After the 1st series of East Meets West pole events, we were approached by numerous people with questions regarding the new PFA Scoring System, so we sat down and spoke to Collette, Lizz, Michula and Sam and passed your questions along to them.
BK: I know a tremendous amount of time and effort was put forth in creating this scoring system, would you like to comment on the process you under took and those involved in creating it ??
PFA: We had 2 main things that we wanted to accomplish in creating a new scoring system. First, we wanted to make the process standardized and objective. Secondly, we wanted to demystify this process to the audience and competitors alike. To accomplish our first task, we asked competitors to submit their 8 most difficult elements, as do the elite competitive gymnasts. (This process was incorporated with the competitions on the west coast and only the Trixpert on the east coast. Pole Drama scoring was different due to a higher percentage of points for artistry.) A common language was necessary for this process, and luckily PFA had completed the first edition of the Visual Dictionary. Competitors were able to use this to provide us with their elements. If a trick was not yet in the handbook, we simply asked the competitors to submit pictures and to use the language that PFA uses when describing leg and hand positioning and have those at the side of the judges. The elements were given a difficulty start value, which was then returned to the competitors, in case they wished to make changes to their routine. The highest that a single trick/element or combination connected by a release or drop could receive is a .8 or 80 with a 640 as the highest difficulty start value one could receive.
BK: How is the Difficulty Start Value used in the scoring process??
PFA: Scoring definitely takes difficulty into account....we never "add back" this score into the final calculations, but contestants submitting more difficult moves by definition have higher starting values and therefore possibility to score higher. Furthermore, PFA and EMW wanted to begin to award competitors for mastery of difficult elements, such as the iron cross. PFA deemed an iron cross as an 80 for difficulty. However, if a competitor displayed mastery of this trick, holding it for a great length of time and lowered and possibly pulled it back up again, the judges had the power to award up to .2 or 20 points bonus points to award such mastery and or exceptional work. On the same note, if a trick was deemed 80 in difficulty and the competitor does not execute it as such, the judge can give the execution of the trick a lower score.
BK: So with all that information what’s the process for judging during the competition?
PFA: Each judge has a specific function. There is a one deduction judge, one judge for specified elements being scored (D E or Difficulty and Execution score) and two artistic/connectivity judges. Each judge is given personalized score sheets for each competitor. The judges score during the performance, and then a “judge liaison” takes the score sheets to the “runners.” The runners tally the score and abolish the judges’ ability to change scores. There is no communication between judges during the scoring process, nor the runners to judges. The D-V (Difficulty Value) and E scores are added to the average of the two Artistic scores. Once that is totaled, deductions are subtracted and we are left with the final score.
For the east coast Drama competition, two Artistic Scores were averaged to achieve one Artistic Score. Artististry is a hard score to define on a technical basis. There must be room for some subjectivity. We thus had two judges to score this component and averaged the score.
BK: So you commented that you wanted to demystify the scoring process, how do you feel you are accomplishing this goal?
PFA: As for the competitors, they are given guidelines (just as in pretty much all competitions) but with the submission of elements they are given their start values and are allowed to resubmit elements after they’ve seen their numbers. They know what they are starting with. We communicate to them directly what will cause deductions in their score.
As far as the pole community/audience, we are slowly trying to educate as to how we are scoring. The west coast event was very much a “meet” format. We announced the Difficulty Start Value prior to the competitor(s) coming to the stage and once scores were tallied, they were announced. It was a unique process and one that really gets the audience involved.
The east coast event format was more one of entertainment. We did not announce DSV (Difficulty Start Value) or final scores during the competition instead announce the top three for each category following each division.
For both the east and west coast, we allowed the competitors see the score sheets immediately after the event and judges were available for questions.
BK: WOW, that’s a lot of work and effort; this will surely put Pole in good company compared to scoring of other sports such as gymnastics and skating..What does the PFA hope to achieve by creating a unified adoptable scoring system?
PFA: We want to create the most fair and balanced events! We want to bring understanding and continuity to scoring process, eliminate favoritism and subjectivity, which ultimately brings legitimacy to the sport. It’s a difficult situation, with the advent of computers, Facebook and Youtube, especially, the pole community knows each other. You have to create a format that doesn’t allow that “friendly” environment to affect the judging. We may not be there 100% but with each event we keep getting closer!
BK: That makes perfect sense to us, so pretend I am a competitor, what are some of the common scoring deductions that future competitors should watch out for?
PFA: Deductions include unstable static holds, unnecessary pauses, unpointed toes, breaks in legs (when in ‘pencil’ position, legs should be as one), kicking the pole, creating momentum by running before a spin and/or creating spin by using the truss and/or floor, touching the truss (for safety reasons), Are these easy fixes ? These are indeed easy fixes! Just as long as we effectively communicate exactly what the judges are looking for and continue to strive for common language in describing what is being sought after.
BK: Seeing that we are a fashion company and have built our PoleFit line specific for this sport, What role will wardrobe selection have in scoring?
PFA: Of course, a competitor should choose wardrobe that does expose any of the buttocks. Wardrobe must be chosen so that it does not inhibit the flow of her routine. In other words, if a competitor must pause in her routine to adjust her bottoms, not only has she lost points for the actual tug, she has lost points in the artistic flow of her routine that may force her to be off with music. The community needs to know that for a technically-based competition, pole dance gear that is made specific with the competitor pole dancer in mind is the wisest choice. Pole Fit allows the competitor to focus on her routine and execute it to her fullest potential without having to worry about being deducted for easy fixes such as not having to tug at bottoms! Furthermore, in order for pole dancing to achieve a legitimate place in the sports arena, we cannot have competition attire show more the buttocks or breasts in overly sexual manner. It must be modest and functional to bring in all audiences and potential sponsors. Thank you, Bad Kitty for making this possible.
BK: So is there an online resource where someone can find out what the Difficulty Score of each move is worth?
PFA: Our next task is to publish all difficulty values on the next edition of the PFA handbooks and online.
BK: So what have we learned ? The PFA is working very hard to be as transparent in their scoring as possible. Doing their best to make competitors aware of how they will be judged, before, during and after a competition. Thank you Collette, Liz, Michula and Sam for answering these questions for us and the community. Bad Kitty will keep you all posted on the new release of the Handbook, which will allow all of the competitors a better way to train for and be aware of what it is they are being judged on.
