The Passing of the Ice Dragon Arts & Sciences Pentathlon has released the judging criteria for its third category: Live Performance! Examples of this category can be instrumental performance, vocal performance, dance, juggling, storytelling, drama, comedy, improv, oratory performance as well as historical combat showcase (no entry of any kind will be accepted if the presentation requires a Marshall or safety equipment to be present). Entries should not exceed 15 minutes unless you have made prior arrangements. As there are time and space limits, the number of longer performance entries may be limited and are at the discretion of the Coordinator.
For more details on the Live Performance category, please visit the Pent website.
The Stuart Steiner Theater, now available to our performing arts as part of the Ice Dragon Pentathlon!
The Pent room will be open for registration from 9:15 AM to 10:30 AM. At 11:30 AM all Pent Performance Judges and Entrants gather at the Stuart Steiner Theater. The theater can be accessed from the theater lobby, either from the main entrance (which leads into the lobby) or by walking through the building.
And the populace is welcome to witness our Live Performance entries! We are able to use a beautiful professional theater and the performers would be sure to enjoy the live audience. Please keep in mind the doors will be shut during the 1 hour sessions to prevent disrupting the performances.
Documentation for Performance Art may be verbal this year. If an entrant chooses this option, there will be a 5 minute time limit. The entrants are welcome to utilize the judging criteria to self-score their work ahead of time and tweak any areas they feel might benefit.
Keep an eye on our website and on social media to see all we’re up to. The end of March is creeping up fast, and that pesky Ice Dragon sure is in need of some slaying!
Looking forward to your entries.
– cori
Pentathlon Coordinator
Kingdom Event page on the AS 54 Festival of the Passing of the Ice Dragon. Home page of the Festival of the Passing of the Ice Dragon. Home page of the Passing of the Ice Dragon Pentathlon.
Each year, the Barony of the Rhydderich Hael hosts the Festival of the Passing of the Ice Dragon. One of the largest features of the event is our Kingdom’s premiere Arts & Sciences competition, commonly known as the Pentathlon, or “Pent”. The Ice Dragon Pent Coordinator details the rules and changes to the rules for 2020 here:
Rules Changes
The modifications to the Ice Dragon Pentathlon are continuing this year.
The list of categories HAS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY.
**There Are No Sub-Categories**
The rules HAVE CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY or been expanded upon.
The scoring system and judging criteria are being updated.
Most notably, as stated above, we are removing the sub-category level. Instead, we will be working with the Major Categories only. This in turn changes the rules about how many items you may enter in each. Previously, you could enter two items into each sub-category. The highest scoring item in all the sub-categories won the Major category. There was no “win” for sub-categories. Only your top scoring item in the Major category counted toward your overall Pent score.
The individual arts will still be listed as examples of what you may enter into each Category (Used to be Major Category).
You will now be able to enter up to five items in any Category. The best scoring item will win the Category. Only your top scoring item in the Category will count toward your overall Pent score.
Please read this article completely and address any questions to cori at IDPentGuy@wnysca.org
Judging is also changing this year. There is a summary below and there will be separate articles regarding these changes.
As we did last year, there will be additional competitions, including the 5-in-1 Competition. More information on these will be forthcoming.
PENTATHLON RULES
1. No Kits.
If, historically, an artist would have used tools and material from other sources, this is NOT considered a kit. An example of something that is not a kit is needlework patterns. Another example of something that is not a kit is a paint set or pigments for painting. It is strongly suggested that entrants thoroughly document their resources and work.
2. Proxy Entries will be allowed.
This means that you may send your entry with another person. You will need to download, fill out, and sign the registration sheet (See rule 5).
People may not enter other artists’ work without their express permission in the form of a signed registration sheet.
3. Entrants are limited to ONE cross entry of ONE item only into ONE additional Category. When cross entering you must supply a set of appropriate documentation to be present on the tables for each Category entered.
If you do not have enough sets of documentation for each Category you are entering an item into, this may affect your score if the judges have trouble tracking down your paperwork.
Additionally, appropriate documentation for an item for one Category may not be as good for a second category. The judges are not responsible for tracking down documentation that is not included on the Category table the item is entered in. Be sure to mark the Category on the documentation to lessen the chance that the judge will read the wrong version for that Category.
4. Entrants are allowed up to FIVE entries in each Category.
Example of arts appropriate to each Category are listed for inspiration for our artisans. Except where specifically noted, the final decision to enter any item in a specific Category is the entrant’s. However, the Pentathlon staff is happy to assist in getting items into appropriate Categories. If the judges determine that an entry in a Category is inappropriate, the Pent Coordinator will discuss it with the entrant. Please bear in mind that items in an inappropriate Category will not be judged as effectively and this may be reflected in the scoring and commentary.
