The LucyPole Cup 2020 

Competitor Information 

    •    Open to all UK residents.
    •    Competitors must send their YouTube link and pay their entry fee before 1700 on Thursday 30th April 2020. 
    •    When uploading your video entry, ensure to title it with your FULL NAME, the CATEGORY you are entering, and the COMPETITION name. (Example: Lucy Cropper, Professional, LucyPole Cup 2020). This must also be included on a title screen at the start of your video. Alternatively, please hold up a flashcard with the details.
    •    Videos must be recorded from one camera position and must not be edited in any way.
    •    Videos must be ‘unlisted’ NOT ‘private’. Private videos will not be judged.
    •    Judges will not watch your routine after the maximum time limit for the category, therefore no scores will be awarded beyond that point.
    •    Videos will not be accepted after the closing date and time.
    •    The entry fee is £20.00. This is payable via PayPal (using Goods and Services ONLY please) to [email protected]. This fee is non-refundable under any circumstances.
    •    Please include your Paypal transaction ID reference in your online application form. 
    •    Your YouTube link must be submitted ONLY via the online application form.  Please test the link to ensure that it works BEFORE you submit. 
    •    The committee and judges reserve the right to move you to a different category if they feel you have entered the incorrect one. If you disagree with the category you have been allocated to, please contact us immediately and the decision will be reviewed by our Committee.   The Committee decision will then be final. 
    •    If you are entering an Aerial category AND a Classique category, you will need to make two separate online applications with two separate entry fees. 
    •    The top 3 highest scorers will be invited to compete in the finals. The 4th and 5th highest will be notified and held on the reserve list in the event that one or more of the finalists withdraw from the competition. Train as if you are getting through to Finals! 
    •    The finals will be held on Saturday 22nd August 2020 at the Chipping Norton Theatre, Oxfordshire on a rig with fixed poles (distances and heights to be confirmed).


OVERALL JUDGING CRITERIA 

For the purposes of the LucyPole Cup, the term ‘Aerial’ refers to the first section of the event (standard pole).  The term ‘Classique’ refers to the second, over 18s section of the event (exotic pole).  

The Classique categories will be using our brand new scoring system.  

Please check the individual categories to see how points are divided among the criteria.

Points will be deducted for costume malfunctions and for the inclusion of restricted moves for your category.


AERIAL JUDGING CRITERIA 

• Costume and theme (FINALS only!)
  • Does your theme fit your music? 
  • Have you created your costume and make up in line with the theme and concept? 
  • Is the concept easy for the Judges and audience to understand? 
• Transitions and fluidity 
  • How do you connect your movements, tricks and spins?
  • Have you included dance movement (not just tricks)?
  • Are you using musicality effectively?  Are you using the high and low points of the music with appropriate movement/tricks/moments?
  • Are you using the floor, poles and the space around the poles? 
  • Are you moving confidently and smoothly between these different areas? 
• Spins and tricks
  • Do you combine your spins and tricks in an interesting way?
  • Have you thought of new and innovative ways to vary the spins/tricks?
• Technical difficulty (according to your category)
  • How well do you execute and hold your moves?
  • Do you move in and out of them cleanly and with confidence? 
• Overall performance
  • Does your routine ‘work’ as a whole? 
  • Do you engage the audience? 
  • Is your routine memorable?

Aerial Categories

Beginner:
You must not have poled for more than two years and cannot have been paid as an instructor, assistant or performer. Heels are optional in this category.

• Song length 2:30-3:00
• Invert to basic crucifix, cross knee release and headstands are permitted. No other ‘hips above head’ moves are permitted on the pole.
• Pole sits and basic sit variations are permitted.
• No static holds where both feet are off the floor (e.g. Embrace).
• No handstands or handstand dismounts.

Beginner category scoring: 

• Costume and theme MAX 25 points (FINALS only)
• Transition and fluidity MAX 15 points 
• Spins and flow MAX 15 points
• Tricks MAX 5 points
• Technical difficulty MAX 10 points
• Overall performance MAX 30 points

Intermediate:
You must not have been paid as an instructor, assistant or a performer. Heels are optional in this category.

• Song Length 3:15-3:45
• No hands only tricks (e.g. Ayesha, handspring, straight edge or iron X)
• No aerial shoulder mounts. (basic should mount to crucifix or basic shoulder dismount is permitted)
• No extreme flexibility moves on the pole (e.g. spatchcock, cocoon, Russian split)
• No ‘let go, re-catch’ drops (e.g. sad girl drop, nose dive)

Intermediate category scoring:

• Costume and theme MAX 20 points
• Transition and fluidity MAX 15 points
• Spins and flow MAX 15 points
• Tricks MAX 5 points 
• Technical difficulty MAX 10 points
• Overall performance MAX 30 points

Advanced:
You must not have been paid as an instructor, assistant or performer. Heels are optional in this category.

• Song length 3:30-4:30
• No restricted moves

Advance category scoring:

• Costume and theme MAX 15 points
• Transition and fluidity MAX 20 points
• Spins and flow MAX 20 points
• Tricks MAX 10 points 
• Technical difficulty MAX 10 points
• Overall performance MAX 25 points

Instructor:
Open to teaching assistants and instructors. Must not have competed at an advanced or professional level or have been paid as a performer.

