Competitions

Main Competition

This consists of three classes; Premier, Championship and Open. Every team will have a warm-up dance prior to judging and then will perform in five competition pubs, in front of two judges per pub. Apart from the other individual competition awards, all prizes (music, buzz, character etc.) are based on the results of this competition.

Marking Criteria Competition Rules

Traditional Competition

By its nature, Rapper is a tradition that is constantly evolving and innovating. There is the danger that, as Rapper changes, it moves further away from its roots in the mining villages of Northumberland and Durham. The purpose of this competition is to act as a reminder of our roots and celebrate the link to these original Rapper dances and the people who danced them.

This year, each team who have entered the competition, will nominate their own judge to score the dances. The nominated judge will not, however, judge the team who have nominated them to ensure there is no bias. The judges will use the Main Competition marking criteria to evaluate the dances, giving a score to each category and then provide overall feedback to the teams.

Competition Rules

Spotlight Competition

This year’s spotlight competition will be held in the gallery of Peterborough Museum. This Georgian mansion has served as a museum for over 70 years; seven permanent galleries display inspirational historical and cultural objects. The ground floor has a café and two main exhibition spaces providing a dynamic programme of changing exhibitions for heritage and arts.

DERTy

This is DERT’s youth competition and combines judged dances and the chance for feedback. DERTy 2025 will take place at Peterborough Museum.

Competing teams perform once in front of the judges; this dance isn’t scored but is an opportunity to receive feedback before having time to work on the comments and shake off the nerves.

You’ll then get the chance to work some more on your dance, before heading upstairs to the Art Gallery/Spotlight venue to perform again for the judges. This time it’s a formal judging process with scores and feedback. The teams will then perform at the start of the evening Showcase, shortly followed by a prize-giving ceremony.

Division Winners

Competing teams will be arranged into three divisions (Premier, Championship and Open) with a trophy awarded to the highest-scoring team in each division, excluding character scores.

Steve Marris

Awarded to the team with the highest overall score, including character scores, from any category.

Tyzack Shield

Awarded to the team with the highest marks for buzz factor.

DERTy

Awarded to the highest-scoring team in the Youth competition.

Traditional competition

Awarded to the highest-scoring team in the Traditional competition.

Spotlight

Awarded to the highest-scoring team for their dance in the Spotlight competition.

Music (The Angela Lee Trophy)

Awarded to the team with the highest scores for music.

Characters

Awarded to the team with the highest scores for characters: Tommy, Betty or both.

Pearson Trophy

Awarded to the team with highest scores for stepping.

Veterans Trophy

Awarded to the highest-scoring team in the Veterans’ competition.

The Rapperlympic Flame for Best Newcomer

Awarded to the highest-scoring team competing at DERT for the first time.