What each genre rewards
- Jazz — technical precision with style and attack: clean turns and leaps, sharp lines, controlled extension, and high-energy performance.
- Lyrical — technique in service of emotion: fluid, connected movement and a genuine emotional through-line married to the music. Musicality is heavily weighted.
- Contemporary — artistic interpretation and movement invention on a technical base: floorwork, weight shifts, contraction and release, and originality.
- Hip-Hop — musicality, groove, and authenticity over classical line: isolations, control, style, character, and how tightly the movement rides the music.
- Ballet / Pointe — classical technique first: turnout, placement, line, pointe work, and adherence to classical form.
- Tap — sound is the score: clarity and quality of the taps, rhythmic accuracy, timing, and musicality of the footwork.
- Pom — precision and visual effect: sharp, synchronized motions, uniformity, clean pom technique, and formations.
- Musical Theatre — storytelling and character: showmanship, facials, props, and a clear narrative sold to the audience.
- Kick — uniformity and control of high kicks and lines: height, precision, timing, and endurance.
- Acro — acrobatic skill woven into dance: the technique and control of the acro elements and how seamlessly they integrate into the choreography.
- Open / Production — genre-blending and large-scale ensemble work, judged on overall impact, staging, and how well the concept is realized.
Why category choice matters
Because each genre is judged against its own expectations, entering a routine in the right category is part of competing well. A contemporary piece entered as jazz is measured against the wrong vocabulary, and a lyrical routine entered as contemporary can miss the mark on both. When a routine sits between styles, read the production company’s genre definitions before choosing — the categories and how strictly they are defined vary from brand to brand.
More questions, answered
What is the difference between lyrical and contemporary?
Lyrical is technique in service of a song’s emotion and lyrics — flowing, expressive, and musical. Contemporary is more experimental: floorwork, weight shifts, contraction-and-release, and movement invention, judged on artistry and originality as much as clean technique. The line blurs, so brands publish their own definitions.
Are all genres judged the same way?
The broad captions — technique, performance, and choreography — appear across genres, but their weighting shifts. Turnout and classical line are decisive in ballet and barely matter in hip-hop; sound clarity is everything in tap; emotional connection drives lyrical. Judges reward the vocabulary of the style being performed.
Does entering the wrong genre hurt the score?
It can. A routine judged against the wrong expectations tends to score lower, because each genre rewards different qualities. Correct categorization is part of scoring strategy — check the brand’s genre definitions before you enter.
What genre should a beginner start with?
Most dancers build a base in ballet and jazz because their technique underpins everything else, then branch into lyrical, contemporary, hip-hop, or tap based on interest. Studios usually guide genre choices around a dancer’s training and the team’s needs.
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