Age/Competitive Rules & Regulations
Please read carefully since there have been some changes made to Rules and Regulations as well as Time Limits etc. Failure to comply with these rules can result in point deduction or disqualification during an event.
Age Divisions & Competitive Levels
New for 2010 - The maximum age for a novice entry is
12 years for solo, duet/trio, and groups. In the event that you have
novice eligible entrants over the age of 12, please place them in the recreational category.
Novice Solo: Must be a dancer who is performing a solo for the first time in any dance category. They
may have competed in a duet/trio or group/line other years.
Novice Duet/Trio: Performing a Duet/Trio for the first time. They have not have competed in solos, duet/trios in prior years but may have danced in groups/lines.
Novice group or line: 75% of competitors must not have dances in solos, duet/trio or groups/lines.
Recreational: A recreational contestant is a person who may have competed before but whose dance training is 5 hours or less per week in any dance form, this includes all rehearsal for additional choreography etc. Please note that a recreational contestant must perform routines in the recreational category and not enter the Novice or Competitive categories. A recreational dancer may perform in a competitive group or line but 85% of dancers in that group or line must have 5 hours or less of dance training per week. Any dancer found dancing in both divisions (except for groups/lines as noted) will result in disqualification of the routine. Because NO competition can possibly know how many hours a child dances or for how many years they have danced, teachers are left to their own sound judgment and honesty when entering routines.
Competitive: A competitive contestant is a person who has competed before and whose dance training exceeds 5 hours per week or more in any dance form. Please note that a competitive contestant may compete in a recreational group category but 85% of dancers must fall under the recreational category rules, i.e. dance training is 5 hours or less in any dance form or category. Competitors will compete in individual age categories by dance form and classification.
Competitive All-Around Soloist: This category is for competitors who enter 3 or more solos in the competition. The score for each solo will be calculated and awards will be based on the total average score of all their routines combined. Competitors who enter this category will be eligible for cash awards in the following age divisions: 8 – 10 Yrs, 11 – 13 Yrs, 14 – 15 Yrs, 16 – 18 Yrs and 19 Yrs & Over. Soloists who enter 2 or less solos will receive awards in the 6 age divisions as listed here. Novice and Recreational performers are exceptions to this rule.
Professional: A Professional contestant is a person who receives payment for performing or teaching dance as a source of income in excess of $2500.00 per year. A Professional contestant may not compete in any category (Novice, Recreational or Competitive) they may however compete in an Adult 30+ category. Dancers in the Professional category are not eligible to win cash awards, overall awards or adjudicator’s choice awards.
Age Regulations
Full names, ages and dates of birth of all performers must appear legibly on the 2010 Official
Flashdance Entry Form. Contestants must be able to provide proof of age at competition if requested. If proof of age is requested and not provided, the routine will be disqualified and no refund issued.
All participants will compete in individual age categories, i.e. 4 & Under, 5 Yrs., 6 Yrs., 7 Yrs., 8 Yrs., 9 Yrs., 10 Yrs., 11 Yrs., 12 Yrs., 13 Yrs., 14 Yrs., 15 Yrs., 16 Yrs., 17 Yrs., 18 Yrs., 19 Yrs. & Over.
Average Age Determination
Average age is defined as the contestant's age as at December 31, 2009.
To determine the average age add up the ages of all the contestants in the routine. Divide the total age of all the contestants by the total number of contestants. If the result ends in .5 or more, round down to the next whole number, i.e. average age 12.8, round down to 12. Contestants must be able to provide proof of age at competition if requested. If proof of age is requested and not provided, the routine will be disqualified and no refund issued.