House Rules
- You can not enter in sport and championship divisions
- If you have placed in a championship division you can not enter sport divisions
- If you have won (1st place) a sport division you can not enter again (move on)
- If you have placed in the top spot for sport ladder in the past (anywhere) you can not enter sport ladder
- age groups will depend on the number of entries and will be decided the day of the event
- Music MUST be uploaded prior to the event (3 days) or you will get random house music
- TBD
General Freestyle Rules for Championship Divisions
General Rules and Guidelines – All Styles
Time
Time starts between 0:00 and 0:01 on the music, and ends between 1:00 and 1:01, 2:00 and 2:01.
Prelim freestyles will be 1-minute long. Finals freestyles will be 2 minutes long.
Start
Yo-Yo(s) may not start the freestyle from a spinning, thrown, or mounted.
Finish
No points score after the end time of the performance, deductions may still be taken.
Music
Prelims will be a randomized music track.
Each competitor shall have 2-minutes to perform a freestyle routine to his or her choice of music for the freestyle finals.
The 2-minute time period starts when the music is started by the sound manager.
No points shall be scored for either Technical Execution or Performance Style for any reason before the music starts, or after the 2-minutes (or 1-minute time period) have elapsed.
Music shall start from the beginning of the track and shall be played for 2-minutes (1-minute during prelims) where it shall be cut off. Contestants can feel free to edit the music so that it fades out or ends at the appropriate time.
Music that terminates prior to the 2 minute (or 1-minute) time period will be considered to end the freestyle performance unless the competitor notifies the sound manager and contest director prior to the freestyle so the judges may be informed.
All music must be considered G-rated (appropriate for all audiences) and shall not contain offensive lyrics including but not limited to: obscenities, ethnic or sexual slurs, violence advocacy, etc. If you are unsure about your music, a judge will be available to listen to your music and make sure it is appropriate. Music used in many video games, television segments, and other media does not necessarily meet this standard. With the concurrence of the Contest Director and the Head Judge, use of inappropriate music by a competitor shall result in their disqualification.
Stage Use
All actions of a competitor must be G-rated (appropriate for all audiences) and take into account the safety of the audience, facility, and the competitor. With the concurrence of the Contest Director and the Head Judge, dangerous or inappropriate behavior by a competitor shall result in their disqualification.
No assistants are allowed on stage while a competitor is performing. All extra yo-yos that are to be used by a competitor shall be ready to use and must be brought on stage, before their freestyle starts on a tray supplied by the Contest. Yo-yos that leave the stage during a freestyle shall not be returned to the stage and no others shall be accepted by the competitor from the audience or an assistant. If a competitor uses a yo-yo in violation of this rule, the judges will not award any points for Technical Execution or Performance Style while that yo-yo is in play, but shall deduct points for any mistakes, loss of control restarts, yo-yo replacements, etc.
No props are allowed on stage or to be used in the competition without the prior approval of the Contest Director and the Head Judge. Hats and glasses are excepted and do not require approval as long as they are not significantly altered. All reasonable requests for props will be considered if they are presented prior to the start of the competition.
Yo-Yos with hub stacks (or similar outside mounted bearings) or rim bearings are allowed in all divisions.
Division Specific Rules
Specific Considerations for 1A Freestyles
In a 1A freestyle, at no time shall there be more than one yo-yo in play (including slave or prop yo-yos) at the same time. During any periods of time that this rule is violated, the judges shall not grant any points for Technical Execution or Performance Style but shall deduct points for any mistakes, loss of control restarts, yo-yo replacements, etc. In a 1A freestyle, (except for the “Mobius style and Skyrocket type tricks provisions below”) at no time shall the yo-yo be removed from the string (i.e. no offstring tricks are allowed). During any periods of time that this rule is violated, the judges shall not grant any points for Technical Execution or Performance Style but shall deduct points for any mistakes, loss of control restarts, yo-yo replacements, etc. In a 1A freestyle, Mobius style is allowed. Skyrocket type tricks are also allowed. In a 1A freestyle, typical scoring elements include but are not limited to: mounts, dismounts, string hits, hops, grinds, lacerations, release catches (like suicides/Iron Whips), slack catches, regenerations and binds.
