All Abilities (Any Style) Competition: What It Is, Where It’s Run and How It’s Judged

An inclusive solo dance section where the dancer chooses the style and enters on their own terms, performing one routine of up to three minutes that is marked out of 100.

All Abilities (Any Style) is a solo dance section that sits beside the named-style classes of a studio dance competition. The dancer is not tied to jazz, tap, lyrical or ballet: they pick the style that suits them and perform one routine. The words “All Abilities” in the title signal that the section is meant to be open and welcoming rather than a test of one narrow technical standard, so the same class can hold a first-time performer and a seasoned studio dancer who simply wants to show a favourite piece.

A round is one performance on the stage floor. The dancer is announced, the music starts and the adjudicator watches the whole routine before marking it. Because the style is the dancer’s own choice, the panel first reads what the dancer is attempting and then judges how well it is carried out, so a clear opening, music that supports the idea and a tidy finish count for a lot.

On the Luminous-style Australian template this page draws on, the item is carried for six solo groups: 6 and Under, 8 and Under, 10 and Under, 12 and Under, 15 and Under and Open Age. Boys and girls compete together, no language is needed, each routine is limited to three minutes and each entry is marked out of 100 under the label Marks. The template prints no judging criteria for the section, so none are installed here.

The template does not define who may enter the section, which styles are allowed, or whether props are permitted. Organisers should publish their own conditions on each point, and make clear how this section differs from the ordinary Any Style class so that families enter the right one. In eTalenter the setup is the same as any solo: register each dancer in the right age group, record the adjudicator’s mark out of 100 and the placing follows within that group.

Where All Abilities (Any Style) is run

In eTalenter’s data All Abilities (Any Style) appears on one template, the Luminous-style Australian dance competition, across six solo age groups. Open-style and inclusive sections are a familiar feature of studio dance competitions and eisteddfods in countries with a studio tradition, but this page asserts only what the template shows.

• Australia

Key facts

• Solo (Individual) entry; boys and girls compete together; no language requirement.
• Six solo groups: 6 and Under, 8 and Under, 10 and Under, 12 and Under, 15 and Under and Open Age.
• Time limit: 3 minutes per routine.
• Marked out of 100 under the label Marks; the template prints no criteria sheet.
• A separate item from Any Style, Any Style Solo and First Solo (Any Style), each with its own entries.
• Idea starters, not rules: a favourite jazz-funk routine, a simple lyrical piece to a loved song, a cultural dance learned at home, or a short story told through one character.

On eTalenter, All Abilities (Any Style) is filed under Dance and typically scored with Marks. It appears in 1 ready-made event templates — each one can adjust its time limit, age-group assignment and scoring setup independently.

Across the templates that use it, All Abilities (Any Style) is most often entered as an Individual competition, typically scored out of 100, commonly time-limited to around 3 minutes where a limit is set.

What judges look at in All Abilities (Any Style)

What a All Abilities (Any Style) panel is actually weighing up, and where the marks are usually won or lost:

• Clarity of choice: the adjudicator can tell within seconds which style the dancer has chosen and why it suits them.
• Control for the dancer’s level: steps, balance and lines that are secure at the dancer’s own standard are rewarded over ambitious moves that wobble.
• Musicality: steps that sit on the beat, phrasing that follows the music and accents that land with it.
• Performance: focus, projection and enjoyment from the first count to the last pose, without breaking character.
• Presentation: a routine that is finished, with a clear start and ending, and a costume that suits the style and is worn safely.

Treat these as the judging focus, not a fixed rubric: publish your own weighted criteria for All Abilities (Any Style) under Scoring Setup, or start from the full group dance judging criteria guide.

How to prepare for All Abilities (Any Style)

How entrants and their teachers usually get All Abilities (Any Style) right on the day:

• Choose a style the dancer already enjoys; a section built around open entry rewards confidence more than experiment.
• Keep the routine well inside three minutes so music cuts and finishing pose do not run over the limit.
• Pick music with a clear structure and rehearse to the exact cut that will be played on the day.
• Teach the dancer a strong first position and a definite last pose, so the routine begins and ends on purpose.
• Run the routine in front of family or classmates at least twice so the first time on stage is not the first audience.
• Check the organiser’s conditions on props, costume and music format before the event, since the template prints none.

Frequently asked questions

Is All Abilities (Any Style) judged individually or as a team?

Across eTalenter’s templates it’s most often run as an Individual entry, though an organiser can set either participation type when assigning the item to an age group.

What does All Abilities mean in this section?

The template does not define it. The name signals an open, inclusive section, but eligibility is for the organiser to publish, so read the event’s own conditions before entering.

How long can the routine be?

Three minutes on the Australian template this page draws on. Other organisers set their own limit.

Is it the same as Any Style?

No. They are separate items in eTalenter’s data. Enter the one your event’s schedule names.

Is the section judged individually?

Yes. It is a solo entry, marked out of 100, with placings given within each age group.

Want the full judging picture? Read the full group dance judging criteria guide, or browse every dance competition item.