Competition Rules (EN)
Rules Pole Competition ADC 2025
General Rules
- Participation in this competition is entirely at your own risk.
- After subscribing via the form, you are temporarily registered. You must confirm your registration by paying the fee per participant per act within 48 hours. If your payment is not received on time, the next subscriber will take your place.
- The participant fee is non-refundable in case of cancellation or disqualification, including injuries, rescheduling due to COVID, or other unforeseen circumstances.
- Your place is non-transferable; you cannot sell or give it away.
- It is not possible to transfer canceled spots from previous editions to this edition.
- Participants must sign in half an hour before the start of their block. Latecomers will be excluded from the competition.
- The competition organizers reserve the right to exclude participants at any time.
- The dressing room is restricted to participants only. In the teens’ category, one parent/caretaker is allowed to accompany.
- Fireworks, confetti, or any other items that can damage the stage or require extensive cleaning are not allowed. In doubt, send us an email.
- Using forbidden techniques will lead to penalties or disqualification by the jury: -1 per technique, per jury form.
- Use of Stick-it and Itac is prohibited.
- IMPORTANT: Neglecting these rules will lead to penalties or disqualification.
Environmental Concerns
- Due to environmental concerns, NO GLITTER is allowed in the theater! Studies show glitter is extremely harmful to the environment. Therefore, glitter that can fall off your body is not allowed. Glitter eyeshadow, fixed glitter in your outfit, or glitter gel is permitted as long as it stays in place. Violation of these rules will result in denial of entry to the theater. The theater itself will enforce this rule.
Participant Fee
- Solo: €45
- Duo & Groups: €36 per person
- Includes a voucher for a delicious and healthy sandwich or soup with bread from Sisters & Flavours, who will again be present during our competition.
Performance Guidelines
- The jury will judge your performance based on an equal distribution between the two poles and your performance on the ground, with each comprising one-third of your performance.
- You cannot enter categories other than ELITE, Pole Flow Professional, Heels, Duo/Group, and Professional Story if you have competed in nationals in the last 5 years in the ELITE category or top 3 in the PROFESSIONAL category.
- The use of body makeup is restricted to the Story categories and only on body parts that do not come into contact with the poles.
- In the Heels category (and all other categories), movements that can damage the floor are not allowed.
Stage Setup
- A truss will be placed with top and bottom fixed 45mm poles, approximately 4 meters high. The left pole is static, and the right pole is spinning (from the audience’s perspective).
- The entire act must be performed within the truss. Touching or using the truss elements will lead to immediate disqualification as it can be greasy or dirty, causing loss of grip.
- The stage is restricted to participants only. You cannot bring other people or animals during your act.
Music Submission
- Music must be sent via a separate email with only your music file and your registration number to [email protected] before the deadline, but NOT earlier than November 1, 2024. Your registration number will be available on the competition page on October 31, 2024.
- Deadlines are defined per block:
- Block 1: February 15, 2025
- Block 2: March 1, 2025
- Please do not send your music in a reply email or combine it with questions.
- We do not accept the same music twice within a block. Submit your music early to avoid disapproval.
- There are minimum and maximum time limits for music and acts, which vary per category. Check “rules per category”.
- Music should be in .MP3 format (minimum quality 128kbps stereo).
- Sudden cut-offs, poor sound quality, abusive words in texts, or badly mixed music will be refused.
- Once your music is received and approved, an (M) will appear behind your name on the competition page.
- Late submissions will result in a penalty of 1 point per day on your jury score.
- We offer a service to download and edit your music. This service can be requested via email:
- Send an email with your requirements to [email protected] addressed to Kees.
- An (e) will be noted behind your name upon receipt of your request. If your request is received before the deadline for your block, you are safe.
- Your music will be downloaded in CD Quality, edited, and shared with you. If you agree, it will be added to the Competition system.
- Fees depend on the amount of work. Estimates: Download, clean cut, and fade-out €10; Single song edit €15; Dual song edit €20.
General Dress Code
- Only decent clothing is allowed.
- Wearing only underwear or a bikini is not permitted.
- Groins, breasts, nipples, and half of your buttocks must be covered.
- For more rules, check “rules per category”.
