GENERAL INFORMATION AND GENERAL COMPETITION RULES

If you  have questions about these rules, or if you do not speak English as your first language and need translation assistance, please contact Saqra at saqra@saqra.net or call 253-813-8580 and we will do everything we can to clarify the information for you.

Categories

• Ms. International Ambassador of Belly Dance - Women's Professional (Junior Division)
• Madam International Ambassador of Belly Dance - Women's Professional (Senior Division) 40+
• Mr. International Ambassador of Belly Dance - Men's Professional
• International Ambassador of Belly Dance - Youth  - Children's Division 9-14
• International Ambassadors of Belly Dance - Duet & Trio
• International Ambassadors of Belly Dance - Troupe

Duet and Troupe to be combined if there are not enough entries in either category.

Men's and Ms Professional to be combined if there are not enough entries in either category.

The two most frequestly asked questions answered:

Competition Date & General Info

Preliminary competition entries are submitted by recording. Details below.

Live Finals Competition is on stage the second weekend in November (in 2010: Nov 13 &14) at Saqra's Fall Showcase Festival and Competition in Hillsboro, OR at the Washington County Fair Complex:

• Saturday: Youth, Duet & Trio, Women's Professional Senior Division
• Sunday: Troupe, Women's Professional Junior Division, Men's Professional

If you want to dance at the festival whether or not you make finals in your category please note that the regular festival dance spot registrations begin AUGUST 1. April festival dance spots filled within 48 hours in 2009. Only the names of the final four finalists of each category will be released at any time.

Prizes

All Categories have: Title Winner; 1st Runner Up; 2nd Runner Up; 3rd Runner Up; People's Choice

Duet/Trio and Troupe to be combined as Troupe if there are not enough entries in either category. 2 entries make a category valid.

Mens and Ms Professional to be combined as Mr/Ms Professional if there are not enough entries in either category. 2 entries make a category valid.

Prize Notes:

• Workshop Invitation for April Showcase is based on the usual terms for Showcase Instructors.
• Portland Starlight Parade is a televised parade held in Portland, OR in May as part of the Rose Festival. Come represent Showcase as Royalty as the International International Ambassadors of Belly Dance!

Please read completely before registering for the competition. There will be no refunds based on misunderstanding any of the following, so if you have questions please email saqra@saqra.net or call 253-813-8580 to clarify

Preliminary Video Competition Rules

• NO MORE THAN 30 COMPETITORS WILL BE ACCEPTED IN ANY CATEGORY
• Since space in each category is limited, you may want to reserve your space by registering and paying in advance beginning on June 15. You can follow up with your recording any time before the Aug 25 cut off date. But be aware that if your video submission does not arrive in time you will be disqualified and you will not receive a refund.
• Contestants must be 18 years or older, or recorded submissions must be accompanied by written permission of their legal parent or guardian.
• Performances must be primarily to Middle Eastern music. One piece of alternative (non "Middle Eastern") music may be included in any competition set, but must not make up more than 1/2 of the total performance time.
• For the recorded preliminary competition any props may be included. Note that that will not be the case for the live final competition where animals and fire are not allowed.
• There is no limit to the amount of time a prop may be used.
• No extra points will be directly given for props (though incompetent handling of a prop will obviously hurt a score), but props can increase entertainment value.
• Well-played finger cymbals are eligible for extra credit.
• All styles of "Belly Dance" performer are welcome.
• Please note that along with the usual standard types of competition criteria, judges will be given the special criteria of being instructed to judge the performances based on the suitability of the performance as an International Ambassador of Belly Dance to the public. The judges will be asked to evaluate the performers with the specific question: "Is this performer someone you would want your boss, your grandmother, your children, your neighbor, your [someone important to you] to see for the first time as an example of what you do?"
• Judges will be instructed to ignore the setting of the recorded performance and the quality of the recording and simply evaluate the performance according to the judging criteria, but if either of these factors distracts or detracts from viewing the content of the performance, be aware this will have an effect on the perception of the performance and final scoring. ---- Rephrased: your video need not be high quality, but it does need to be as clear as possible. Judges can't judge on what they can't see. Consider the quality of the lighting, whether you have good color contrast with the environment in which the video is shot, general sound quality.
• There is no restriction on where the recording is made or under what circumstances, as long as the recording follows all other guidelines (time, recentness, non-edited, etc).
• Performers must be within the time limit for their category. A maximum of an 8 second under- or over-time grace period will be accepted due to equipment variations. Anything over or under that will be disqualified and  registration fees will not be refunded.
• Please submit a DVD, or YouTube hosted video address for the preliminary competition. VHS is acceptable but a $10 transfer surcharge will need to be added to your entrance fee.
• The competition submission must be recorded no more than 1 year before the November live competition and must be unedited from the beginning of the performance to the end of the performance.
• You do not have to do the same performance in the live competition as you did for the preliminary video.
• Please submit preliminary competition DVD or recording with completed registration form, and appropriate registration fee.
• All DVD (and the dreaded VHS) submissions should go to: Saqra, 23625 41St Ave S, Kent, WA 98032 and must arrive by Aug 25 to qualify. Please include a $10 check payable to Saqra with any VHS submission for the transfer fee. Please email YouTube links to saqra@saqra.net (SUBJECT: "COMPETITION 2009 ENTRY").
• Please note that recordings will be duplicated to be sent to judges as needed. All attempts to retrieve the recordings from the judges will be made, but there are no guarantees to be made that recordings can be protected completely. Recordings (and any copies made for ease of judging) will not be automatically returned to the competitor.
• Recordings remain the property of the performer and will not be used by Saqra's or the Showcase Festival for any purpose other than the competition judging. In the future there is a possibility of a release of a series of compiled entrant recordings for sale or promotion, but that will not occur without further permissions being requested of the performer.
• Although we can't and won't guarantee we can protect your performance on DVD, please be aware the judges are given the following directive:  "Do not copy, distribute, or exhibit the recordings presented to you for judging on DVD. This is a condition of judging. Anyone discovered or reported copying and/or distributing or exhibiting the recordings in any way now or in the future will be put on a public list of former judges who have done so, as well as their name being included in repeated public warnings about the issue and the person's involvement. REWARD: The first person turning in a judge for the confirmed violation of any of this request will receive a reward of $500. Names will be kept confidential. --- The YouTube recordings are protected by the YouTube process itself. Our intent is to make the attempt to assure the same kind of protection to the people submitting DVDs."
• Winning preliminary performers will need to attend the November live final competition (the 2nd weekend in Nov)  to have a chance at getting a title. If the competitor can't attend they will still be credited as a finalist.
• All preliminary performers will receive their judging sheets sent by mail to the address on their application.
• Only Saqra has the ability to make a decision on eligibility or disqualification of a candidate based on future unforseen circumstances as of the writing of these rules, and her decision is final.

