Festival Information

STATUS: This competition is for amateurs only and it is not open to professionals. "Professional" is defined as a person who receives financial compensation as a dance teacher, performer, dance adjudicator, or a combination of these and who makes the majority or entirety of their income from these activities.

COMPETITORS
Competitors who have been taught or coached by the adjudicator during the past two years are not eligible to compete. If you have any potential conflict, please disclose for consideration to the appropriate genre convener at or prior to time of entry.

ADJUDICATOR’S DECISION
The Adjudicator’s decision is final in ALL classes. Communication with the Adjudicator by competitors or teachers during or prior to the competition is strictly prohibited. This does not apply to officers of the Society going about their normal duties.

COMPETITORS DANCE AT THEIR OWN RISK
ACDS will not be liable for any accident or injury of any description. The Society is conscious of its health and safety obligations including the safety and wellbeing of the competitors. To that end, whilst wishing to uphold true dance in its art form, the Society discourages acrobatics (acro) in any dance performance, particularly moves that could incur a head or neck injury if executed incorrectly. We request that teachers choreograph dances so as to not put their students at risk as the Society cannot assess the risk to a competitor before a dance commences. Any acro is undertaken at the competitor's own risk.

AGE LIMIT
Competitor’s age is taken as at 1 September of the year of competition. Evidence of date of birth must be produced on request. Entrants must be of the age stated in the class. For solo performers, all competitors must be under 21 years of age.

For duos and trios only, a member may be of a younger age, provided that the eldest is of the stated age.

For Troupe classes, all competitors in the group must be within the stated age.

- under 12 years (all competitors must be under 12 years at 1 September)
- under 15 years (all competitors must be under 15 years at 1 September)
- Open (any age)

ENTRIES
ALL entries should be completed online via the competition app. Please follow us on facebook for updates on when the app is available for registration and entry.

The Committee may combine or divide classes if required. No refunds will be issued.

MUSIC
Competitor's music for each dance must be uploaded to the competition app by specified date prior to the completion.

TIME LIMITS

Solos, Duos and Trios: Under 12 years - 3 minutes max, 12 years and over - 3.5 minutes max
Troupes: 5 minutes max

If you have any time concerns, please get in touch with the appropriate genre convener at or prior to the time of entry.

CHAMPIONSHIPS
To be eligible for entry into ACDS Championship classes, competitors must have danced in their age group class in order to compete. Competitors may have one attempt only.

DUOS and TRIOS
Names and ages of all partners should be stated on entry form. A competitor may appear no more than twice in the same class and must have a different partner each time.

TROUPES
Must contain four or more dancers. A competitor may be in no more than three different items in each class.

TROPHIES
Please make sure these are professionally engraved, cleaned and returned by 1 August of our competition year. Anyone with trophies not returned by the close of entries will forfeit their right to dance, with no refund of entry fees. Trophies must be returned to the relevant trophy stewards – in good condition.

Trophy stewards can be reached by emailing aucklandcales@gmail.com

ORDER OF PERFORMANCE
All competitors must dance in the order set out in the programme. Those not present when called, shall, at the discretion of the Committee, forfeit their right to compete.

REPETITION OF DANCES
The same dance may not be performed more than once in one genre during the competition, except where stipulated.

BACKSTAGE
Please be considerate backstage as space is limited. Props should only be put backstage just before the relevant dances. Parents should be back stage only if necessary. During award or championship classes no-one other than the listed competitors will be permitted in the backstage or side of stage areas.

PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOING
We will have a professional photographer available to take photos of performances. Please book directly with them. Generally a competitor may arrange for their performance to be recorded by an audience member. Under no circumstances may a recording be made on any device of any performer without their consent. No flash photography in the theatre.

The professional photographer will be taking photos of all Award competitors. ACDS reserves the right to use those images during presentations and on social media.

DISTURBANCES
The Society reserves the right to remove any person/s from the competition/premises for any behaviour deemed inappropriate.

TAP SHOES
No tap shoes may be worn in the auditorium or corridors. Tap plates must be checked for protruding screws as these will cause damage to the floor.

PROTESTS
Persons wishing to lodge a protest must do this in writing with a lodgement fee of $100, within 12 hours, citing the grounds on which it is based. If upon investigation, the protest is considered frivolous or unfounded, the deposit will be forfeited.

UNSUPERVISED CHILDREN
Children under 14 years are not to be left at the theatre unsupervised.

APPROPRIATE ENTRIES
ACDS strives to uphold the highest standards and promote these to the best of our abilities. All choreography, music and costuming in all sections must be appropriate for a family audience. Performances must be age appropriate and respectful for family viewing. Suggestive or offensive choreography, costuming and/or music that is not fitting for family audiences may incur a deduction in marks or be disqualified.

THE SOCIETY ENCOURAGES FAIR PLAY TO ALL
Please minimise movement within the auditorium out of respect for performers and the audience.

NYPA NOMINATIONS
Our competition will be offering nominations to the National Young Performer Awards in Palmerston North for 2026 in a separate competition day to be advised early next year.

RULE BREACHES
The committee reserves the right to disqualify competitors who breach any of these rules.

BALLET VARIATIONS
Ballet variations are only to be performed in a variation class.