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Dancers & choreographers | Data USA
Dancers & choreographers
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Dancers & choreographers are most often employed by the Performing arts companies industry. The average yearly wage for Dancers & choreographers was $32,147 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Dancers & choreographers by wage are Tree trimmers and pruners, Baggage porters, bellhops, & concierges, and Retail salespersons.
Dancers & choreographers are part of the Arts, design, entertainment, sports, & media occupations, along with Artists & related workers, Commercial and industrial designers, Fashion designers, Floral designers, Graphic designers, and 25 more.
The top 3 locations that employ the most Dancers & choreographers are LA City (Northeast/North Hollywood & Valley Village) PUMA, CA, Henderson City (West) PUMA, NV, and Washington Heights, Inwood & Marble Hill PUMA, NY. The top 3 locations with a relatively high concentration of Dancers & choreographers are LA City (Northeast/North Hollywood & Valley Village) PUMA, CA, Henderson City (West) PUMA, NV, and Washington Heights, Inwood & Marble Hill PUMA, NY.
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Dancers & choreographers and on wages and locations for those in the field. Performing arts companies is the industry that employs the most Dancers & choreographers, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Dancers & choreographers, by average wage, is Spectator sports. Dancers & choreographers are paid most in Inner Mission & Castro PUMA, CA but are relatively concentrated in LA City (Northeast/North Hollywood & Valley Village) PUMA, CA.
Yearly Wage
In 2020, Dancers & choreographers earned an average of $32,147, $23,807 less than than the average national salary of $55,954.
Tree trimmers and pruners make somewhat more than Dancers & choreographers while Baggage porters, bellhops, & concierges make somewhat less.
This chart shows the various occupations closest to Dancers & choreographers as measured by average annual salary in the US.
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Wage Distribution
In 2015, Dancers & choreographers had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.475, which is lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Dancers & choreographers (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).
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Wage by Location
This map shows the Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States shaded by average annual wage for Dancers & choreographers.
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Spatial Concentration
This map displays which Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States have a relatively high population of Dancers & choreographers.
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Most Common
The most common industries employing Dancers & choreographers, by number of employees, are Performing arts companies, Independent artists, writers, and performers, Amusement & Recreation, Drinking places, alcoholic beverages , Other schools & instruction and educational support services, Promoters of performing arts, sports, and similar events, agents and managers for artists, athletes, entertainers, and other public figures, Spectator sports, Water transportation, Motion pictures & video industries, Elementary & secondary schools, and Traveler accommodation.
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Highest Paying
The highest paying industries for Dancers & choreographers, by average wage, are Spectator sports, Motion pictures & video industries, and Water transportation.
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Industries by Share
The number of people employed as Dancers & choreographers has been declining at a rate of −7.12%, from 17,297 people in 2019 to 16,065 people in 2020.
This graphic shows the share of Dancers & choreographers employed by various industries. Performing arts companies employs the largest share of Dancers & choreographers at 22.4%, followed by Independent artists, writers, and performers with 20.4% and Amusement & Recreation with 13.5%.
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Demographic information on Dancers & choreographers in the US.
The average age of male Dancers & choreographers in the workforce is 31.7 and of female Dancers & choreographers is 28.4, and the most common race/ethnicity for Dancers & choreographers is White (Non-Hispanic).
Composition by Sex
76.6% of Dancers & choreographers are Female, making them the more common sex in the occupation. This chart shows the sex breakdown of Dancers & choreographers.
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Race & Ethnicity
56.3% of Dancers & choreographers are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 15.5% of Dancers & choreographers, Black (Non-Hispanic) is the second most common race or ethnicity in this occupation. This chart shows the racial and ethnic breakdown of Dancers & choreographers.
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Age by Sex
The median age of Dancers & choreographers is 29.
2, and Male employees are generally 3.27 years older than than their Female counterparts.
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Data on higher education choices for Dancers & choreographers from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Dancers & choreographers is Visual & Performing Arts but a relatively high number of Dancers & choreographers hold a major in Visual & Performing Arts.
Majors
ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degrees. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree obtained.
Bachelors DegreeMasters Degree
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Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for Dancers & choreographers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Dancers & choreographers need many skills, but most especially Instructing, Speaking, and Active Listening. The revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that Dancers & choreographers need more than the average amount of Coordination, Service Orientation, and Social Perceptiveness.
