Rules and Regulations

(Please check often for updated rules and regulations.)

Download a pdf file (99k) of the rules and regulations below.

General Rules/Regulations & Code of Conduct

Event T-shirt:

Each Competition will feature its own exclusive event T-shirt and with team names. In order for team, individual, and/or group names to be listed on the exclusive event T-shirt, you must register 21 days prior to the competition. Please note: if you register late there is no guarantee team names will be included on the exclusive event T-shirt. Pre-order sale will start soon.

Mats:

Please check upcoming competitions.

Warm-ups:

Each team will have a designated warm-up time prior to schedule performance time.

Division Info:
Please study the division and categories carefully. There will be NO program changes on the day of competition. If one team member is too old for the division selected, your team will be disqualified. If you entered in a category in error, your team will be forced to forfeit with an overall score of zero and no refund will be granted.

Division & Category Information:
Division is defined by the age of the participant.
Category is defined as the type of performance you select.

Performance Order:
Receipt of registration will determine the order of performance. The first received shall perform last. The last registration received will perform first. Adjustments may be required due to team or division conflicts.

Second Category:
Teams are permitted to compete in a second category at no additional charge.
Teams may not compete in the same category twice.

Cross Competitors:
Cross competitors are those that compete on more than one team. This is allowed by Ivory Arts Inc; however they must meet the following criteria:

• Be included on each team’s roster
• Be included in each team’s numerical count
• Submit full payment for each team with completed registration
• Submit all waivers and compliance forms for each team, marking the cross competitor box

Ivory Arts Inc Code of Conduct:

We require the following to be adhered to during the event. This will ensure a positive experience for everyone involved.

Any disorderly behavior by coaches, participants, parents or spectators will result in removal from the event.

Ivory Arts Inc reserves the right to refuse service to or disqualify any individual or team.

Questions or concerns that affect a team’s performance must be presented only by the coach of the respective team to an Ivory Arts official.

Protests of any kind will only be accepted in writing. Resolutions will not be made at the event.

The above is to be followed without question. We expect that all teams, coaches, and spectators choose to represent themselves in a positive manner. Staff members of Ivory Arts Inc have no control or input regarding the judges final scores, results or outcome of the competition. It is our hope that this will be a pleasant and memorable experience for all.

Music:
Music may be on a cassette or CD. Music must be recorded at the beginning of the tape/CD with no other music recorded. Bring an extra tape/CD in case of lost or damaged media. The music should be labeled with your teams name and phone number in case it is lost. An adult advisor must be present at the sound booth prior to your teams’ performance to cue the music. Profanity, vulgarity or suggestive lyrics are prohibited and will result in disqualification.

Minimum team members:
All teams must have a minimum of five (5) members to perform.

Changes to Divisions or Categories:
Division/level/category changes must be submitted in writing 14 days prior to the event and approved by Ivory Arts Inc. You will receive notification of receipt of the change immediately, regardless if the change was approved or not. Teams that make changes after submitting their registration will result in a change in the performance order based on the new information.

Late Fees:
Registration received after the deadline will be assessed a $10.00 per participant processing fee (providing availability and approval by Ivory Arts Inc). Call the Ivory Arts office at (800) 624-9149 for prior approval. All late fees must be submitted at the time of registering.

Performance Information:
A tentative performance schedule will be posted on this website approximately one week prior to the event. Please do not call the office for your performance time.

Payment Information:
You may pay by Team/Gym/Organization/School check, or money order. No personal checks will be accepted. Make all fees payable to: Ivory Arts Inc. Upon receipt you will receive an email confirmation. All future correspondence will be sent to the contact person’s name on the registration form.

• A $30.00 ‘returned’ check fee is charged for each dishonored check.

Cancellation Policy:
All payments are non-refundable. If a participant cancels (regardless of the reason) you cannot apply that person’s payment to another team. However, if a participant cancels from your registration and you replace that person with a new participant for your team, you can apply that payment for the new participant.

Interruption of Performance:
If the interruption is due to the fault of the equipment of Ivory Arts Inc, teams may restart from the beginning or at the point of interruption. If interruption is due to the failure of the teams’ equipment, supplies, music, or staff the team may either continue or withdraw from the competition. Ivory Arts Inc reserves the right to stop the performance due to an obvious injury. In the case that an injury results in the interruption of the teams’ performance, the team will be allowed to re-group before performing their routine again. Performance must be repeated during the time allotted for their division/category.

Inappropriate Music/Choreography:
Age appropriate choreography and music must be used. Penalties will be assessed for profanity, vulgarity and suggestive music and choreography.

