Icon Dance Competition: Rules and Guidelines
General Rules
Category Placement If you are alone in your category, judges will rank you based on your scores (Silver, Gold, High Gold, Platinum, Icon).
Category Combination Similar categories may be combined to ensure a competitive atmosphere.
Skill Levels Honesty and integrity are expected in registering dancers. Judges may move dancers to appropriate levels if incorrectly placed.
Routine Requirements All routines must be family-appropriate. Inappropriate routines will be stopped and/or disqualified.
Order of Performance Routines must perform in the final lineup order. Icon Dance Competition reserves the right to adjust the lineup when necessary. Performing out of order (due to dancer issues) will disqualify routines from Overall HP Winner Awards but not from category adjudication.
Props and Safety No fire, glass, or live animals on stage. Props must be moved by performers only and must not be dangerous or oversized. The stage must be left clean.
Music and Performance No singing allowed; lip-syncing and vocals are acceptable. General lifts are permitted. Aerial equipment is prohibited. Music must be age-appropriate with no profanity or suggestive lyrics.
Respect and Conduct Maintain a high level of respect for all participants and staff. Misconduct may lead to disqualification or ejection from the facility. Good sportsmanship is expected of ALL participant, parent, and coach.
Re-adjudiction due to Errors Music or judging equipment errors caused by Icon Dance Competition may allow for re-adjudication. Errors not caused by Icon Dance Competition may permit re-performance without re-adjudication.
Lost and found Icon Dance Competition is not responsible for lost, stolen, or left-behind items. An unmonitored lost and found table will be provided for the duration of the competition. At the end of the competition the lost and found will be discarded.
Notice of promotions Icon Dance Competition reserves the right to use winners’ names and studio information for promotional purposes.
Skill Levels
Beginner • For dancers new to competition or with minimal training (typically 1-2 years). The focus is on learning basic dance techniques, movements, and developing confidence on stage. No previous overall or top 5 high point awards in the novice category or higher.
• Technical Elements:
• Moves & Steps: Basic positions (first, second), tendus, plies, chassés, step-touch, pas de bourrée.
• Turns: Single pirouette (basic), introduction to piqué turns.
• Leaps: Basic sautés, simple leaps from two feet (e.g., straight jump).
• Acro: Forward rolls, basic cartwheels, introduction to bridges.
Intermediate • Suitable for dancers with moderate experience (typically 2-4 years). Dancers are building on foundational skills and beginning to execute more complex movements and combinations. No previous overall or top 5 high point awards in the Intermediate category or higher.
• Technical Elements:
• Moves & Steps: Développés, rond de jambe, pas de chat, glissades, basic isolations.
• Turns: Double pirouettes (attempted), piqué turns with consistency, chainé turns, introduction to basic à la seconde turns.
• Leaps: Jetés (basic), sissonnes, stag leaps.
• Acro: Handstands (supported), front and back walkovers (attempted), basic aerial preparations.
Intermediate Plus • For dancers who are solidly beyond the intermediate level but not yet at the advanced stage. They demonstrate a higher degree of technical proficiency and are beginning to explore more challenging choreography and performance elements. No previous overall or top 5 high point awards in the Intermediate Plus category or higher
• Technical Elements:
• Moves & Steps: Grand battements, extensions, hitch kicks, basic penchés, more complex isolations.
• Turns: Double and triple pirouettes, consistent à la seconde turns with more control, basic fouetté turns.
• Leaps: Grand jeté, switch leaps (introductory), turning leaps like barrel turns, C jumps.
• Acro: Clean front and back walkovers, aerials (basic), introduction to handsprings.
Advanced • For dancers with significant experience and strong technical abilities (typically 4-6 years). They can execute complex routines and demonstrate a high level of artistry and performance. No previous overall or top 5 high point awards in the Advanced category or higher
• Technical Elements:
• Moves & Steps: Advanced extensions (e.g., high arabesques), stylistic variations, penché arabesque, full body isolations and contractions.
• Turns: Multiple pirouettes (up to quadruple), advanced fouetté turns, à la seconde turns with smooth transitions, turns from different preparations (e.g., attitude turns).
• Leaps: Clean switch leaps, tour jeté, reverse leaps (e.g., calypso), disc leaps.
• Acro: Clean aerials, consistent back handsprings, advanced walkovers, front aerials.
