There are many different ways to compete at Congrès! Below, you can find a brief description of each event divided by the session in which it takes place. For events scored using a rubric, please see our Rubrics page.

Session 1 (10:00 – 10:55 a.m.)

Histoire et Culture (History and Culture):  3 students per level. Multiple-choice questions cover France & Canada for levels 1 and 2; add Africa for levels 3 and 4+. Levels 1-2 are in English; 3-4 in French.

Pièce Débutante (Beginning Skit):  Open to students in levels 1 and 2. Each school may enter 1 group of up to 8 participants. Scripts may  be student written, adapted from or taken verbatim from any source. Skits should be 4-5 minutes, and presented from memory. Presentations are judged on clarity of message, language accuracy, costuming/props, and ensemble performance. You must provide judges with a copy of the script.

Pièce Avancée (Advanced Skit):  This contest is open to students in levels 3 and above. Each school may enter 1 group of up to 8 participants. Scripts may be student written, adapted from or taken verbatim from any source. Skits should be 4-5 minutes and  must be presented from memory. Presentations are judged on clarity of message, language accuracy, costuming/props, and ensemble performance. Provide judges with a copy of the script.

Conversation Sans Cesse  (Non-stop conversation):  Each school may enter 3 pairs of students per level. Participants speak in response to a given topic. Students are judged on fluency, audibility, accuracy, variety of vocabulary and syntax. Both partners should contribute equally. Time limit is 1 minute for levels 1 and 2 and  2 minutes for levels 3 and above.

Musique Instrumentale (Instrumental Music) (ensemble) (débutante ou avancée): Levels are mixed for this contest but levels are judged separately. Each school may have only one entry in this contest (either débutante or avancée). Musicians introduce in English and perform a song by a francophone composer. Performance is judged on interpretation, technique, presentation and degree of difficulty. Sheet music may be used without penalty. Pieces may be played with or without accompanist (piano, not accompanist, provided). You are required to provide the judges with a score of the piece. Time limit is  2 to 3 minutes. Please note that because of time constraints, schools are limited to one entry in either ensemble or solo instrumental music performances.

Session 2 (11:00 – 11:55 a.m.)

Danse individuelle:  Levels are mixed for this contest. A school may enter 1 student. The dance itself should be francophone in origin. Student must explain in English its origin and meaning. The dancer may be accompanied by MP3 or CD (player provided) or by a live musician(s). The explanation should be one minute or less and the dance between 3-4 minutes. Dancing is judged on explanation, appropriateness of costume, coordination and grace of movement, and enthusiasm.

Version (Translation):  3 students per level. Written translations are judged on accuracy, completeness and attention to rendering a meaningful text in English. Dictionaries or other aides are not permitted.

Phrases Mélangées (Scrambled Sentences):  Each school may enter 3 students per level. A point is scored for each correct sentence.

Lecture à Haute Voix (Sight Reading):  2 students per level. Students read unfamiliar material aloud. Reading is judged on audibility, pronunciation/liaison, intonation, and flow. Note: native speakers must register at native speaker level.

Musique Vocale (Vocal Music) (ensemble) (débutante ou avancée):  Levels are mixed for this contest but levels are judged separately. Each school may have only one entry in this contest (either débutante or avancée). Songs may be sung a cappella or with accompanist (piano, not accompanist, provided). However, a recording of a piano accompanist is permissible. It must be memorized and sung in French. Singing is judged on appropriateness of interpretation, technique, comprehensibility and degree of difficulty. Sheet music may be used by accompanist without penalty. You are required to provide the judges with a score of the piece.Time limit is 2 to 3 minutes. Please note that because of time constraints, schools are limited to one entry in either ensemble or solo vocal music performances.

Session 3 (12:00 – 12:55 p.m.)

Dictée (Dictation): 3 students per level. The dictation is read 3 times: normal rate, broken into segments with punctuation, and again at normal rate. Partial credit is given for certain types of errors.

Géographie (Geography): 3 students per level. Multiple-choice questions cover France & Canada for levels 1 and  2; add Africa for levels 3 and 4+. Levels 1-2 are in English; 3-4 in French.

Récitation poétique (Poetry Recitation):  3 students per level. Students present memorized poems from a pre-selected list of choices by level*. Recitation is judged on audibility, pronunciation, intonation/expression, and flow. Note: native speakers must register at native speaker level.  Click here for 2024’s poems.

Musique Vocale (Vocal Music) (solo) (débutante ou avancée): Levels are mixed for this contest. Each school may have only one entry in this contest (either débutante or avancée). Please note if they are a beginner or at an advanced stage, as they will be judged separately, but play during the same session. Songs may be sung acappella or with accompanist (piano, not accompanist, provided). However, a recording of a piano accompanist is permissible. It must be memorized and sung in French. Singing is judged on appropriateness of interpretation, technique, comprehensibility and degree of difficulty. Sheet music may be used by accompanist without penalty. You are required to provide the judges with a score of the piece. Time limit is  2 to 3 minutes. Please note that because of time constraints, schools are limited to one entry in either ensemble or solo vocal music performances.

Session 4 (1:00 p.m. – 1:55 p.m.)

Vocabulaire (Vocabulary Bee):  3 students per level. Words are those commonly found in textbooks at that level. The contest is multiple choice.

Discours Impromptu (Extemporaneous Speaking):  3 students per level. Shown a picture, the participants will speak for 1 minute (levels 1, 2) or 2 minutes (levels 3,4+). Speaking is judged on audibility, pronunciation, variety of vocabulary and syntax, and unity of thought.

Musique Instrumentale (Instrumental Music) (solo) (débutante ou avancée): Levels are mixed for this contest. Each school may have only one entry in this contest (either débutante or avancée). Please note if they are a beginner or at an advanced stage, as they will be judged separately, but play during the same session. Musicians introduce in English and perform a song by a francophone composer. Performance is judged on interpretation, technique, presentation and degree of difficulty. Sheet music may be used without penalty. Pieces may be played with or without accompanist (piano, not accompanist, provided). You are required to provide the judges with a score of the piece. Time limit is 2 to 3 minutes. Please note that because of time constraints, schools are limited to one entry in either ensemble or solo instrumental music performances.

Trivia: It is a mixed-level contest in which all levels take the same fun multiple choice test in English. Questions cover all aspects of French culture/history/daily life/geography/ art/pop culture/politics/food, etc…  Only three students per school may enroll in this contest.

Danse Traditionnelle (Traditional Dance): Levels are mixed for this contest. A school may enter 1 group of 4-8 students. The dance itself should be francophone in origin. Students must explain in English its origin and meaning. Dancers may be accompanied by MP3 or CD (player provided) or by a live musician(s). The explanation should be one minute or less and the dance between 3-4 minutes. Dancing is judged on explanation, appropriateness of costume, coordination and grace of movement, and enthusiasm.