GUIDELINES/ JUDGING CRITERIA

Pricing:
Average cost per dancer: $35 – $40
Pricing will vary with each different Prelude event. If your team is accepted, they will be informed of the actual pricing.
Information on submitting the payment will be provided to teams if they are accepted into the competition.

Time Limit:
6 minutes maximum. NO EXCEPTIONS. Violations will be subject to score deductions.

Music:
6 minutes maximum.
Music may NOT contain inappropriate or offensive language. Violations will be subject to score deductions. See “Guidelines for Competition Teams” Tab. Music must be emailed ahead of time to be screened for time length and inappropriate or offensive language.

Prizes:
First, Second and Third place teams will be announced.
Trophies will be awarded to the Second and Third place teams. First place prizes includes championship trophy, championship banner, cash prize (amount to be determined).

Depending on the host teams’ decision, other prizes maybe awarded (best costume, best music mix, audience choice, etc).

Tech Time:
Each team will be given 10 minutes for their tech (rehearsal) staging and routine run-through. A stage manager will actively inform each team of their remaining time.

Waiver Form:
Each team must fill out an online waiver form ahead of time. A list of all dancers performing on stage must be submitted. If your team is accepted, a link to the online waiver form will be emailed to their director/captain.

Prelude Acknowledgement Form: Please Fill out and Sign the Form HERE
The Director or Captain for each team must sign a Prelude Acknowledgement Form stating that they have read and understood the Policies and Procedures, Performance Guidelines, and Judging Criteria and will abide by them.

The Director or Captain must acknowledgement that they shared the Policies and Procedures, Performance Guidelines, and Judging Criteria with their dance team. All their dance team members read and understood the said Policies and will abide by them.

Access Check-In Form:
Each team must fill out an Access Check-In Form ahead of time. Please Fill out the Access Check-In Form HERE
This Access Check-In Form will inform us if any of your dancers on your team people needs special access. This is a useful way to value access and destigmatize it in an ableist culture that hides, shames and individualizes access.

Check-in/Registration:
Please register your team at least 90 minutes before your tech time.
Early arrival is suggested to ensure your entire team will register on time and in a timely manner.
Bring photo identification to present at check in.
All dancers must sign the Waiver/Roster at check in.
Please have the majority of your team present and ready to tech at your scheduled tech time.
If your team is late, your tech time WILL NOT BE RESCHEDULED.
Should there be any changes to your tech time, the contact person will be notified

Personnel Backstage (includes performers/chaperone/entourage) VERY IMPORTANT!!!
Only persons who are listed on the Waiver form and have paid the registration fee will be allowed backstage/performers dressing room area during tech and the show. This includes musicians, MC’s, vocalist, and stylist: make-up, hair, wardrobe, etc… all must have paid the registration fee and be on the waiver form.
If parental chaperone is required for a minor, please have attending chaperone sign the waiver form in lue of the dancer(s). Chaperone must be cleared prior to the day of show or risk non-entry (chaperone and minor).
Persons who are listed on the waiver form and have paid the registration fee will be given a performers wristband. Please keep this wristband on at all times!!! If removed, you will not be allowed to enter the backstage/performers dressing room area. If caught in the backstage/performers dressing room area by security or Prelude staff, you will be asked to leave and not allowed back in the backstage/performers dressing room area.
Due to theft in the backstage dressing rooms that has occurred in past Prelude competitions, this wristband rule will be strictly forced !!!

The dance style for this competition is mainly, but not limited to, hip-hop. Various dance styles may be incorporated in your team’s routine, but hip-hop must be the majority style. The use of themes and props is encouraged but not required.

NEW CATEGORIES AND ADDITIONS TO THE JUDGING PROCESS:

1. Foundation/ Street Dance Forms Category
2. Deductions
3. Automatic Disqualifications

1) FOUNDATION/ STREET DANCE FORMS CATEGORY

In order to honor Black Culture, African Diaspora and the roots of Hip Hop/Street Dance, a new category is added to the scoring criteria. Competing teams are REQUIRED to incorporate three (3) foundation/ street dance forms in their routine (incorporating more than three (3) foundation/ street dance forms is allowed).