Radar Distribution
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021
Perform dances. May perform on stage, for broadcasting, or for video recording.
National estimates for Dancers
Industry profile for Dancers
Geographic profile for Dancers
National estimates for Dancers:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Dancers:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,850 | 11. 1 % |
$ 24.49 | (4) | 5.4 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Dancers:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $ 10.03 | $ 14.00 | $ 18.78 | $ 29.29 | $ 47.62 |
(4)
Industry profile for Dancers:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Dancers are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in Dancers, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Dancers:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performing Arts Companies | 1,550 | 2.24 | $ 26.57 | (4) |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) | 550 | 0. 18 |
$ 13.78 | (4) |
| Spectator Sports | 480 | 0.42 | $ 18.25 | (4) |
| Other Schools and Instruction | 430 | 0.11 | $ 29.41 | (4) |
| Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers | 230 | 0.50 | $ 26.88 | (4) |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Dancers:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performing Arts Companies | 1,550 | 2. 24 |
$ 26.57 | (4) |
| Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers | 230 | 0.50 | $ 26.88 | (4) |
| Spectator Sports | 480 | 0.42 | $ 18.25 | (4) |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) | 550 | 0.18 | $ 13.78 | (4) |
| Other Schools and Instruction | 430 | 0. 11 |
$ 29.41 | (4) |
Top paying industries for Dancers:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Schools and Instruction | 430 | 0.11 | $ 29.41 | (4) |
| Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers | 230 | 0. 50 |
$ 26.88 | (4) |
| Performing Arts Companies | 1,550 | 2.24 | $ 26.57 | (4) |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 40 | (7) | $ 25.67 | (4) |
| Spectator Sports | 480 | 0.42 | $ 18.25 | (4) |
Geographic profile for Dancers:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Dancers are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in Dancers, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Dancers:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 1,020 | 0.12 | 4.31 | $ 30.96 | (4) |
| California | 700 | 0. 04 |
1.56 | $ 22.59 | (4) |
| Florida | 170 | 0.02 | 0.72 | (8) | (8) |
| District of Columbia | 160 | 0.24 | 8.94 | $ 30.14 | (4) |
| Indiana | 150 | 0. 05 |
1.84 | $ 25.52 | (4) |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Dancers:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 160 | 0.24 | 8.94 | $ 30.14 | (4) |
| New York | 1,020 | 0. 12 |
4.31 | $ 30.96 | (4) |
| South Carolina | 130 | 0.07 | 2.39 | $ 16.94 | (4) |
| Indiana | 150 | 0.05 | 1.84 | $ 25.52 | (4) |
| Utah | 70 | 0. 05 |
1.76 | $ 13.18 | (4) |
Top paying states for Dancers:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 1,020 | 0.12 | 4.31 | $ 30.96 | (4) |
| District of Columbia | 160 | 0. 24 |
8.94 | $ 30.14 | (4) |
| Alabama | (8) | (8) | (8) | $ 29.92 | (4) |
| Indiana | 150 | 0.05 | 1.84 | $ 25.52 | (4) |
| California | 700 | 0.04 | 1. 56 |
$ 22.59 | (4) |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Dancers:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 830 | 0.10 | 3.50 | $ 33.93 | (4) |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 270 | 0. 05 |
1.72 | $ 18.97 | (4) |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | 200 | 0.09 | 3.23 | $ 32.43 | (4) |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 170 | 0.06 | 2.09 | $ 29.79 | (4) |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN | 110 | 0. 11 |
4.14 | $ 27.89 | (4) |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | 110 | 0.07 | 2.70 | $ 18.17 | (4) |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 70 | 0.03 | 1.06 | (8) | (8) |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC | 60 | 0. 78 |
28.52 | $ 13.28 | (4) |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 40 | 0.10 | 3.71 | $ 16.88 | (4) |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 40 | 0.05 | 1.96 | $ 13.59 | (4) |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Dancers:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC | 60 | 0. 78 |
28.52 | $ 13.28 | (4) |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN | 110 | 0.11 | 4.14 | $ 27.89 | (4) |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 40 | 0.10 | 3.71 | $ 16.88 | (4) |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 830 | 0. 10 |
3.50 | $ 33.93 | (4) |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | 200 | 0.09 | 3.23 | $ 32.43 | (4) |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | 110 | 0.07 | 2.70 | $ 18.17 | (4) |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 170 | 0. 06 |
2.09 | $ 29.79 | (4) |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 40 | 0.05 | 1.96 | $ 13.59 | (4) |
| Richmond, VA | 30 | 0.05 | 1.92 | $ 18.87 | (4) |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 270 | 0. 05 |
1.72 | $ 18.97 | (4) |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Dancers:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 830 | 0.10 | 3.50 | $ 33.93 | (4) |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | 200 | 0. 09 |
3.23 | $ 32.43 | (4) |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 170 | 0.06 | 2.09 | $ 29.79 | (4) |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN | 110 | 0.11 | 4.14 | $ 27.89 | (4) |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 270 | 0. 05 |
1.72 | $ 18.97 | (4) |
| Richmond, VA | 30 | 0.05 | 1.92 | $ 18.87 | (4) |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | 110 | 0.07 | 2.70 | $ 18.17 | (4) |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 40 | 0. 10 |
3.71 | $ 16.88 | (4) |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 40 | 0.05 | 1.96 | $ 13.59 | (4) |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC | 60 | 0.78 | 28.52 | $ 13.28 | (4) |
About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia.
