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Registration Forms

S.O.B.H.D. REGISTRATION SCHEME FOR DANCERS

PURPOSE
The Scheme has been drawn up to bring under S.O.B.H.D. control dancing competitions, to ensure that every child has the opportunity to compete with other dancers of comparative ability, whether they be Primary, Beginners, Novice, Intermediate or Premier standard.
In due course it should ensure conformity of rules between different Organisers who hold competitions and assure all dancers of fair play between dancers and from competition to competition.

SCOPE
This Scheme will involve three distinct bodies:-

1. The Regional/State Committee who will administer its operation.
2. Organisers of competitions who will require to register with the State/Regional Committee and run their competitions under S.O.B.H.D. rules, including the rules pertaining to the registration scheme.
3. The dancers taking part in competitions will require to register with their State/Regional Committee and abide by the rules of the registration scheme. This scheme will cover all competitors.

REGISTRATION OF DANCERS
(REFERENCE SHOULD BE MADE TO THE A.B.H.D.I. AND S.O.B.H.D. RULES AND REGULATIONS BOOK)

1. All Australian Dancers must be registered with the State/Regional Committee in which they are domiciled.
2. Dancers are not permitted to register until the age of four (4) years.
3. Pre-Premier dancers (including Primary standard) to receive Levels Procedure form pertaining to SOBHD/ABHDI Pre-Premier Registration Scheme, such form to be signed acknowledging full understanding of the Registration Scheme prior to changing category. (ABHDI 1 6-18/4/99 p25-9~) This form will only be issued to
   1. a dancer making application to register for the first time.
   2. a Primary dancer prior to reaching his/her seventh birthday. (ABHDI 1/4/01 P6)
4. Premier and Pre-Premier (including Primary standard) overseas dancers are not to register with an Australian State/Regional Committee of Highland Dancing if currently registered in a country in which the S.O.B.H.D. Premier and Pre-Premier registration scheme is in operation.
5. Application must be made on the approved form.
6. Registration application forms will be available from teachers and the State/Regional Committee and should be correctly filled in and posted to the Dancer Registrar of the State/Regional Committee.
7. Each competitor having been accepted into the Scheme will be allocated a registration number by the State/Regional Committee and issued with a registration card showing such number.
8. The dancer’s registration number must appear on entry forms to be eligible to enter competitions.
9. The registration card must be carried to all competitions and be shown on request to the Organisers.
10. When a competitor has been successful in a Pre-Premier competition, (excluding Primary) the registration card must be presented for marking by the Organiser before the prize is given to the competitor.
11. In Pre-Premier competition, the registration card will be marked only once during he course of a competition and it will cover 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes awarded at that competition.
12. The Registrar and/or nominated personnel of Highland Dancing competitions are the only persons authorised to record on the registration card. Unauthorised alterations to this card will automatically render it void. (ABHDI 1.10.88 p5 Adhoc Authorised personnel must be 18 years and over)
13. It was agreed that the cards be marked with date of competition, competition number and initials of authorised personnel. (ABHDI 1.10.88 p5 Adhoc Authorised personnel must be 18 years and over)
14. Where three prizes are awarded in Pre-Premier sections (1st, 2nd, 3rd) registration cards must be stamped accordingly. Additional prizes are awarded at the discretion of the Organiser if warranted, but the registration card must not be stamped. (ABHDI Tech. 23.10.82 p2, ABHDI 3.11.79pl)
15. In a Pre-Premier Title/Premiership, if individual dance prizes are NOT being awarded, the card is only marked if the dancer receives 1st, 2nd or 3rd prize OVERALL. (ABHDI Oct, 97)
16. If a Highly Commended certificate or card is awarded for 1st, 2nd or 3rd place, the registration card must be marked.
17. Loss of Registration Card - In the event of a competitor in Beginners class or Novice class losing his/her registration card a replacement card will be provided on the payment of a penalty to be decided by the SOBHD and he/she may continue to compete in the appropriate class for six months from the date of process of the original application. (ABHDI 1/4/01 P4)
18. Dancers intending to compete overseas must be issued with a new current Registration Card. (ABHDI 139 Oct02 P16)

ADMINISTRATION DETAILS OF REGISTRATION CARDS
From 1997 all State/Regional Registrars will:

• Number registration cards starting at 0001 and will be a single sequence across all the competitor categories.
• Pre-Premier dancers receive current yearly stickers and retain same card until change of level.
• Premier dancers also receive current yearly sticker.
• Premier dancers travelling overseas must obtain a new registration card, number to include current year of issue. This will be at no cost to dancer.
• State/Regional Committees to set costs for replacement of lost cards.
  (ABHDI No. 126 27-28.4.96 p3)

Loss of registration card should be reported immediately to the Dancer Registrar of the State/Regional Committee. Cost for replacement card is $10.00

COMPETITION SECTIONS
There will be no general “Pre-Premier” events. They will be one of the following classifications:-

PRIMARY CATEGORY
This category is designed to assist the introduction of the youngest dancers to competitive dancing.
A competitor who is under 7 years of age may compete in this section until the seventh birthday is reached. The dancer must then compete in Beginners competitions or may choose to compete in a more advanced category. If the competitor decides to advance to a more advanced level before they turn 7 they must continue in this new category and/or advance in accordance with the Pre-Premier Registration Scheme thereafter. (A Primary dancer may not revert back to Primary after competing in a Beginners event, whether or not the dancer was placed - SOBHD 17.9.89)
Primary are restricted to four events only -

1. Pas de Basque
2. Pas de Basque and High cuts
3. Highland Fling
4. Sword Dance

(It is permissible for Primary dancers to dance 5 pas de basques, assemble , disassemble and highcut — both methods are acceptable. (ABHD1 Tech. April99 p4)
No Titles, Trophy Dances or Special Dances may be offered to Primary Competitors - only the above four events.

