Routines must be performed 75% in the registered genre.

We cap acro tricks at 3 per routine unless registered as an Acro, Acro Contortion, Hip Hop or Open piece. Acro tricks are counted when the dancer is upside down and their feet have left the floor. Tumbling passes count as multiple acro tricks. Transitional movements are NOT considered acro tricks. 

About our DECADistinctions Monitor and moving routines:

We staff a DECADistinctions Monitor at every event who carefully watches every routine. If they count 4 or more acro tricks in a non-Acro/Open piece or they feel a routine with multiple styles is better adjudicated in the Open category, it is their responsibility to consult with the specialty judge of the category a dancer is competing in and the specialty judge of the category they feel the piece should be moved to. If all three judges agree a routine needs to be moved into a different genre, the routine will be moved to that genre and scored accordingly with the specialty judge of the correct genre holding the weighted technique score. Studios will be notified before awards of routines moved.

Student Choreography:

DECAdance welcomes and encourages student choreographers to bring their pieces to competition. We staff a specialty Student Choreography judge at every event. Student choreography will be registered in the style/genre of the piece so that the weighted technique score is from the genre-specific judge pertaining to their piece. They will receive specific choreography feedback, advice and critiques from both of these judges, while our other two judges will critique as normal with focus on technique, performance, etc. Please notify DECAdance that the piece is a student choreography piece so it can be adjudicated accordingly.

Please register dances in accordance with the following genres/styles of dance. We are happy to help with this if you have any questions at all.

Acro: Routine containing acrobatic and gymnastic moves. Choreography must also contain 50% dance technique.

Acro Contortion: Routine contains extreme flexibility and expression of extended control in over stretched positions. Balancing canes, silks and other apparatus can be used in this category. Acro/tumbling passes are acceptable in this category.

Ballet: Routine consisting of classical ballet movement and technique. No acrobatic tricks are permitted in this category.

Character: Dancers must portray an easily recognizable character or perform a themed dance with a storyline. Pieces that contain more than 3 acrobatic tricks in this genre should be registered in the Open category.

Contemporary: Routine consisting of a fusion of contemporary jazz/lyrical technique. Pieces that contain more than 3 acrobatic tricks in this genre should be registered in the Open category.

Ethnic/Folk: Routine containing a cultural dance (ie African, Bollywood, Flamenco) or folkloric choreography.

Hip Hop Commercial: Routine consisting of mostly hip hop or street style moves that would be found in modern pop music videos and culture. Routine may contain more jazz influence.

Hip Hop Street: Routine consisting of mostly hip hop or street style moves that are rooted in grooves, popping, locking, tutting, breaking.

Jazz: Routine consisting of primarily jazz technique including stylized technique and/or classic jazz transitions. Pieces that contain more than 3 acrobatic tricks in this genre should be registered in the Open category.

Jazz Funk: Routine consisting of primarily jazz technique and some hip hop influence.

Lyrical: Routine that is choreographed to the lyrics of a song and demonstrates connection to story as well as balance, extension, isolations and control. Please note that if a piece is choreographed to a song without lyrics and is registered in the Lyrical category, our judges will move it to the Contemporary or Open category. Pieces that contain more than 3 acrobatic tricks in this genre should be registered in the Open category.

Modern: A form of dance based on interpretation or other origins of dance, performed in an abstract or contemporary mode. Technique should emphasize contract and release, fall and recovery and horizontal movements developing the relationship with the dancer and the floor.

Musical Theatre: Routine that showcases storytelling and character work, most often choreographed to a song from a Broadway or movie musical. Please note that if a piece is choreographed to a song from a Broadway or movie musical but does not showcase storytelling or character work, it falls in the Jazz category and our judges may move pieces between these two categories when they deem necessary.

Open: Routine consisting of more than one style of dance or that does not fit into any other category. Routines of any style that contain more than three acrobatic tricks (including Contemporary, Jazz, Musical Theater and Lyrical). Routines that contain more than three acro tricks may be moved to this category at an event if they are registered as a genre other than Acro, Acro Contortion, Hip Hop or Open. Vocal may compete in this division.

Pointe: Routine containing safe pointe technique. At least 50% of the performers must be on pointe. Category only available in the Intermediate and Advanced Levels. No Acrobatic tricks are permitted in this category. Please contact us ahead of time to discuss the use of rosin on our sprung birchwood floor.

Tap Dance: Routine consisting of tap dance technique and rhythms for at least 75% of the piece. No prerecorded tap sounds allowed. Tap shoes must be worn to perform.