Any Category may be deleted, expanded or combined to meet the needs of the entrants and/or judges.
5. All scores will be published after the event.
As we have had people object to this in the past, written permission to publish scores is now a requirement for entry and is part of the registration process. For those sending in proxy entries, you MUST print and sign a copy to go with your entry. For those sending in advanced registration, you will need to sign the form when you check in.
6. We will be using advanced electronic registration again this year.
It is to your benefit to register early as it gives us more opportunity to tailor our judging recruitment.
We are also investigating providing an opportunity to send documentation in advance so judges can read it before the event. More on this to follow.
THE DEADLINE FOR SENDING ADVANCED REGISTRATION IS
***MARCH 14, 2020***
If You Do Not Receive Confirmation That We Have Your Electronic Registration, WE DON’T HAVE IT.
Proxy entrants MUST send a signed form with their entries.
7. Group entries are allowed in both individual categories and in the Grand Pentathlon. Group entries are defined as entries in which each item entered has been worked on by all members of the group with generally equal contributions. For group entries into the Grand Pentathlon, all members must provide generally equal contributions to all items the group enters.
E.G. – Jack, Jill, and Joan work together on a loaf of bread, a piece of clothing, and a song. This is an acceptable group entry.
Jack makes a loaf of bread, Jill makes a piece of clothing, Joan sings a song. This is NOT an acceptable group entry.
An individual’s participation in a group entry may NOT be used as part of the individual’s entry in the Grand Pentathlon.
8. You may not enter an item which has previously WON a CRITERIA-BASED COMPETITION.
This is any competition in the SCA that has an advanced published criteria set or rubric.
Examples:
– If you won the Grand Pentathlon, those five items used to calculate your score should not be entered again.
– If you won the Woodwork Category at Ice Dragon 2019 with chair, do not enter the same chair.
If you won the Culinary Category with your loaf of bread, do not bring the same loaf of bread. (Please do not bring the same loaf of bread!)
However, you may use the same bread recipe and you may use the same set of construction plans for your chair.
Entrants are encouraged to enter and display items in both competitions and in non-competitive venues. Use these opportunities to increase your knowledge and make your entry better. But please leave any items that won previously at home or bring them for the display-only space we will be providing.
9. There are no requirements as to time frames items were created in.
10. The items in the Special Prize 5-in-1 Competition may not be used to enter the Grand Pentathlon.
11. Entries may be handled only by the person entering the item, the judges for that specific Category, and Pentathlon staff as determined by the Pentathlon Coordinator.
Anyone else touching entries will removed from the Pent room. All judges are asked to wash their hands before handling entries and to be gentle when doing so. Gloves will be available for those judges who wish to use them.
12. Absolutely no food or drink in the Pent room other than the entries at the Culinary and Beverage category table.
If you need to eat or drink, you also need a break – step outside and relax for a bit. Wash your hands before you come back.
CATEGORIES
ACCESSORIES
This Category is for mixed media items that you would have on or about your person as part of your ensemble. It is limited to items that, due to a
combination of materials, are difficult to place. Entry in this category is by discretion of the Pent Coordinator.
AGRICULTURE
Farming arts including growing plants or crops, forestry topics, and land management.
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
Tools of the trade or accessories made for the use of animals
This Category may include, but is not limited to:
Equestrian, Beekeeping, Hunting, Farming, Fishing
ANIMAL ARTS
Items crafted from materials harvested from animals EXCEPT fiber arts (FIBER ARTS) and edible items (CULINARY and BEVERAGES)
This Category may include, but is not limited to: Leatherwork, Bone, Items made from
Parchment, Tanning, Parchment making
APPLIED RESEARCH
Extremely well researched items too simple or modest to compete fairly in a more traditional category. The score would be split between the research paper and the item, with the paper being worth more than half of the points.
The paper/research portion of the entry must be submitted in advance. Entries in Applied Research must be received electronically or postmarked by
*** February 1, 2020 ***
BEVERAGES
A liquid prepared for human consumption.
This Category may include, but is not limited to:
Beer & Ale, Wine & Mead, Cordials, Non-alcoholic beverages
CERAMICS AND GLASS
Items made of ceramics or glass.
This Category may include, but is not limited to:
Pottery, Glasswork, Beadmaking, Stained glass
CHEMISTRY, ALCHEMY, AND POTIONS
Formula or recipe-based items that are not food/beverage.