The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(4) Wages for some occupations that do not generally work year-round, full time, are reported either as hourly wages or annual salaries depending on how they are typically paid.
(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OEWS estimates and related information:
May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Occupation Profiles
Technical Notes
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022
What scientists know about dance
On April 29, people around the world celebrate International Dance Day.
About what type of dance is best for retirees, why flamenco will not help much with weight loss, and whether dancers need painkillers, says the science department of Gazeta.Ru.
Many people see dancing as more than just a hobby or a professional sport. Often we start dancing to get in good physical shape, without resorting to visiting a sports club and exhausting walking on a treadmill. Numerous scientific studies show that dancing really has a positive effect on the physical and psychological state of a person.
First of all, dancing has an extremely positive impact on health, regardless of gender and age. Physiologists from the University of Illinois at Chicago conducted experiment , during which 54 elderly participants practiced Latin American dances twice a week for four months.
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Prior to testing, scientists measured the time it took subjects to walk a 400-meter distance.
Before the experiment, the participants were not very physically active, and as part of the dance program, they had to attend classes in salsa, cha-cha-cha, bachata and merengue.
The study found that the participants took 10% less time to walk the 400-meter walk than before the experiment, and their overall physical activity increased, which reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
In the future, the researchers want to check, using MRI, how positively dancing has an effect on human brain activity.
A similar study, published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, was carried out by scientists from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. It turned out that Greek dance (for example, sirtaki) helps older people with heart failure become more physically resilient. Zacharia Vordos, one of the authors of the paper, suggested that such "dance therapy" could attract more patients than traditional treatment programs.
Scientists also claim that partner dancing can have an effect on a person similar to that of an anesthetic. In the journal Biology Letters , a study was published in which biologists measured the amount of endorphins formed in the blood of people after dancing. They found out,
the more difficult the dance movements were and the more synchronization of actions the dance required, the more “hormones of joy” were in the blood of the participants.
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Researchers attribute this to the fact that in addition to the pleasure of a correctly performed dance element, people feel a social connection, which, in turn, also affects the concentration of endorphins.
It is obvious that dance is different and many people who are eager to practice this sport are faced with the choice of their style.
American scientists agreed on that hip-hop is the healthiest dance. The fact is that dance classes do not always involve active physical activity. Using accelerometers (portable electronic counters of the number of movements), scientists measured the physical activity of 264 girls aged 5 to 11 years old, involved in 66 different dance classes. A study published in the journal Pediatrics found that children spend an average of 17 minutes of active exercise and spend the rest of the activity, which usually lasts about an hour, listening to music and doing quiet exercises or stretching.
Flamenco turned out to be the most “inactive” of the seven types of dances studied: the children involved in it moved only 14% of the time. In hip-hop classes, the children devoted about 57% of the time to increased physical activity.
Today there are a huge variety of dance styles, some of which are known to relatively small groups of people. For example, in South Korea there is a musical genre called K-pop, which has absorbed elements of Western electropop, hip-hop, dance music and modern rhythm and blues.
