Disqualification
- Competitive participants may have their performances disqualified by the adjudicator or by the Festival if they are found to be in violation of any of the Festival Rules & Regulations, whether these general rules or any rules specific to a discipline or class.
- Participants may also be disqualified if they and/or audience members attending on their behalf are found to be in violation of audience protocols or the Festival Code of Conduct.
- Any such disqualification will be undertaken as discreetly as possible, circumstances permitting.
- If a performance is disqualified during the class in which it is scheduled, the adjudicator will provide a full written and verbal adjudication; however, the disqualified participant will be given a non-competitive adjudication.
- Should circumstances arise that a performance must be disqualified after its scheduled class is completed, the Festival will advise the affected participants, along with any other pertinent parties, such as a music teacher or family, of the decision, in writing. Disqualification after the fact is reserved for gross misconduct such as vandalism of the performance space, violent or aggressive behaviour, and the like.
- If a performance is disqualified, the affected participant will not be eligible for awards or recommendations specific to the class in which they have been disqualified. Such a participant remains eligible for awards or recommendations in any of their other classes in which they remain in good standing.
- The Festival reserves the right to apply further penalties, such as prohibition from participating in future Festivals, should any participant be found in violation of multiple Festival rules over more than one Festival year, or if any rules violation is particularly egregious.
- Any decision made by an adjudicator or by the Festival regarding the disqualification of a participant is final. If an adjudicator has not disqualified a performance, the Festival will not disqualify that performance except in cases of gross misconduct as described above, though it may render the performance ineligible for awards after careful review.