Specific Considerations for 2A and 3A Freestyles
In a 2A or 3A freestyle, the judges shall not grant any points for Technical Execution or Performance Style unless both yo-yos are in play simultaneously. In a 2A or 3A freestyle, at no time shall there be more than two yo-yos in play (including slave or prop yo-yos) at the same time. During any periods of time that this rule is violated, the judges shall not grant any points for Technical Execution or Performance Style but shall deduct points for any mistakes, loss of control restarts, yo-yo replacements, etc. In a 2A freestyle, typical scoring elements include but are not limited to: loops, punches, wraps, tanglers, moons, hops, stalls, worlds, transitions, regenerations and various combinations and/or variations of these elements. In a 3A freestyle, typical scoring elements include but are not limited to: 1A type string tricks that involve both yo-yo’s simultaneously, however transitions between tricks may involve tanglers, worlds, grinds, wraps and similar elements.
Specific Considerations for 4A and 5A Freestyles
In a 4A and 5A freestyle there is no restriction on the number of yo-yos that may be in play at the same time. In a 4A freestyle, typical scoring elements include but are not limited to: launches, tosses, catches, regenerations, grinds, intentional bounces off body parts or the stage back to a catch, boingys or other types of bounces between strings. In a 4A freestyle, trick elements performed with a pinched string that mimic 1A trick elements, where the yo-yo never leaves the string for the entire duration of the trick element, may be scored at a lower value than high risk off string moves. Similarly, 4A railing style tricks (sliding along the string) may be scored at a lower value than high risk off string moves. In a 5A freestyle, points shall only be awarded only while the counter weight (or multiple counter weights) is in play, or in the act of being moved from hand to hand. Any trick done while the counterweight is being held for the entire duration of the trick shall be considered 1A trick, and shall not be scored.
Preliminary Freestyle Scoring:
• Technical Execution: 60% (clicker, normalized)
• Technical Evaluation: 20% (Cleanliness and Execution – 0 to 10 points each)
• Performance Evaluation: 20% (Music use and Body Control – 0 to 10 points each)
• Major Deductions (Same as Final)
Freestyle Judging Summary for 2016:
JUDGING GROUP A
Technical Execution: 60%
• Two clickers (positive and negative). Normalized to 60 points maximum.
• Only technical aspect (difficulty, transitions, variation, risk, etc.)
• No additional points for rareness, cleanliness, style, continuity, etc.
• Technical execution judges will be very strict with repeating same tricks and/or elements
• Minus 1 for each missed string hit, missed trick, loss of control, missed bind, etc.
• Restarts, change outs, and other problems will be subject for deduction later (Major Deduction).
JUDGING GROUP B
Technical Evaluation: 20%
4 items: 0-5 points each. Not normalized. 20 points possible.
1. Cleanliness (Line of string, trajectory of yo-yo, smooth landings and transitions)
2. Variation (Different techniques within the style of play)
3. Rareness (Uniqueness, originality, difference within the contest framework)
4. Execution (No misses, perfection, completion, accuracy, precision)
Performance Evaluation: 30%
4 items: 0-5 points each. Not normalized. 20 points possible.
1. Music Use (Music timing, cueing, choreography, rhythm, imagery)
2. Space Use (Largeness, amplitude/focus, stage use)
3. Showmanship (theme/story, enjoyment, entertainment, overall impression of show)
4. Body Control (stage manners, posture, professionalism, attitude)
Major Deductions:
After totals of the Execution and Evaluation scores:
• 1 point deduction: Restart the spin on the yo-yo
• 3 point deduction: Change out the yo-yo for another one (any reason)
• 5 point deduction: Yo-Yo leaves stage, broken string, or mechanical failure
• Disqualification: Yo-Yo leaves front of stage and goes into the audience