Each event organiser chooses how dancer age is calculated for their event. The default is the dance industry standard: age as of 1 January of the event year. Some organisers prefer age as of the first day of the event. The chosen method is set per event and applies to every entry on that event.
The Two Methods
As of 1 January of the event year (default, industry standard)
A dancer's age is whatever it was on 1 January of the year the event takes place. They keep that age for the entire competition season.
Example: A dancer born on 15 March 2013, competing in a 2025 event.
Age as of 1 Jan 2025 = 11 years old. They compete as an 11-year-old all year, even after their 12th birthday in March.
As of the first day of the event
A dancer's age is whatever it is on the day the event starts.
Example: Same dancer, same 2025 event held in May.
Age on the event start date = 12 years old (their March birthday has already happened).
Solo Entries
The single dancer's age (under whichever method the organiser chose) is the entry's competition age.
Group Entries (Duos, Trios, Groups)
The system uses the average age of all participating dancers, rounded to the nearest whole number. This avoids the entry being pulled down by one much-younger dancer or pulled up by one much-older dancer.
Example: A trio of dancers aged 12, 14, and 16 (under whichever method).
Average = (12 + 14 + 16) / 3 = 14. The trio is placed in the age division that includes 14.
Real Age vs Competition Age
Throughout the platform (on guardian dashboards, studio dancer lists, and admin views) you will see two ages displayed for each dancer when you are looking inside a specific event:
| Label | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Real Age | The dancer's actual current age today |
| Competition Age | Age under the event's configured method (used for age divisions). Only shown when you are viewing a specific event. |
If you are looking at a generic dancer roster (not in an event), only "Real Age" is shown. Competition age depends on which event you are looking at.
Changing the Method During an Event
Organisers can switch the method on the event's Age Groups screen at any time before scoring starts:
- Existing entries are NOT silently re-categorised. Kompdesk shows the organiser exactly how many entries no longer fit their current age division under the new method and offers to flip those back to DRAFT for re-placement.
- Entries that are already scheduled keep their current age division. The organiser must withdraw and re-enter them manually if a change is required.
- Once any entry has been scored, the method is locked for the rest of the event. Judging integrity is preserved.
Common Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| My child turns 12 in February, what's their competition age? | Under the 1 January method, 11 (their birthday hasn't happened yet on 1 Jan). Under the event-day method, it depends on the event date: they're 12 if the event is after their birthday. |
| Which method does this event use? | The organiser tells you. You'll see the answer on the event's Age Groups section, and on the event-context "Competition Age" badge. |
| Why is my group in a different age division than expected? | Group entries use the average age of all dancers (rounded), not any one dancer's individual age. Check the average of your dancers' ages under the event's method. |
| What is the difference between "Real Age" and "Competition Age"? | Real age is the dancer's actual age today; competition age is the age the event uses for placing the entry into an age division. |