// SCORING

Judging and Scoring

  1. Judges will be moving around the floor during heat categories. They will observe from the front for solos.
  2. There will be limited times for competitor floor trials. See the final event schedule for specifics.
    Relative placement will be used to determine the winners.
  3. The top 3 placements will be recognized in each category.
  4. Scores of the finalists placing 1st through 10th  will be posted following the awards.
  5. The Head Judge will resolve all disputes. Head Judges decisions are final.

Conduct and Grievances

Conduct – Judging will be done during the dance presentation, but may be influenced by the contestants; actions during the entire time they are on the floor. Therefore, good sporting conduct should be maintained at all times. Unsporting conduct or harassment of officials by contestants may be cause for disqualification.

Grievances -- Grievances against competing contestants or because of mechanical problems will be presented to the head judge, who will call a meeting of the judges to resolve the grievance. These grievances must be filed within 15 minutes after the problem has occurred. Any other grievance may be filed within 48 hours after the end of the competition with the head judge and will be considered by the “Tri State Connection” Oversight Committee. Any grievance filed after this 48-hour period will not be considered.

All performances are three (3) minutes unless otherwise specified. Team category allows routines of up to four (4 minutes). There will be a five (5) second timing grace period. There will be twenty (20) seconds allowed for entry and exit from the floor with no music. If music is to be used for the entry and/or exit, it must be done within the allotted time of that category. A penalty of one placement will be charged if this rule is violated.


SCORING EXPLAINED
The Relative Placement Scoring System is used to determine winners. Each judge will assign a placement for each competitor 1 through 10. Each Judge will have an equal vote in determining the final outcome. Relative Placement is now widely accepted at major swing dance events and is the scoring system used for most all competitions.

A. Number of Judges

  1. A minimum of five (5) Judges is required for Relative Placement, but we may use seven (7) judges eliminating the high and low score.
  2. An even or odd number of Judges may be used for call-backs in the preliminary and semi-final rounds. In Ladies and Gents, half of the Judges may judge leaders and half may judge followers.
  3. An odd number of Judges are used in the finals to minimize the possibility of ties.

B. Preliminary and Semifinal Rounds

  1. In the preliminary and semi-final rounds, a call-back system is used. In this system each Judge selects individuals (in Ladies and Gents) or couples for call-back to the next round, but does not rank them in any particular order.
  2. The Scorer converts each Judge’s selection into ordinals: 1 for all those selected, 2 for any alternates, and 3 for all those not selected. Contestants are then ranked according to the total number of 1s, 2s, and 3s received from the Judges.
  3. The Chief Judge then determines how many individuals or couples will be promoted to the next round. The decision is based on returning close to a predetermined percent of the contestants and/or where the natural break in the rank occurs.
  4. The Chief Judge’s scores are used only to break any ties.

C. Tallying the Final Placements

  1. In the finals, each Judge must place every couple in rank order (1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place, etc.). In finals, with a large field of couples, the Judges will concentrate on placing the top twelve couples.
  2. Duplicate placements are not permitted. If a Judge mistakenly provides duplicate placements, the Scorer will alert the Chief Judge, who will request that the Judge in question provide unique placements for each couple.
  3. A couple must have a majority of Judges’ votes to be awarded a final placement.
  4. If no couple has a majority of votes, then the next placement is added to the previous placements (1st through 2nd, 1st through 3rd, etc.) until a majority is reached.
  5. If two or more couples have an equal majority, then the numerical value of the ordinals for each couple is added. The couple with the lowest sum gets the higher position. If the sums for two or more couples are identical, then the next placement is added to the previous placements for those tied couples only.
  6. The Chief Judge’s scores are used only to break any remaining ties.

COMPETITOR RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. Plan ahead. Know the event schedule in advance and arrive in time to meet our contest registration deadlines. Bring appropriate competition attire. Be sure to check when you arrive for any last-minute changes to our schedule.
  2. Know the Rules. Read the competition rules carefully prior to the contest. You are responsible for following our rules whether you have read them or not. If you have questions, you should contact our Competition Coordinator ahead of time.
  3. Turn in your music to the DJ at least 1 hour prior to your division. Music for routines must be a single track on a CD and clearly labeled. If you need your music’s tempo altered, started in the middle of the track or an early fade out, please have someone edit your music in advance.
  4. Be prepared to compete. Be in the ballroom at least 15 minutes prior to the start of your competition. Remember to bring your bib number (we will charge you a replacement fee of $10 if you lose it.) If you miss the competition or withdraw after the registration deadline, you forfeit your entry fee.
  5. Be a good sport. You must demonstrate good sporting conduct both on and off the competition floor. This includes treating partners, other competitors, competition officials, spectators, and the event itself with respect. Demonstrating a poor attitude by heaving in ways that the judges deem inappropriate will result in your disqualification.
  6. Use only appropriate channels to communicate your concerns. If you have questions or concerns about our competitions, use appropriate channels to share your concerns such as a private discussion with our competition coordinator, chief judge, or contestant representative. You are not allowed to pressure, challenge, or argue with the judges. If you harass or verbally abuse a judge or other competition official, we will disqualify you and may also ban you from competing at this event in the future.

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