Pre-Professional • For dancers who are approaching a professional level, often with over 6 years of experience. They are expected to perform at a high technical standard, with advanced artistry and versatility across multiple styles. No previous overall or top 5 high point awards in the Pre-Professional category.
• Technical Elements:
• Moves & Steps: Stylistically nuanced steps, sustained high extensions and balances, complex rhythmic patterns, and advanced stylistic footwork.
• Turns: Continuous fouetté turns with variation, à la seconde turns with leg extensions and direction changes, floating turns, consistent triple or more pirouettes.
• Leaps: Advanced switch leaps, grand jeté with full extension, advanced tour jeté with variations, butterfly jumps and flips.
• Acro: Tuck flips, layouts (front and back), standing back tucks, handless tricks (e.g., side aerials).
These levels provide clear distinctions based on the complexity of dance techniques and the dancer’s experience, ensuring that competitors are placed appropriately for their skill level. If a competitor is placed inappropriately, they will be disqualified.
There will be a penalty judge. With that in mind, we believe in fair judging. At Icon, a perfect score is very rare but is achievable. No dancer should be punished for working hard for perfection.
Competition Age Divisions
Fun-Size: 3 – 6.999
Mini: 7 – 8.999
Junior: 9 – 10.999
Preteen: 11 – 12.999
Teen: 13 – 14.999
Senior: 15 – 17.999
Pro: 18+
Age Determination Age is determined by the dancer’s age on the competition date.
The average age of each entry cannot be more than one age division lower than the age of the oldest dancer in the group, regardless of the calculated average age. For instance, if an entry includes dancers aged 9 to 17, it must compete in the Teen (13-14) age category or older, since that is one division below the age of the oldest dancer, who is 18 years old.
Styles
- JAZZ: Focus on jazz technique, integrating upbeat or jazz-style music.
- BALLET: Emphasis on ballet or pointe technique, featuring classical steps and movements.
- HIP-HOP: Centers on hip-hop technique.
- CONTEMPORARY: A blend of various styles with a strong focus on modern technique.
- LYRICAL: Combines jazz and ballet techniques with music, incorporating emotional and storytelling elements.
- MUSICAL THEATRE: Performance that blend dance, acting, and sometimes singing to tell a story or interpret a song from a stage musical, movie musical, or similar theatrical work.
- OPEN: Includes all other categories such as tap, acro/gymnastics, novelty, ballroom, a combination of genres, and more.
** See our pricing page for early bird and late pricing
| DIVISIONS | **FEES | TIME LIMIT |
| Solo | $130 | 2:30 |
| Duo | $150 | 2:45 |
| Trio | $160 | 2:45 |
| Small Group | $40/ Dancer | 3:00 |
| Large Group | $40/ Dancer | 4:00 |
| Line | $40/ Dancer | 4:00 |
| Production | $40/ Dancer | 5:00 |
| Extended Production | $5/dancer for each additional 5 minute block of time (1-5) after 5:00 | 15:00 Total |
*Late Fees will apply if payment is made or postmarked less than 30 days prior to the Event Date
*Solo Late Fees $25/solo, Duo/Trio Late Fees $5/dancer, Group Late Fees $5/dancer
Music
Submission Upload music to the online portal at least two weeks before the event. Have a backup available at the event. Each studio and soloist/duo/trio must provide their own music.
Routine Time Limits
See above time scale
Judging and Scoring
Categories Routines may be moved to different categories by judges.
Ties will be broken by execution, then by performance, then movement quality, and lastly technique. If all scores are equal there will be a judges draw or a simple tie depending on consensus.
Judging Scale
Execution: 25 points
Performance: 25 points
Movement Quality and Choreography: 25 points
Technique: 25 points
Scoring
Icon: 98+ Points
Platinum: 95-97 Points
High Gold: 92-94 Points
Gold: 89-91 Points
Silver: 88 or lower points
Refunds and Cancellations
No refunds for scratched, canceled by dancer/parent choice, or no-show routines.
Additional Guidelines
Stage and Gym Areas Competitions may be held in different areas based on the number of participants.
Adjudication and Awards Adjudications will be displayed on one of the monitors just outside of the competition room. Adjudication awards can be picked up at the registration desk immediately after the onstage overall awards for each division. Top three placement awards will be given to contestants. If there are less than three in a category, placement will be based on ranking of score. Overall awards will be given to a percentage of contestants in any given skill division.
Late Entries Accepted if space is available with additional fees. **See price page.