This Category may include, but is not limited to:
Dyeing, Pigments, Paints, Stains, Cosmetics,
Glazes, Perfumery
CULINARY
Items prepared for human consumption (beverages excluded).
This Category may include, but is not limited to:
Main dish, Side dish, Sweets, Subtleties, Breads, Food preservation, Sauces, Flavorings
CURIOSA
Unique or unusual entries that don’t fit in any of the traditional categories. Entries in this category must be approved by Pent Coordinator in advance.
Deadline for registration in this category is
***March 14, 2020.***
FABRIC CONSTRUCTION
Any items made of fabric
This Category may include, but is not limited to:
Clothing, Accessories, Household items
FABRIC DECORATION
Application of surface decoration on fabric
This Category may include, but is not limited to:
Embroidery, Applique, Fabric printing and painting
FIBER ARTS
The arts associated with making yarn/string or the creation of fabric
This Category may include, but is not limited to:
Spinning, Weaving, Narrow-work, Sprang, Knitting, Netting, Nalbinding, Lacemaking, Felting
LITERARY ARTS
Entries in Literary Arts must be received electronically or postmarked by
*** February 1, 2020 ***
Entries may be sent electronically or via hardcopy in the mail. If you do not receive a confirmation email that an electronically submitted entry has been received within 24 hours of sending it, contact me. Please contact cori in advance if you are sending hard copy.
This Category may include, but is not limited to:
Musical arrangement & composition, Poetry & prose, Research paper [A research paper may be written in any style which the entrant chooses (EG Chicago, ALA, etc.) The judging of the paper is to be focused on the research presented, and any theories or conclusions presented. The entrant is strongly encouraged to be consistent in the use of the style they choose.]
METAL WORKING
Items made of metal or use of metal as a decorative element.
This Category may include, but is not limited to:
Armor, Domestic, Jewelry
PERFORMANCE ARTS
Entries should not exceed 15 minutes unless you have made prior arrangements with the Performing Arts Category Coordinator. As there are time and space limits, the number of longer performance entries may be limited and are at the discretion of the Coordinator.
All entries must be performed in the area where the judging is taking place.
This Category may include, but is not limited to:
Instrumental, Vocal, Physical (dance, juggling etc.), Storytelling, Drama/Comedy/Improv, Oratory, Historic Combat( Entries of artistic endeavor showcasing a martial art of SCA period and/or used currently within the Society. The format is limited only by the entrant’s creativity and safety considerations.)
SPECIAL NOTE: No entry will be accepted if the presentation requires a Marshall or safety equipment to be present. No active combat (by Society definition) of any type will be allowed.
SCRIBAL ARTS
Items that would be made by a scribe. Handwritten and/or painted pages based on documents or manuscripts.
This Category may include, but is not limited to:
Calligraphy, Illumination
STUDIO ARTS
Various visual arts that require a specialized set of tools or space to create.
This Category may include, but is not limited to:
Drawing, Printmaking, Painting, Bookmaking
WOODWORKING
Items made of wood or use of wood as a decorative element.
This Category may include, but is not limited to:
Construction, Embellishment, Turning
You have three ways to complete the registration form:
Print off the form, fill it in by hand, scan in the completed form, and email back to the Pentathlon Coordinator at idpentguy@wnysca.org
Use a PDF program to fill-in the registration fields, save the completed form, and email to the Pentathlon Coordinator at idpentguy@wnysca.org
Complete the form in Adobe and click the “Submit Form”. This feature will automatically send your completed form to our Pentathlon Team. **May not be available for all users**
Please send any questions, comments, or requests you may have regarding the Pentathlon to the Pentathlon Coordinator, Mistress Cori, at idpentguy@wnysca.org
Please send any additional questions,comments, or requests you have regarding Ice Dragon to the Autocrat Team, at IDinfo@wnysca.org
The Ice Dragon Pentathlon, the largest A&S competition in Æthelmearc, is fast approaching. We are looking for judges for this year’s competition, and bring you words from our Pent Judge Coordinator, Maestro Filipia Capriotti, Baroness of the Court of Æthelmearc, sometimes called the Cupbreaker.
What is the most important thing people should know about judging the Pent? Being a judge for the Pentathalon is a two fold gift: First, the judge’s gift of time, attention and knowledge for the entrant; providing a benchmark to the entrant on the development of their skill and knowledge base as well as adding to information or resources the entrant may not have. Second is the gift from the entrant to the judge, sharing new research, approaches and enthusiasm with the judge – I get excited when I see things I have learned before, or change the way I look at things!