• Song length 3:30- 4:30
• No extreme strength moves (full flag, Iron X, aerial deadlift to Ayesha etc)
• No extreme flexibility moves on the pole (spatchcock, cocoon, machine gun etc)
• Flexibility in floor moves is permitted.

Instructor Category Scoring:

• Costume and theme MAX 15 points
• Transition and fluidity MAX 25 points
• Spins and flow MAX 15 points
• Tricks MAX 10 points 
• Technical difficulty MAX 10 points
• Overall performance MAX 25 points

Professional:
Open to anyone who has been paid as an instructor, assistant or performer. Heels are optional in this category.

• Song length 4:00-6:00 
• No restricted moves

Professional category scoring:  

• Costume and theme MAX 15 points
• Transition and fluidity MAX 25 points
• Spins and flow MAX 15 points
• Tricks MAX 15 points 
• Technical difficulty MAX 10 points
• Overall performance MAX 20 points

Classique Categories 

General Information

***At the finals, the Classique category will be held after the awards have been presented for the previous categories. Spectators for the Classique category will be strictly OVER 18 to allow the entrant more freedom in their costume, theme, movement and music choice***

Open to all entrants over the age of 18. Heels are not essential. However, if you choose not to wear heels, you must make sure your performance still embodies the qualities of Classique style and exotic dance.

• At least one item of clothing must be removed.
• No nudity. Minimum of pasties and thong to be worn once clothing item is removed.

New Classique scoring system - a brief explanation 

The Team at LucyPole Cup have always felt strongly about scoring and judging at competitions, and about being as transparent as we possibly can with the information you are given in order to prepare your routines for us.   We’ve often been disappointed at not having enough opportunities to be scored for wow factor over tricks, sex appeal over combos, and audience engagement over flexibility. So, this year we’ve tried to adjust our scoring for the Classique categories and see how it works. The entire ethos of this section of the LucyPole Cup will be dedicated to HOW you do, not WHAT you do.  We want you to lay yourselves bare for us, pour out your sexy soul on our stage, and not worry yourself with how many tricks, drops or splits you need to include to ‘score highly’. Therefore, it made sense to find a way to let you compete against people who have the same kind of performance experience you have, as opposed to how many years you’ve done pole. 

*    Competitors will be divided initially into two groups - PERFORMER and NON-PERFORMER. 
*    You will then be divided into three tiers - Tier 1 (amateur) up to Tier 3 (experienced). 
*    All Classique applicants will need to complete an online questionnaire to allow us to allocate you to the Tier that is most appropriate for you, based on your experience and that of the other applying competitors. That way, regardless of who you are and where you are on your performance journey,  you will be grouped with people who have similar experience.  The online form can be found here:         https://forms.gle/UKqcNPgio7Ukq44w6


Some advice on putting your routine together

We would recommend that you consider the 4 E’s when putting together and rehearsing each aspect of your routine.  

Entry ~     Is your entry to the movement clean, smooth, unique?
Execution ~ Is the movement clean, smooth, interesting, and done confidently?
Embellishment ~ Have you added your own twists?  Have you made it your own? Are you dancing H2T?  (head to toe) 
Exit ~ Is your exit from the movement clean, smooth, fluid and confident?

Tier 1 - Performer and Non-Performer 

• Song Length 2.30 - 3.30 mins
• No restrictions

Tier 2 - Performer and Non-Performer 

• Song Length 3.30 - 5 mins
• No restrictions

Tier 3 - Performer and Non-Performer 

• Song length 6 mins max 
• No restrictions 

CLASSIQUE JUDGING CRITERIA 

• 4 x Es (mostly applicable to the actual moves used in routine)
  • Have you tried to apply these Es throughout your performance? 
  • Have you fully understood the ethos behind the 4 x Es and used this to the benefit of your performance? 
• Stamina and Pace
  • Are you physically fit enough to complete the routine with the content that you have chosen? 
  • Have you paced the routine well so that you have enough stamina to finish as you began? 
• Musicality
  • Is your theme/concept appropriate for the music you have chosen?  
  • Are you identifying and hitting musical and lyrical cues?  
  • Are you utilising the high and low points of the music by choosing the right types of movement? 
• Expression and engagement     
  • Are you giving ‘good face’? 
  • Are you looking at the Judges and audience? 
  • Are you ‘performing’ your routine as opposed to just linking lots of movements together? 
  • Are you ENJOYING yourself?  
  • More importantly, are you LOVING yourself? 
• Balance of routine 
  • Is the routine balanced in terms of types of movement? 
  • Are you under or over-using flexibility tricks or balances? 
  • Have you included appropriate types of movement, spaced appropriately throughout the routine?
• Originality/creativity
  • This applies to your movement just as much as it does your outfit and theme.  
  • Have you tried to be creative with the much-loved stripper-style/exotic movements that we all love? 
  • Are you adding your own twists?  
  • Are you showing us things in a way that we may not have seen, or that works particularly well with your body and style of movement? 
• Theme/concept/props/costume/HAMU    
  • Have you been thoughtful and as original as possible with your theme and concept (and therefore your costume and HAMU).  
  • Have you bought a generic stage outfit or has your outfit grown from your concept (or vice versa?).
  • What makes your theme/concept etc. different from historic performances?  
  • Are you using an original prop, or using an old prop in an original way? 
• Overall presentation/memorability
  • How did your routine make the Judges feel?  
  • Will we be talking about your performance after the Competition has ended?

 

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