Criteria

Here is an outline of what competitors are scored on for each element in CORE components and [CATEGORY] components. These are the guidelines judges will be using to mark competitors. Be aware that the guidelines are not limited to the following explanations and examples.

CORE components

Presentation

• Lines & Form

  • Does the competitor present their most flattering angles and lines? Does the competitor consider leg and ankle extensions where appropriate, arm shapes and body positioning? Does the competitor consistently have precise lines and form throughout their performance? Are these intentional and purposeful?

    • Example 1: Does the competitor accentuate their natural shape in a ‘Stripper Pole Walk’ by doing the following? :  arching their back; keeping eyeline and neckline elevated; active sway in the hips; presenting a turned out leg with engaged ankles; use the push & pull off the pole to further exaggerate body shape, relaxed or purposeful hand/arm movements.

    • Example 2: Does the competitor reach their optimal shape in a ‘Floor Jade’ by doing the following? : fully extending through the legs; a horizontal plane with the legs/an angle that suits the competitor; using active splits or ‘fake splits’ by tilting hips towards the audience to get a flat split or oversplit. 

    • Example 3: In a ‘hands on knees’ twerking position, does the competitor have the optimal form to get the best twerk they can achieve? For example: is the competitor pushing their hands into the knees? Does the competitor have their legs parted enough for their optimal mobility?  Is the competitor in their optimal squat to achieve their best twerk and their most flattering angle/shape?

      
      

• Flow & Movement Execution (double weighted)

  • Are the competitor’s movements and transitions smooth? Are movements well executed and performed safely? Is there a sense of fluidity? Are movements precise, intentional and purposeful? Is the routine ‘polished’ without any surplus movements (i.e. shuffles, rejigging positions, regrips and noticeable adjustments)? Does the competitor display control in bodywork (i.e. a demonstration of understanding and successfully executing body isolations and manipulations)?

    
    

• Stage Presence (double weighted)

  • Does the competitor engage and entertain the audience? Does the competitor send their gaze towards and involve the audience/judges? Does the competitor project their energy outwards? Does the competitor exude confidence and fill the stage with their personality? Does the competitor’s attitude shine through in their movement and facial expressions? Are these things cohesive with the tone of the performance? Does the competitor have that ‘wow factor’ or ‘star quality’? 

    ■ NOTE: Eye contact or lack of eye contact is not taken into consideration.

    
    

• Costume *ONLY judged in the live final. NOT video round*

  • Does the competitor’s outfit fit well (i.e. no accidental slippages or ill-fitting parts of the clothing)? Does the outfit suit the competitor, their style and the mood of their performance? How does the costume reflect the dancer’s aesthetic and personality? Does the costume make the competitor stand out? Is the outfit cohesive (i.e. the heels match the clothing or they compliment each other)?  Is the competitor’s costuming full and complete, with a ‘head to toe’ look, including elements like hair, make-up and nails? Does the competitor’s ‘look’ suit them and match the style of their performance? Has the competitor ensured that no clothing tags are on display? Is the outfit appropriate? Is costuming distinctive to the competitor? Are any props creative and props well utilised? Do any props add to the performance? 

    • NOTE: Heels are not compulsory. While Stripper Heels are typically a

      symbol of the culture and the work, they are not the only shoes to be worn

      by Strippers, nor does it necessarily automatically make a performance

      Stripper Style. Other footwear (such as trainers, stilettos and barefoot) are

      also welcome and are a part of Stripper culture too.

    • NOTE: Costume is not scored in the video rounds. We know how

      expensive costuming can be and we feel it is an unnecessary level of

      added pressure for videos rounds. While it is not scored, incorporating

      some kind of costume may help judges visualise your idea better and

      leave a lasting impression.

    • NOTE: With regards to ‘authentic’ costuming, we mean any kind of outfit that compliments ‘stripper style’ and matches the competitor’s style of sexy. The level of skin on show does not always dictate ‘how sexy’ a costume is, so we welcome any type of costume showing any level of skin.

Examples of costumes which scored highly in the live final 2023:

Composition

• Musicality (double weighted)

  • Does the music suit the style of the performance and the category? Has the music been used effectively? Does the competitor use the highs and lows of the music in their movement? Has the competitor considered the music’s tone and speed in their choreography? Has the competitor used any lyrics effectively? Does the competitor highlight the accents of the music and pick out specific beats or lines of music (e.g. melody, baseline, specific instrument)? Does the competitor execute the timings to the music well?

    • NOTE: Musicality has been ‘boosted’ to a doubling weighting in the SS

      Twerk category. This is because musicality is an even more

      emphasised element in this particular style.

    • Example 1: On the lyrics ‘I want to go down’, the competitor travels to the floor.

    • Example 2: Competitor uses the song ‘Angel’ by Massive Attack very effectively with attention paid to the pace, speed and musical layers. They start very slow to begin with when the music is slow and begin to speed up as the piece crescendos and accelerates. They use a haunting flow to accompany the melody. They also highlight the more prominent beats of the baseline and draw attention to some of the staccato beats in their movement.

• Choreography (x1.5 weighting)

  • Is there a clear beginning and end? Do all parts of the routine work well together? Is the piece cohesive? Has the competitor considered variation in speed, tone and mood? Has the competitor explored a range of different movements? Has the competitor executed engaging and entertaining elements of pole work, floorwork and transitions? Has the competitor considered using different choreographic devices, such as contrastive movement and movement motifs? Has the whole performance space been well utilised?

    • Example 1: The competitor successfully uses a legwork motif throughout the piece (repeating a leg movement). A theme in their movement which reappears several times in a headstand, standing up with the pole and aerially, giving the piece a cohesive thread of recurring movement with slight differences each time.