How long can I expect to spend judging?
We want the judge’s time in the Pent room to be enjoyable and satisfying without being exhausting. The scoring format has been simplified, and any judge will only be asked to judge 2 categories to let everyone have more time to enjoy the event, and our friends. To make this happen we need as many judges as possible – this will also make it possible to assign judges to categories they want and enjoy.
Do I need to be a Fleur or Laurel to judge?
Community recognition of proficiency in your art supports judging; if you are uncertain, or curious, please contact me. We will continue the Shadow Judging Program, where you can be teamed up with a more experienced judge to learn the ropes of judging and commentary.
Will there be rubrics for the judges to use?
Rubrics will be available to guide judging decisions, and there will be additional judging guidelines, but complex math has been eliminated from this year’s forms.
Can I judge if I am entering Ice Dragon?
No.
Anything else? I am looking forward to working with everyone to gather as much participation as possible; here where our community gathers, we have the opportunity to share our art and our joy. Please come be a part of it all.
I’m in! How do I sign up? Send me an email with your SCA and modern names, and the categories you would like to judge.
The 2016 Ice Dragon Pentathlon website is now live! You can find it here. Pre-registration is also open.
There will be a lot more information coming your way this month, but this will give you all a great A&S start!
There are many changes to the Pent this year, so check out the pages. We hope to see entries from our own Kingdom as well as other Kingdoms throughout the Known World!
Greetings from the 2016 Ice Dragon Pent Coordinators!
There are a lot of A&S competitions on the horizon, and it is not too early to start thinking about the mother of them all, the Ice Dragon Pentathlon! There is no Pent restriction for entries used in other competitions, so keep this in mind throughout the fall and winter as you create your masterworks (and enter them in competitions such as the Kingdom A&S Championship you can register for here).
Mistress Ysabeau Tiercelin and Mistress Juliana Delamere will be the Pent Coordinators for Ice Dragon 2016, and are bringing the Pent back to its roots. There will be much info forthcoming, but here are a few highlights:
1. The Ultimate Entry is back! Entries can be cross-entered in as many categories as you like (the two-category restriction is gone). So it will once again be possible to make one item that can be entered in 5 main categories and win the Pent.
2. Documentation is being simplified. Although you can make your documentation as detailed as you like, we are encouraging the use of EZ-Doc. You still need to cover the basics in your documentation, but you do not need to fear that your entry will rise or fall solely on documentation, as weighting is going to be far more dependent on the item itself.
3. The detailed judging and score sheets are going out the window. We will absolutely have rubrics available for the judges, but the scoring sheets are going to be far simpler and far less time-consuming. We are going back to simple first, second and third prizes for categories. If an entrant does not want to receive judge’s comments, they will have that option.
4. Laurels will be sponsoring categories as they did in the early days, and there will be prizes.
5. Entry levels will be Novice (for anyone who does not have a grant level arts award), Artisan (for holders of grant level awards), Laurel (for those members of the Order of the Laurel) and Group (for households, friends or any conglomerate of people combining entries with a single theme).
6. Group entries this year must have a theme. An example might be a group of six people with an equestrian theme with the following entries: horse barding in Heraldic Display, a period veterinary kit in Animal Arts, a saddle in Leather Working, traveling food for the hunt in Cooking, a scroll for an equestrian award in Scribal Arts, and a riding outfit in Clothing.
These changes are being made in response to many talks with artisans throughout the Kingdom. We want to eliminate the fear so many entrants have had (rightly or wrongly) of harsh judges’ comments, and we want entrants to be able to spend less time on documentation and more time on their art – so get ready to bring your best!
The Ice Dragon A&S Pentathlon is the longest running A&S competition in the Kingdom of Æthelmearc, started by the Rhydderich Hael while the Barony was part of the East Kingdom. The Pent has grown and changed each year, and the Gazette brings you an interview with this year’s Pent Coordinator, Padraig O’Branduibh.
Tell us a little about yourself and what your goals are for the Pent this year. I’m currently the seneschal of the Rhydderich Hael. I offered to take on the Pent in order to work on solving a problem I saw with how scores are processed. Being a data person in my mundane life I decided to tackle said issue, and hopefully make things easier for whoever succeeds me at the job. I would like the Pent to be as big as ever, allow the A&S community of Æthelmearc (as well as our neighboring kingdoms) to showcase its many talents, and help my fellow artisans learn more about their craft through critique and feedback.
