Terms &
Conditions

All entries are subject to acceptance by Dynasty Pole. Dynasty Pole reserves the right to decline any entry, before or after payment, at its sole discretion and without giving reasons.

Where an entry is declined, the entry fee will be refunded in full within 10 working days and the entrant will be contacted directly. This is the only circumstance in which the entry fee is refunded.

There are two divisions, Amateur and Semi-Pro+, each containing three categories: Tricks, Styles, and Low Flow.

You must enter as Semi-Pro+ if you meet any of the following:

• You teach, or have at any time taught, a regular pole class for payment
• You are, or have at any time been, paid to perform, in any discipline: pole, burlesque, aerial, dance, circus, club work or anything else
• You have competed in events above amateur level, including but not limited to:
  • Pole Legends
  • Rising Legends
  • Miss Pole Dance NZ
  • Pole Inferno
  • Rapture Pole Competition
  • Any other national or international competitions classified as beyond amateur level
• You have placed first in a Dynasty Amateur category. This applies to that category only. A Tricks winner is Semi-Pro+ in Tricks and may still enter Styles and Low Flow as an Amateur

If you do not meet any of the above criteria, you are still welcome to enter Semi-Pro+. Just be aware that you will be competing alongside performers who do.

Taking a break from teaching or performing does not automatically return you to Amateur. If your circumstances have changed dramatically since you were last Semi-Pro+, for example a long-term injury or years away from pole entirely, contact us before entering and we will agree the right night with you.

Entering the correct division is the competitor's responsibility. If you're unsure which division suits you, contact us before entering. We act on what we know and on what we're told; we don't investigate every entrant. If someone believes a competitor has entered Amateur incorrectly, they may tell us who and why, and we will look into it. We do not act on general claims about a division or a category. If an entry is found to be in Amateur incorrectly before judging begins, it is moved to Semi-Pro+. If judging has already begun, the entry is disqualified. Entries are not judged a second time. No refund is given in either case.

• Entrants may submit routines for one or more categories
• If selected in multiple categories, they will compete in the one where they ranked highest relative to other entrants
• If placements are equal, the routine with the higher score will determine the competition category
• Each category entered requires a separate entry and payment

• Doubles routines are permitted in all categories
• Entrants must register specifically as a doubles pair
• Pairings must remain the same from entry through to the competition
• Both people in a doubles pair must qualify for the chosen division on their own. If either of you would be Semi-Pro+, the pair enters Semi-Pro+

All video entries will be scored by one external specialist judge per division, using the published Dynasty judging criteria. Each video judge will review all entries in their allocated division and determine the top eight finalists per category. Where two entries finish level on total, the two criteria scored out of 15 for that category decide it; if still level, the judge splits them. If the judge cannot separate two entries on either side of the cut, Dynasty will engage a second judge to review those entries and decide. Dynasty organisers do not judge.

At the live event, three on-the-night specialist judges take over, chosen to reflect the unique qualities of our categories: Tricks, Low Flow, and Styles.

Each category will award 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, provided minimum entry numbers are met. Dynasty Pole reserves the right to adjust placings if there are fewer competitors than expected.

A People's Choice award is given each night. It is decided by the in-theatre audience vote and is open to every competitor performing that night, including placegetters.

If you place 1st in an Amateur category at Dynasty, you must enter Semi-Pro+ in that category at your next Dynasty competition. This applies per category. Placing 1st in Tricks Amateur moves you up in Tricks only, not across all categories. You may still enter other Amateur categories you have not won. This is a permanent requirement, not just the following year.

Having competed in other amateur-level events, including Manifest, NZAPP, Wildfire, or Freestyle Flight, does not disqualify you from entering Dynasty Amateur.

Time starts from the first movement or the music cue. Music will be cut at exactly 4:00 minutes to ensure show flow.

• Must be uploaded to the portal as an MP3 or M4A, cut to exactly what you will perform to, by the deadline
• Songs must be unique to each competitor
• Music will be confirmed on a first-in, first-served basis

• Wear what the act needs. There's no dress code
• Clothing may be removed during the performance
• Minimum coverage at all times is pasties and a g-string, for every gender presentation
• Less than that is nudity and may result in disqualification

Props are permitted under the following conditions:

• Must not be hazardous or damage the venue or the poles
• Can be cleaned up efficiently
• Can be set up quickly

Not allowed, no exceptions: fire, lit candles, smoke or haze of your own, pyrotechnics or sparklers, small glitter, silly string. Anything that leaves the floor or the poles marked is out, because the next competitor performs on the same surface within minutes.

Allowed only if declared on your competitor information form, with a clean-up plan: confetti cannons, paint, slime, fake blood, oils, powders and other liquids. You supply the clean-up gear and any products needed, we may require a tarpaulin and that is yours to supply too, confetti is positioned so it lands clear of the poles, and the stage has to be back to clean within the changeover. If it can't be, we say no, on the night if we have to.

Props must be declared in advance on your competitor information form. Dynasty Pole reserves the right to veto props that are unsafe or undeclared, on the night if necessary.

• Permitted with prior approval, declared on your competitor information form
• They may not perform any pole moves. Contact with the pole for posing purposes only, such as leaning on it, is permitted
• Must purchase a ticket and follow all backstage rules. Backstage access is limited to their tech run and their category section

• Permitted, but must not be applied directly to the pole
• Grip aids that leave residue (e.g. wax) are not allowed
• Grip gloves are allowed

Performers may not hang from or interact with any part of the venue rigging.

