How to Be Dance Competition Judge - Job Description, Skills, and Interview Questions

Apr 25, 2020 / 5 Minutes Read / By Albert

How to Become

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Dance competitions are an important part of the dance world and the success of a dancer can often depend on the quality of their performance in these competitions. As such, the role of a dance competition judge is essential in determining the success of a dancer. Dance competition judges are responsible for evaluating each dancer's technique, artistic interpretation, and overall performance.

They must be able to provide constructive criticism in order to help the dancers improve their skills. The judge's opinion can have a huge impact on the dancer's future career, as it can be the deciding factor in selecting award winners and helping dancers to gain recognition and get noticed by potential employers. The quality of judging is a major factor in the success of a dance competition, so it is important that judges have a strong knowledge of dance, as well as an ability to be impartial and provide unbiased feedback to the dancers.

Steps How to Become

Obtain a background in the discipline of dance. This may include taking dance classes, participating in dance competitions or having formal training or education in dance.
Become a certified judge through an accredited dance organization. Many organizations, such as Dance Masters of America, offer certification programs for judges.
Attend seminars and workshops on judging technique, rules and regulations, judging criteria and other topics relevant to judging dance competitions.
Familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations of the organization you will be judging for. Each organization has its own set of rules and regulations that must be followed.
Participate in practice judging sessions to hone your skills. This can be done through attending other competitions or participating in practice sessions with other qualified judges.
Contact regional and local dance organizations to inquire about judging opportunities.
When selected as a judge, arrive at the competition early and familiarize yourself with the venue and the rules and regulations of the competition.
Watch each performance carefully and use a score sheet to document your observations.
At the end of the competition, tally up the scores and submit them to the competition organizer.

In order to remain competent and ahead of the competition as a dance competition judge, it is important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends in dance, attend workshops and seminars, and watch performances to gain knowledge. This will help the judge to remain current on the different styles of dance, as well as the technical and creative aspects that are involved in judging. staying physically active and having a good understanding of the fundamentals of body movement will be helpful in accurately judging the competitors.

Furthermore, honing communication skills and understanding the rules and regulations of the competition will help ensure that the judge remains fair and impartial when making decisions. By maintaining these aspects, a dance competition judge will remain competent and ahead of the competition.

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Job Description

Dance Competition Organizer: Responsible for planning and organizing a dance competition, including selecting a location, creating a competition schedule, recruiting judges and volunteers, and managing registration and payments.
Dance Competition Judge: Responsible for judging the performances of dancers and providing constructive feedback to the dancers. Must have a strong background in dance and knowledge of various dance styles.
Dance Instructor: Responsible for teaching dance classes and providing guidance and instruction to students. Must have an extensive knowledge of various dance styles, techniques, and choreography.
Music Director: Responsible for selecting the music for each performance and ensuring that the music selection is appropriate for the style of dance being performed. Must have a good knowledge of musical theory and the ability to select music that enhances the performance.
Choreographer: Responsible for creating unique and exciting choreography for each performance. Must have an extensive knowledge of various dance styles, technique, and choreography.
Costume Designer: Responsible for designing and creating costumes that complement each performance. Must have a good eye for detail and be able to create costumes that are in line with the style of the performance.

Skills and Competencies to Have

Knowledge of various dance styles, including contemporary, jazz, ballet, hip hop, and ballroom
Ability to objectively assess technical and artistic elements of a performance
Ability to provide constructive feedback to dancers
Understanding of dance terminology
Ability to remain impartial and fair in decision making
Attention to detail in evaluating choreography and costuming
Knowledge of music theory and its application to dance
Understanding of the rules and regulations of the competition
Ability to recognize potential safety hazards in performance
Ability to effectively communicate with competitors and other judges

Having the ability to make well-informed, impartial judgements is an essential skill for a dance competition judge. In order to evaluate dancers effectively, a judge must have a thorough understanding of the criteria for the particular style of dance being judged. They must have an eye for detail and be able to recognize even the most subtle nuances in a dancers performance.

A judge should also be familiar with the rules and regulations associated with the competition, as well as any relevant safety guidelines. Furthermore, they should possess excellent communication skills in order to provide feedback and critiques to the dancers in a constructive, encouraging manner. Having a good sense of rhythm and understanding of music is also beneficial, so they can properly assess how a dancers movements are in tune with the music.

being able to make accurate, unbiased assessments is the key to being a successful dance competition judge.

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Frequent Interview Questions

What experience and qualifications do you have as a Dance Competition Judge?
What criteria do you use to evaluate contestants in a Dance Competition?
How do you ensure that contestants receive fair and impartial judging?
How do you handle difficult situations with contestants or their families during a Dance Competition?
In what ways can you help dancers improve their performance?
What strategies do you use to remain current and up-to-date on the latest trends in dance competitions and judging?
Describe a situation in which you had to make a difficult decision as a Dance Competition Judge.
What challenges have you faced as a Dance Competition Judge and how did you handle them?
How do you work with other judges to ensure a unified and consistent scoring of contestants?
How do you ensure that the feedback you provide is constructive and helpful to contestants?

Common Tools in Industry

Score Sheets. Used to record scores given to each contestant based on their performance. (eg: 5 points for technique, 4 points for showmanship)
Music Player. Used to play the music for each contestant during their performance. (eg: MP3 player, CD player, etc. )
Video Playback. Used to replay the performance of each contestant for review and discussion. (eg: DVD player, computer monitor, etc. )
Microphone. Used to make announcements and give feedback to contestants. (eg: Wireless microphone, wired microphone, etc. )
Criteria Chart. Used to provide criteria for judging each performance. (eg: difficulty of moves, expression, etc. )
Clipboard. Used to keep track of score sheets and other paperwork. (eg: note pad, pen, etc. )
Stopwatch. Used to time the duration of each performance. (eg: digital stopwatch, analog stopwatch, etc. )
Lighting System. Used to create a stage atmosphere for contestants. (eg: spotlights, strobe lights, etc. )

Professional Organizations to Know

National Dance Education Organization (NDEO)
World Dance Council (WDC)
International Dance Council (IDC)
Dance/USA
American Dance Festival (ADF)
World Dance Alliance (WDA)
Congress on Research in Dance (CORD)
Society of Dance History Scholars (SDHS)
International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS)
International Federation of Ballet Competitions (IFBC)

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Common Important Terms

Technical Skills. This is the ability to perform basic dance steps with correct form and technique. It is one of the main criteria that a dance competition judge looks for when judging a routine.
Choreography. This is the creative process of creating a dance routine. It involves the selection of music, the arrangement of steps and the timing of movement to create a unique performance.
Execution. This is the ability of a dancer to perform the choreography accurately and with good technique. Execution is an important part of a performance that a judge looks for when assessing a routine.
Artistry. This is the expression of emotion and feeling through movement. It is the ability to convey an idea or story through dance and is an important part of a performance that a judge looks for when assessing a routine.
Musicality. This is the ability to interpret and express the music through movement. It is important for dancers to be able to hear, feel and understand the music in order to enhance their performance.
Showmanship. This is the ability to captivate an audience and draw them into the performance. It is an important part of a performance that a judge looks for when assessing a routine.
Crowd Appeal. This is the ability of a dancer to engage and entertain an audience. This can include using facial expressions, interacting with the audience and performing stunts or tricks.