STEP SHOW RULES AND REGULATIONS

Last revision—June 29, 2015

I.        GENERAL RULES

        A.        Step Show will be open to the first 15 groups that register to participate.

        B.        Participation in Step Show is open to any group of UNA students who wish to organize for the purpose of Step Show.

        C.        All acts proposed for performance must conform to University policy regarding appropriateness and sensitivity for campus and community presentations as reflected by costumes, theme, music, makeup, movement, and choreography.

        D.        There is no general theme for Step Show; each group chooses and develops a theme for their individual act.

        E.        Groups may enter to be judged in the Men, Women, or Co-ed Division

        F.        Judges will be selected by the SGA UPC Service Chair, SGA Vice President for UPC and the UPC Advisor. Judges will be representative of a general audience.  Judges may or may not have experience with “Stepping”.  

        G.        The judging criteria are as follows:

JUDGING CRITERIA

        *Entertainment Value:

        Is designed to provide an overall estimation of an act.  (Did the audience seem to enjoy the show?)

        *Showmanship:

        Evaluates the showmanship of the performers. (Were the performers into the show?  Did they appear excited to be there?)

        *Precision of Steps:

        Evaluates preparedness of the performers to execute the steps. (Did they look like they were prepared?)

                *Consistency:
Evaluates the details of the show.  (Do the costumes complement each other, compliment the theme, and match?  Are the steps together?  Do the steps and performers complement the music?  Does the music complement the theme?)

        H.        Participants and performers must meet these requirements:

                1.        An individual student may perform in only one Step Show act.

2.    A Step Show act may use a maximum of 15 students on stage, 1 sound tech, and 2 donation greeters.  

3.        Any non-performing member of a participating group must purchase a ticket to be in the audience.

4.        No group should require a member to practice more than 20 hours for the performance.

1.  TEAM CAPTAINS AND MEETINGS

1.  The team captain or team representative must attend each captain’s meeting.  
2.  If a member of the team is not present for a meeting, it will be assumed that the team is no longer participating if the UPC Service Committee Chair is not notified within 24 hours of the meeting, and your team may not be included on the program or in the competition.  

II.        REGISTRATION GUIDELINES

        
ALL submissions are to be submitted electronically through OrgSync.

        A.        FINAL DEADLINE FOR ENTERING STEP SHOW IS DETERMINED BY THE SGA UNIVERSITY PROGRAM COUNCIL.  IT CAN BE FOUND ON UNA.EDU/UPC

        B.        A roster listing all participants and L#s is required of each group and due by the deadline listed on the “Important Dates” page of this packet.    

IV.        TECHNICAL REGULATIONS

        A.  Time Restrictions and Composition

                1.         ROUTINE LENGTH: Maximum step routine length may not exceed ten (10) minutes, Time begins when the first sound (vocal or deliberate impact) is made by music or members, and ends when members exit the stage.

                2.         ROUTINE COMPOSITION: Each routine may consist of any combination of skits and steps. However, each routine should have a minimum of 4 minutes of stepping.

        B.  Props/Costumes

                1.        All props to be used in Step Show must be approved and constructed under the approval of the UPC Service Chair through the submission of detailed designs and drawings.

                                                      a)   Props must be light enough (by weight) to be handled by ONE group member.

                                              b)   No props can be free-standing on the stage (i.e. each prop requiring both hands

                                                to carry must be held by ONE member of the group for the entire show.)  

                                                      c)  Groups cannot require an individual member to purchase a prop to participate.

                                                      d)  All props must fit through a single door 34” x 80”

                                                      e)  Act members must set up and strike stage props.

                                              f)   ANY GROUP THAT LEAVES ANY PROPS BACKSTAGE AFTER THE                                      PERFORMANCE WILL BE UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN FUTURE UPC                                      EVENTS UNTIL A MEMBER/MEMBERS OF THE GROUP PERFORM 5  

                                                SERVICE HOURS IN NORTON WITH ALICE GROSS AND OBTAIN HER

                                                   SIGNATURE THAT THE HOURS ARE COMPLETED

                                                      g)   Props are defined as anything that is not attached to the costume (signs or

                                                           anything that is not present in the whole show or if it touches the ground

                3.        All costume designs must be approved by the UPC Service Chair prior to purchases or fabrication.

1. Groups should not spend more than $35 per each costume.
2. Points may be deducted if a different costume is worn during the performance other than costumes approved at dress rehearsal. (See Section VI. B. for explanation of Penalties.)

        C.        Music

1. Two CDs of each group’s music must be submitted to the SGA UPC Service Chair and UPC Advisor for approval by the date found on the “important dates” page. (Music is expected to be in good taste.)

