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

A solo section for dancers who are still new to competing, where an entrant performs one routine of up to three minutes and is marked out of 100 against others of a similar age and experience.

Novice is a solo class for dancers who have not yet built up a record of competition success. Rather than meeting seasoned performers head to head, a newer dancer enters a section that is meant to be fairer to their level, so the first few appearances on stage build confidence instead of discouraging it. The dancer performs one routine alone and an adjudicator marks it.

A round is a single performance. The dancer is called, takes position, the music starts and the routine runs for up to three minutes. The adjudicator watches the whole piece and gives one mark out of 100. Because the section is built around the dancer rather than a named style, the choice of style is part of what an entrant brings, and the panel judges how well it is carried out rather than how difficult it is.

On the Luminous-style Australian dance template this page draws on, Novice is carried for all six solo age 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 required and every entry is marked under the label Marks with a three-minute limit. The template prints no judging criteria for the section, so none are installed here, and it does not define what counts as a novice.

For a coordinator using eTalenter, set it up as an ordinary solo: register each dancer in the right age group, record the adjudicator mark out of 100 and the placing follows within the group. Because the template leaves the definition open, state your own rule in the programme, for example how many years of competing or which previous results move a dancer out of Novice.

Where Novice is run

In eTalenter’s data Novice appears on one Australian dance eisteddfod-style template, across all six solo age groups. Novice or beginner classes are a familiar way for dance festivals and eisteddfods to separate newer entrants from experienced ones, but this exact section is only evidenced by that one programme.

• Australia

Key facts

• Solo (Individual) entry; boys and girls compete together; no language requirement.
• Six groups on the template: Solo 6 and Under, 8 and Under, 10 and Under, 12 and Under, 15 and Under and Open Age.
• Time limit of 3 minutes per routine.
• Marked out of 100 under the label Marks; the template prints no criteria and no definition of a novice, so neither is invented.
• Separate from First Solo (Any Style), which is the beginner section for only the two youngest groups, and from the named-style solo sections.
• Idea starters, not rules: a clean jazz routine to a familiar track, a simple lyrical piece built around one clear emotion, a short tap or hip hop routine the dancer knows well, or a cultural dance learnt at home.

On eTalenter, Novice 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, Novice 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 Novice

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

• Command of the routine: steps that are clearly learnt, repeated accurately and finished cleanly count for more than ambitious moves that wobble.
• Staying with the music: starting on the beat, holding time and ending when the music ends.
• Basic technique for the chosen style: posture, pointed or flexed feet where the style asks for them, balance and control of arms and head.
• Performance and expression: eye line, facial expression and a sense that the dancer is performing to the audience, not just recalling steps.
• Presentation and finish: neat costume and hair, confident walk-on and a clear final pose so the piece feels complete.

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

How to prepare for Novice

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

• Pick a routine the dancer can perform comfortably nearly every time; reliability is worth more than difficulty in a novice class.
• Choose music with a clear beat and cut it to fit inside three minutes so the routine ends with the track.
• Practise the walk-on, starting position and final pose until they are automatic, since nerves usually strike there first.
• Run the routine in front of family or classmates beforehand so the first audience is not on the day.
• Rehearse in the actual costume and shoes on a similar floor so nothing is new on the day.
• Teach the dancer to keep going with a smile if a step slips, because recovering well is judged kindly in this class.

Frequently asked questions

Is Novice 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 Novice mean in a dance competition?

It is a section for dancers who are new to competing, so they are marked against others at a similar stage. The exact definition is set by each organiser, and the template this page draws on does not print one.

Which ages can enter Novice?

On the template this page draws on it is offered in six solo groups from 6 and Under up to Open Age. Other programmes may offer fewer groups, so check the organiser’s rules.

How long is a Novice routine?

Up to three minutes on this template, marked out of 100. Shorter pieces are fine, especially for young entrants.

Is Novice the same as First Solo (Any Style)?

No. First Solo is the beginner section for only the two youngest groups, while Novice runs across six age groups up to Open Age. They are entered and placed separately.

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