What is Visual Marking?
Visual Marking is a process where the public get to see the marks of the Adjudicator's while an event is in progress.
Historically this has taken two forms, holding up a card with showing the place for a couple, or displaying those marks on a big screen, both of these have occurred at the end of each dance. The events chosen by Organisers for visual marking are generally the premiere events of the competition because it requires extra time to cycle through the couples after each dance, and there is a chance that inexperienced couples could be distracted.
Those familiar with the Skating System would know that the DanceSport Adjudicator is required to rank competitors in order from 1st to last place, this is the opinion of the Adjudicator and certainly opinions vary. Once all competitors are ranked the Adjudicator is free to transmit his/her opinion to the Scrutineering computer. With current technology it is now possible to display the marks in real time, that is during the event while the Adjudicators are considering (and changing their minds) about the placement of couples.
How will this work?
Adjudicator's marks will be displayed while a dance is in progress, not at the end of the dance. For example, the music will start and the couple will commence their performances, about 20 seconds in the large screen will display the Adjudicator's marks. The marks will update in real time as the Adjudicators perfect their placings. About 10 seconds before the music finishes the marks will be removed so as not to distract competitors from the business at hand.
It is important to note that all Adjudicators will have their back to the screen so that they cannot see what other Adjudicators have marked.
The display screen is very simple with the Adjudicators represented by the symbols 'A,B,C,D' etc. depending on the amount of Adjudicators. Under each symbol will appear a list of Back Numbers that the Adjudicator has selected, this may consist of nothing to a complete list depending on the habit of that particular Adjudicator. The lists will vary as Adjudicators add, remove or swap couple 's placings until the end of the music at which time they are required to send their marks for scrutineering.
