New Parents 101: Scoresheet Basics Part 2

Now that you've gotten a chance to look at the basics of how the scoresheet is put together, there is a lot that goes into the administration and "tabbing" of that sheet to get a winner.  Lets take a look at more about the scoresheets:

Rank Points:

The points you read about on this site and that ultimately determine the winners are called “rank points”.  This is determined in the tab room, and not by the judges in the stands.  This allows each judge to have an equal voice in determining the winner, rather than the judge who scores very high or very low influencing the outcome overly much.  Here’s how it works:

• Say there were 4 teams in a meet.  Judge # 1 gives them 75, 34, 66, and 87 points respectively.  The tab room would assign a “rank” to the highest scoring team first (87 points), giving them a “first place” or “1” rank.  Then go down the list and assign the 2^nd place (75 points), 3^rd place (66 points), and 4^th place (34 points) team from that one judge’s scores.  Each individual judge has this done to all of his/her scores turned in at the end of the meet. 
• Then we change from looking at the judge’s scores to looking at all the scores and ranks earned by a single team.  Typically, larger meets drop one “low” (good) rank, and two “high” (bad) ranks.  This makes sure one bad opinion (or one overly good opinion) doesn’t skew the result.  The ranks remaining for your team are added together to get a “total rank”.  Team with the lowest total rank wins! 
•  In the event of a tied rank score, ranks and dropped scores are added back in based on a detailed system of tiebreakers.  At state, ties are not allowed to stand (anymore), but some meets may allow it.  
•  It is possible to have earned 87 points for a first place rank and then another judge from the same meet says you got 90 points, but that was only good enough for second place.  Ranks ultimately determine the winner.  It is also possible (not unusual even) to see a team with a higher total score take a lower overall placement because of ranking. 
• Total scores can also be used for smaller meets to determine the winner. 

Who are those people doing all this?  

•  Each meet has a “superior judge” who is in charge of other judges and any issues that come up.  You may or may not be able to pick out who that person is in the judges area.  Their scores are listed first on the recap sheet at the end of the meet, but they don’t have a greater say than the rest of the panel.  The superior also signs off on the results. 
• The other judges are working independently up in the stands.  They do not view other scoresheets or discuss what to score someone.  Anytime you see talking, it is about a procedural item, a rule violation that may have occurred, or a problem. 
• There are also some stopwatch and clicker holding personnel who are kick counters and timers.  They fill out a quick ½ sheet with the total time of the dance and any kicks performed by the entire team are counted towards the required minimum and maximum.  These people do not also judge the dance.  Other judges do not see the time or kicks written on these sheets, they are to fulfill a requirement only. 
•  Runners come in and out to move sheets from the stands to the tab room so work can begin on transcribing the scores into the computer or on to the master recap sheets.  
•  Down in front there are a sound technician and announcer running the technical aspects of the meet at the main table known as the “sound table”.  An empty table on the opposite side is for coaches of teams facing “away from the sound table”.  There may be a trainer, school official, or photographer hanging out in this area too.

Clear as mud right?  Well, we’ll be digging in to the specific categories on the scoresheet in upcoming articles – check back to learn more about how a great dance turns into a great score (or sometimes not).  See you then!

New Parents 101: Scoresheet Basics Part 1

We’re continuing our series on the basics of dance team and today we’re digging in to the mysteries and intricacies of the most important tool in dance team – the scoresheet.  This time we’re looking at the general layout, purpose, and functions of the all important document.  

Keep in mind that this is how I, Erin Kruesi, would explain this document to you, but I didn’t write it, I don’t train judges on it, and in some cases this is only how “I” see it.  This represents only my view, not MSHSL, MADT, JAM, DX, or anyone else’s idea.  One thing is for sure about scoresheets – it is all up for your interpretation of how it should be done.  Please allow me to try to explain it without taking my word as the final or complete say.  As always, if you have questions, ask your team’s coach, the MSHSL, or the judges associations for direct explanations.  This description is meant for entertainment purposes only, and not to be taken as letter for letter fact.    

Copies of the scoresheet are available to the public on the MSHSL website at http://www.mshsl.org/mshsl/sports/DT2011-2013ScoreSheetHK.pdf 

http://www.mshsl.org/mshsl/sports/DT2011-2013ScoreSheetJazz.pdf

Layout: 

• 100 points possible in 10 categories of 10 points each
• Points are awarded in whole increments, no half points are allowed
• One single page scoresheet for kick, and one for jazz. 
• There are 3 categories unique to the kick or jazz scoresheet, and 2 difficulty categories have some differences, otherwise the remaining categories are the same on either sheet. 
• The categories are grouped on the page by the type of criteria they cover: Jazz (or Kick) Skills, Execution, Choreography, Difficulty, and Routine Effectiveness. 
• Each 10 point category then has a title, followed by descriptors which detail what the exact criteria are for awarding the highest points.  These descriptors are all on the left of the page.
• The right side of the page is where the scale is listed for the judges to then circle a number of points awarded.  They are grouped unevenly, with 1 and 2 points grouped under “Poor”, 3 and 4 points grouped under “Below Average”, 5 and 6 points are “Average”, 7 and 8 points are “Above Average”, and 9 and 10 points are “Excellent”.  Keeping in mind that 1 point doesn’t mean you didn’t do anything, and 10 points does not mean perfect, just excellent. 

How points are awarded:

• The point’s descriptors are based on something commonly termed “Minnesota Average”, meaning the idea for “average” scores is based on all performances of all teams in the state from JV through top tier varsity groups.  Just because you are competing AAA varsity, you are in theory still compared to the entire state when thinking of what is “average”.  

•  Judges can make corrections to their sheet by changing what they have circled and initialing the change.  This can only happen while the sheet is still with that judge and not once it has been turned in prior to the next performance. 
• Just because a category lists say, 3, descriptors or criteria; that does not imply that they are or are not worth equal amounts in awarding points.  All of those criteria are examined and weighted based on each judge’s expectations and interpretations.  The MSHSL doesn’t detail this process, nor what is more difficult than something else in a specific way.  That is why judges undergo training and practice before becoming officials.