Why does section conclave offer Ceremony Competitions? It’s not to show whose team is better and to create rivalry between lodges; it’s actually to critique ourselves. By competing, each team is given the opportunity to show how they do their ceremonies in the presence of evaluators who understand the ceremonies. After the competition, each team is given critiques on their performance, both as individual characters and as a team. Critiques focus on line memorization, hand motions, team dynamics, as well as character development. The goal of competition is to give each team feedback to improve their performance so that when they actually do the ceremony with candidates, the candidates get the best experience possible. Candidates are the future of each lodge, and a spectacular ceremony can make a positive impression, and as most know, first impressions are vital to membership retention.

Bottom line, sign-up your ceremony team to compete in competition at conclave and you can transform your team to make them first class and able to comfortable to compete at NOAC as well as leave a lifelong memory in the eyes of candidates.