Performances must not contain material that is offensive, discriminatory or unsafe. That includes cultural appropriation. If your costume, music, movement or story comes from a culture that isn't yours, it needs to be there with understanding, not as decoration. Sacred things are not props.

Talk to people around you, especially anyone from that culture. If you're still not sure, ask us before you choreograph. We would much rather have that conversation in December than on the day. If in doubt, edit it out.

Dynasty Pole may require changes to music, costume, props or choreography, and where that can't be resolved in time, may withdraw the piece from the show.

• All competitors must be 18 years or older on the date of the competition
• If selected, competitors must be present in Palmerston North for the compulsory performer briefing at 2:30pm on the day of their competition
• A run sheet will be provided with call times; late arrivals may be disqualified

Finalists will be notified by mid-December and must accept their place in the portal by the date given in their result email; a place not accepted by then may be offered to the next entrant. Finalists are then issued a competitor information form. All required information, including music files, lighting notes, biography, and any other requested details, must be submitted by 11:59pm on Sunday 28 February 2027.

• All judging is carried out by independent specialist judges. Dynasty organisers do not participate in scoring and have no involvement in determining placings.
• No communication with judges is allowed during the competition
• Judges' decisions are final and not open to appeal
• If you have a close personal relationship with a judge, this must be declared. That judge will not score your routine, and the remaining judges' scores will be weighted accordingly

Competitors may watch the show before or after their performance if:

• They've purchased a ticket
• They are backstage on time for their performance
• They cover their costume while in the audience
• They remain respectful and do not disrupt others

Without a ticket, competitors may observe from side stage or via the backstage live stream.

• Dressing rooms are for competitors, staff, and human props only
• Family and friends are not allowed backstage
• Human props are backstage only for their tech run and for the category section they appear in. At every other time they are in the audience or the foyer, not the dressing rooms

This section applies to competitors, human props, hair and makeup artists, support people, and any person attending under a competitor's booking.

Everyone at a Dynasty event is expected to behave respectfully towards competitors, judges, crew, venue staff and other attendees. All competitors must comply with the rules and follow all staff instructions.

Alcohol and impairment before performing. Competitors and human props must not consume alcohol or any impairing substance before performing. This applies from arrival at the venue through to the completion of their performance, and includes the compulsory briefing and tech runs. You are working on rigged apparatus at height, and this is a safety rule, not a discretionary one.

A competitor who breaches this may be withdrawn from the competition at Dynasty Pole's discretion. No refund is payable.

Dynasty Pole may refuse entry to the venue, remove a person from the venue, or withdraw a competitor from the competition where, in its reasonable opinion, a person:

• Is intoxicated or affected by any substance to a degree that affects their conduct or safety
• Behaves abusively or aggressively, or in a way that disrupts the event
• Interferes with the running of the competition or the safety of any person
• Fails to follow a reasonable direction from Dynasty Pole staff, crew or venue staff

Decisions under this section may be made by the Event Director or a nominated Dynasty representative, and take effect immediately.

Where a competitor is removed or withdrawn under this section, no refund of the entry fee is payable and no fee or prize is owed. Dynasty Pole may decline future entries from any person removed under this section.

• Competitors are responsible for warming up properly
• You must be in good physical condition to compete
• Notify us of any medical conditions or allergies in advance
• Dynasty Pole reserves the right to stop a performance if a competitor appears unwell

All competitors and their guests are expected to be supportive and respectful. Heckling or rude behaviour will not be tolerated.

Your personal information (name, contact details, entry details) will be securely stored by Dynasty Pole, operated by Altitude Studios Whanganui Ltd.

• Information is used only to operate and promote the competition
• We may email you regarding the administration of your entry, including confirmation, judging outcomes, finalist requirements, and competition-related updates
• We may email you for promotional purposes, including information about future Dynasty events. You may opt out at any time by contacting us at hello@dynastypole.com
• We will only contact you by phone or text if you have not responded to email communication regarding a deadline or required submission
• We do not sell or share your data, except with the service providers below, where required for competition logistics (e.g. judges, ticketing), or to sponsors for the purposes of redeeming prizes and gifts
• We use software tools, including AI assistants, to help administer entries, communications and judging logistics. Your details may pass through those tools under their providers' privacy terms. We do not use your information to train AI models, and no decision about your entry is made by AI
• You may request access to or deletion of your data at any time

What we collect and where it lives. When you enter we collect your name, stage name, date of birth, contact details, studio, your video link and an entry photo. If you're a finalist we also collect a song, a promo photo, lighting and staging notes, an emergency contact and any medical information you choose to give us so we can look after you on the night. Payments are handled by Stripe; we never see your card number. Your information is stored with our service providers (Cloudflare, Neon, Clerk, Stripe, Resend and Google), some of which hold data outside New Zealand under their own security and privacy terms. Emergency contact and medical information is used only for the event weekend and is deleted automatically within 30 days of the competition. The rest is kept while Dynasty runs so we can contact past entrants, and deleted on request.

• You consent to being photographed and filmed
• You allow Dynasty Pole to use your image and performance for promotional and commercial purposes
• You waive the right to inspect or approve any final media materials

You understand and accept the risks involved in pole performance, including potential injury. You participate at your own risk and confirm you are in good physical condition to do so.

You release Dynasty Pole, Altitude Studios Whanganui Ltd, its staff, contractors, volunteers, and venue partners from liability for any injury, loss, or damage incurred through participation in the event.