength with lifts, holds & freezes.
Technique / Connectivity (Max 10 points) - Know the style or styles you are performing & deliver your choreography & movements correctly. Understand the music & entice the audience to connect & feel your dance.

Overall: (Up to 20 points)
Eye Contact / Enjoyability (Max 10 points) - Good eye contact can go a long way & will help the audience connect with you. Enjoy what you’re doing & be genuine. Remember, false smile stand out! If you enjoy what you do & feel it, chances are the audience will too.
Crowd Appeal (Max 10 points) - Whether it’s upbeat & crowd enticing or sombre & tells a story or strikes an emotion, the crowd's response is important in letting judges know how well your dance was received