Rules

Beyond The Stars recognizes the special talents and gifts of each and every dancer.  As we strive to provide a better competition experience for all competitors, we continue to evaluate and adjust our rules and policies.  To give all performers an equal opportunity to compete in a positive atmosphere, we now offer three levels of competition.  We feel this will give every performer the opportunity to compete with dancers who have similar training.   We’ve added two extra awards that will encourage good sportsmanship and cooperation among all participants and we’ve added a Diamond level of adjudication.

PERFORMANCE LEVELS

**NEW** We’ve adjusted our competition levels to give dancers the opportunity to compete with other dancers who have similar training.  In all of our divisions, dancers are welcome to perform in solos, duet/trios, small groups, large groups, lines and productions.  Dancers with multiple solos MUST enter all solos in the same competition level.   Cash Awards will be given in the Rising Star and All Star Divisions, subject to cash award rules.

* Since NO competition can know how many hours of class a week each dancer takes, It’s up to the judgment of the studio director to choose competition levels for their dancers.  The divisions should not be used to keep your dances from competing against one another; levels should be selected based on the qualifications of each routine.    Even if a studio has two competition teams, it’s still possible that both teams should be placed in the same competition level.

Shooting Star Division – This division is for dancers who take 3 or less hours of dance per week and have 1-2 years competition experience.   Shooting Star Groups must contain at least 75% Shooting Star dancers, the remaining 25% may only be Rising Star dancers.  NO All Star dancers may compete in this division.  With the exception of productions, NO Shooting Star dancers may compete in the All Star Division.  High Score Awards are given in each age division.   Cash Awards are not given in this division, however, the Shooting Star Award Winner will receive a FREE entry to our National Finals.  (The Shooting Star Award Winner is the top scoring group in this division)

**NEW** Rising Star Division – This division is for dancers who take 6 or less hours of dance per week and have 2-4 years competition experience.  Rising Star groups may contain no more than 25% All Star dancers; the remaining 75% may include a mix of Shooting Star and Rising Star dancers.   Rising Star dancers may compete in any All Star dances High Score Awards are given in each age division.  Cash Awards are given in this division; in addition the Rising Star Award Winner will receive a FREE entry to our National Finals. (The Rising Star Award Winner is the top scoring group form this division)

All Star Division – This division is for dancers who take 7 or more hours of dance per week and have extensive competition experience.  The All Star division is open to all dancers.   All Star dancers may not compete in the Shooting Star Division.  Any dancer with an All Star solo or duet/trio may NOT compete in Rising Star Duet/Trios. Dancers who wish to be eligible to compete for Title, be picked for our National Opening Number, and compete for our Ultimate Awards MUST be in this division.  High Score Awards are given in each age division.  Cash Awards will be given and the Stellar Award Winner will receive a FREE entry to our National Finals.  (The Stellar Award Winner is the top scoring group in this division)

* It is not our intent to limit a dancer to a lower competition level, but rather to give more dancers the opportunity to compete against dancers with similar training.   Many dancers who take less than 7 hours of class per week have the ability to compete in the All Star Division.  Studio directors must use their judgment when placing their entries.

*The judging panel and competition director reserve the right to elevate obviously under-placed routines.

*If you don‘t select a division, your dances will be placed in the All Star Division.  With the addition of our Rising Star Division you may need to adjust the level of your dancers on our online registration site.

PERFORMANCE CATEGORIES

Acro: Routine containing acrobatic and gymnastic moves. Choreography must also contain 50% dance technique.
Ballet: Routine consisting of classical ballet movement and technique.
Baton: Routine using baton(s).
Character: Dancers must portray an easily recognizable character.
**NEW** Clogging: Routine consisting of clogging technique and performed in clogging shoes.
**NEW** Contemporary: Routine consisting of contemporary jazz/lyrical technique.
Hip Hop: Routine consisting of mostly hip hop or street style moves.
Jazz: Routine consisting of primarily jazz technique.
Lyrical: Routine where dancers interpret the lyrics of a song.
**NEW** Modern: Interpretive routine in modern style.
Modeling: T-Style presentation demonstrating modeling technique.
Musical Theatre: Routine choreographed to a song from a Broadway or movie musical.
Open: Routine consisting of more than one style of dance or that does not fit into any other category.
Pointe: Routine containing pointe technique.
Pom Pon: Routine demonstrating cheerleading technique and the use of pom pons.
Tap: Routine consisting of tap technique. No pre-recorded tap sounds are allowed on music.
Song and Dance: Routine consisting of singing and any style of dance. Music may only have back-up voices.
**NEW** Supplemental: Routine consisting of any dance styles or any combination of styles.
Vocal: Any type of vocal performance. Accompaniment may only be on CD and may have only back-up voices.