2.  Each CD must be labeled with your team name written on the CD.  

                        3.         Inappropriate language must be edited from all music. Failure to do so results in immediate disqualification.

4.        Each team is to provide one person to assist the sound technician during the performance.  

                         5.    There may be some overlap of music between groups.  This will not affect a team’s score.  

        D.        Technical Regulations

                        Stage size is 30’ ft. x 30’ ft.

                1.        Special lighting requests will NOT be fulfilled. All lighting will be the Permanent House Lighting.  

                2.        Hand-held microphones will NOT be permitted.

                3.        Fire, pyrotechnics, animals, LOOSE GLITTER and/or motor vehicles are strictly prohibited. Violation of this regulation results in an automatic disqualification.

                4.         Each group is allowed one stage rehearsal during their timeslot the night before the judged performance.

V.        JUDGING

        A.        General:

                1.        There will be ONE (1) judged performance of Step Show.

                2.        At least 4 individuals will be scheduled to judge the show.

                3.     The highest and lowest score for each performance will not be counted.

                4.        Please realize that the judges will not be professional “Steppers” and some or all may not be entertainers.  Judges are not paid and participate with this event on a voluntary basis to support students and help you give back to the community.  They will represent the general public and therefore may judge performances in an arbitrary manner.  If you think this is not a fair practice, please elect not to participate in Step Show.  UPC will attempt to assure that judges that volunteer are un-biased.  Because this is impossible to guarantee, the highest and lowest judge’s score for each performance will be dropped.    

        B.        Scoring:

                1.        The maximum score given by each judge will be 40 points.  

2.        When the results have been established, they will be delivered to the emcee for announcement.

VI.        INFRACTION ASSESSMENT

        A.        General Information:

                1.        This information should be viewed as a guideline to rule enforcement as specific circumstances may dictate alternate action.

                2.        Penalties for infractions not specifically listed will be assessed by the SGA UPC Service Chair, the SGA UPC Service Committee, the SGA Vice President for UPC and the UPC Advisor.

        B.        Penalties/Violations Defined:

                1.        Violations of the Step Show rules and technical regulations result in a range of penalties.

2. Penalties will range from point loss to immediate disqualification.

3. Inappropriate language must be edited from all music. Failure to do so results in immediate disqualification.

4.    Throwing of any objects (boots, canes, etc.) into the crowd or from the stage is prohibited. Failure to abide

       by this rule will result in ineligibility of the group and its participants from future UPC events until 10  

       service hours are completed for Norton Staff.  Alice Gross must sign that these hours have been

      completed.    

5. No team can pull any member of the audience on the stage. Failure to abide by this rule will result in

ineligibility of the group and any of its participants from future UPC events until 10 service hours are completed for Norton Staff.  Alice Gross must sign that these hours have been completed.    

6. If a different costume is worn during the performance other than the one approved during rehearsal, 5

points will be deducted from the total score.

7.    No props are allowed to be left on stage after a performance. Failure to abide by this rule will result in

               ineligibility of the group and all individuals therein to participate in future UPC events until 5 service hours

               are completed in Norton Auditorium and approved by Alice Gross

VII.  Step Show POLICIES

        A.        You must agree to accept and abide by the policies to participate.

VIII.  Awards

        A.        The groups with the first-highest and second-highest scores in each competing division (Male, Female and Co-Ed) will be awarded respectively unless two or less teams compete in a division.  

        B.        The group with the overall highest score will be awarded as “Overall Winner”.

                        a)   The Overall Winner may be required to perform at the UNA First Friday event.

       C.           The Friend of United Way Award will be awarded to the organization who collects the most cash and

            check donations in the lobby before the program begins on performance night. Checks should

           be made out to UNA. 

a)   Organizations must provide their own buckets.

Important Dates and Deadlines

Step Show October 2, 2015

6pm in Flowers Hall

August 31:         Step Show Interest Meeting

4:30pm GUC 200

September 1:            1st Captain Meeting / Step Show Registration Forms due on OrgSync

4:30pm GUC 200                        1. Captains will draw for performance order

September 8:             2nd Captain Meeting- The following items are Due:

4:30pm GUC 200                        1. Detailed Costume sketches

2. Detailed Prop sketches (including 3D sizes, shape and color of each prop)

                                        3. 2 Finalized CDs of edited music.

4. Captains will select dress rehearsal time slot

5. Group Intro Due

September 15:            3rd Captain Meeting- The following items are Due:  

4:30pm GUC 200                                   1. Sample of all finalized costumes and props for Step Show for visual approval.

                                        2. A roster listing all performers, bucket holders, and sound tech with L#s

                                         3. No changes to the song selection or music can be made after this date

October 1:             Dress Rehearsal 5pm-10pm, Flowers Hall

October 2:             STEP SHOW 2015, 6pm, Flowers Hall

Contact Information:  SGA UPC Service Chair- Austin Bullock jbullock@una.edu