EVENT ORGANIZER

The Competition shall be under the working management of:

Any questions not dealt with in these rules should be referred to the Association, and a decision by the Directors of the Association shall be final. The purpose of this Competition is to promote, preserve and enhance Chinese Dance. The Competition provides competitors with an opportunity to learn from each other and to receive valuable critiques from qualified Adjudicators as well as learn up to date material at the Workshop held on the following day.

This competition is not a commercial competition with regional competitions held around the country. This  Competition is a non-profit event. It is a Bi-Annual Artistic Event for Chinese Dance. Our Adjudicators are the most well known Chinese Dance experts from China as well as qualified North American Dance Professionals.

This is a one-day competition. The total number of entries is restricted to 50. This allows adequate time for the competitors to show their work and for the Adjudicators to write meaningful critiques.

Funding for The North American Chinese Dance Competition is provided by The Lorita Leung Dance Association, a BC non-profit society and a Registered Canadian Charity, and by numerous local businesses and supporters.

ELIGIBILITY

The competition is open to any amateur dancer. An amateur dancer is a dancer who earns less than $1,000 per year through teaching, choreographing or performing.

The competition is open to any dancer anywhere in the world.

There is no restriction in the number of dances that a competitor may enter in any type or category. This is subject to space.

Entries must be submitted on an official Entry Form and include the correct registration fee. Write all names clearly in both English and Chinese, these will be used in the program and adjudication sheets. The Association cannot be responsible for late name changes. All registration fees submitted are final, there will be no refunds once you have been notified of acceptance.

The Competition is held on one day only. Because this is a one-day event, we are only able to accept 60 entries. In the event that there are more entrants than can be accommodated in one day, competitors will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. Only in the event that a competitor cannot be scheduled will the full registration fee be refunded.

PROGRAM PROCEDURE

The Competition will be held between the hours of 9:00am and 10:00pm. The exact timing will depend on the number of competitors. Classes and categories may be subdivided or combined at the discretion of the Association depending on the number and mix of competitors.

Competitors will be announced by number only and shall not commence before the signal is given.

Certificates will be awarded to the first three competitors in each class. The first and second place winners will also receive a trophy.

In order to earn a first place, the following total score must be received:

•  Beginner level & recreational dance 70
   Intermediate level 75
   Advanced Level 80; and
   Accelerated Advanced 85

In all classes, the Adjudicators' decision is final. When determining winners for certain general awards, the adjudicators will take into consideration a student's overall achievement. In other words, it is possible that several excellent performances will sometimes win an award over a single performance with the highest score.

ADMISSION OF COMPETITORS AND PUBLIC

The general admission of the public will be at the admission price shown in the Official Program. Absolute  silence is required during the competition. The public may not enter or leave the theatre while a competitor or Adjudicator is on stage. Please turn off all cellular phones and keep small children from walking around.

Competitors may be disqualified if their teacher or parents approach the adjudicators prior to the class in which they are entered

Absolutely no flash photography, except under the auspices of the Association. This rule will be strictly enforced. Photographs are welcome during the awards.

There will be Three Adjudicators. One well known dance professional not involved with teaching Chinese dance, and two Chinese dance specialists from The People's Republic of China. The Adjudicators' names will be announced at a later date.

All three Adjudicators will score a performance out of 100 using the following scale:

•  Presentations 40%
   Technique 40%
   Choreography 20%

These three scores will be averaged together with the score for authenticity.

Meaningful written critiques will be provided to each dancer. The two Canadian Adjudicators will critique in English and the adjudicator from China will critique in Chinese. The purpose of the critiques will be to help dancers improve their performance.

ENTRY FEE

The Entry Fees Per Person, Per Dance, are as follows: (In Canadian Dollars):

Competition Fee:

•  Solo = CDN$50.00 per person
   Duo = CDN$35.00 per person
   Trio = CDN$25.00 per person 
   Group = CDN$15.00 per person

The organizers can assist with hotel arrangements and airport greetings.

Room for 60 entries.  Registration closes when the entries are full.

In order to determine the class in which a dancer should compete, entrants must consider four things:

•  Dance Type
   Category
   Age
   Skill Level

 
In addition, dances are further designated as follows:

The age is determined as at May 17, 2008. For group pieces:  for duos, trios and group numbers, use the age of the oldest dancer.

 
 
For example, a competitor in their third year of training as of the date of the Competition would be in the Intermediate category. To put it all together for registration purposes, a dancer, aged 12 who has been training for five years and who is dancing a Chinese Folk dance solo, would enter class CF-S-15-I. (Type-Category-Age-Skill).

The final determination of classes is dependent on the number and mix of competitors. The competition classes will be as printed in the Official Program.

 

MUSIC

All dance music must be recorded on analog cassette tapes with good sound quality. All cassettes must be cued, one dance per tape and labeled with the following:

•  Competitor's Name
   Dance Number

Indicate "ON" if the music begins with the dancer(s) on stage, or "OFF" if the music begins with the dancer(s) off stage.

Please observe the following time limits:

•  Solos, Duos and Trios - 5 minutes
   Group dances - 8 minutes

The Adjudicators have the option of disqualifying a dance, which runs significantly over the time limit.

Competitors must check in at least 45 minutes before their scheduled time otherwise they run the risk of being disqualified.

TROPHIES

The following trophies will be awarded:

•  Best Choreographer
   Best Chinese Recreational Dance
   Best Minority Dance
   Best Classical Dance  
   Best Folk Dance  
   Best Modern / Chinese Ballet Dance
   Best Group Spirit
   Most Promising Dancer 
   Most Authentic Dance 
   Highest Overall Score
   Adjudicators' Award of Merit (at the discretion of the Adjudicators)