Welcome to IDTA Judging!

Click here to download Judging Information and Application, or visit the Download Center.

The role of the IDTA Judge requires an understanding of their responsibilities while judging IDTA events. It is the obligation of each judge to maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct and personal and professional integrity at all times. The IDTA judging system consists of three (3) different categories of judges:

1. Head Judge – Certified IDTA judge for a minimum of 5 years.  The Head Judge has the responsibility of managing the contest of the day.  This includes conducting the pre-contest meeting, assigning any penalties accrued during a performance, monitoring the tabulation room, and making any necessary decisions regarding IDTA policy.  Head Judges also work closely with the Judging Coordinator, to help achieve and maintain consistency among all IDTA contests.  
2. Performance Judge (Execution or General Effect)
• General Effect Judge – Credits and critiques the choreography, creativity, musicality, originality, staging, showmanship, etc., of a routine.  General Effect is all of those elements in a team’s audio/visual presentation that collectively combine to display the team’s impressive effectiveness.
• Execution Judge – Credits and critiques the unison, technique, difficulty, poise, etc., of a team’s performance.  Execution credits the total responsibility of the individual and team performers.  
3. Head Judge Assistant – Assists the Head Judge before, during, and after a contest.  The duties include organizing score sheets, checking team sizes, and conducting the Ready Line Check for the performers before they can take the floor.
• Judges-in-training are known as Apprentice Judges.  The process of becoming certified may fluctuate with each individual’s qualifications, experience, skill, and ability to learn the IDTA judging process.

All judges must be a high school graduate, at least 21 years, pay the judge membership fee, attend the annual judging seminar, agree to judge distant contests, and be approved by the Judging Committee.  Judges are not expected to judge every weekend.  IDTA does work around your schedule!

The IDTA Judging Seminar for the 2008-2009 season is being held November 8-9 in Decatur, Illinois.  

 If you have any inquiries, please direct them to Cyndi Kraemer - Judging Coordinator, at judge@idta.org

 IDTA Judging is open to everyone with no limitations to membership for reason of race, creed, color, sex or national origin.