1978 IJA CHAMPIONSHIPS: RULES AND REGULATIONS

Introduction

The Championships will be held indoors in a place suitable for juggling. There will be an audience, and all forms of photographic and recording equipment are permitted. All competitors are to provide their own financial arrangements to compete and their own props and apparatus. The order in which the events and competitors will be judged will be scheduled in advance. Entrants must compete at the scheduled times. Props used in competition must be approved by the judges and conform to these regulations. Routines should be prepared in advance just as an act is. The failure of an entrant to be so prepared may result in disqualification. There is an entry fee of 50 cents per event entered, payable in advance of the competition. IJA membership is not required.

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The IJA Juggling Championships competition was started in 1969 and has been held every year since in conjunction with the Annual IJA Convention to serve two purposes:

1. To increase interest in the IJA Conventions (both on the part of the membership and the public) by providing an organized activity in which convention attendees can actively participate and which would be interesting and enjoyable for those who do not actively participate.

2. To provide a means by which the accomplishments of jugglers everywhere can be recognized, appreciated, and acknowledged both by other jugglers and by the public.

Any further required announcements regarding the competition will be published in the IJA Newsletter. Information may also be obtained from Championships Director Roger Dollarhide, Hartford, CT.

Assumptions and Definitions

The rules of the IJA Juggling Championships are based on certain assumptions and definitions which the IJA officers consider valid:

1. Juggling skill can be categorized into specific areas. Onlv a few areas of juggling skill are judged in this competition. These areas are called "events."

2. Specific juggling movements within the events are called "tricks." A trick is defined as any specific well­defined movement with a prop or props which forms a juggling pattern.

3. A "miss" is defined as an accident or loss of control situation in which a prop being manipulated stops its normal movement.

4. Juggling props can be categorized into specific types. The props used in toss juggling are of three basic types: balls, rings or hoops, and clubs or sticks. So long as an entrant's props resemble these basic types, they will probably be suitable for use in the competition.

5. Professional or amateur standing does not necessarily determine a juggler's skill. No distinction will be made

regarding a competitor's professional or amateur status as a juggler.

Judging and Scoring

The competition will be judged by three expert jugglers. Each event will have a point value of 100. A competitor's score will be determined by three factors:

1. Tricks. In all the events except Senior Division Event 3 the competitors will have 3 minutes in which to do as many different tricks as possible. Each trick will be awarded one point, up to a maximum of 50 points. In Senior Division Event 3, the competitor maintains a juggle as long as the juggler can, with one point awarded for every second the juggle is maintained. The competitors will have four trials in this event, and the highest score of the four will be recorded.

2. Misses. Except in Senior Division Event 3, one point will be subtracted from the tricks score for each miss.

3. Form and Presentation. Except in Senior Division Event 3, which will have no form or presentation score,

the judges will award a composite score up to a maximum of 50 points in each event for the competitor's performance in terms of these three elements: DIFFICULTY of tricks, SHOWMANSHIP, and ROUTINING.

A competitor's final score in an event, except in Senior Division Event 3, will be the average of the scores of the judges. A competitor's score in Senior Division Event 3 will be the highest of the scores of the four trials. In case of ties, runoff events will be judged.

A competitor may only enter the Senior Division or the Junior Division but not both. The Junior Division is only for jugglers with three years or less practice. The team juggling event is open to both seniors and juniors.

The competitor who receives the most number of points in an event will be the Champion of that event. The Championship prizes will be engraved medals on ribbons. Second and third place winners will receive ribbons. In the team event, both members will receive medals or ribbons.

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