General Rules
THESE APPLY TO ALL FESTIVALS

• Fees must accompany entry forms with the names of the competitors en bloc from the teacher.
• No independent entries will be accepted. Non BTDA schools may enter BTDA Festivals at the discretion of the organiser.
• Organisers have the right to refuse lates entries and BTDA requests that they adhere to this rule.
• Timing must be strictly adhered to, from January 2007 there will be random checks. A bell will be used to signify the time limit. The dancer must stop and leave the stage when this is heard. and will be disqualified.
• No pointe work is permitted in any Novice sections, A and B in open festivals and Junior Championships. It is however compulsory that candidates are en pointe in Senior Championship sections.
• Candidates may only enter once in any one solo section.
• In duet and trios sections candidates may enter more than once with the same partner providing there is a change of subject.
• A competitor's age will be taken on the first day of the festival. In duets, trios, groups and troupes the eldest child determines the age group of the routine.
• When entering groups and troupes please write descriptive titles on the entry forms as these sections can also be split according to subjects at the organiser's discretion.
• The organisers reserve the right to change, alter or combine parts of the programme as necessary. In these cases the combined sections will be adjudicated separately.
• The running order will not be changed. Should candidates fail to appear at their specified time the entry could be forfeited.
• Competitors are required to be at the Festival at least one hour before their section is due to perform.  Organisers have the right to continue the running of the Festival up to one hour early.
• Only competitors are allowed on the side of the stage.  Teachers who have a current CRB check are allowed side of the stage in baby and novice sections only.
• The Association can offer no guarantee as to the day or time at which a section will be presented, once the final programme has been drawn up this must be adhered to.
• Records and sound equipment are permitted in BTDA festivals.
• Piano or instrumental music must be used in the tap, ballet and song and dance sections in solo, duet and trio sections. Character and Greek solos may have spoken words (no singing), singing will be allowed in duets and trios. Singing and spoken word in National is allowed according to the authenticity of the country. Lyrical, modern, and acrobatic have a freedom of choice of music. Ballet groups must use instrumental music. Cabaret troupes have a freedom of choice of music. Any entries that do not comply with the above will not be placed by the adjudicator.
• Each teacher is responsible for their own PPL and PRS licences at any
  BTDA Festival.
• Titles of the National, Greek and Character dances are to be clearly written on the entry forms and are to be submitted in all sections.
• Character dances must be based on classical technique.
• Jinks taps are not permitted.
• The adjudicator's decision is final, the organisers will not be drawn into any discussions regarding this.
• No video cameras will be permitted under any circumstances. Flash photography is not allowed.
• No fees are returnable.
• BTDA accepts no liability for any item of equipment or clothing etc., that may be damaged or stolen at any time during the festival.
• Birth certificates may be asked for if the need arises.
• Certificates may only be collected by the teacher or an assistant during the lunch and tea breaks or at the end of the day.
• All entry forms require the signature of the parent, which will legally ensure their responsibility for the return in good condition of any trophy awarded.
• Any trophy collected by a pupil or teacher may be kept for 11 months and must be returned 1 month before the next festival. Teachers are responsible to ensure that parents abide by the rules they have signed.
• Parents are responsible for the return of trophies to the festival in which they were gained. Failure to do so will result in a charge of £30.00 per trophy payable to BTDA.
• Teachers must make it their business to find out what trophies are being awarded at the end of the festival. In the event of their school being successful they will have the glory of being presented with it.
• Students wearing personal jewellery will be penalised.
• An own arrangement must be the complete work of the student without any outside coaching from a teacher.  The teacher must ensure that the festival rules are adhered to.
• Teachers are responsible for their students' behaviour at all festivals both in the dressing rooms and the abuse of other people's property. The teacher is responsible for checking the dressing rooms, to ensure everything is in order before leaving the premises.
• A candidate cannot be entered into a section where the dance has been set by the person adjudicating the section. In cases where the adjudicator is not known at time of entry, it is the Teacher's responsibility to withdraw that person if the aforementioned situation arises. A full refund will be given on these occasions.
• A full and flowing skirt or circular culottes must be worn by female competitors in Lyrical sections otherwise they will be disqualified.
• Love songs must not be used for Baby and Junior competitors in all categories (Instrumental permitted).
• Eating and drinking in the changing rooms is forbidden.
• Everyone helping or assisting in the running of the Festival is obliged to hold a current CRB Certificate.
• No visible coaching is allowed.
• Every candidate must have a separate tape, with a bow for each dance. The candidate/ teacher must ensure the tape is cued in and ready to play when given in to the tape player.  Running the tape back for a bow must be the responsibility of the teacher and not the designated tape player.  The adjudicator(s) will be marking the whole performance from entrance to exit.
• BTDA requests that adjudicators work only once in a particular area in the same year.
• "Lyrical was introduced into British Theatre as a graded examination in 1994 because I felt quality of dance was at risk. Everyone was focused on technical ability, and students were not being trained in the appreciation of music. We gave freedom of choice to the teachers for the graded examinations in the music, so that the students could have an understanding and use their own interpretation. The skirt was introduced to enhance the flow of movement and this has been a tremendous success. It also opened a new section in the festival world, but like a lot of things this has been abused and misused and I would like to draw teachers and adjudicators attention to why this section is here. Teachers should think about the choice of music for a student and their age, we should not be seeing babies dancing to love songs or seniors dancing contemporary and wearing catsuits. And also I don't want up beat music being used otherwise it loses its identity which is Lyrical and means expressing personal feelings." Miss Ann Oliver, President from BTDA Members Bulletin December 2002.

