Judging criteria World Pole Dance Move Syntax coordinator

Pippa Caesar Move Syntax Coordinator World Pole Dance 2011 – Budapest

It was my second time to the worlds, 2 out of 3 is pretty good! I didn't make it to the first as it was in Jamaica and that's a bit far.... In 2010 I was very kindly asked by Kay Penney, head judge, to be an accompanying judge at the preliminaries. I was very honoured to have been asked, I don’t perform and I don't compete (I did compete, once back in 2008 and almost exploded with fear and nerves. It’s not an experience I want to repeat, I just needed to know how it felt to be on the stage and be judged, so I would be able to speak from experience and inform my students, should they want to compete). I am not well known, not super flexible, I can't train daily and I am on the more 'advanced' side of 35, but I have been a student of pole since 2006 and been instructing since 2008, and I am also a HUGE fan of pole and of polers.

I am an official 'pole-slag' (loving everything about it and everyone who does it) and have trained with, under and alongside some of the world’s best. I am empowered by every single student, performer, competitor, instructor and judge that I meet in this industry. I am a human Pole-Sponge...And I was blown away by the standard of the competitors last year. It was a hard job to judge that 1 preliminary heat. I was watching each performance like a hawk, checking toes, technique, strength, trick standard, lines, grace, innovation, presence, form and entertainment. I spent every one either grinning like a Cheshire cat or gawping with my mouth agog, and most of the time, BOTH! I have attended judging courses and am passionate to represent each competitor to the best of my ability

The final in 2010 was simply outstanding, my team (who made it out to Zurich) and I loved every second! We had tears, we had laughs, we had some serious 'stalker' face photographs with our poling idols and we agreed to make a trip back the next year.

This year, Kay asked me to judge at the prelims and at all the heats of the final as Tricks Syntax Co-ordinator, a position usually held by the pole-guru Deb Riley - UK, so I was blown away and under immense pressure! I did LOADS of homework, checking doubles, male, Chinese and single pole routines on youtube and facebook. I sat for hours on end with a pen and scribbled every move, transition, trick and spin down, I noted if toes were pointed, if lines were clear, how long positions were held for - counting the seconds on an iron x, and a flatline sm. I created a code for moves that would be seen a lot in performances, LH for leg hang, TG for twisted grip, X for iron X, J for Jade, JD for Jade Drop. I invented codes for a move or trick or transition that was new to me, and another code for an extremely hard move. And I sat and tried to memorise moves from all over the world. It didn’t matter if I called a Scorpio a Gemini or even if I called a butterfly a Frank, as long as I always called it the same thing consistently throughout the competitions.

AND HOLY SMOKES was my right hand abused that night?!!! New tricks left right and centre, incredible doubles moves, mind bendingly hard holds and lifts..... One hold was held for an outstanding length of time, over 12 seconds I seem to remember!

I simply cannot express how amazing it was to be on that top table of judges, shoulder to shoulder with some of my pole Heros and such incredible talent. Every single competitor performed to their utmost maximum and I was brought to tears during 3 performances! (Which made writing the moves down even harder!) I had lactic acid build up in my thumb and forefinger and almost burnt a blister on the side of my hand from it moving across the desk as I wrote. I got dry eye staring at the stage and performers by trying not to blink during complicated tumbles and combinations. I gawped at the performers with stalkerish intensity. Doubles, Males and Females. I wrote down tricks, moves and transitions from all performances and I was tested to the limit with the unprecedented amount of talent and innovation.
I cannot wait for next year and I cannot wait to see the moves so gracefully introduced to pole on that night being emulated at the new few competitions I am judging. The event was so well managed and executed, thanks to Dollhouse and Pole Passion’s seamless integration with the polers and the non pole performers of the night. I was present at pole history and I was there with some of the most talented people in the business. Humbled and over awed? Yes, every single second.
Huge congratulations to everyone who took part, who competed and didn’t make it to the final, to the family and friends of the competitors, to the judges and most of all to everyone backstage who made it all happen. It was an incredible event, and I am so very happy to have played my part at the World Pole Sport and Fitness Championships 2011.

Pippa Caesar - Polenastics UK
www.worldpoledance.com