GENERAL CONTEST GUIDELINES
1.
This is a swing dance event. “Swing” includes Push, Whip, West and East
Coast Swing, Lindy, Carolina Shag,
2.
Jack & Jills are limited to West Coast Swing/Push/Whip. All other divisions
(except Cabaret) are open to all forms of swing.
3.
Dancers must have a weekend ticket to compete in any division except Cabaret.
4.
All divisions (except Swing Teams and Cabaret) are for male leaders and female
followers.
5.
Dancers may enter each division only once per contest.
6.
Dancers may compete in multiple divisions. However, dancers may enter only one
Jack & Jill division and only one Strictly Swing division - except that
dancers in Masters Strictly Swing may also compete in another Strictly Swing
division if they do so with a different partner.
7.
Except for Cabaret and Swing Teams, dancers must compete with a different
partner in each division they enter.
8.
To the extent they are appropriate for the music and may be performed safely in
the circumstances (e.g., floor conditions during preliminary heats), lifts and
drops are not prohibited in any non-NASDE division.
Eligibility
9.
Competitors should choose divisions appropriate to their skill levels and dance
styles. We reserve the right to move entries to more appropriate divisions or to
reject entries inappropriate for any of our divisions. In choosing attire,
please remember there will be children in the audience. Competitors are
encouraged to contact one of our contest coordinators in advance for guidance in
particular situations. For questions prior to the event, send to e-mail link at
bottom of page.
10.
The following are not eligible to compete in the Novice Traditional, Novice Jack
& Jill, or Novice Strictly Swing divisions, or as the Am in a Pro/Am: anyone
who has (i) danced in “Open Class” competition at a multi-club association
sponsored state or regional competition or equivalent (e.g., Texas State or
Southwest Regionals), excluding invitational events, (ii) danced as
the “Pro” in any swing competition Pro/Am division, (iii) won any NASDE
division at any NASDE competition, or (iv) won Masters (routines) at
Dallas D.A.N.C.E. or the U.S. Open.
11.
A winner of Novice Strictly Swing, Novice Traditional, or a Pro/Am (as the Am)
at a past Dallas D.A.N.C.E. may compete again in that division only with a
different partner and is no longer eligible to compete in that division after
having won it twice.
Entry
Fees
12.
The entry fee is $20 per person for all divisions, except Jack & Jills ($21
per entry), Cabaret ($50 per
entry) and Swing Teams ($100 per team).
Mandatory Dancers’ Meetings and Deadlines for Waivers and
Entry Fees
13.
Friday Competitions. For the Friday
competitions, entrants must submit waivers and entry fees in the Royal Room by
the following times when draws for dance positions will be conducted:
14.
Saturday Competitions. There are two
dancers’ meetings Saturday morning in the Venetian Room. The first, starting
at
15.
Please remember that several divisions have limits on the number of entries
permitted. Therefore, waivers/entry fees for these divisions should be submitted
as soon as possible and will be accepted in the order received.
Age
Limits
16.
Dancers must be 18 years of age by the end of the event to dance in any NASDE
division. Dancers must be 50 years of age by
COMPETITIVE
DIVISIONS
NASDE Divisions
(Classic
and Showcase)
17.
These divisions are governed by NASDE’s rules, which are detailed at www.nasde.net . There are
no limits on the number of entries.
Traditional Style Swing Divisions
18.
Traditional style swing divisions (Novice Traditional, Male Pro/Am, Female
Pro/Am) contemplate social dancing at a competition level.
19.
There is a limit of 15 entries in Novice Traditional and 12 entries each in the
Pro/Ams
20.
Apart dancing will be permitted only during the first 10 seconds, after which
couples must maintain contact at all times except during free spins and within a
single pattern.
21.
Contestants provide their music and dance a minimum of two (maximum of three)
minutes.
22.
Dancers may compete in both Masters and Masters Strictly Swing, but only with
different partners.
23.
For Masters (Swing Routines), contestants provide their music and dance a
minimum of two, and a maximum of three, minutes. There is a limit of 10
entries.
24.
Each swing team must have a minimum of 5 couples. If there are two or more
teams, prize money will increase $500 per team to be awarded first to third:
50%, 30%, 20%. If only one team enters, that team will dance in Cabaret. There
is a limit of 10 team entries.
25.