Additional Rules for Novice Festivals

• A Novice is a dancer who has never gained a 1st or 2nd place in any festival reaching 83 marks. Therefore a dancer gaining a 1st or 2nd place with under 83 mark in a particular subject is still eligible to enter the novice section in that particular subject.
• A novice who gains a 1st or 2nd place in one section will not be restricted from entering other sections in a novice festival.
• If a dancer enters a championship in a particular subject they will lose their novice status in that subject only.
• The novice does not only apply to BTDA festivals but to other festivals
  as well.
• In novice duets and trios all competitors must be novice as per solo entry.
• In novice groups and troupes all competitors must be novice as per solo entry.
• At the teachers discretion a baby who progresses to class A may begin again with novice status and any student taking a 3 year break from solos may begin again with novice status in groups and troupes.

Additional Rules for Championships

• Championships are open to BTDA registered schools only.
• A candidate cannot enter a Championship Heat without first taking part in an Open BTDA Festival. The candidate can only enter subjects in the Championship Heat that they have previously entered in the Open Festival in solo form.
• If a student is placed 1st or 2nd in any area championship heat they are eligible to perform at the finals, if they cannot compete 3rd or 4th places may be eligible on the presentation of the adjudicators comment sheet and with the approval of the General Council.
• Each finalist will have to pay a £5.00 transfer fee for entry to the finals.  This will be collected by their teacher on completion of the final programme.
• If a student gains entry to the championship finals and then leaves his/her dancing school before the final their place will be forfeited. It will not then be possible for them to enter another heat with another teacher during that same year applicable to the same final.
• Cabaret heats - no less than 6 entries will be accepted for junior and inter sections and 4 entries for senior sections. Classical heats - no less than 4 entries will be accepted for junior, inter and senior sections. If an area cannot produce the amount of entries required for each section then the heat in that subject will not take place.
• In the case of the inter sections, these can be combined at the discretion of the organiser in the event that both or one of the age groups does not adhere to the above.  Finalists from these sections will be split as per the published age groups for the finals.
• Festival organisers are responsible for sending £1.00 out of the £5.00 entry fee per championship entry to Head Office.
• The championship heats are to be treated independently of the rest of the festival and should be held on a separate day. No other sections are to be held on championship day.
• Area heats and National Finals competitors will receive special certificates. All dances in sections will gain a mark and a report sheet.
• The results and presentation of awards for heats and for National Finals will be given at the end of the festival.
• A championship student may if he or she wishes and with their teacher's approval change their dance between the heat and the National Final.
• Championship Finals - an official video recording will be made for the BTDA archives.
• Candidates are not permitted to dance out of turn or leave the stage in championships.
• Areas cannot hold a Championship heat without holding an Open BTDA
  Festival first.
• Every candidate must have a separate tape, with a bow for each dance. The candidate/ teacher must ensure the tape is cued in and ready to play when given in to the tape player.  Running the tape back for a bow must be the responsibility of the teacher and not the designated tape player.  The adjudicator(s) will be marking the whole performance from entrance to exit.
• In the event of over subscribing, in sections with over 35 entries, BTDA reserves the right to split the sections.
• Adjudicators can only adjudicate at one area heat per year and are not permitted to adjudicate at that years finals having done so.