Judging Criteria and Definitions

Our trained and qualified Judges use a simple mental framework to form that overall impression.

Timing is the foundation

Timing is the most crucial element of competition dancing. If timing slips, the overall mark drops – even if everything else is strong.

Timing means dancing accurately (and intentionally) in relation to the music’s beat, phrasing and energy. At higher levels, dancers may play with pauses, freezes and syncopation – but it must still be precise and clearly musical.

The four judging lenses (used to create the overall mark)

With timing as the foundation, judges look at your performance through four lenses:

Musicality (Interpretation): Do you reflect the music’s mood, phrasing and changes – not just the beat?

Move Content (Variety & Suitability): Are the moves varied, appropriate to the music and performed confidently?

Connection & Conversation: Do you dance as a connected partnership with responsiveness, interaction and “conversation”?

Dance Quality (Control & Finish): Is the movement clean, controlled, balanced and well-finished?

Musicality

Musicality is the ability to dance with the music, showing awareness of its rhythm, structure, energy, and expressive qualities. It includes both staying in time and interpreting the musical elements beyond the beat.

Newcomer / Intermediate:
Dancers are expected to move to the music’s beat most of the time and can recover quickly if they drift off.
Movement reflects the general feel and energy of the track—for example, bigger or faster movement for high‑energy music, and smoother, more controlled movement for softer or slower tracks.

Advanced:
Dancers maintain consistent rhythm throughout the track and may use pauses or freezes to highlight musical breaks, returning to the beat cleanly and on time.
Movement choices respond to more than just the beat, showing clear awareness of lyrics, melody, mood, genre, instrumentation, and musical changes.
Open:
Dancers play with timing creatively and intentionally—such as freezes, syncopation, double‑time or half‑time, accelerations or decelerations—while remaining musically precise.
Their dancing reflects the structure and phrasing of the track (e.g. verse, chorus, bridge), capturing its emotional shifts, atmosphere, and thematic changes through dynamic and expressive movement.

Move Content

Moves should suit the style and character of the music. A balance is important: too many simple moves can feel repetitive, while overly rehearsed or stylised material can detract from musical interpretation. Capture the judges’ attention with exciting moves, then keep it by showing them what further interesting moves or musicality you have!

Newcomer / Intermediate:
Dancers demonstrate a variety of recognisable basic Ceroc techniques (e.g. stepping back/forward, turns, spins, wraps) performed safely, confidently, and with clear lead and follow. Well-executed basics are preferred over poorly executed difficult moves.

Advanced:
Dancers include more complex material (e.g. whips, dips/drops, leans, scrolls, switches, ducks, pivots/rides, footwork variations). They should select moves from their repertoire that suit the music, showing increased complexity and control.

Open:
Dancers execute movements at an expert level and include genuinely challenging material. Judges also look for creativity, using Ceroc technique to create fresh, original combinations appropriate to the music.

Connection & Conversation

Ceroc is a partner dance. To progress, you must show real connection—whether with a fixed or non fixed partner. Do the members of the couple dance as individuals, or is there chemistry between them? Do they have a dance conversation? Do they maintain eye contact?

A couple that dances in sync with each other’s timing, style and moves will impress the judges and therefore accrue more marks, rather than being technically fantastic solo dancers who do not gel together.

Newcomer/Intermediate:
You show consideration for your partner, including interaction and basic connection (such as eye contact and smiling). You are genuinely leading and following—not performing a pre-planned routine.

Advanced:
You communicate with emotion and responsiveness—reacting to each other’s movement, not just “doing moves at” each other. You show creativity and give each other time and freedom to express.

Open:
You show playfulness and spontaneity—making in-the-moment choices that create authentic, impactful interaction.

Dance Quality

Dance quality refers to how movements look — including posture, control, balance, body lines, and the overall visual finish of the dancing, independent of content, connection, or musicality.

Newcomer / Intermediate:
Dancers demonstrate generally good posture and body alignment, with movements that are controlled and recognisable. Actions have a clear start and finish, balance is mostly maintained, and the overall appearance is comfortable, tidy, and composed.

Advanced:
Dancers show strong, consistent posture with clean, well-shaped movements that look purposeful and controlled. Balance and momentum are well managed, extensions are clear without being over-styled, and the overall appearance is polished and intentional. .

Open:
Dancers display exceptional posture and body awareness, with movements that are fully finished, effortless, and visually striking. Control of balance, speed, and body shape is evident at all times, creating a confident, calm, and professional overall look.

Other Factors

The judges will also be looking for innovation, style, dress code (where applicable) and floor craft.

Dress

Fixed partnership couples are encouraged to make an effort to synchronise their outfits. Coordinating attire helps present a unified look and enhances the overall impression of the performance as a couple.

Definitions

Aerial

An aerial in Ceroc constitutes any move where one partner is lifted off the ground and involves aerial manoeuvres. These can include spins, flips, jumps, or other dynamic lifts where the feet leave the floor.

Drop

A drop in Ceroc constitutes a move where one partner is lowered towards the ground in a controlled manner, resulting in that one partner relying on the other to be upright again.

Baby Aerials

A Baby Aerial is any lift where one of the follow’s feet remains below the leader’s waist (belt line) at all times.

Professional

Someone who is paid to teach dancing of any type, or is planning to in the next 6 months.

Amateur

Someone who has never taught dance of any type, and is not planning to.

Major Dance Competitions

Such as, but not limited to, Welsh Champs, South West Champs, Midland Champs, Northern Champs, Scottish Champs, Pan Asia Champs, Chill Out Champs, Ceroc Champs, Crystal Blues, World Modern Jive Champs, Indie Champs, Berlin Champs etc. Results from small local class nights, Escape weekender competitions or freestyle competitions for fun do not count. If you are not sure, ask us.

Breach of Rules

If a judge witnesses an incident in which a competition rule has been breached, they will make comments on their scoring sheets, however, will continue judging without said breach affecting the scores. That judge is then required to inform the head judge of the breach as soon as possible. Breaches of rules identified by competitors, audience and video replay will not be addressed.

It is the head judge’s responsibility to identify the rule/s being breached and severity of the breach taking into consideration the following:

Did the incident give the competitor an unfair advantage?
Did the incident interfere with any other competitors?
Has the competitor been informed of the breach of rules previously (where applicable)?

The head judge may then choose to:

Warn the competitor and identify the incident and rule/s that it breached.
Penalise the competitor by loss of place/placings, and identify the incident, rule/s that it breached and outcome to the competitor.
Disqualify the competitor from that category, and identify the incident, rule/s that it breached, and outcome to the competitor.