New Judging System Implemented 09/05/2011

The fundamentals of the new IDSF Judging System were explained in an earlier article. How the system is implemented on a practical level in IDSF Grand Slam Series competition is the focus here.

Final Only

A Grand Slam leg, by its very nature, has the world’s best competing not only for valuable world ranking points but also for a shot at making the series’ final. On the other hand, some of the individual legs gather as many as 300 couples (Stuttgart, GER). Hence, judging an entire competition with the new system is not possible for logistical reasons. Imagine six or more hours allocated for solo dances in round one alone! The traditional skating system based on direct comparison remains the only way to proceed with judging through the semi-finals.

As soon as it gets down to the six finalists, however, the new system not only offers a more differentiated way of looking at their solo performances, it also adds two key ingredients to how competition at the highest level is perceived by the public and the media.

Transparency and … Drama

The posting of the Programme Component Scores immediately after each dance brings about greater transparency. Even to an extent that uninitiated spectators are able to appreciate the merits, or shortfalls, of a performance once they reference their impressions with the detailed results established by the experts. The couples, too, benefit from instant and authoritative feedback after one brief look at the scoreboard. 

Through all of this, the final develops a new dynamic and acquires the sort of drama that all sporting competitions need to be compelling for those looking on.

Judge for Yourself

As in the first article, insight into how six solo dances are performed and scored, in rapid succession, is provided here. The three videos are from the 2010 IDSF Grand Slam Standard Final in Shanghai, CHN. Individual Programme Component Scores!