skating system

The skating system is a method of compiling scores in ballroom dance competitions. It is used for the final placings of competitors and is based upon a method that prioritises 'majority' and 'overall performance' as given by judges scores to solve problems that arise in what can be a subjective determination of quality of art as sport. The original version of the majority principle was formulated by Arthur Dawson and was introduced by the British Official Board of Ballroom Dancing (now British Dance Council) in 1937. After some improvements in 1947 and 1948, the system was not changed again by the Official Board until 1956. It was first used during the Blackpool Dance Festival and has gradually been adopted in ballroom competition around the world as well as by other dance competitions, including the World Salsa Federation. The skating system consists of 11 rules, 10 of which determine the scoring of the final round.

The skating system is a method of compiling scores in ballroom dance competitions. It is used for the final placings of competitors and is based upon a method that prioritises 'majority' and 'overall performance' as given by judges scores to solve problems that arise in what can be a subjective determination of quality of art as sport. The original version of the majority principle was formulated by Arthur Dawson and was introduced by the British Official Board of Ballroom Dancing (now British Dance Council) in 1937. After some improvements in 1947 and 1948, the system was not changed again by the Official Board until 1956. It was first used during the Blackpool Dance Festival and has gradually been adopted in ballroom competition around the world as well as by other dance competitions, including the World Salsa Federation. The skating system consists of 11 rules, 10 of which determine the scoring of the final round.

Preliminary rounds (Rule 1)

The first rule is for preliminary rounds (semifinals, quarter-finals, etc.). It says that for each dance of the round the judges must mark the number of dance couples specified by the chairman of adjudicators whom they decide to advance to the next round. The score of a couple is the number of all "pass" marks over all judges and dances. The couples with the highest score advance to the next round. Usually the number of the couples to enter the next round is known in advance. However, in the cases of ties the chairman decides the number of dancers for the next round.

Finals (Rules 2-11)

Rules 2-4 specify how the dancers receive marks in the final round. The marks from each judge for each dance are the places for the dancers, with the 1st place being the highest. No ties are allowed, i.e., if 6 couples are in the final, all places 1-6 must be assigned. The remaining rules are for the calculation of the final placement of the couples. They involve a formal tie-breaking process. Rules 5-8 are for tallying the final places for each dance separately, rules 9-11 compile the final overall placement of couples in a dance category including tie-breaker situations. Now the column 1-2 is considered: Competitor 12 has three rankings of 2 or better , just like Competitor 13 with three twos (second-places). This means that the two Competitor have an equal majority (if there are five judges, three are required for a majority). So the sum of the evaluations is considered, but only those that make up the majority. This is written in brackets after it. Second place goes to Competitor 12 (1 + 1 + 2 = 4), while Competitor 13 (2 + 2 + 2 = 6) receives third place. If no decision had yet been made with the total, the lower scores would also have to be taken into account for these two Competitor . (See another example below.) Further in column 1-3 : Nothing is decided there, as none of the remaining Competitor received a majority for this. The column 1-4 now brings the decision for the two remaining Competitors: Competitor 14 has a majority of four rankings for 4 or better , while Competitor 15 also received a majority. But these are only three rankings of 4 or better , so fourth place goes to Competitor 14 and fifth place to Competitor 15. In the third column ( 1-3 ) Competitors 11 and 13 were able to achieve a majority. Competitor 14 does not have a majority with two scores for places 3 or better and is therefore automatically fourth. Since the total for Competitors 11 and 13 is also the same (1 + 1 + 3 + 3 = 8 and 3 + 3 + 1 + 1 = 8), the column 1-4 must also be used for these Competitors (as in the previous example for first place). But that doesn't make a decision either, since both Competitors each got a four: They both have five ratings 5 or better with a total of twelve. This means that this place is shared: The Competitors share second and third place and receive 2.5 points as the result. In this case however, the result may be determined by a final dance-off involving the tied Competitors only. With only two Competitors on the floor the judges will have longer to assess the performance of each and determine the final placing. There are two Competitors for places 2 or better ( 1-2 ): Competitor 12 and Competitor 13. Since both the strength of the majority and the sum of the scores (1 + 2 + 2 = 5) is the same, the other ratings must also be considered. The third places are also included and it is determined that Competitor 14 has the majority there. Still, they don't get second place. Namely, only Competitors 12 and 13 may continue to be considered. The rule requires that they (who have a majority in the 1-2 column) must first be rated at the end. So looking at the 2 or better ratings did not bring any improvement - both Competitors have a majority of three ratings with a total of 5 (through the ones and twos, which already led to a draw). But the 4 now brings the decision: Only Competitor 12 received a four, so in the column 1-4 for Competitor 12 it says that the majority is now made up of four ratings, while Competitor 13 continues only has three ratings of 4 or better . Second place goes to Competitor 12 (the only Competitor who still had a majority in the 2 or better ) and Competitor 13 gets third place. So that all belonged to the processing of the column 1-2 , only that the worse ratings had to be included. Then it continues with the column 1-3: Competitor 14 clearly has the majority and - although he has received all three - only gets the next free, i.e. fourth place. Competitor 15 will receive the last placement to be awarded: fifth place.

References

External links

Simple online Skating calculator Final round calculator (Web application)

Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1067820918 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.