AGE GROUPS
Age Groups in Primary can be offered but dancers must only dance in one age group.
Primary sections could be broken into numbers of age groups. (SOBHD 20/3/88)
In view of the basic level of ability and technique expected in this category it is not appropriate that Trophies be presented and Organisers must not therefore award Trophies either as individual prizes or for the most points overall.
Primary dancers to be awarded medals only. (ABHDI 5.10.91 p3)

BEGINNERS CATEGORY
This status is held until the competitor either:

1. gains 1st, 2nd or 3rd prize in SIX separate Beginners’ competitions OR
2. until six (6) months following the first Beginners’ stamp whichever a) or b) is the later, after which that competitor is classified as a “Novice” dancer and is not eligible to enter a Beginners’ event. (ABHDI Circular 95/17)

The Beginners rule will be interpreted so that: the first “Beginners stamp” and the first “Competition stamp” both mean the stamp marked for the date when a 1st, 2nd or 3rd prize is first awarded to the dancer in a Beginners competition.
Beginners are restricted to Highland Fling, Sword Dance, Seann Triubhas, a Reel, Flora McDonald’s Fancy, Scottish Lilt, a Special or Trophy Highland Fling and can only be offered seven (7) events.
When including a Highland Fling in a Pre-Premier Title/Premiership, this Fling would be approved by the Competition Registrar as a Section Fling. If an additional Fling is to be scheduled, it must be programmed as a Special Trophy Fling.

NOVICE CATEGORY
This status is held until the competitor either:

1. gains a 1st, 2nd or 3rd prize in SIX separate Novice competitions OR
2. months following the first Novice stamp whichever a) or b) is the later, after which that competitor is classified as an “Intermediate” dancer and is not eligible to enter a Novice event.

The Novice rule will be interpreted so that: the first “Novice stamp” and the first “Competition stamp” both mean the stamp marked for the date when the 1st, 2nd or 3rd prize is first awarded to the dancer in a Novice competition.
Novice categories are restricted to Highland Fling, Sword Dance, Seann Triubhas, a Reel, Flora McDonald’s Fancy, Scottish Lilt, a Special or Trophy Fling and can only be offered seven (7) events.
When including a Highland Fling in a Pre-Premier Title/Premiership, this Fling would be approved by the Competition Registrar as a Section Fling. If an additional Fling is to be scheduled, it must be programmed as a Special/Trophy Fling.
Should a Novice dancer choose to advance to Intermediate status with less than six (6) squares marked, that dancer would become Intermediate on the date of their first Intermediate competition. (SOBHD III p16 - Automatic Advance)
Should a Novice dancer choose to advance to Intermediate status at a period of time less than six (6) months and has six (6) squares marked, the commencement date of the Intermediate status would be the date of their first Intermediate competition. (SOBHD lii p16 - Automatic Advance)

INTERMEDIATE CATEGORY

1. This status is held for one (1) year from the date of the competitor’s first Intermediate competition after which the competitor is classified a “Premier” dancer. (ABHDI 16-18/4/99)
2. Intermediate level cannot repeat any dance. (ABHD1 1-2.5.93 p3)

Intermediate categories are restricted to:
Highland Fling, Sword Dance, Seann Triubhas, a Reel, Flora McDonald’s Fancy, Scottish Lilt, Wilt thou go to the Barracks Johnnie, Highland Laddie, Sailors’ Hornpipe, Irish Jig and can only be offered ten (10) dances.
At all Pre-Premier competitions, an Intermediate section must be included in syllabi/schedules.

PREMIER CATEGORY
These events enable dancers of all standards to compete together and are restricted only by the stated age group or to a certain confined area.

COMPETITOR STATUS AND AUTOMATIC ADVANCE

1. Status of competitor on closing date of competition. If dancers move up into another status in the meantime at another competition, they need to notify Organisers of the competition already entered for, of the change of their status. (ABHDI 4.5.80 p6~)
2. The classification of a dancer is to be taken as at the date of the competition.
3. A competitor entering for a more advanced classification event, and winning a prize therein, automatically takes the status of that advanced classification e.g. a Beginner entering and being successful in a Novice event becomes a “Novice” dancer.
4. A dancer entering and dancing in a Premier section becomes a “Premier” dancer. (ABHDI 11.11.78 p7)
5. An event not advertised or announced to be a “Pre-Premier” event is automatically a “Premier” event. Events confined to an area, or confined to boys, are “Premier” events, unless otherwise.

REGISTERED COMPETITIONS
A list of registered competitions is available to Organisers, Teachers, Judges etc. from the State/Regional Committee.

FEES
$30.00 per dancer to cover registration of dancer for each twelve (12) months commencing on the 1st January. Half yearly registration fees, commencing 1st July each year for new (not renewals or previously registered dancers) is $20.00.

RESULTS
Competition Organisers will be required to send a list, in Alphabetical Order, of all competitors to the Dancer Registrar of the State/Regional Committee within 2 weeks of the date of the competition. This list should be marked showing prizewinners up to 3rd place for Beginners and Novice classifications.
NOTE - ONLY 1st, 2nd and 3rd places are counted in the Registration Scheme. The following are requests from the Dancer Registrar: Organisers please refrain from using yellow or lime highlighter on result sheets as this colour tends to fade quickly and lists are sometimes hard to follow. Please do not send these on fax paper.
The notation “DNC” to be placed beside the names of dancers who have entered but do not compete on the day of the competition. Please indicate if the dancer has participated under the 6-month rule.
Organisers please mark the squares on the cards left to right on each line of squares. Some cards have been marked up and down which leads to the dancer’s squares being out of order with the date of competitions.
It is compulsory that competition results be kept for at least eighteen (18) months.