Advice for dance competitors
Before participating in a competition:
- Verify the Organizer
- Legal Status: Confirm the organizer’s legal identity (e.g., business or association), including the name of their representative, street address, and contact details.
- Insurance: Ensure they hold valid insurance covering fire, accidents, and other risks.
- Endorsement: If uncertain, contact the endorsing organization directly for confirmation.
- Understand the competition’s nature
- Selection criteria: Is participation open to all, or are there specific requirements?
- Categories: How are competitors grouped (e.g., by age, skill level, or other factors)?
- Recognition: Which bodies (government, municipality, international organizations) officially recognize this competition?
- Fairness guarantees: Are transparent and fair procedures in place?
- Evaluate the jury
- Qualifications: Are jurors highly qualified professionals in the competition’s dance genre?
- Neutrality: Do they have any conflicts of interest or vested stakes in the outcome?
- Appointment: Were they selected by an independent body or by the competition organizer?
- Terminology: Are jurors referred to as “judges” or “adjudicators” to emphasize impartiality?
- Review past competitions
- Award frequency: Were excessive awards, prizes, titles, or championships granted?
- Winner-to-participant ratio: Did nearly all participants receive an award?
- Transparency: Were receipts for payments issued, and was a detailed report published afterward?
- Key reminders
- Legal value: Titles awarded by private organizers hold no official legal weight.
- Reputation matters: Winning a small or discredited competition does not enhance your professional profile.