Reasons for Disqualification:
Teams with illegal competitor(s) will be disqualified. Reason for disqualification include, but are not limited to, inappropriate choreography/music (at the discretion of an Ivory Arts official), over-age competitor(s) , more or less competitors than allowed on the floor, participants not listed on the official roster, and/or illegal competitor(s) listed on the official team roster.
If a team is found with unregistered competitors, the team will be disqualified. Teams registered and performing in the incorrect divisions will be disqualified. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Ivory Arts Inc reserves the right to disqualify any team.

Formal Entrances:
To ensure the flow of the program Ivory Arts Inc prohibits performing an organized or choreographed entrance prior to the start of a routine. A quick team huddle is permitted. Spirited entrances are allowed; teams should not take longer than 10 seconds to set-up.

Categories & Divisions

Show Cheer Routine Specifics: Performance using music, cheer or any combination thereof. Music must be incorporated into the performance. Music may be used for a segment, half, or the entire performance. Gymnastics skills and stunts are required. Poms, megaphones, signs, and banners are encouraged. Tear away uniforms or removal of clothing is prohibited.
Judging Criteria: Technical Skills, Building/Stunt Skills, Choreography, Routine Execution and Presentation.

Performance Cheer Mount: Cheer(s) are of your choice. Audience participation, megaphones, signs and banners are encouraged. Music or amplified sound is prohibited. Gymnastics skills and stunts are required. Tear away uniforms or removal of clothing is prohibited.
Judging Criteria: Technical Skills, Stunt Execution, Choreography, Voice Projection and Overall Presentation.

Performance Cheer Non-Mount: Cheer(s) of your choice. Audience participation, megaphones, signs and banners are encouraged. Music or amplified sound is prohibited. Gymnastics skills are required. Stunts are not allowed. Tear away uniforms or removal of clothing is prohibited.
Judging Criteria: Technical Skills, Choreography, Voice Projection and Overall Presentation.

Dance Performance: Performance must clearly consist of three dance styles, Pom, Funk Hip-Hop, and Jazz. Each team will be judged on Pom Skills: Basic cheerleading motions - emphasizing uniformity, synchronization, and strong sharp motions/arm placement as well as ground work, level changes and roll-offs for visual effect. Funk/Hip-Hop Skills: Movements comprised of funk/hip-hop street styles with tempo variation. Dance style with an emphasis on uniformity, rhythm, body isolation, creativity, and execution. Jazz Skills: Combination of dance movements with an emphasis on use of space, body placement, routine demonstration as well as artistic expression through movement with team uniformity. Technical skill (ex: pirouettes/leaps) are required, and will be credited towards the technical skills score. Routine may display a theme that is predominantly one of these styles, but must incorporate skills from all three styles. Props, poms and costuming may be used but is not mandatory.
Judging Criteria: Dance Skill Fundamentals, Routine Execution, Choreography, and Showmanship.

Jazz: Performance demonstrating jazz technique and performance skills. Execute any type of jazz dance routine. Teams are required to use a combination of dance movements with an emphasis on technique, body placement, control, style, and synchronization. The performance must also utilize floor as well as artistic expression through movement with uniformity. Props, poms and costuming may be used but is not mandatory.

Funk/Hip-Hop: Movements comprised of funk, hip-hop and street styles with tempo variations (ex: break dancing, pop and lock techniques, street style, and high energy cheer style). Dance style with an emphasis on uniformity, rhythm, body isolation, creativity and execution. This performance should focus on athletic skills such as jumps, combination jumps, tricks, trick variations and illusions. Technical skills (ex: pirouettes/leaps) will not be credited in this category. Props and costuming are encouraged but not required.
Judging Criteria: Dance Skill Fundamentals, Routine Execution, Choreography, and Showmanship.

Song/Pom: Performance may be any type of pom/song leading routine. Music is required for the duration of the routine and poms must be used for at least two-thirds of the performance. Dance style with an emphasis on technique, body placement, control, style, synchronization and use of poms. No other prop is permitted in this category.
Judging Criteria: Dance Skill Fundamentals, Routine Execution, Choreography, Showmanship and Use of Poms.

Lyrical: A dance performance that incorporates smooth, fluid, technical body movements which emphasize and interpret a musical selection.

Character: A dance performance choreographed to place special attention on a character or theme reflected in the music. Props or costumes may be used but should not be the main focus.

Open:  A dance performance that combines a variety of dance styles and techniques.

STOMP: Specifically refers to a renowned non-traditional dance troupe that uses the body and a set of physical objects to create a percussive physical theatre performance. However, the term can be taken to refer to a distinct sub-genre of physical theatre where the body is incorporated with other objects as a means of producing percussion and movement that has echoes of tribal dance. (If you're happy and you know it...)

T.U.R.F*: TURF is an acronym for Taking Up Room on the Floor. This style of dancing originated in Oakland, California. Turf dancing requires dancers to perform a skit by use of pantomime, facial expression, movement and appropriate gestures. The skit must have a beginning, middle, and an end. Usually this style of dance is complimented with Funk/Hip-Hop.
Judging Criteria: Bring It!