*Only 2 acrobatic tricks are permitted in any dance category except Acro, Open, Character and Supplemental. A 1 point deduction will be taken if there are more than 2 tricks in other dance categories.

*Soloists may not compete against themselves in the same performance category. (If a dancer has 2 solos in the same dance style one can be moved to supplemental)

*In a duet, trio, and group 50% of the performers must be different when competing in the same age and performance division.

DIVISIONS

Solo 1 dancer

Duo/Trio 2 – 3 dancers

Small Group 4 – 9 dancers

Large Group 10 – 19 dancers

Line 19+ dancers

Production 20+ dancers

TIME LIMITS

Solo 3 minutes

*Extended time is available to purchase for group entries that exceed the time limit, $2 per person charge per group.

Duet/Trio 3 minutes

Small Group 3 minutes

Large Group 4 minutes

Line 5 minutes

Production 5 to 8 minutes

AGE DIVISIONS

Please enter duets, trios, and groups by their average age. Do not round up. If the average age of a group is 15.9, they will compete in the 15 year old age division. Please list all ages as of the first day of the competition. Be sure to include birth dates for every contestant. Studio directors must be prepared to present birth certificates should a protest arise. Any protest must be made in writing to the competition directors within 30 minutes of the performance in question.

**NEW** Any group including a dancer who is 18 years old or older, AND out of high school, cannot be entered in our 12 and under age division, regardless of the average age .

**NEW** Any dance including a teacher is not eligible for overall awards. A teacher is someone who choreographs or teaches class and is 21 years of age or older. Dances with teachers in them may perform for adjudication only. THIS ONLY APPLIES TO TEACHERS 21 AND OLDER. This does not apply to student teachers under the age of 21.

JUDGING GUIDELINES

*Every performance will be critiqued according to the dancer’s competition level, age and category by a panel of 3 judges. Each judge will use a 100 point scale and will consider Technique, Difficulty, Execution, Choreography, Showmanship, and Overall Effect. The decisions of the judges are final.

*Each judge will give an individual critique for every entry.

*Critiques and scores will be given to studio directors at the end of the competition. Critiques are given on a USB memory stick (thumb drive).

*Each soloist, duet/trio, and group will receive a Diamond, Platinum, High Gold, Gold, High Silver, or Silver Award.

**NEW** ADJUDICATION SCALE

291 – 300 – Diamond

279 – 290.9 – Platinum

267 – 278.9 – High Gold

255 – 266.9 – Gold

240 – 254.9 – High Silver

225 – 239.9 – Silver

AWARDS

*Each solo, duet/trio and group entry will receive a trophy and each dancer (excluding solo entries) will receive an award ribbon.

*You must compete on the assigned day and time to be eligible for High Score Awards. All solos, duets, trios, small groups, large groups, lines, and productions are automatically eligible for High Score Awards.

*High Score Awards will be given in each Competition Level. The levels never compete against each other.

*High Score Awards are given in each age division: Mini 4-6, Petite 7-9, Junior 10-12, Teen 13-15, and Senior

16-20. Depending on the number of entries in a division, top three, top five, or top ten awards are given. Age divisions can be combined based on the number of entries.

*Soloists, duets, and trios with identical members may only place with their highest scoring routine.

*All cash prizes will be awarded to the studio director.

*Cash awards will be given to the first place High Score Award winners in the Rising Star and All Star Divisions.

*If there are fewer than 5 routines, gift certificates will be given in place of cash awards.

 

HIGH SCORE CASH AWARDS

Solo                                $75

Duet/Trio                         $75

Small Group                  $100

Large Group                  $100

Line/Production              $150

 

Special Awards will be given at each awards ceremony at the discretion of the judges and competition directors.

Costume Award is free of charge and is given to the performers whose costumes are chosen as especially creative and which best complement their routines.

Entertainment Awards are presented to groups at the discretion of the judges and competition directors.

Photogenic Award is given to the solo contestant who is judged most photogenic. Contestant should submit a 5 x 7 or 8 x 10 color or black and white photo with name, age, and studio name on the back. The photogenic award will be given during the All Star Solo Awards ceremony. Photos should be dropped off at the registration table and should be picked up at the tabulation table by the end of the competition.