Video Judging  Dates

• Jun 15 Competition entries accepted / open registration begins
• Aug 25 All entry DVDs/recordings due - final deadline
• Oct 1 Final four winners/competitors for position announced at http://www.bellydanceshowcase.com/competition.html
• Oct 15 All entrants receive their Judging Sheets

Note that the names of competitors that did not make the finals will not be published. If you wish to participate in the festival dancing regardless of how you place please register on the usual August 1 date through the festival dancing registration form.

Category Competition Time Lengths & Entry Fees -- all fees in US dollars

• Ms. International Ambassador of Belly Dance - Women's Professional (Junior Division) - 6-8 min - $75
• Madam International Ambassador of Belly Dance - Women's Professional (Senior Division) 40+ - 6-8 min - $75
• Mr. International Ambassador of Belly Dance - Men's Professional - 6-8 min  - $75
• International Ambassador of Belly Dance - Youth  - Children's Division 9-14 - 4-6 min - $45
• International Ambassadors of Belly Dance - Duet & Trio - 6-8 min - $80
• International Ambassadors of Belly Dance - Troupe - 7-9 min - $80 + $5 for every applying competitor over 4. Max charge $100.

Anyone submitting the preliminary recording on VHS will need at add a $10 video transfer surcharge.

No refunds will be made unless the event is cancelled completely.

Final Live Competition Rules

• All finalists have already placed in the competition. Finalists are competing for final position in their competition category. Finalists unable to attend will automatically receive the lowest position in their category, but they still will place and receive any prizes appropriate.
• You do not have to do the same performance in the live competition as you did for the preliminary video.
• Contestants must be 18 years or older, or be accompanied by their parent or guardian or a representative with signed permission of their parent or guardian.
• Performances must be primarily to Middle Eastern music. One piece of alternative music may be included in the competition set, but must not make up more than 1/2 of the total performance time.
• Live musicians are not allowed in any category unless the musician is the/an actual competing dancer. Please note that this is a dance competition and musical performances will not specifically help towards winning.
• You must supply 2 working copies of your competition music with all pieces on one CD.
• Be ready to perform when your name is called or you will drop to the lowest position in your category.
• No fire or animals may be used in the live competition. (Note that this is different from the preliminary competition rules where any prop can be used)
• No extra points will be directly given for props (though incompetent handling of a prop will obviously hurt a score), but props can increase entertainment value.
• Well-played finger cymbals are eligible for extra credit.
• All styles of "Belly Dance" performer are welcome.
• Please note that along with the usual standard types of competition criteria, judges (AND AUDIENCE for the People's Choice awards)  will be given the special criteria of being instructed to judge the performances based on the suitability of the performance as an International Ambassador of Belly Dance to the public. The judges will be asked to evaluate the performers with the specific question: "Is this performer someone you would want your boss, your grandmother, your children, your neighbor, your [someone important to you] to see for the first time as an example of what you do?"
• Performers must not be substance impaired or attitude impaired they will be asked to leave and will be required to default their participation. No refunds will be made.
• Performers must be within the time limit for their category. A maximum of an 8 second under- or over-time grace period will be accepted due to equipment variations. Anything over or under that will be disqualified and  registration fees will not be refunded.
• Your competition performance will fall under the usual rules for festival participation and will require the same 1-hour-prior-check-in and releases as a festival performance.
• Competitors will receive their drawn competition positions no less than 1 hour before the beginning of their competition category.
• Only Saqra has the ability to make a decision on eligibility or disqualification of a candidate based on future unforseen circumstances as of the writing of these rules, and her decision is final.

Category Time Lengths - Live Competition

• Ms. International Ambassador of Belly Dance - Women's Professional (Junior Division) - 6-8 min
• Madam International Ambassador of Belly Dance - Women's Professional (Senior Division) Age 40+ - 6-8 min
• Mr. International Ambassador of Belly Dance - Men's Professional - 6-8 min  
• International Ambassador of Belly Dance - Youth  - Children's Division (Age 9-14) - 4-6 min
• International Ambassadors of Belly Dance - Duet & Trio - 6-8 min
• International Ambassadors of Belly Dance - Troupe - 7-9 min

Approximate Category Performance/Competition Times

• Sat 5:45 - Youth
• Sat 6:30 - Duets/Trios (will be added to Troupe at Sunday 3:30 if there are less than two entries)
• Sat 7:20 - Women's Professional 40+ (Senior Division)
• Sun 3:30 - Troupe
• Sun 4:20 - Women's Professional (Junior Division)
• Sun 5:20 - Men's Professional (will be added to Sun 4:20 Women's Pro. Junior Div. if there are less than two entries)

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