Duel/Battle*: Duel/Battle is a new category, which allows teams to face off for a total of 2 minutes to the same pre-selected song. Dancers will face one another, shake hands and stand ten feet apart. There will be a coin toss to see who goes first. Routines must emphasize the latest street style movements and execution, rhythm, style, creativity and control of these movements. Leaps, flips and handstands are all encouraged. Both teams will have two alternating 30 second intervals during the total time limit allotted. The audience decides the winner.
Judging Criteria: Bring It!

*While dancers are performing we encourage them to have full self-expression, however, any inappropriate gestures or suggestive dance moves towards other dancers will result in immediate disqualification.

Cheer and Dance Divisions

Please refer to the USASF All-Star Cheer Divisions

All teams will compete based on the age of the oldest member on that team.

Ivory Arts Inc. competition divisions will be split into small and large groups to ensure equal distribution of small and large teams. Small is defined as 5-20 and large is defined as 21-35.

Ivory Arts, Inc., reserves the right to change divisions to increase the excitement of the competition.

General Cheer and Dance Rules

Cheer Rules

1. All teams must be supervised during all official functions by a qualified director/coach.

2. Coaches must require proficiency before skill progression. Coaches must consider the individual, group, and team skill levels with regard to proper performance level placement.

3. All teams, gyms, coaches and directors should have an emergency response plan in the event of an injury.

4. Soft-soled shoes must be worn while competing. No dance shoes/boots, and/or gymnastics slippers (or similar) allowed.

5. Jewelry of any kind including but not limited to ear, nose, tongue, belly button and facial rings, clear plastic jewelry, bracelets, necklaces and pins on uniforms are prohibited. Jewelry must be removed and may not be taped over. (Exception: medical ID tags/bracelets, and uniform rhinestones. Rhinestones are illegal when adhered to the skin as opposed to a uniform. Temporary tattoos are also allowed.)

6. Routines shall not exceed 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Cheerleaders must have at least one foot on the performing surface when the routine starts.

7. Any height increasing apparatus used to propel a competitor is prohibited. (Exception: spring floor)

8. Flags, banners, signs, pom pons, and megaphones are the only props allowed. Props with poles or similar support apparatus may not be used in conjunction with any kind of stunt or tumbling. All props must be safely discarded out of harms way (e.g. throwing a hard sign across the mat from a stunt would be illegal). Any uniform piece purposefully removed from the body and used for visual effect will be considered a prop.

9. Casts that are hard and unyielding or have rough edges must be appropriately covered with a padded material.

10. On the level grid, all skills allowed for a particular level encompass all skills allowed in the preceding level.

11. Required spotters for all levels must be your own team’s members.

Dance Rules
1. All teams must be supervised during all official functions by a qualified director/coach.

2. Teams must have at least 5 members. There is no maximum limit.

3. Participants may compete in more than one dance division as long as they abide by the age restrictions in all divisions in which they compete.

4. Substitutions may be made in the event of any injury or other serious circumstance. Substitutes must also abide by the age restrictions in all divisions.

5. Any team proven to be in violation of the age restrictions will be automatically disqualified from the event.

6. All participants agree to conduct themselves in a manner displaying good sportsmanship throughout the event. The advisor and/or captain of each team is responsible for seeing that team members, coaches, parents, and any other person affiliated with the team conduct themselves accordingly. Severe demonstrations of un sportsmanlike conduct are grounds for disqualification as explained in these rules.

7. All teams, gyms, coaches and advisors should have an emergency response plan in the event of an injury.

TIME LIMIT
1. Each team will have a maximum of 2 minutes and 30 seconds to demonstrate their style and expertise. Timing will begin with the first note of the music. Timing will end with the last note of the music or the last movement, whichever comes first. Teams will be penalized for exceeding time limit.

TUMBLING
1. Only forward rolls, back rolls, and shoulder rolls are allowed. Individual back bends and handstands are permitted so long as they do not involve hip over head rotation (exception: Hip Hop stalls are allowed).  No back handsprings, back tucks or aerials allowed.

DANCE LIFTS
1. Dance lifts are permitted and are defined as an action in which a dancer is elevated from the performance surface and set down. The lifting dancer must maintain direct contact with the performance surface at all times. The lifting dancer must maintain ultimate control over the momentum, positioning, changes in position and return to the performance surface of the lifted dancer through hand/arm to body contact.

2. If the lifted dancer is supported by 2 or more people, rotation below the lifting dancer’s shoulders may occur.

3. All cheer stunts and/or pyramids, or tosses are prohibited.
 
Costumes
1. Wearable items are allowed (Examples: Hats, sunglasses, gloves and jackets). Exception: Prop division-all props are allowed.