Dancer, Singer & Drummer Registration

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First Nations University of Canada Rules for Dancers and Singers

We hope that everyone enjoys their time here at the Powwow.  These rules are designed to help ensure structure and fairness for everyone throughout the competition – Thank you

Contest Rules for dancers:

  1. All dancers must be registered prior to Grand Entry

  2. It is the dancer’s responsibility to ensure that they are registered in the correct category.

  3. The Powwow Committee reserves the right to ask dancers for identification for proof of age. Where a dancer does not have proper identification the decision of where a dancer should be registered will be at the discretion of the Committee

  4. Dancers who are moved to a different category will forfeit any points accumulated in the former category that they were improperly registered in

  5. Dancers are required to be in ALL grand entries AND in full regalia. Points are given for each Grand Entry.

  6. All dancers are expected to be ready when called to contest and they should be in full regalia for their competition and for all Grand Entries

  7. When a particular category is divided into groups, the dancer is required to compete in the group they are placed in. Dancing in the wrong group will result in no points received for that session and possible disqualification from total contest. This is at the arena director’s discretion.

  8. In the case of a tie a tie breaker will be initiated. Dancers will be called on to dance a tie breaker. The drum rotation will determine the tie breaker song and drum. A new set of judges will be selected

  9. Dancers found to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol will be asked to leave the facility and they will be disqualified from the remainder of the dance competition.

Contest Rules for drummers:

  1. All Drums must be registered prior to Grand Entry

  2. All registered singers (minimum of 5 and maximum of 12 with each drum) must be present at the drum during judging.  Each singer may sing with only one drum.  Points will be deducted for each missing singer.  It is each singer’s responsibility to know when his or her group sings in the drum rotation

  3. Drum groups must be ready with all singers registered no later than 15 minutes for drum roll call.

  4. Singers must refrain from singing under the influence of drugs and alcohol.  A zero tolerance level is in effect for the duration of the Powwow.  Singers will be asked to leave if it is suspected that they may be under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol

  5. Drum groups will be judged on Two (2) Intertribals and Two (2) Contest songs during the entire weekend.  Judges will be selected prior to each session and the number of judges may vary each for each session.

  6. Drum groups will be judged on the quality of the leads (clear, strong lead); pickups (singers come in together and in time); harmony (unison, singing together); drumming (strong beat, rhythm & consistency); appropriate song (for dance category, quality of song) and; drum respect (cleanliness, not leaving drum unattended, etc.).

  7. In the event of a tie a tie breaker will be initiated. Each drum in the tie will be asked to sing two push-ups of a song of their choice. New judges will be selected for tie breakers

  8. The Powwow Committee is encouraging all drums to fully participate in the powwow.  This means that drums should not be left unattended on the arena floor

Good luck to all dancers and singers!