American Sport Dance Games® Judge &

Convention Faculty Certification

 

IMPORTANT MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENT

Only active American Association of Dance Instructors® members may become certified to adjudicate American Sport Dance Games® Meets or teach at ASDG conventions.

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Participants must complete the required training, pass the online certification examination, maintain active AADI membership, and remain in good standing with the American Sport Dance Games® program.

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A New Standard for Judges and Faculty

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Since 1973, the dance competition industry has commonly selected judges and convention faculty based on their personal experience, reputation, or performance background.

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American Sport Dance Games® is breaking that norm.

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ASDG judges and convention faculty must be trained in the Domain Dance® curriculum, the ASDG objective scoring rubric, professional conduct, and the educational purpose of the ASDG program.

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Certification Training Includes:

• Three-hour, in-person ASDG Judge & Convention Faculty Certification Course

• ASDG certification training materials

• Access to the online certification examination

• One additional examination attempt, if needed

• Initial ASDG Judge and Convention Faculty certification upon successful completion

• Information about possible future ASDG judging and convention teaching opportunities

• An introduction to the Regional Meet Director role and its responsibilities

 

Regional Meet Director authorization and the EXPECTATIONS for Dance Curriculum Frameworks® — Dance Classroom® Educational Site License are separate from Judge and Convention Faculty Certification.

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Purchasers of the educational site license receive this certification training as part of their site-license program and do not pay a separate certification training fee.

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Certification Requirements

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Participants must:

• Be active AADI members in good standing

• Attend the complete three-hour, in-person certification course

• Successfully complete the ASDG online certification examination

• Earn a passing score of at least 80%

• Follow all DSBD professional, ethical, confidentiality, and child-safety requirements

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If a participant does not earn 80% on the first examination, one additional attempt is allowed without an additional fee.

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Certification must remain active and in good standing. ASDG may require additional training or renewal when the Domain Dance® curriculum, scoring rubrics, or program requirements are updated.

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The Three-Hour Course

HOUR 1 — UNDERSTANDING THE ASDG MODEL

0:00–0:15 — Welcome and DSBD Philosophy

• Why American Sport Dance Games® Meets were created

• Dance competition versus a sport-meet structure

• Team-based competition

• The role of the studio rather than the individual dancer

• Two routines per studio dance team

• School-grade groupings

• Studio divisions

 

0:15–0:35 — Understanding Domain Dance®

• Purpose of the Domain Dance® curriculum

• Six skill levels

• How the levels create a common standard

• Why judging must be tied to demonstrated skills

• Difference between evaluating choreography and evaluating required performance standards

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0:35–1:00 — Objective Scoring

• Understanding the ASDG Domain Dance® scoring rubric

• What each scoring category measures

• Observable performance versus personal preference

• Avoiding scores based on costumes, popularity, studio reputation, choreography style, or a judge’s personal dance background

• Using written criteria consistently

 

Key Concept:

Judge what is demonstrated—not what you personally prefer.

 

HOUR 2 — BECOMING AN ASDG JUDGE

1:00–1:25 — How to Score a Routine

Using sample performances or instructor-led examples, participants learn to:

• Identify the team’s Domain Dance® level

• Locate the correct rubric

• Observe required skills

• Record evidence

• Assign the appropriate score

• Provide useful comments

• Maintain scoring consistency from the first team through the final team

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1:25–1:45 — Judge Conduct and Ethics

• Professional behavior

• Confidentiality

• Conflicts of interest

• Relationships with participating studios

• No social-media commentary about participating studios or dancers

• Respectful communication

• Child-safety expectations

 

1:45–2:00 — Practice Scoring Exercise

Participants independently score the same sample performance and then compare:

• What did you observe?

• What part of the rubric supports your score?

• Where did the scores differ?

• Was the difference supported by evidence or personal opinion?

 

HOUR 3 — TEACHING, MEETS AND REGIONAL LEADERSHIP

2:00–2:25 — Teaching at DSBD Conventions

Convention faculty learn:

• How DSBD convention instruction differs from a traditional master class

• Teaching from Domain Dance® objectives

• Providing age-appropriate instruction

• Demonstrating and correcting skills

• Maintaining class flow

• Communicating with studio teachers

• Working with mixed abilities

• Keeping instruction educational rather than audition-based

 

2:25–2:45 — Introduction to the Regional Meet Director Role

This section covers:

• What a Regional Meet Director does

• The relationship between a Regional Meet Director and DSBD

• AADI membership requirements

• The educational site-license requirement

• Selecting an appropriate Meet location

• Basic Meet scheduling

• Studio communication

• Registration responsibilities

• Staffing, judges, and faculty

• Participant experience

• Protecting the ASDG format

• Income and operating expenses

• Responsibilities before, during, and after an ASDG Meet

 

Completion of Judge and Convention Faculty Certification does not automatically authorize a participant to operate an ASDG Meet.

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Regional Meet Director authorization requires active AADI membership, purchase of the EXPECTATIONS for Dance Curriculum Frameworks® — Dance Classroom® Educational Site License, completion of all required training, and satisfaction of DSBD screening and agreement requirements.

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2:45–3:00 — Certification and Next Steps

• Review the major course concepts

• Explain the online examination

• Explain the 80% passing requirement

• Explain certification status

• Explain the active-membership requirement

• Explain possible opportunities to judge and teach

• Explain the separate Regional Meet Director pathway

• Answer participant questions

 

Online Certification Examination

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The examination contains approximately 40 questions:

• 10 questions about DSBD philosophy and ASDG competition structure

• 12 questions about Domain Dance® levels and rubric scoring

• 8 questions about judging ethics and professional conduct

• 5 questions about convention teaching expectations

• 5 questions about Regional Meet Director responsibilities

 

The examination includes multiple-choice questions and short-response questions based on judging scenarios.

Example:

A team performs a technically difficult skill that is not required at its entered Domain Dance® level. How should that affect its rubric score?

 

Certification Designation

Upon successful completion of the in-person course and online examination, eligible participants receive the designation:

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American Sport Dance Games® Certified Judge and Convention Faculty Member

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Regional Meet Director is a separate role requiring active AADI membership, an educational site license, additional authorization, and completion of all applicable ASDG requirements.

 

Financial Policy

Certification Training Fee: $247

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The certification training fee is separate from AADI membership and the EXPECTATIONS for Dance Curriculum Frameworks® — Dance Classroom® Educational Site License.

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The fee includes:

• Three-hour, in-person certification course

• Certification training materials

• Online certification examination

• One additional examination attempt, if needed

 

Purchasers of the educational site license receive this certification training as part of their site-license program and do not pay the separate $247 certification training fee.

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The certification fee does not include AADI membership, an educational site license, Regional Meet Director authorization, Meet operating expenses, travel, lodging, or other personal expenses.

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All certification training fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. Registration and payment do not guarantee certification.

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Certification is awarded only after the participant:

• Meets the AADI membership requirement

• Attends the complete in-person course

• Successfully completes the online examination

• Satisfies all applicable ASDG requirements

 

Completing certification does not guarantee employment, judging assignments, convention teaching assignments, Regional Meet Director authorization, event income, or any specific level of earnings.

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Certified adjudicators/convention educators are required to sign an NDA stating they will not share how the scoring system works. ALL adjudicators and teachers must complete a CORI/SORI background check.

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