Clogging/Power Tap Rules 2025
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Age Divisions Individuals 3 & Under, 4-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18, 19-21, 22-25, 26-29, 30+
Duets/Teams *Team Average Age
determined as of Jan 1st |
Clogging Levels Level's Determination factors For decisions on which level you should enter in, we suggest the following skills suggestions for each level listed below. These are not limits or required, but suggested to keep each level as close as possible.
Level's
Allowed Steps
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Clogging Individual
Categories All-Around Solo Male Freestyle Female Freestyle A Cappella Solo |
Clogging Team Categories The following categories are offered in the levels Novice, Beginning, Intermediate: Open, Exhibition, Line Advanced: Open, Line, Precision. A Cappella Championship: Open, Line, Standing Line, Traditional Line, Precision, Show, A Cappella, A Cap Production (No Small offered in Pro) Professional: Small, Open, Line, Standing Line, Traditional Line, Precision, Show, A Cappella, A Cap Production, (Small Team: 3-6, dancers) |
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Clogging Duet
Categories A Cappella Duet Short Duet Traditional Duet Exhibition Duet Show Duet |
DUET COMPETITION LEVELS Duet levels follow rules above. A dancer may not compete a duet in a level TWO levels below their highest competed level. However, a new duet category called MIXED LEVEL DUET allows ANYONE to compete a duet with anyone in a level called MIXED LEVEL DUET! Any kind of duet can be competed in MIXED LEVEL DUET. Enter the duet in the level the steps are appropriate for. Mixed Level duets are not eligible for Overall Pro awards. *Competing Duets in a higher level does NOT make the lower level dancer restricted to only those higher levels. Lower level duet partners may compete in their lower levels as determined by their individual or team levels competed after competing a duet in a higher level. |
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WHAT LEVELS MAY BE COMPETED IF I DANCE IN MULTIPLE LEVELS? A Dancer may compete in any level ONE LEVEL below their highest competed level. (Pro Dancers my no longer compete in Advanced as was allowed before.) Once a person competes in any category in a level, that dancer may only compete in categories in that level and the ONE LEVEL below that highest competed level. This includes all team and individual categories. Ex. A: A dancer competes in Intermediate freestyle, but dances on two teams - one intermediate and one beginning team). That person may compete on both teams. This dancer may also compete Beginning individuals (one level down) as long as their steps follow step rules. Ex B: This person may not compete in Novice as it is TWO LEVELS below their highest level competed. Once you compete in a level, you may not return to a lower level two levels below that level. The highest level competed (team, duet, or individuals) determines a dancer's level |
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Clogging Team Categories Rules
| Open/Exhibition | Line | Standing Line | Acap Production | Acappella | |
| General Description | Any team dance, music, and costumes | Dance
done in lines. Any music or costumes. |
Dance done in ONE formation. Choreographed for one, danced by many. Any music or costumes | Same as A Cappella team, but judged as a normal team dance, all judges watching. | Dance
done without music. Emphasis on sound, rhythms, No music. Costume not req’d |
| Gymnastics/Props | Small
hand held props allowed All lifts & gymnastics allowed. |
No gymnastics or props allowed | No Props or Gymnastics allowed |
Props/Gymnastics allowed. 1 Prop required |
Props/Gymnastics allowed |
| Formations/Interactions | Any
type of formations Nov, Beg, Int offer both Open & Exhibition. Adv, Champ, Pro offer only Open. |
No
dancing as couples, body contact, nor circles. Any column, or other movement allowed. |
No formation changes, ripples, body contact, circles. All face same direction in lines moving formation as one. | Prop
required. Any type of formations. Choreography will be judged. Danced without any music. |
Any type of formations |
| Precision | Traditional Line | Show | Small | ||
| General Description | Traditional couple dance with circle figures and couple interaction. Emphasis on timing and precision. Traditional music and Traditional looking costume req’d. | Dance done in ONE formation. Traditional drag slide steps only. No Canadians or hop double steps. No identical arm movements or yells in-sync. Some buck steps allowed. Bluegrass or Country music & traditional looking costume req’d. | Themed
team dance. Costumes and music should reflect theme |
Any
team dance, 3-6 dancers, Any music, costumes |
All
