GENERAL RULES FOR ALL COMPETITIONS
1) Competitors must perform the exact number of steps, in the style required, for the competition they are entering.
2) If a dancer stops dancing or fails to complete the correct number of steps, the judges mark will reflect this.
3) Unintentional pauses should be as short as possible and will be reflected in the judges marks.
4) Any infringement of competition rules will incur a reduction of the final score.
5) Prizes will only be awarded at the discretion of the judges.
GENERAL RULES FOR THE LANCASHIRE & CHESHIRE COMPETITIONS
1) All competitors must dance off the toe style, with no heel contact to the floor.
2) The resident musician will play for all competitors.
3) The music will be a dotted hornpipe.
4) A step should be performed, beginning on the left foot, for 8 bars of music, then repeated beginning on the right foot.
5) Arms should be held naturally without any stylized movement.
Please Note: In addition to these general rules, please also refer to the additional rules below for the individual competition, i.e. Junior, Senior & Novice, or Championship.
JUNIOR CONTEST
1) Competitors must be aged 15 or UNDER.
2) Each competitor will complete 5 steps of their own choice (note point(4) in general rules).
3) Prizes will be awarded in three age groups and a Cup will be awarded to the highest scoring Junior.
4) Any competitor who has won the Junior Cup three times may not enter.
5) Any competitor who has won the Championship may not enter.
SENIOR TROPHY AND NOVICE CONTEST
1) Each competitor will complete 5 steps of their own choice (note point (4) in general rules) .
2) Competitors must be aged 16 years or over and have never entered a Junior Competition.
3) A Senior must have learnt clog dancing as an adult, i.e. aged 16 years or over.
4) A Novice must never have won the Junior Cup, Novice Contest or the Championship.
5) Prizes will be awarded to both the highest scoring Novice, and highest scoring Senior.
CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE SAM SHERRY BELT
1) Competitors are required to perform 9 steps of their own choice, plus a final step comprising of only hopping double shuffles (step shuffle, hop shuffle) off alternate feet, with a two bar finish (note point (4) in general rules).
2) Should a competitor win for three consecutive years, then further entry is forbidden and a replica belt will be awarded.
RULES FOR THE OPEN CLOG WALTZ
1) Competitors should complete 10 steps – not repeated off each foot.
2) Routines must be danced to waltz time.
3) Dancers may use any regional style and full use may be made of heel and toe techniques.
4) A dancer may use their own musician if they wish.
RULES FOR THE OLD LANCS HEEL & TOE COMPETITION
1) Competitors should present a dance made up of 10 x 8 bar choruses with 2 bar breaks.
2) Competitors should dance in the Old Lancs style (as danced by Pat Tracey)
3) The music should be reel time or an undotted hornpipe.
4) A dancer may use their own musician if they wish.
CLOG OPEN ‘SHOW’GROUP ROUTINE COMPETITION RULES
1) Can be two or more dancers (NOT SOLO)
2) Dancers must do clog stepping but may use any clog stepping style.
3) All competitors must dance in English clogs without irons or rubbers.
4) Any rhythm(s) of music may be used.
5) The routine (i.e. any stepping) must be performed on the competition clog board (approximately 2.4m wide x 1.5m deep), i.e. no dancing off the board.
6) The size of the group is limited by the competition clog dance board, and the entire group must perform at least an element of the routine all together on the clog board.