Champion Dancer Competition: What It Is, Where It’s Run and How It’s Judged

A separate solo title section, entered alongside the ordinary solo sections of an age group, in which the judges look at the dancer as a whole performer and name one champion per age group, as run by three Australian dance competitions.

Champion Dancer is an overall title rather than a dance style. Instead of asking “who danced the best lyrical solo?”, it asks “who was the most complete performer in this age group?”. A dancer who is competing in the ordinary solo sections of an age group may also enter the Champion Dancer section for that group, perform in front of the judges once more, and compete for a single champion title with a sash, a trophy and, in some editions, a crown or tiara.

The three editions behind this page share the idea but set it up differently. In one, every age division from Under 6 to Open Age has its own Champion Dancer section beside twelve style sections; the dancer performs either a repeat of a dance already shown during the competition or a new piece, and the judges consider overall performance, stage presence and performance quality. In another, the section is open to both Novice and Open dancers by age group, and a dancer qualifies by first entering a minimum number of ordinary solos: two for the youngest group, three for the next two groups and four for everyone older. In the third, it is a separate solo section in nine age divisions, and the routine must not be a repeat of a dance from the other sections, with an exception for the two youngest groups.

Because the title sits on top of the ordinary sections, the dancers who enter it have usually already been on stage that day and come back for one more performance, after which the adjudicator picks one winner. The title section is kept separate from the style sections; in one edition the championship results are stated not to count towards the Novice or Open sections at all.

Organisers run it because it gives each age group a clear headline result and rewards the all-round dancer – the one who combines technique, presence and polish – rather than the specialist in a single style. The prizes printed for it are more ceremonial (sash, crown or tiara, trophy) than the ordinary placings.

Where Champion Dancer is run

In eTalenter’s data the title Champion Dancer is carried by three templates, all Australian dance competitions: a charity solo competition in New South Wales that offers it in all seven age divisions, a dance competition with a Novice and Open grid, and a talent dance competition whose rules list it as one of three solo awards. Championship sections for dancers who have entered several open sections also appear in other dance festivals and eisteddfods under names such as Championship or Open Championship. This page describes the item only as these three editions print it and does not claim wider use of the exact title.

• Australia

Key facts

• Individual entry, both genders together, in age divisions that match the ordinary solo sections: seven divisions from Under 6 to Open Age in one edition and nine age divisions in another.
• A dancer enters the section in addition to ordinary solos: one edition requires the dancer to be in a solo section of their age group, and another requires a minimum number of solos first (two for the youngest group, three for the next two, four for older groups).
• Repeat rules differ: one edition allows either a repeat of a dance already performed in the competition or a new piece; another bars a repeated routine except for its two youngest groups; the third prints no repeat rule. Check the edition you are running.
• One edition prints marks for this section: Technique 40, Stage Presence 25, Execution of Performance 20, Choreography 10 and Overall Appearance 5, for 100 per judge; another says the judges weigh overall performance, stage presence and performance quality, with no marks printed.
• None of the three prints a time limit for this section, so the organiser has to confirm one; the template installs no time limit.
• Prizes as printed: a sash, crown and trophy for the winner and a participation pin for the others in one edition; a sash, tiara and trophy for the winner and runner-up and a participation medal for every entrant in another.

On eTalenter, Champion Dancer is filed under Dance and typically scored with Marks. It appears in 3 ready-made event templates — each one can adjust its time limit, age-group assignment and scoring setup independently.

Across the templates that use it, Champion Dancer is most often entered as an Individual competition, typically scored out of 100.