- (High) heels are only allowed in the Heels
- Clothes and jewelry that can damage the poles are not allowed. Participants violating this rule will not be allowed to enter the stage.
- Neglecting these rules will lead to penalties or disqualification by the jury.
Rules Per Category
- POLE FLOW – Amateur (Solo/duo/group)
- Level: beginners/intermediate 1
- No professional dancers or intermediate & up instructors (beginner instructors allowed)
- No pole flow instructors
- Music: min 2:15, max 2:45
- POLE FLOW – Professional (Solo/duo/group)
- Level: intermediate 2/advanced, including pole & dance instructors
- Music: min 2:30, max 3:00
Basic Rules for POLE FLOW: Only flow, no inverts or climbing, all upright spins allowed, no gymnastic moves during floorwork (cartwheels, handstands and flips.), shoulder rolls and other dance moves allowed. Ensure you have an equal distribution of static pole, spinning pole, and floorwork, with each comprising one-third of your performance.
Dress code for pole flow: see general dress code + skirts allowed, no clothing to be removed during the act
- POLE TEENS (Dutch speaking participants only, see rules in Dutch)
- POLE BEGINNERS (Solo)
- Techniques: only beginner techniques allowed
- Music: min 2:00, max 2:30
- Dress code: see general dress code
- POLE INTERMEDIATE 1 (Solo)
- Techniques: beginners + intermediate 1 techniques allowed
- Music: min 2:15, max 2:45
- Dress code: see general dress code
- POLE INTERMEDIATE 2 (Solo)
- Techniques: beginners, intermediate 1 & intermediate 2 techniques allowed
- Music: min 2:15, max 2:45
- Dress code: see general dress code
- POLE 35+ (Solo)
- Techniques: beginners, intermediate, intermediate 2 & MAX 3 advanced techniques allowed
- Music: min 2:15, max 2:45
- Dress code: see general dress code
- POLE ADVANCED (Solo)
- Techniques: all techniques allowed
- Music: min 2:30, max 3:00
- Dress code: see general dress code
- POLE ELITE (Solo)
- Techniques: all techniques allowed
- Music: min 3:30, max 4:00
- Dress code: see general dress code
- Eligibility: advanced instructors, studio owners, championship contestants, and previous advanced or elite winners
- POLE DUO/GROUPS (12+)
- Techniques: all techniques allowed
- Music: min 2:30, max 3:00
- Dress code: see general dress code
- STORY TELLER – AMATEUR (Solo/duo/group)
- Techniques: beginners + intermediate 1 techniques allowed
- Music: min 2:15, max 2:45
- Dress code: see general dress code, no clothing removal allowed except items like a skirt, cape, or wings, max 2 attributes with a max size of 1 meter each, easy to move, no confetti, fireworks, or items that can damage the stage. If in doubt, please request permission via email.
- STORY TELLER – PROFESSIONAL (Solo/duo/group)
- Techniques: all techniques allowed
- Music: min 2:30, max 3:00
- Dress code: see general dress code, no clothing removal allowed except items like a skirt, cape, or wings, max 2 attributes with a max size of 1 meter each, easy to move, no confetti, fireworks, or items that can damage the stage. If in doubt, please request permission via email.
- POLE HEELS – AMATEUR (Solo/duo/group)
- Techniques: Beginners and intermediate 1 techniques allowed.
- Music: Minimum 2:15, maximum 2:45.
- Dress code: Your outfit can be sexy but not too revealing. Thong-sized clothing is not allowed; at least one-fourth of the buttocks must be covered. No clothing is to be removed during the act.
- Ensure you don’t damage our stage; no flips or other hard landings on the floor.
- If there are less than 12 participants across both heels categories, they will be combined into one mixed-level category as in previous editions.
- POLE HEELS – PROFESSIONAL (Solo/duo/group)
- Techniques: All techniques allowed.
- Music: Minimum 2:30, maximum 3:00.
- Dress code: Your outfit can be sexy but not too revealing. Thong-sized clothing is not allowed; at least one-fourth of the buttocks must be covered. No clothing is to be removed during the act.
- Ensure you don’t damage our stage; no flips or other hard landings on the floor.
- If there are less than 12 participants across both heels categories, they will be combined into one mixed-level category as in previous editions.