team category’s Time Limit: 3 Minutes except |
| Gymnastics/Props | No Props or Gymnastics allowed | No Props or Gymnastics allowed | All lifts, stunts, props, gymnastics allowed | Small
hand held props allowed All lifts & gymnastics allowed. |
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| Formations/Interactions | Circle figures and couple interaction required. Modern steps encouraged | No formation changes, ripples, body contact, circles. All face same direction in lines moving formation as one. No arm or head movements choreographed. Emphasis on double step/drag slide steps. | Use of
stage choreography required. Emphasis on showmanship, choreography, dance ability |
Any
type of formations *Small team category ONLY OFFERED IN PRO. |
Clogging Individuals and Duets Categories Rules
| Freestyle Solo | A Cappella Solo | All-Around Solo | Traditional Duet | Exhibition Duet | |
| General Description | Dancers compete individually using own steps to provided music | Dancers compete individually using own steps with no music | Dancers compete in two-somes using own steps with no music | 2
dancers compete to their own traditional music with their own steps |
2 dances compete to their own music with their own steps |
| Category Specifics | Judges watch dancers. No props or gymnastics | Judges don’t watch dancers No props or gymnastics | Judges don’t watch dancers No props, lifts or gymnastics | No lifts, stunts, or props. Traditional looking costumes. Final lift OK | Any
Music, No Props. Lifts, Gymnastics OK |
| Time Limit | 32 counts. (40 counts Pro) | 20 seconds | 40 seconds | 90 seconds | 90
seconds |
| Show Duet | Short Duet | A Cappella Duet | Mixed Level Duet | ||
| General Description | 2
dancers compete to their own themed music with their own steps |
Couples line up like freestyle, dance for 48 cts. Go for it may be at start and end | Dancers compete in two-somes using own steps with no music | 2
dancers compete to their own music with their own steps |
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| Category Specifics | 50% clogging steps req’d. Duet should have a theme. Lifts, Props, gymnastics. OK | No lifts, stunts, gymnastics / props. Danced on stage with other duets. | Judges don’t watch dancers No props, lifts or gymnastics | Any levels may compete together. All Music, Props, Lifts, gymnastics. OK | |
| Time Limit | 90 seconds | 48 counts | 40 seconds | 90 seconds |
Penalties
Individuals who compete higher level steps in a lower level will automatically
be given a 2nd place score.
A team who breaks the team rules above will be penalized a full point on the
offending team's scores sheet at the competition.
If the competition has already concluded, we will correct the incorrect
competing team with their newly penalized score and new lower placing and all
other teams will be moved up.
In addition, a studio who knowingly breaks the rules will also lose their studio
grant.
America On Stage reserves the right to refuse service to any
individuals/studios/directors who they deem not willing to follow the rules and
competition director's policies.
It is the competition director's discretion to recommend warnings to studios at
the America On Stage event.
75% Rule - Overall Teams Awards
For teams to be considered a different team from another, 75% of the dancers
on both teams must be different. This relates only when determining Overall Teams.
A team must have 75% different members from another team to be eligible for a
second Overall award.
This relates only when choosing overall teams. Since we offer the top 5
teams overall trophies, a team must have 75% different members to be eligible
for multiple overall awards.
This also
relates only when teams are competing for the same award (Overall team, National
Champion MVP category team). *Triple Crown has it's own rules. See them
here.
As many studios now have the same dancers on many different teams, this works
towards not awarding the same dancers on two teams with just a few different
dancers multiple overall awards.
Set your teams up however you like. This relates only to overall awards.
How do I
calculate if a team is 75% different?
It's simple.
1) Get the number of SHARED dancers on the two teams (how many dancers are on
both teams). Example 5.
2) You need THREE TIMES the amount of NEW dancers to make it 75% different.
Example 3x5 = 15.
Example:
Team A has 10 dancers, of whom 5 are on both Team A and Team B
Team B has 18 dancers, of whom 5 are on both Team A and Team B
Team A needs to
have 15 NEW dancers to be different from Team B. They only have 5 NEW.
Team B needs to have 15 NEW dancers to be different from Team A They have 13 NEW
dancers.
These two teams are NOT 75% different as BOTH teams need to have 75%
different.
Thus, the HIGHEST scoring team of these two would win an overall team
trophy