REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPETITION
1. All competitors must hold a full weekend pass to any SS Productions Event and pay all competition fees.
2. All competitors must report to registration prior to competition and have a Bib Number assigned to them.
3. All competitors must sign a waiver and are responsible for reading these guidelines. 4. Staff members may compete in the division they qualify for, with prior approval.
5. All contests must have a minimum of five (5) couples to be a valid contest.
CONTESTANTS’ MEETINGS
1. SS Productions Event will not be holding contestants meetings.
2. If you have any questions regarding the competition, you may ask the Chief Judge.
3. You may petition down by submitting a petition to the Chief Judge.
4. In order to petition up, petitions must be submitted to the WSDC Chief Judges Committee (“CJC”) at least fifteen (15) days in advance of the event, along with two (2) videos of the competitor’s dancing. Petitions and videos must be submitted via this link: worldsdc.com/level-up-petition. The CJC may approve or deny the petition after reviewing the competitor’s Points Registry record and videos
5. You will have line ups prior to each division. The area for lining up will be announced prior to the division start.
6. IMPORTANT NOTE: IF YOU ARE NOT IN LINE WHEN YOUR HEAT IS WALKING IN TO THE COMPETITION AREA, YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO DANCE. PLEASE BE AWARE OF SCHEDULED COMPETITION TIMES AND BE PREPARED (WITH YOUR BIB NUMBER) TO DANCE.
JUDGES
1. There will be a minimum of five Judges for all competitions. In addition, SS Productions Event will have a Chief Judge and Alternate Judges available.
SCORING SYSTEM
1. Contests are scored by relative placements utilizing a tablet based scoring system.
2. Contestants will be judged as an individual in the preliminaries and/or semi-finals and as a couple in any finals.
MUSIC AND VIDEO
1. Music for the Strictly Swing, Pro-Am and Jack & Jill competitions will be the responsibility of its DJs.
2. Rising Star and Pro-Am Spotlight:
a. Couples are responsible for their own music selection.Couples are also responsible for sending the DJ their music at least an hour before floor trials.
FLOOR TRYOUTS
1. See Schedule
POSTING OF RESULTS
1. The results of all the competitions will be posted after the final awards are awarded. 2. The results of all the competitions will be posted on the website as soon as possible.
PROCEDURE FOR COMPETITIONS
1. Line ups will be announced in the main ballroom prior to your competition.
2. You must line up and check in with the contest coordinators in the designated locations.
3. If you are not in line and checked in by the time the contest is ready to begin, you will be scratched.
WSDC JACK & JILL COMPETITIONS
1. Newcomer, Novice, Intermediate, Sophisticated, Masters, Advanced and All Star
2. There will be Preliminaries, Semi-finals and Finals as needed depending on the number of dance entries.
3. For Preliminaries and Semi-finals, contestants will be judged individually; in the Finals you will be judged as a couple.
4. All Star dancers must compete in the WSDC All Star Jack & Jill, Pro-Am Jack & Jill and are encouraged to participate in Masters Meet and Greet in order to receive a discounted pass.
NON WSDC JACK & JILL COMPETITIONS
1. Pro-Am (for Newcomer/Novice, Intermediate, or Masters dancers.)
a. Multiple on-staff professionals and All Stars will be assigned randomly.
b. Proceeds will go to a local charity of the event director’s choice
2. Switch J&J (for Novice & Open)
a. Consists of both dancers switching back and forth between lead and follow roles. It is highly recommended all competitors are competent in both lead and follow before entering.
SCHEDULED COMPETITION TIMES
1. Check out event schedule on website (start times are flexible – always SUBJECT TO CHANGE based on number of contestants, etc)
2. Changes in competition start times will be posted near registration, at the entrance of the ballroom, the entrance to the workshop area and/or will be announced in the main ballroom as well as at the beginning of any workshop.
COMPETITION RULES
1. SS Productions Event Sportsmanship Expectations:
1. Sportsmanship is a fundamental aspect of our competition. Competing at an event is a privilege, not a right. The event director may flag a competitor’s behavior as un-sportsman like. Said behavior will be reviewed by the Chief Judge. Redress for violations can include but are not limited to dropping in placement, or removal from competition
2. Rising Star Division:
1. Please refer to http://www.risingstartour.com/ for current rules.
3. Pro-Am Spotlight Division:
1. This division is offered for all styles of Swing: West Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Hustle, Shag and Hand Dance or any other style of popular swing dance. Students enter with a professional and perform a choreographed routine to music they choose. Couples dance in a solo format. Both the professional and amateur’s performance is considered by the judges. Dance order will be chosen at random and posted prior to the division start time. Music instructions will be provided in a google form sent to you upon registration for your routine division.
2. Costumes are encouraged, but not required.
3. Time and judging starts at first movement of performance with or without music and ends when the music stops.
4. Routine must be a minimum of 2 minutes and a maximum of 3 minutes
5. Lifts, drops, tricks and stunts are allowed but not required.
6. No props are allowed.
7. The division may be separated into leads/follows or by level based on entries and the discretion of the chief judge and event director.
4. Strictly Swing Division:
1. This division consists of swing dancing that encourages lead and follow partner dancing at its best. Although swing includes amalgamations and patterns that are familiar to many dancers, the essence of lead and follow must be maintained in and out of these patterns. Strictly Swing division is not meant for long and extended pre-choreographed phrases. Choreography “on the fly” is the objective.
2. Newcomer/Novice, Intermediate, Open & Masters.
3. Drops, leans and other partner weight support moves are allowed as long as both partners keep at least one foot on the floor.
4. Length of performance is at the promoter’s discretion.
5. Costumes are not allowed. However, matching or complementary outfits suitable for social dancing are acceptable.
6. This division will be danced in heats and/or spotlight at the promoter’s discretion.
7. Couples must maintain physical contact except for spins, turns, short break-a-ways, and recoveries.
8. Dancers must maintain their own physical contact with the floor during partner weight support moves.
5. Pro Strictly Swing Division:
1. Have fun!