Thanks to the Internet, Korean pop culture has spread to parts of Southeast Asia, and an entire dance genre, K-pop, has been born. Korean engineers from Pohang University of Science and Technology developed the virtual K-pop dance teacher, which allows you to track the movements of the 15 joints of the human body, making it easier to learn dance at home.
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Deijin Kim and colleagues presented the development at the IEEE International Conference on Image Processing (ICIP) in 2015. To create the "trainer", the team took 100 K-pop moves performed by a professional dancer and recorded the changes in the position of his joints. Then, using 3D tracking technology, they checked how similar the movements of an aspiring dancer and a professional choreographer are.
Another type of dance, previously unknown to almost anyone, but which has made a lot of noise over the past few years, is twerk.
By the way, the word itself is not something new - linguists found in the 1820 edition of the Oxford Dictionary the word twirk , denoting twitching movements. The verbal form of the word was found in the dictionary of 1848, and in the current form ( twerk ) the word appeared in 1901.
The dance itself is an active movement of the hips, buttocks, abdomen and arms, and the word "twerking", denoting a dance direction, appeared in the dictionary in 2013.
Fiona MacPherson, Senior Editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, commented: “We were convinced that the word twerk came from twist and jerk . However, the presence of earlier origins in the name of the dance surprised us.”
Even more surprising is the fact that the concept of "twerking" occurs in nature. Arachnologists at Simon Fraser University in Canada have discovered that male black widow spiders, one of the most dangerous spiders on the planet to humans, oscillate their abdomens to prevent the female from eating them.
Such movements cause the vibration of the female's web. “Spiders take a few steps, then shake their belly. Then they take a few steps again and repeat their movements, ”explained Samantha Wiebert, study author, published by in Frontiers in Zoology. The nature of the oscillations in this case differs significantly from the convulsive movements of the victim.
Street Dancing: How a Dance Battle Works
Competition Guidelines
Most of the competitions are held in the knockout battle format. Some of them involve only two dancers competing against each other in one-on-one battles, and there is also the concept of entire teams competing against each other. Each team can consist of two dancers to eight, ten, and sometimes more.
In team battles, any number of people can participate in a routine (prepared combination) - from two to the whole team, the dance is performed during the round. Opponents are not required to respond with a routine, each team independently decides what they do during their round, if certain rules are not stipulated within the competition.
O'trip House doing routine
© Little Shao/Red Bull Content Pool
Dancers or teams take turns dancing in the middle of the dance floor. Each dancer or team dances a certain number of rounds of
The dancers take turns moving to the middle of the stage, dancing throughout their round. The chosen panel of judges then decides who they think won the battle by personally voting for the winner or holding up the card with the winner's name.
The winner of the battle advances to the next round, and the loser is eliminated from the competition.
This continues until there are two dancers or two teams left. After that, the final battle takes place and the absolute winner of the competition is selected.
Menno wins Red Bull BC One 2017
© Little Shao/Red Bull Content Pool
How many people can compete?
The average number of dancers selected to compete is usually 16 solo dancers or 8 to 16 teams competing in a single style or mixed style battle.
But in the main battle, from 4 to 32 dancers or teams can participate.
In order to participate in the main battle, dancers must first pass the qualifying stage, where judges will select participants with the necessary qualifications. From 30 to 500 dancers can take part in the qualifying stage. There are five ways to enter the competition.
-
Showcase round: dancers take turns performing in front of the judges. The judges evaluate each participant, then choose the best dancers with the highest scores. They are allowed to compete.
-
Showcase battle: in this case, dancers or teams compete with each other in an exhibition battle format, usually consisting of only one round, and in the case of team battles, a time limit may also be introduced. There is no one winner in the battle: the judges evaluate the performance of the participants in the battle and choose the dancers or teams with the most points. They will be allowed to participate in the main competition.
-
Qualifying cipher: The cipher format involves the dancers gathering in a circle and then taking turns moving to the middle and dancing. Usually the duration of the music program put on by the DJ is from 30 minutes to an hour and a half. The dancers are usually given a sticker with a number, and then they stand in circles and just dance for as long as they want. The judges move from circle to circle, observing and judging, as well as recording the numbers of those dancers who made the most impression on them. After the performance time is up, the judges get together and analyze which participants' numbers were recorded and marked by all the judges. It is these dancers who will be allowed to participate in the main competition.
-
Winner of the previous qualifying battle: in this case, the dancer is allowed to participate in the competition based on winning the other tournament.