This new required category will account for 10% of your teams total score.

• Six (6.0) points – Three (3) or more dance forms
• Four (4.0) points – Two (2) dance forms
• Two (2.0) points – One (1) dance form
• One (1) – Four (4) points – Performance and execution of dance form(s)
  • The Head Judge will assess how well these foundation/ street dance forms are executed and performed and will score accordingly. 
• The maximum amount of points a team can receive in this category is Ten (10) points.

Here is a list of foundation/ street dance forms to choose from:

• • Hip Hop
    • (Elements of Hip Hop Dance Forms: BOUNCE, ROCK, WAVE, ROLL, HOP, SKATE)
    • Hip Hop Social & Party Dances (Cabbage Patch, Running Man, Rodger Rabbit, etc.)
    • New Jack Swing
    • Hyphy
    • Jerkin’
    • Cranking
  • Lite Feet
  • Locking
  • Popping
    • Animation
    • Strutting
    • Boogaloo
    • Strobing
    • Bopping
    • Scarecrow
  • B-boying/b-girling
  • House
  • Krump
  • Clowning
  • Vogue
  • Whacking/Waacking (Punking)
  • Chicago Footwork
  • Jersey Club/Baltimore Club
  • Jit
  • Beat Ya Feet
  • Memphis Jook
  • Flexing
  • Dancehall
  • Majorette Dance Forms
    • J-Setting
    • Bucking
  • Authentic Vernacular Jazz
    • Lindy Hop
    • Tap/Hoofing
    • Charleston

2) DEDUCTIONS

Head Judge will assess for deductions in all routines by competing teams.

Here is the list of deduction criteria and the corresponding points that will be subtracted from the total score:

• Cultural Appropriation: 2 pt deduction
  • Use of themes, costumes, objects or elements of a non-dominant culture in a way that doesn’t respect their original meaning, give credit to their source, or reinforces stereotypes or contributes to oppression.
• Fall, Trip-Major (per occurrence): .1 pt deduction
• Fall, Trip-Minor (per occurrence): .05 pt deduction
• Music Length (mix is longer than stated in the guidelines): .1 pt deduction
• Lewd Gestures: .1 pt deduction
• Inappropriate Clothing: .05 pt deduction
• Wardrobe Malfunction (per occurrence): .05 pt deduction
• Prop Malfunction (per occurrence): .05 pt deduction
• Excessive use of gymnastics, acrobatics: .05 pt deduction

3) AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFICATION
NOT ALLOWED ON STAGE DURING PERFORMANCE. Failure to follow these safety measures WILL result in automatic disqualification:

• The use of fire, flames, anything flammable, pyrotechnic devices and smoking.
• Any liquids, wet paint, lotion, baby oil (mineral oil), glitter, baby powder or talcum powder that can adversely affect the dancing surface.
• Dry ice, fog machines, vaping or vaping products.
• Balloons filled with helium.
• Knives and swords
• Live animals
• Food

JUDGING PROCEDURE:
The judging panel consist of 3 Performance Judges and 1 Head Judge.

• Performance Judges:
  • Performance Judges will view, critique and score each competing team’s overall routine according to the performance categories (routine, execution, presentation) and their respective criteria.
  • Voice critiques: Performance Judges will now give voice critiques instead of written critiques. Performance Judges will simultaneously give voice critiques recordings while competing teams are performing.
  • Scoring: Scores will be given at the end of each competing teams routine.

• Head Judge:
  • Overview, assess, and score Foundation/ Street Dance Forms category.
  • Assess for and give deductions in all routines.
  • Overview and assess for any automatic disqualifications.
  • Scoring and deductions: Scores and deductions will be given at the end of each competing teams routine.

