Adjudication Awards

What is an Adjudication Award at a Dance Competition?

This award is based on a type of numeric scoring method.
Three judges are critiquing each dance routine. Each judge will grant up to 100 points for a dance routine. The three judge's scores are then added to generate the final score. A perfect score would be 300 points.

Competitions create unique names for these awards such as silver, gold, high gold, elite gold, platinum, diamond, double diamond, ruby, or ultimate victory... you get the idea.

My husband always says, "This is not like the Olympics." A Gold Adjudication Award is usually a lower score.

The competition's website has rules explaining their unique naming conventions with scoring ranges. Reviewing the rules will help you know what to expect. Then you can help everyone whispering around you in the auditorium, "What Adjudication Award are we hoping for at this competition?"

At each competition, the names and point ranges of the Adjudication Awards vary, but the concept is the same across the board.
An example:
210-239.5 point = Silver, then 240-254.9 = Gold,
255-269.9 = High Gold, 270-284.9 = Platinum, and 285-300 =Iconic
Platinum. For this example, the dancers would hope for a Platinum or Iconic Platinum.

Every routine gets an adjudication award.
When the awards ceremony starts, the adjudication awards are handed out first or right after the special judges awards but before the overall awards. The dancer usually receives a trophy, pin, or ribbon with the adjudication placement written on it.

The higher the Adjudication Award they get, the more likely they could place in the overalls.

Don't let the award names frustrate you or your dancer. It's just a naming convention. One weekend your dancer may receive a Platinum. The next weekend your dancer gets a High Gold. When you compare the scores, your dancer received a higher score with the High Gold. Yes, it happens as each competition's numeric range is different.

It's fun when your dancers get those big trophies as they have worked hard. It's a great feeling when your dancer is recognized. Getting caught up in the awards can be tricky because sometimes your dancer's biggest successes come during a performance that they don't get an improved score or overall placement.

The awards ceremony can take a long time and can be confusing. Now you have the adjudication awards concept mastered.