What judges look at in Champion Dancer

What a Champion Dancer panel is actually weighing up, and where the marks are usually won or lost:

• Overall performance first: the panel is choosing a complete performer, so the whole dance counts – opening, flow, finish – not one outstanding trick. A routine that holds together from the first count to the final pose beats a routine with a single highlight.
• Technique, where it carries the most weight: in the edition that prints a scale, technique takes 40 of the 100 marks. Turnout, line, control, balance and clean footwork in the style the dancer chooses are what the judge sees first and what separates close finalists.
• Stage presence: 25 of the 100 marks in that scale and a named focus in the other edition that describes the judging. Eye line, energy that carries to the back of the room, a face that matches the music and a confident entrance and exit are what make a champion read as a champion.
• Execution and performance quality: whether the dancer does what the choreography plans, on the music, without hesitation or visible recovery. Judges are comparing dancers who are already strong, so small errors – a late turn, a wobble on a landing – decide places.
• Choreography and overall appearance: the printed scale gives these only 10 and 5 marks, but a routine that suits the dancer’s level, uses the floor well and is neatly dressed and presented shows the care that separates a polished entry from a good one.
• Choice of dance: where a repeat is allowed, the panel is comparing a strong, rehearsed routine with a riskier new one. A dance the dancer can perform at their best on the day is a better bet than the most difficult piece they own.

Treat these as the judging focus, not a fixed rubric: publish your own weighted criteria for Champion Dancer under Scoring Setup, or start from the full dance judging criteria guide.

How to prepare for Champion Dancer

How entrants and their teachers usually get Champion Dancer right on the day:

• Read the rule for your edition before choosing the routine: one allows a repeat of a dance already performed, one forbids it for older groups, and one requires a minimum number of solos before the dancer can enter. A dancer who is not qualified or who brings a banned repeat cannot be scored in the section.
• Choose the routine that shows the dancer at their strongest, not the newest. Where a repeat is allowed, the best-prepared dance from earlier in the day is usually the safest title entry because it has already been performed once on that stage.
• Plan the day: an entrant may dance several ordinary solos and then this section, so build in rest, water, a snack and a warm-up before the title performance. Fatigue shows first in presence and execution, which are the marks that matter most here.
• Practise the “second wind”: run the routine in the last third of a long rehearsal, not the first, so the dancer learns to deliver full energy when tired. Do this in the weeks before the event, not the night before.
• Treat entrance, exit and bow as part of the performance. Rehearse how the dancer walks on, takes the starting pose and acknowledges the audience; the judges are watching from the first step.
• Prepare the music and costume once, early, and check that they work for the title section as well as the ordinary one: the same music file, and a costume that allows movement without a quick change between sections.
• Ideas, not rules: if the dancer enters three sections, choose a contrasting routine for the title – for example a lyrical piece after two jazz solos – to show range; or choose the dance that earned the best feedback earlier and polish only its finish.

Frequently asked questions

Is Champion Dancer 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 is the difference between Champion Dancer and the ordinary solo sections?

The ordinary solo sections judge one dance against others in the same style, such as jazz or lyrical. Champion Dancer is a separate title for each age group: the dancer is judged as a complete performer on overall performance, stage presence and quality, and one champion is named. The title section is kept separate from the style sections.

Can a dancer enter Champion Dancer without entering any other section?

Not in the two editions that state it. One requires the dancer to be in a solo section of their age group, and another requires a minimum number of solos first (two for the youngest group, three for the next two groups and four for everyone older). Check the rules of the competition you are entering.

Can I repeat a dance I have already performed?

It depends on the edition. One allows either a repeat of a dance already performed in the competition or a new piece. Another says the routine must not be a repeat, except for its two youngest groups. The third prints no repeat rule. Always read the rule printed for the competition you are in.

How is Champion Dancer judged and what are the marks?

One edition prints a scale of 100 per judge: Technique 40, Stage Presence 25, Execution of Performance 20, Choreography 10 and Overall Appearance 5. Another names only overall performance, stage presence and performance quality, with no marks printed. The third prints no criteria for the section. In eTalenter the template carries a score out of 100 for the judges to fill in.

What does the champion win?

As printed: a sash, crown and trophy for the winner and a participation pin for other entrants in one edition; a sash, tiara and trophy for the winner and runner-up and a participation medal for every entrant in another. The organiser decides the prize for your event.

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