-
By Invitation: The fifth and final way to compete is simply by getting an invitation.
If a dancer is known and has a good reputation due to his performances and victories in various competitions at the local or international level, then the organizer of the event can directly invite him to take part in the battles.
Russian cipher Red Bull BC One
© Dmitriy Tibekin / Red Bull Content Pool
Who are judges and what do they do?
As a rule, judges are well-known and respected dancers who enter the judging panel based on their years of experience, numerous victories in various competitions or due to their global contribution to the dance field.
Competitions always have an odd number of judges to avoid situations with a tie. As a rule, the judging staff includes three or five people.
Each judge only votes for one contestant in each battle and the winner is the dancer with the most votes.
The Judges Point to the Winner
© Gianfranco Tripodo/Red Bull Content Pool
Votes sometimes result in a tie, and this is preceded by one of two scenarios.
-
The judges may vote for a draw if they believe that the level of the dancers participating in the battle is equal. The battle can end in a draw if all the judges vote for this result.
-
There may be a situation in which one judge votes for a draw, and the votes of the other judges are divided equally.
In this case, the competing dancers or teams will have to play another round for the judges to vote again. If this additional round also results in a tie, the dancers play another round and continue to do so until the judges reach a decision that will determine the winner.
But if all but one of the judges voted for a draw, then the winner is the dancer who receives the casting vote of the judge who did not vote for the draw.
What criteria do the judges evaluate when determining the winner?
As a general rule, judges base themselves on a general list of eight criteria that they pay attention to when judging.
These criteria are given in no particular order:
Musicality
How well the dancer feels the music and uses it to express himself in the dance.
Mastery of the base
Demonstration of excellent mastery of the basics of top rock and footwork, descents, transitions, freezes and power moves.
Individuality
How well the dancers express their individuality in dance is judged.
The complexity of the elements
The level of dynamism of the movements that the dancer demonstrates.
Uniqueness and individuality of style are judged.
Execution
Technical and clean execution of elements without errors.
Round composition
The performance in the round must have a beginning, middle and end, which are connected by smooth and logical transitions.
Originality
Original variations of familiar movements, execution of completely new and unusual elements, as well as demonstration of a technique that the judges have not seen before.
When a battle is a one-on-one elimination competition, the judges take into account all the criteria, with each judge deciding for himself which points are more important. If the battle has a different concept or format, judges may pay more attention to some criteria than others, and accordingly, the general approach of the judge to assessing performance in competitions may change.
Below are four different competition formats and a list of criteria that judges primarily look at in a particular type of competition:
-
Qualifying/showcase/preliminary rounds. Judges can choose a limited number of dancers. They strictly evaluate the performances, so in this case the criterion "performance" becomes the key. Any inaccuracies and errors in the performance of movements become a reason for giving a low score and simplify the task for the judge, narrowing the circle of applicants. The criteria "individuality" and "complexity of movement" are also of great importance.
-
Cypher king/queen competition. The judges pay great attention to criteria such as "style", "personality" and "musicality". In this format, breakers form a circle, then take turns starting to perform in the middle of it. As a rule, dancers are given a sticker with a number. The judges observe the participants and write down the numbers of the participants who made the greatest impression on them. (Sometimes the judge remains incognito, and it can be any member of the cipher). At the end of the time, the judges gather and decide who made the greatest impression on them - this person will be given the title of king / queen of the cipher.
-
Team battles. The uniqueness of the team battle lies in the fact that different criteria are evaluated in different rounds, and based on this information, you can send the strongest team members to participate in certain rounds. This means that the team can strategize and send the strongest dancers to participate in the respective rounds.
Final
Watch as crews showcase their skills at the 30th anniversary of Battle of the Year in Montpellier, France.
Exception: audience-selected battles
On some projects, such as Red Bull Dance Your Style, the performances are judged by the audience, who may not understand all the subtleties, but simply dance lovers who came to enjoy the bright performances. The audience, evaluating the performances of dancers, as a rule, pays more attention to such criteria as the complexity of the elements and individuality. Viewers are more likely to vote for a dancer whose performance was able to inspire them and included high-level technical elements. The criterion of musicality is also important, but it must be at a very high level so that the audience can understand and appreciate it. Usually the audience does not pay much attention to the criteria of performance, possession of the base or composition of the round.
