Symposium Talent

ENTRY PROCESS
All entries are accepted and processed in the order received. Any contest that has excessive numbers of entries may be expanded into a third day (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). A tentative schedule will be provided to you with the date(s) and approximate times at least five days in advance of any competition.

CATEGORIES OF COMPETITION
Classical Tap, Contemporary Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Ballet, Pointe, Song & Dance, Musical Show Jazz, Novelty/Character, Clog, Modern, Acrobatic, Open.

AGE CATEGORIES
4 and under; 5-6; 7-8; 9-10; 11-12; 13-14; 15-16; 17-18; 19-25; 26 and over. The average age determines placement for duets, trios, and groups. Adding all the ages of the contestants and dividing by the number of contestants determines the average age. If there is a remainder of .5 or over, the average age is moved into the next age category.

Improper age category may result in disqualification. Any person may request, through the contest directors, proof of age of any student. Students should have proof of their age with them (birth certificate, driver’s license, etc.). Failure to have proof of age may result in disqualification. Age will be determined as the age on the contest date.

GENERAL RULES
1. Students may do only one routine per category.
2. You may not do a group routine, then use it as a duet, trio, or solo.
3. Any routine which received a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd (including Terpsichorian) at a Nationals competition may not be repeated in the next Regional season.
4. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in a Regional contest may not compete again (in the winning category) at another Regional contest in the same year. They may compete in any other category that they did not win a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place award.
5. In order for a group to compete twice in the same category, at least 50% of the group members must be different students.
6. No fire or live animals can be used in any routine.
7. No teachers or paid assistants may perform.

AWARDS
Adjudicated and Placement scoring will both be used. Our adjudicated system is based on a pre-set scale of points. Each performance will be awarded a Bronze, Silver, Gold or Diamond award based on the total number of points they receive. Olympic style scoring will give 1st, 2nd and 3rd place to the three highest scoring routines in each category. Individual trophies or medals are given in soloist, duet and trio categories. Groups will receive a trophy or plaque and a medal, and placement ribbons for all members of the group.

TERPSICHORIAN (Terps) Competition – Soloist Only
This is a special category of competition, with a separate entry fee. It is divided into three age groups: 8 and under is Elementary; 9-12 is Junior; and 13 and older is Senior.

Each participant must perform two solos in different categories. The Open and Hip Hop categories cannot be utilized for Terpsichorian competition. You also may not use both Classical tap and Contemporary tap as your two solos. The total score of required solos are added together and placements are given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in each age group. These winners are then eligible for the Terpsichorian competition at the National Finals.

ACCOMPANIMENT, TIME ALLOTMENTS, DEDUCTIONS
• We no longer accept cassette tapes. Music must be on a CD or an IPod.
• Solos, Duets, and Trios are allowed 3 minutes.
• Small and Large Groups are allowed 5 minutes.
• Production and Line Groups are allowed 9 minutes.
• .5 point per judge for tapes not cued.
• .5 point per judge for exceeding time limits.
• .5 point per judge for wrong category selection.
• .5 point per judge for starting over (this will be allowed once if time schedule permits).
• The stopwatch will start when the music starts. Be sure that when your routine stops, the music stops. If you exit to music, this will be timed and included in your allotted time.

CATEGORY DEFINITIONS
NOTE: Splits in any form, leaps, and jumps may be used in any routine. A special trick is an acrobatic or gymnastics trick such as an aerial, cartwheel, walkover, back handspring or running round-off back hand spring. As a general rule, any time your head is upside down and your feet are off the floor, it is considered a trick.

CLASSICAL TAP: Any basic routine styled in the traditional format. One special trick is permitted. Performed on the balls of feet, with heels being used for accents. Use of props is permitted.
CONTEMPORARY TAP: Any basic routine stylized similar to Tap Dogs, Stomp and Urban Tap. Generally performed to non-traditional tap music. Heavy use of accents. One special trick is permitted. Use of props is permitted.
JAZZ: Any basic routine with one special trick. Use of props is permitted.
LYRICAL: A ballet/jazz routine performed with deep feeling and emotion in a direct and affecting manner. One special trick is permitted. Use of props is permitted.
BALLET: Any basic routine performed in soft ballet slippers. Use of props is permitted.
POINTE: Any basic ballet routine performed in hard toe Pointe shoes. Use of props is permitted.
MODERN: Any routine that demonstrates recognizable modern techniques or styles (i.e., Horton, Graham, Cunningham, Duncan, etc.), or a basic recognizable modern movement, transitions and quality of movement to create a unique style. Modern routines do not generally contain traditional ballet steps such as fouetee turns, switch leaps, illusions or other erect posture and turned out positioning movements.
SONG AND DANCE: Any routine (Ballet, Tap, Jazz, etc.) when performed along with a song. Vocals may not be on the tape. Tapes with backup singers are okay, as long as the lead singer is not on the tape. Two special tricks are permitted. Use of props is permitted.
MUSICAL SHOW: Any routine fashioned after a Broadway/Hollywood or Las Vegas style musical number. Do not do a straight Tap or Jazz routine to a show tune. **Many (not all) show routines are performed in a heeled shoe, and again, are not really Tap or Jazz. These routines are choreographed more for precision, formations, struts, kicks, “Show,” and entertainment value. One special trick is permitted. Use of props is permitted. There is no restriction on music selection.
NOVELTY/CHARACTER: This is one category and will include comedy routines; routines portraying a cartoon or other fictitious characters; Pantomime routines; lip-sync routines; ethnic or folk routines, such as Spanish, Tahitian and Hawaiian. A Novelty/Character routine must consist of music, costume, and choreography that makes it more than a straight Tap, Jazz, etc. dance to a novelty song (i.e., doing a Tap routine in a red, white and blue costume to “Yankee Doodle” is not a novelty/character). Two special tricks are permitted. Use of props is permitted. CAUTION: This category receives deductions from our judges if the rules are not followed. Do not enter this category if your routine is in question.
CLOG: Any basic routine utilizing clogging techniques and style. One special trick is permitted. Use of props is permitted. NOTE: Tap in a Western outfit to Western music does not constitute clog.
ACROBATIC: We do not want a gymnastic floor routine. This is to be a routine with controlled tricks—such as limbers, walkovers, walking on hands, and chest rolls, as well as power tricks. The routine must also utilize dance technique and choreography. Props are permitted; however, props should be vital to the routine, if used.
HIP HOP: music video and street dancing inspired style and movements. Generally does not include traditional dance technique.
OPEN: Any routine that does not meet any of the category definitions, or is a second routine in a category already entered. There are no trick limits in this category. Be advised that at most contests, this category will have a wide variety of acts entered. A lyrical number may be competing with an Acro-Tap routine. Soloists may not use this category in their qualification attempt for the Terpsichorian competition.
LINE: Sixteen or more students close in age and ability level performing straight Tap, Jazz, etc. form of dance.

PRODUCTION: Sixteen or more students with a wide variety of ages and ability levels, generally, performing several different dance techniques/styles. Generally, has props, and sometimes tells a story. This is not a straight Tap, Jazz, etc.