JUDGING CATEGORIES:

Highest possible score is 100 points

• Routine (40%) – Scoring range between 31-40
• Execution (30%) – Scoring range between 21-30
• Presentation (20%) – Scoring range between 11-20
• Foundation/ Street Dance Forms (10%) – Scoring range between 1-10

See sample judges scoring sheet HERE.

Directors of each competing team will be given their team’s score sheets immediately following the competition.

Voice critique recording will be emailed to the directors of each competing team no later than 2 days after the competition.

Performance Judges Categories (detailed criteria listed below each category):

Head Judging Categories:

Pricing:
Average cost per dancer: $20 – $30
Pricing will vary with each different Prelude event. If your team is accepted, they will be informed of any pricing change.
Information on submitting the payment will be provided to teams if they are accepted into the competition.

Dance Styles:
The dance style for this competition is mainly, but not limited to, hip-hop. Various dance styles may be incorporated in your team’s routine, but hip-hop must be the majority style. The use of themes and props is encouraged but not required.
NOT ALLOWED ON STAGE DURING PERFORMANCE:
The use of fire, flames, anything flammable, pyrotechnic devices and smoking.
Any liquids, wet paint, lotion, baby oil (mineral oil), glitter, baby powder or talcum powder may be used that can adversely affect the dancing surface.
Dry ice, fog machines, vaping or vaping products.
Balloons filled with helium.
If stage is littered after your performance your team will be responsible for an immediate and expeditious removal of any debris. Failure to follow these safety measures may result in score deductions or disqualification.
Knives and swords
Live animals

Time Limit:
6 minutes maximum. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Music:
4 minutes maximum.
Music may NOT contain inappropriate or offensive language.
Music must be emailed ahead of time to be screened for time length and inappropriate or offensive language.

Tech Time:
Each team will be given 10 minutes for their tech (rehearsal) staging and routine run-through. A stage manager will actively inform each team of their remaining time.

Waiver Form:
Each team must fill out an online waiver form ahead of time. A list of dancers performing on stage must be submitted. If your team is accepted, a link to the online waiver form will be emailed to their director/captain.

Access Check-In Form:
Each team must fill out an Access Check-In Form ahead of time. Please Fill out the Access Check-In Form HERE
This Access Check-In Form will inform us if any of your dancers on your team people needs special access. This is a useful way to value access and destigmatize it in an ableist culture that hides, shames and individualizes access.

Check-in/Registration:
Please register your team at least 90 minutes before your tech time.
Early arrival is suggested to ensure your entire team will register on time and in a timely manner.
Bring photo identification to present at check in.
All dancers must sign the Waiver/Roster at check in.
Please have the majority of your team present and ready to tech at your scheduled tech time.
If your team is late, your tech time WILL NOT BE RESCHEDULED.
Should there be any changes to your tech time, the contact person will be notified

Personnel Backstage (includes performers/chaperone/entourage) VERY IMPORTANT!!!
Only persons who are listed on the Waiver form and have paid the registration fee will be allowed backstage/performers dressing room area during tech and the show. This includes musicians, MC’s, vocalist, and stylist: make-up, hair, wardrobe, etc… all must have paid the registration fee and be on the waiver form.
If parental chaperone is required for a minor, please have attending chaperone sign the waiver form in lue of the dancer(s). Chaperone must be cleared prior to the day of show or risk non-entry (chaperone and minor).
Persons who are listed on the waiver form and have paid the registration fee will be given a performers wristband. Please keep this wristband on at all times!!! If removed, you will not be allowed to enter the backstage/performers dressing room area. If caught in the backstage/performers dressing room area by security or Prelude staff, you will be asked to leave and not allowed back in the backstage/performers dressing room area.
Due to theft in the backstage dressing rooms that has occurred in past Prelude competitions, this wristband rule will be strictly forced !!!