United States All-Star Federation Dance Rules and Guidelines

 

General Rules
  • All teams must be supervised during all official functions by a qualified director/coach.
  • Teams must have at least 5 members. There is no maximum limit.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Any team proven to be in violation of the age restrictions will be automatically disqualified from the event.
  • 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 unsportsmanlike conduct are grounds for disqualification as explained in these rules.
  • All teams, gyms, coaches and advisors should have an emergency response plan in the event of an injury.

Time Limit
  • Each team will have a maximum of 2 minutes and 15 seconds (2:15) 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. If a company adds the production/show category, the time limit may be increased to 5 minutes.

Tumbling
  • 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
  • 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.
  • If the lifted dancer is supported by 2 or more people, rotation below the lifting dancer’s shoulders may occur.
  • All cheer stunts and/or pyramids, or tosses are prohibited.

Costuming/Choreography
  • Suggestive, offensive, or vulgar choreography is inappropriate for family audiences and therefore lacks audience appeal. Routine choreography should be appropriate and entertaining for all audience members. Vulgar or suggestive material is defined as any movement or choreography implying something improper or indecent, appearing offensive or sexual in content, and/or relaying lewd or profane gestures or implications. Inappropriate choreography affects the judges’ overall impression of the routine. Please make sure that all choreography is age appropriate. All costuming should be appropriate for all dancers.
  • Wearable items are allowed (Examples: Hats, sunglasses, gloves and jackets). Exception: Prop division-all props are allowed.

Categories
  • Jazz: A jazz routine incorporates stylized dance movements and combinations, formation changes, group work, leaps and turns. Emphasis is placed on proper technical execution, extension, control, body placement and team uniformity.
  • Pom: Pom poms must be used 80% of the routine. Important characteristics of a pom routine include synchronization and visual effect, clean and precise motions, strong pom technique, and incorporate dance technical elements. Visual effect includes level changes, group work, formation changes, the use of different color poms, etc.
  • Hip Hop: Routines emphasize the street style movements with an emphasis on execution, style, creativity, body isolations and control, rhythm, uniformity and musical interpretation. Teams may also put an additional focus on athletic incorporations such as jumps, jump variations, combo jumps and other tricks.

Optional Additional Categories
*USASF Companies may choose, but are not required to, add the following categories:
  • Kick: Routines emphasize control, height uniformity, extension, toe points, timing and creativity of a variety of kick series. 50 kicks must be performed in the routine. For a kick to be counted, at least half of the team must perform the kick. A kick is defined as one foot remaining on the floor while the other foot lifts with force at least one inch from the floor.
  • Variety: Routines clearly emphasize Jazz, Pom, Hip Hop, and Kick styles. Each of the four styles will be scored equally and should be emphasized equally throughout the routine. At least 4 eight counts of kicks must be performed in the routine to encompass the kick portion of the score.
  • Lyrical: Routines combine the principles of jazz and ballet and emphasize the use of flexibility, balance and mood. Routines are fluid in movement and focus on emotion that compliments the musical selection.
  • Prop: Routines emphasize the use of props or a variety of props. The manipulation of the prop must be the main focal point of the routine. Each team will be given 2 minutes to set up and 2 minutes to take down their props before and after the performance if necessary.

Production: Production teams must have at least 25 members, and routines must emphasize a theme or a storyline. Routines may be any style of dance and scoring will be based on a general dance score sheet. Production routines will have a maximum of 5 minutes to complete their routine.

Age Divisions
Division
Age*
Categories
Time Limit
Tiny Dance
5 years and younger
Jazz, Pom, Hip Hop
2 minutes 15 sec.
Mini Dance
8 years and younger
Jazz, Pom, Hip Hop
2 minutes 15 sec.
Youth Dance
11 years and younger
Jazz, Pom, Hip Hop
2 minutes 15 sec.
Junior Dance
14 years and younger
Jazz, Pom, Hip Hop
2 minutes 15 sec.
Senior Dance
18 years and younger
Jazz, Pom, Hip Hop
2 minutes 15 sec.
International Dance
14 years and younger
Jazz, Pom, Hip Hop
2 minutes 15 sec.
Open Dance
18 years and younger
Jazz, Pom, Hip Hop
2 minutes 15 sec.

* The age of the competitor as of May 31 of the current year