**NEW** Studio Spirit Award will be presented to the Studio that works together, supports each other and displays team spirit. This award will be chosen by the staff and will be given at the final group awards ceremony.

**NEW** Above & Beyond Shout Outs will be given at various award ceremonies throughout the competition. The goal of this award is to recognize a stranger who helped a dancer in anyway. These awards will be presented by the person who submitted the act of kindness. The forms and collection bin will be located at the merchandise table.

ULTIMATE AWARDS

*Ultimate Awards will only be given in the All Star Division.

*Ultimate Technique Award is presented to the teacher of the group with the highest technical score.

*Ultimate Choreography Award is presented to the teacher of a group with the most creative and original choreography.

*Ultimate Crowd Pleaser Award is given to the teacher of the group the judges feel is most entertaining.

TITLE

*Only All Star soloists are eligible to enter the Title competition. Title will be judged during the solo portion of the competition. Title winners will be awarded in each age division.

Mini Miss Beyond the Stars and Mini Mr. Beyond the Stars – Ages 4 – 6

Petite Miss Beyond the Stars and Petite Mr. Beyond the Stars – Ages 7 – 9

Junior Miss Beyond the Stars and Junior Mr. Beyond the Stars – Ages 10 -12

Teen Miss Beyond the Stars and Teen Mr. Beyond the Stars – Ages -13 -15

Senior Miss Beyond the Stars and Senior Mr. Beyond the Stars – Ages 16 -20

*Winners will receive a trophy, crown and a $100 cash award. Title contestants are also eligible for High Score Awards. Gift certificates may be substituted if there are fewer than 5 entries in an age division.

**NEW** National Title winners may not compete for the same title the following year at Regionals or Nationals. If they have moved to the next age division they are eligible to compete for Title in that age division at both a regional competition and nationals.

PROPS

*Props are allowed in all performance categories; however, they must be set up and removed in a timely fashion. A 1 point deduction can be taken if excessive time is required for set up.

**NEW** No dangerous props may be used. This includes knives, swords, fire, dry ice, etc. If your dance/prop includes the use of liquids, feathers, confetti, paint or anything that would litter the stage you must be prepared to immediately clean it up. Failure to do so may result in a 1 point deduction. Please note on your entry, any dance that requires extensive set-up/clean-up. NOTE: due to health risks we do NOT allow fog/smoke machines or strobe lights to be used during any performances.

MUSIC

**NEW** All Music must be provided on CD or iPod. Only one song per CD allowed. CDs must be marked with song title and correct entry number. All music should be turned in at the music table at least one hour prior to your studio’s first dance. If using an iPod, you must supply a playlist that includes the performance number and song title.

*Music must be recorded at the correct speed. No adjustments will be made at the competition.

**NEW** If the music stops for any reason, the dancers will be given the opportunity to re-perform without penalty. Please note – Beyond the Stars will NOT tell dancers to stop performing that decision is left to the teacher or dancers discretion.

Please remember that Beyond the Stars is a family friendly event. All choreography, lyrics and costuming should be age appropriate. Routines deemed inappropriate will have their scored lowered at the judge’s discretion.

GENERAL INFORMATION

*Paper entries will be accepted, however, studio directors must supply a list of all dancers with the competition level and birth dates at least 30 days prior to the competition.

*Beyond the Stars reserves the right to move any competition location if necessary.

*All contestants, teacher and parents attending a Beyond the Stars Competition give permission for any photographs or videos taken during the competition to be used to promote future events.

*Except when there is a technical difficulty, any re-performance of a routine will be for adjudication only.

**NEW** Any person who is visible on stage once the routine has started will be considered a performer, subject to age division and group size rules.

**NEW** ABSOLUTLEY NO personal videography or photography is permitted during a performance. Failure to abide by these rules may result in disqualification.

*Score Sheets, critiques and all performance music MUST be picked up at the competition. Beyond The Stars cannot guarantee any of these items will be available to be mailed.

*Prior to the start of the competition Beyond the Stars MUST have a signed release form for each dancer. Master Release forms are available online.

*All entries and payment must be received 30 days prior to the competition to be eligible for the studio rebate.

*Payment received less than 21 days prior to the competition is subject to a 10% administration fee.

*Entries are accepted on a first come basis and are limited to the competition time availability. Please enter early to avoid being shut out of an event.

*There will be a $25 fee for all check returned by the bank.

Beyond The Stars
www.beyondthestarscompetition.com
(609)259-8760