WHICH COMPETITION IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
Competitions
Sport
Art
Apparatus
Pole
Aerial Hoop
Aerial Silks
Divisions
Amateur
Competitive
Para-athlete
Age Categories
Varsity (6-9 yrs)
Junior A (10-14 yrs)
Junior B (15-17 yrs)
Seniors (18-49 yrs)
Seniors Men Mix (over 16)*
Masters 40+
Masters 50+
* For Pole Sport Competitive Only
Doubles and Groups
Doubles Junior A
Doubles Junior B
Doubles Junior Mix (10-17 yrs)
Doubles Senior (over 18 yrs)
Group Mix (3-6 athletes over 15 yrs)*
* For Pole and Aerial Art Only
COMPETITIONS
Pole Sport
Pole Sport is for athletes who can excel all around. Tricks, artistry, and execution are all judged in this competition. Athletes declare a set of moves from the Code of Points and then are judged based on their execution of those moves in addition to floor work, acro moves, and choreography.
Judging is based on the POSA POLE SPORT CODE OF POINTS.
No props, no shoes. Lyrics are allowed. Costumes must meet the dress code standards in the POSA Pole Sport Code of Points.
Athletes can advance to The POSA World Pole Championships and CSIT World Games.
Aerial Sport
for Hoop and Silks
Do you enjoy flying and can't wait to show off your skills? Are you ready for a clear judging system for your routine? Athletes declare a set of moves from the Code of Points and are judged on how well they execute those moves, as well as floor work, acro moves, and choreography.
Judging is based on POSA AERIAL HOOP AND SILKS CODE OF POINTS.
Athletes can advance to The POSA World Aerial Championships.
Pole Art
Do you have a story to tell or a message to portray? Pole Art may be the place for you. Focus is based on the artistry of the routine while still executing beautiful pole movements.
Judging is based on the POSA POLE ART RULES AND REGULATIONS.
Lyrics are allowed. Props and shoes (but not platforms) are allowed. More lenient costume dress code.
Athletes can advance to The POSA World Pole Art Championships.
Aerial Art
for Hoop and Silks
Do you want to share a story or convey a message? Aerial Art could be the perfect fit for you. The emphasis is on the creativity of the routine while performing stunning hoop or silk movement.
Judging is based on the USPSF AERIAL ART RULES AND REGULATIONS.
Athletes can advance to The POSA World Aerial Championships.
Rules and Regulations
All competitors should refer to the following documents:
POSA Rules & Regulations
USPSF Rules & Regulations
USPSF Athlete Contract
Competition Documents
Competition-specific documents are listed below.
WHICH LEVEL ARE YOU?
Picking the right division level helps you to score your best
Amateur
Are competing at the level of moves valued between 0.1 to 0.5 in the Code of Points.
Competitive
Are competing at the level of moves valued at 0.6 and higher in the Code of Points.
Para-Athlete
For athletes with physical or visual impairments. Athletes must prove their disability by medical certificate or invalidity card.
Frequently Asked Questions
I've never competed before. Is this competition right for me?
Yes! We have an Amateur division so even those that are new to the competition can have a chance to grow through the USPSF.
I'm nervous. Does that mean I shouldn't compete?
Competing is so much fun! Some butterflies are okay when you're preparing for competition. But, even though we will be judging your routine, we won't be judging you! We want as many people as possible to have the chance to learn and grow through competition. We want the sport to grow! So if competing is something that makes you a little nervous but also makes you excited, then the USPSF is a great place for you.
What does the length of my routine need to be?
For Sport Competitions: All Amateur and Para-athlete Division routines must be between 3:20 to 3:30 minutes long. For Competitive Divisions, the length is 3:50 to 4:00 for Seniors and Masters. For Pole and Hoop Competitive Juniors, the length is 3:20 to 3:30, and for Silks Competitive Juniors, the length is 3:20 to 3:45.
For Art Competitions: All Amateur Division routines must be between 3:00 and 3:20 minutes long, and all Competitive Division routines must be between 3:30 and 4:00 minutes long.
Are fade-outs okay in the music?
Fade-outs are permitted, but please keep in mind that the Head Judge considers the first tone of music to be the beginning of the routine and the last tone of music to be the end of the routine.
Are lyrics allowed?
Yes, lyrics are allowed for all competitions.
I'm over 40. How should I choose to compete between the Senior or Masters 40+ Categories?
If you're competing in Pole or Aerial Sport, this will ultimately depend on the range of difficulty elements you declare. You can always perform lower / higher scored elements, but they cannot be declared as difficulty elements.
We will not combine categories based on the number of submissions.
Are silks medium stretch or low stretch?
Aerial silks will be medium stretch.
Do I have to do Anti-doping?
Yes. POSA anti-doping rules follow the World Heavy Events Association (WHEA) anti-doping program. You must sign an anti-doping contract with WHEA prior to the competition. The contract puts you under doping monitoring, and you can be tested in competitions and training seasons without pre-notice by WADA officials. The procedure to sign the contract can be found at https://www.posaworld.org/anti-doping/ and more information can be found at https://www.wada-ama.org/en.
Are mesh inserts ok for aerial costumes?
For women's costumes, net fabric is allowed only at the top part of the sternum or on sleeves.
For Pole and Aerial Sport, does the Execution Judge only score my declared elements?
The difficulty elements are evaluated by the Difficulty Judge. The Execution Judge will evaluate the technical execution of all movements of the entire routine, not just the difficulty elements.
How do I fill out my Difficulty Sheet?
We have a "How to Fill out a Difficulty Sheet" checklist and example on our Documents page.
For Aerial Sport, is there a maximum floorwork time limit?
The choreography on the floor must be a minimum of 30 seconds, but there is no maximum time limit.