Why should an artisan enter the Pent? There are two main reasons. First, it is a venerable and prestigious contest. Those who like to pitch their skills against all comers will greatly enjoy the level of competition. Winning the Pent or one of the categories really means something, and it is something that anyone can be proud of. Additionally, having one’s work judged helps an artisan know where to focus their time and attention in order to improve. It is easy to get caught in a rut from looking at your own work for too long, and having a fresh set of eyes take a critical look at it can be incredibly helpful.
The Pent has gotten a reputation for being hard to enter. Has anything been done to make the process easier this year? I am working on streamlining the process of entering the Pent. I will have entry forms available online as we near the event, which will allow a contestant to enter with little time taken the day of the event itself. Keep an eye on the Ice Dragon Pent page for updates.
Will the judges know who has entered? They will not. In order to keep the competition as fair as possible judges will not be given names for the entries. It is possible that a savvy judge may figure a few out, but I am counting on their discretion and honor not to let that interfere with their judging either way.
What advice would you give a first time Pent entrant? First, check the rubrics page. Reference the one for your category, or if there is none then check the generic rubric. This is the tool the judges will use to score your work. Note especially the importance of documentation. A little more time spent on that, and knowing what is expected in the documentation can improve your score significantly. Also, don’t be intimidated by the competitive aspects or the quality of the other contestants. Simply by entering you are putting yourself a cut above the rest, and are providing yourself with a baseline score to work from in the future. Personal improvement is very important in what we do, and knowing where you stand helps with that process.
What are the levels for Pent entries, and can you describe them for us? We have four divisions in the Pent. All entries done by an individual can be entered in the Individual division, which is the default. If more than one person has worked on the entries they can be added in to the Group division. Entrants doing individual entries who do not yet possess a grant or higher A&S award can enter the Novice division. Lastly, anyone under 16 years of age can enter into the Youth division.
Each division is evaluated separately and receives its own awards. Thus if you enter the Pent as a Novice you are eligible to win the Novice Pent award.
What is the deadline for literary entries, and where do I find more info about how to submit these, preferred formats, etc.? Literary entries must be emailed or postmarked by February 28th. The instructions are on the Ice Dragon Pent page. Keep an eye on the page as we are making updates to keep things current and answer questions as they arise.
What is the schedule for the Pent for set-up, judging, etc.? The tentative schedule is as follows:
10:30 Pent Judges check in
11:00 Deadline for On-site Pent Entries/ Judging Begins
12:30 Pent Performance Entries
3:30 Pent Entries Pick-up begins/ Q&A with judges
4:45 All Pent Entries must be picked up.
How does the Pent actually work – will my work automatically be entered in the Pent if I enter things in five main categories? All entries in to the competition are judged within their own categories, and are eligible to win an award for said category. If you items in to five different categories you can participate in the full Pent. I would prefer if entrants declare they are entering the Pent, but I will verify this at check-in to make sure nobody gets missed in the full Pent scoring.
Can I enter just one thing in one category? What if I enter five things in one category? If you enter just one thing in one category you will still be judged and are eligible for the category award, but not the Pent. You need entries in five main categories for that. Any one item, though, CAN be entered in to three different main categories. Thus if you’re clever and you have the supporting documentation you can enter the Pent by entering only twice. To be in the Pent these must all be different main categories. Thus, five things in the same category don’t count. In order to keep traffic down I discourage people from entering too many things in the same category, but if you really feel you have two that are worth putting in and are very different from each other I will let it slide.
I would like to be a judge. Who do I contact and what kind of qualifications do I need to have? Baroness Alex is taking care of the judges for the Pent. Her contact information is on the Pent page.
Qualifications are largely up to the perspective judge. To maintain fairness in judging we traditionally have each item evaluated by three different judges. This allows us to use judges of different levels of experience, so even if you aren’t an expert in the field, but still feel you have some good knowledge about any of the categories you can work as a judge.
Of course we prefer at least one of the judges for each item to be a Laurel in order to provide the expert critique and feedback only they can provide. The Pent has always relied on the Laurel community to serve as its backbone, and wouldn’t be the high quality competition it has become without them.
Have the categories changed this year? Where can we find them? The categories are the same as in past years. They’re located at the Ice Dragon Pent page. The categories are well known across the kingdom, so if you have any questions you can either check with me or anyone who is familiar with the A&S competitions in the kingdom.
Are you doing anything special for this year’s Pent?
I would love to see a large turnout at this year’s Pent. To encourage this I am working on securing some prizes for the winners of the four Pent divisions to be given out along with the traditional award scrolls. I am working on finding items that any SCAdian would be proud to own, with a special eye toward the members of the A&S community. More about those will be on the Pent page as I get them in.