Each team must dance at least 2 ½ minutes of swing, and each team is
allotted a maximum of 5 minutes from the time it is introduced until it must be
totally off the dance floor.
26.
This division is intended for any style of dance performed by an individual, a
couple, a group, or a team, except a typical male/female couple
dancing swing either as a single entry or as a showcased couple within a group
or team. Any routine that does include swing dancing by a typical
male/female couple must be comprised of at least 80% non-swing. For this
purpose, lifts, drops, dips, and aerials do not count as swing content.
27.
Each entry must dance at least 2 ½ minutes, and each entry is allotted a
maximum of 5 minutes from the time it is introduced until it must be totally off
the dance floor. There is a limit of 12 entries.
28.
There are no limits to the number of entries. The Intermediate/Advanced Strictly
Swing division is intended for all dancers above the Novice Strictly Swing level
who do not wish to compete against the champion and professional dancers
typically entered in the Champions Strictly Swing. Thus, it is contemplated that
both intermediate and advanced level dancers may enter this division.
29.
If required by the number of entries (and announced at the dancer’s meeting),
there will be preliminaries in the Novice, Int./Adv., and/or Masters Strictly
Swing divisions beginning Saturday afternoon at 1:45 p.m. and/or the Champions Strictly Swing division beginning Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Preliminaries will be
danced in heats to sets of songs of varying tempos and styles.
30.
Approximately 5 Masters, 8 each Novice and Int./Adv., and 10 Professional couples will be called
back for the finals in the respective divisions, where each will dance spotlight.
Jack & Jill Divisions (Other Than Invitational)
31.
There are no limits to the number of entries. Dancers will sign up at the table
outside the Regency Ballroom from
32.
Competitors will dance West Coast Swing/Push/Whip as male leaders and female
followers in preliminary (and, if necessary, semifinal) heats, each dancer
rotating among partners and being judged as individuals. Preliminaries begin at
33.
Approximately
Jack
& Jill Divisional Eligibility Guidelines
34.
These Guidelines are meant to help you decide which Jack & Jill division is
most appropriate for you. The Guidelines are based on the World Swing Dance
Council's ("WSDC") point system and the recommendations on its
website. Even though the WSDC's approach is widely recognized, Jack &
Jill divisional eligibility guidelines still vary considerably from one event to
the next. Therefore, our Guidelines will not be applied as absolutes - they are
intended to help, not to dictate. These Guidelines also will be available for
review at the Jack & Jill sign-up table at the event.
You may request an
exception to these Guidelines if you believe they will place you in an
inappropriate division. Such requests should be made as soon as
possible, and in no event later than
We reserve the right (on our own initiative) to assign a dancer to a different
division than the one suggested by these Guidelines in order to avoid an
inappropriate assignment.
Novice
Division
Generally, this division will be appropriate for you if:
(1) you are proficient in the basics of West Coast Swing/Push/Whip dancing, and
(2) you do not normally compete in Intermediate or higher level Jack & Jill
divisions at events reporting points in the WSDC registry, and you have
not earned Intermediate or higher level WSDC points.
Generally,
you may compete in this Novice division until you have both won a
WSDC Novice Jack & Jill division and earned 20 or more WSDC Novice
points at events reporting points in the WSDC registry.
Intermediate
Division
Generally, this division will be appropriate for you if:
(1) you do not typically compete in Advanced or higher level Jack & Jill
divisions at events reporting points in the WSDC registry and have not earned
Advanced or higher level WSDC points, and
(2) you have earned 15 or more Novice WSDC points and are ready to compete at
this level or you have earned Intermediate level WSDC points and typically
compete at the Intermediate Jack & Jill level at events reporting points in
the WSDC registry.
Generally, you may compete in this Intermediate division until you
have both won an Intermediate Jack & Jill division at an event reporting
points in the WSDC registry and earned 40 Intermediate level WSDC
points.
Advanced
Division
Generally, this division will be appropriate for you if you typically compete in
Advanced or higher level Jack & Jill divisions at events reporting points in
the WSDC registry, and you have earned Advanced or higher level WSDC points. You
may compete in this division if you have accumulated 20 or more
Intermediate division WSDC points and are ready to compete at this level.
MUSIC
35.
All contestants (except those in Strictly Swings and Jack & Jills) must
provide a CD with the location of their music clearly labeled.
NOTE: We may cancel (or reduce the prize fund in) any division for which fewer
than three entries are received.