A dance in the style of a nation or region, performed in character with traditional steps, posture, costume and music, judged on authenticity of style as much as on technique.
National Character is the genre in which a dancer performs the folk or national dance of a country or region, usually by adapting its steps to a trained stage technique. The tradition comes from classical ballet training, where character dance (danse de caractère) is taught alongside ballet: Polish mazurka, Hungarian czardas, Russian, Spanish, Italian tarantella and Scottish styles are common starting points. The dancer is expected to look and move like the people the dance comes from, not like a ballet dancer wearing a costume.
A round is one performance on a stage floor. The dancer or group is called, the music starts, and the adjudicator watches the whole piece, writing comments and a mark as it unfolds. The footwork, hand and arm shapes, head carriage, rhythm accents and facial expression all belong to the chosen nation, so the entry is marked as much on whether the style is recognisable and consistent as on how clean the technique is. Character shoes or boots, skirts, scarves, hats and props are common and should be safe to dance in.
In the Rise Up Dance Creative template in the eTalenter catalogue, National Character is the second printed genre. It is entered as a solo in three levels (Specially Restricted, Restricted and Open) across the age divisions 6 and under to 16 and under plus 17 and over, and also as duo/trio, parent and child, troupe and school-group entries. Solos run three minutes and team entries three or four minutes depending on the section, boys and girls compete together, there is no language requirement, and entries are marked out of 100 under the label Marks. The syllabus it was built from prints no marking criteria, so none are installed here and the adjudicator's own sheet applies.
Organisers keep National Character apart from ballet, jazz or contemporary because the question the adjudicator asks is different: is this convincingly the dance of that place? For a coordinator using eTalenter it is entered like any other item: register each dancer or group in the right division and level, record the adjudicator's mark out of 100, and ranking and placings follow within each division.
Where National Character is run
In eTalenter's data this item appears on four dance templates: Rise Up Dance Creative, Royale Performing Arts Challenge, The Menai Eisteddfod Dance and Tutus and Tapshoes Eisteddfod. It is a standard section of ballet-school and eisteddfod dance syllabi in the English-speaking world, where it normally sits beside Classical Ballet and Demi Character.
- Australia
- United Kingdom
Key facts
- Solo, duo/trio, parent and child, troupe and school-group entries on the Rise Up template.
- Solos are split by level (Specially Restricted, Restricted, Open) and by age from 6 and under to 17 and over.
- Boys and girls compete together; no language requirement.
- Time limit in the template: 3 minutes for solos, 3 or 4 minutes for team sections.
- Marks out of 100 under the label Marks; the syllabus prints no criteria, so the adjudicator's sheet decides.
- Idea starters, not rules: a Polish mazurka with heel clicks, a Spanish piece with castanets, a Russian dance with strong squat and knee work, an Italian tarantella with tambourine.
On eTalenter, National Character is filed under Dance and typically scored with Marks. It appears in 4 ready-made event templates — each one can adjust its time limit, age-group assignment and scoring setup independently.
Across the templates that use it, National Character is most often entered as an Team competition, typically scored out of 100, commonly time-limited to 3–4 minutes where a limit is set.
What judges look at in National Character
What a National Character panel is actually weighing up, and where the marks are usually won or lost:
- Authenticity of style: steps, arm shapes and head carriage that clearly belong to the chosen nation, not a generic folk look.
- Character and projection: the dancer plays the part from entrance to final pose, with a face and attitude that fit the dance.
- Technique within the style: clean footwork, secure balance and control, adapted from stage training without losing the folk flavour.
- Rhythm and musicality: accents that land exactly where the national music places them, and music that is genuinely from that tradition.
- Costume and props: appropriate, tidy, safe to dance in, and used as part of the performance rather than carried for show.
- Spacing and staging (team entries): even patterns, tidy formations and everyone in the same style.
Treat these as the judging focus, not a fixed rubric: publish your own weighted criteria for National Character under Scoring Setup, or start from the full group dance judging criteria guide.
How to prepare for National Character
How entrants and their teachers usually get National Character right on the day:
- Pick one nation and stay with it; mixing steps from several countries is the commonest way to lose marks.
- Learn the music's rhythm first, then the steps, so the accents land where the tradition expects them.
- Ask the teacher for a few minutes on the dance's background, so posture and attitude come from understanding, not copying.
- Edit the music to the time limit and rehearse with that exact file so the last step lands on the last note.
- Practise in the actual shoes and costume, including skirts, hats and props, well before the day.
- Film a run-through and check for sustained character in the face and hands, not only the feet.
- For team entries, rehearse entrances and exits as carefully as the dance, and keep the group strictly in the same style.
Frequently asked questions
Is National Character judged individually or as a team?
Across eTalenter's templates it's most often run as an Team entry, though an organiser can set either participation type when assigning the item to an age group.
Is National Character the same as Demi Character?
No. National Character is the folk or national dance of a particular country. Demi Character is a separate genre on this template, so check the syllabus wording for the section you are entering.
How long can a National Character entry be?
Three minutes for solos in the Rise Up Dance Creative template, and three or four minutes for team sections. Your organiser's notice is the one that counts.
Can I use props?
The template does not say. Props are common in this genre, but check your organiser's rules and keep them safe and part of the dance.
Can boys and girls enter the same section?
Yes. The section is open to boys and girls together, with no language requirement.
Want the full judging picture? Read the full group dance judging criteria guide, or browse every dance competition item.
Try National Character in eTalenter
See every ready-made template that runs National Character, and install one as a live event — age groups, rules and scoring included.
