American Natya Idol — Solo and Group Indian Classical Dance Classes for Ages 8 to 40 and Over

Talent Test · Community Talent Show

NATYA’s (Soorya Performing Arts) nationwide Indian classical dance competition: real Solo and Group age divisions from Junior (8-11) through Senior Adults (40+), spanning Bharathanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi and other classical forms, built from the organization’s own official competition rules.

A ready-made Indian classical dance competition: a Solo class in five age divisions and a Group class in four, open to any recognised classical form, with a time limit for each division and a simple 10-point judging scale.

This template models a nationwide Indian classical dance competition from the United States, built from the organiser’s own printed rules. It has just two competition items: Indian Classical Dance – Solo and Indian Classical Dance – Group. The dancer chooses the classical form, and the rules name eight that are eligible: Bharathanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Andhra Natyam, Mohini Attam, Manipuri and Sastriya. The forms are not separate competitions. Every Solo entry is judged against the others in its age division, and every Group entry against the others in its own, whatever the style.

Entries are placed by age. The Solo class has five divisions: Junior (8 to 11) with a six-minute maximum, Intermediate (12 to 15) with seven minutes, then Advanced Solo (16 to 22), Adults Solo (23 to 39) and Sr Adults Solo (40 and over), each with nine minutes. The Group class has four: Junior (8 to 11) with five minutes, Intermediate (12 to 15) with seven, Advanced Group (16 to 30) and Senior Group (31 and over), each with seven. Solo is an individual entry and Group is a team entry, both open to all genders. That makes seven age groups and nine classes in all. Only a maximum time is printed, so there is no minimum, and no warning bell is installed.

Judging is described in words, not in a points table. The panel looks at rhythm, emotional expression, geometry, grace and involvement, and also at originality, innovative costumes and the way the dancers use the space. The only number printed is a maximum of 10 for the costume part, which is not the total for a dance. The template therefore uses a plain 10-point judge scale for each class and does not invent a mark for each quality. No grades and no points for places are printed, and the competition is presented as a showcase where everyone is recognised, so the template installs neither. Add your own criteria and ranking rules in your event if you want a ranked result.

Some rules are printed but are not scoring settings, so they are left to your registration page. Dancers send in their music at least seven days before the competition, music taken from film soundtracks is not allowed, and proof of date of birth is checked at registration for the age divisions. The rules also mention an optional festival ticket separate from entry; there is no competition fee, so fees are installed as zero for you to set. Dates, venue, the number of dancers allowed in a group and the way a group’s age is worked out are not printed in the source, so decide them in your own rules before registration opens.

Where this event is run

Indian classical dance competitions with solo and group classes and age divisions are run by dance schools, cultural associations and festival organisers wherever the forms are taught, most visibly in India and across the Indian diaspora in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and the Gulf. This template comes from one United States circuit, so its age divisions, time limits and judging qualities describe that circuit. Elsewhere, organisers usually adapt the age brackets and the list of permitted styles to their own syllabus, and some run each style as a separate class instead of judging them together.

• United States

Key facts

• Two competition items: Indian Classical Dance – Solo (individual) and Indian Classical Dance – Group (team), both open to all genders and any language
• Eight eligible forms named in the rules, judged together within each division: Bharathanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Andhra Natyam, Mohini Attam, Manipuri and Sastriya
• Five Solo age divisions, Junior 8-11 up to Sr Adults 40 and over, with maximum times of 6, 7, 9, 9 and 9 minutes; four Group divisions, Junior 8-11 up to Senior Group 31 and over, with maximums of 5, 7, 7 and 7 minutes
• Seven age groups and nine classes in all; only a maximum time is printed, with no minimum
• Judged on qualities such as rhythm, expression, geometry, grace, involvement, originality, costume and use of space; the template uses a 10-point scale per class and invents no per-quality marks
• No fee is printed for the competition, no grades and no placement points; music deadline, proof of age and group size are registration rules, not scoring settings

Age groups

7

Competition items

2

Competitions

9

Grade bands

0

Rank awards

0

Age groups

Every candidate is placed into one of these groups by age, and competitions are run per group.

Junior (8-11)

8From

–

11To

Candidates aged 8 to 11 compete in this group

Intermediate

12From

–

15To

Candidates aged 12 to 15 compete in this group

Advanced Solo

16From

–

22To

Candidates aged 16 to 22 compete in this group

Adults Solo

23From

–

39To

Candidates aged 23 to 39 compete in this group

Sr Adults Solo

40From

–

120To

Candidates aged 40 to 120 compete in this group

Advanced Group

16From

–

30To

Candidates aged 16 to 30 compete in this group

Senior Group

31From

–

120To

Candidates aged 31 to 120 compete in this group

Competition items

The events themselves — each with the category it belongs to and how judges score it.

Indian Classical Dance - Solo

Classical DanceMarks

Indian Classical Dance - Group

Classical DanceMarks

Frequently asked questions

Can I change this template after installing it?

Yes — installing it creates a fully configured, live event, not a locked package. Every age group, competition item, rule and scoring setting can be edited afterwards to match exactly what your event actually needs.

Do I need technical knowledge to set this up?

No. Installing a template does the setup work for you; you only need to review the details (dates, unit or house names) and open registration.

Want the fuller picture first? See our guide to classical dance judging criteria guide.