What the judges will be marking
There are generally four judges in total, with each marking a specific aspect e.e. Timing, Beats, Interest & Variety, or Style & Technique. In addition, all four judges mark Presentation.
Junior, Adult & Novice, Heel & Toe and Championship Competition judging categories and criteria:
- Timing (Max 20 points)
- Are the beats exactly with the music?
- Do the beats follow the precise rhythm e.g. dotted hornpipe or syncopated if designed to be?
- Beats (Max 20 points)
- Are the beats clear i.e. no scuffs?
- Were any beats missed?
- How many beats were attempted? and how many were achieved?
- Interest & Variety (Max 20 points)
- How varied are the steps, one from another?
- Does the routine create and maintain the interest of the audience?
- Are a broad range of types of steps used?
- Style & Technique (Max 20 points)
- How in keeping is the routine with the traditional style of the dance?
- Are the ground rules strictly followed i.e. for Lancashire Championship stye, no heel beats, carriage, round shuffles, relaxed arms, loose ankles, light stepping?
- Old Lancs Style & Technique
- Closeness to the original style as danced by Pat Tracey
- Open Waltz Technique
- How technically good is the dancer?
- How difficult was the routine attempted? and did the dancer achieve it?
- Presentation (Max 20 points, averaged across all four judges)
- How does the routine work as a dance?
- How do all the steps hang together as a routine?
- Does the dancer dance to the audience i.e. project the dance?
- Is the dancer enjoying the dance?
Group Clog Dance competition judging categories and criteria:
- Togetherness (Max 20 points)
- To what extent do the dancers stay in time with the music and each other? Similar to ‘Timing’ category above.
- Presentation )Max 20 points)
- How conscious are the group of the display area e.g. not masking other dancers by dancing/ standing in front of them?
- Do the group use form and symmetry e.g. patterns (squares, triangles etc) within the dance, where dancers move to/ from?
- How does the dance fit with the music?
- Skill (Max 20 points)
- How much technical skill is shown within the dance e.g. in performing the steps well, nice crisp distinct beats danced together, all hitting all the beats attempted?
- How difficicult is the routine, taking into account speed, and is this achieved?
- Variety & Interest (Max 20 points)
- How varied are the steps, one from another?
- Does the routine create and maintain the interest of the audience?
- Are a broad range of types of steps and variety of rhythms used?
- Overall Performance (Max 20 points, averaged out across all four judges)
- An overall assessment of how entertaining the performance was
- Does anything spoil the enjoyment e.g. entertainment out rates good clog dancing?