Competition Organizer
Final decision on any matter pertaining to these competitions rests solely with the organizer(s) of Sauna Swing.
General Competition Requirements:
Each competition is open to all competitors in good standing who:
1. Hold an Event Pass (Full Pass, Party Pass, All Star Pass) and pay all registrations fees;
2. Register by the official entry deadlines(s) as outlined in the weekend schedule;
3. Pay the required entry fee(s) and complete any required entry forms.
4. Meet all other specific entry requirements as outlined in these rules.
Contest Requirements:
1. Entries: All contests must have a minimum of five (5) entries to be a valid contest.
2. Judges: There will be a minimum of three (3) Judges per role for all prelims competitions and a minimum of five (5) Judges for all finals competitions.
3. Scoring System: Contests are scored using computerized software and relative placement.
4. Contestants will be judged in the preliminaries, quarter-finals and/or semi-finals as an individual in Jack & Jill competitions and as a couple in any finals.
Role/Gender Requirements:
Persons of any gender can choose to dance either lead or follow, as they prefer. We encourage you to register in whichever role you would like when dancing.
Non-dominant Role Competing and Tracking:
1. Competitors may compete in a maximum of two (2) skill level WSDC Jack and Jill competitions, once in their primary role and once in their secondary role (previously, competitors had to choose to compete in only one role for the skill level J&J).
2. Competitors must maintain their role, either as a Leader or Follower, throughout the contest – switching roles during your dances is not allowed for more than 8 beats of music.
3. Competitors will be awarded points as either a leader or follower. Those points will be tracked separately in the WSDC Points Registry for advancement to the next skill level.
4. Competitors qualify for their dance level based on either their Leader or Follower points, whichever is higher.
5. Competitors must dance one (1) level down in their secondary role, with the following clarifications:
- a) Competitors with points in both their primary and secondary roles at the same skill level must select only one (1) role to compete in (either their primary or secondary role) for that event’s skill level contest.
- b) Competitors who choose to dance at a higher level in their primary role must dance one level down in their secondary role (e.g., Competitor has 39 points in Intermediate as a Leader and is allowed to dance in Advanced. They may choose to dance in Intermediate as Leader and in Novice as Follower OR in Advanced as Leader and in Intermediate as Follower.)
- c) Competitors who are Novice in their primary role may choose to dance in either Novice or Newcomer in their secondary role. If they choose to dance in Novice in their secondary role, they may not compete twice in the same skill level.
- d) Competitors are not permitted to dance both roles in the same division.
Appropriate Behavior and Dress Code:
Any action that the judges believe would make them uncomfortable in a social dance setting (such as wearing inappropriate attire, showing disrespect toward one’s partner, other dancers, or the event) is prohibited. Competitors should check with the Organizer or Chief Judge in advance if they have any questions.
Competitors are encouraged not to wear jeans or “too casual” attire for competitions. Please dress in appropriate attire; if you have a clothing issue, please contact the chief judge for prior approval.
Responsibilities of Competitors:
1. Competitors should check the weekend schedule in advance in order to arrive in time to meet registration deadlines. They should bring appropriate competition attire. They should also plan ahead so as to be on-time for all marshaling and competitions. Competitors are responsible for checking at the event for any changes to previously announced schedules, which are always subject to change.
2. All competitors should read these rules carefully prior to attending the contestant meeting for their competition. Competitors are responsible for adhering to these rules whether they have read them or not. Questions about the rules should be addressed to the Organizer or the Chief Judge.
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3. Competitors should be present in the ballroom or in the marshaling area at least 15 minutes prior to the start of their competition marshalling. Failure to arrive at your scheduled marshalling times may lead to disqualification.
4. Any cancellation or disqualification by a competitor or couple after the registration deadline will result in the loss of the entry fee.
5. Competitors must demonstrate good sporting conduct at all times, both on and off the dance floor. Competitors may not speak to judges regarding their placements or scores until after the awards have been given. It is bad sportsmanship to badger or argue with judges about placements and scores. Competitors must also refrain from any behavior that the judges deem inappropriate. Failure to adhere to this code of behavior may result in disqualification.
Petitions for Division Reclassification:
The (WSDC) World Swing Dance Council Points Registry is used to determine eligibility for the West Coast Swing Jack & Jill skill levels. Current WSDC points information is available online at http://www.worldsdc.com for anyone to look up which division they have qualified for.
Competitors who wish to petitions down in level (in either primary or secondary role); must submit a formal petition to the Chief Judge or they will not receive points if they reach the final or a placement The Chief Judge reserves the right to approve or deny any petitions submitted.
- The Chief Judge, or qualified individual(s)/committee designated by the Chief Judge, may approve or deny the petition after reviewing the competitor’s Points Registry record.
- Petitions are event-specific and not transferable. Competitors must submit a petition at their next event.
Competitors who wish to petitions up in level (in either primary or secondary role); must submit a formal petition to the WSDC Chief Judges Committee (“CJC”) at least fifteen (15) days in advance of the event:
- 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.
- Petitions will be approved for six (6) months and are transferable to other events. Competitors who obtain a point in the higher division will remain in the higher division.
Competitors are expected to honor this system when registering. Breach of this honor system will lead to disqualification of the competitor.
Changes to These Rules
The Organizer reserves the right to make any changes in schedule/format deemed necessary for any competition.
DIVISION RULES
JACK & JILL DIVISIONS
Competitors enter as an individual and dance with a randomly chosen partner. The DJ picks the music. Leaders and followers are randomly paired and there will be several partner changes during the preliminary, quarter-final, or semi-final rounds. Competitors are scored individually on timing, technique and teamwork in the preliminary heats. Those scoring the highest will be called back later to dance in a final round. In the final, individuals are randomly paired, then scored as a couple. The DJ picks the music. Music tempo and style will vary. All songs will be appropriate for the dance division entered.
Eligibility
Our Jack & Jill competitions are open to anyone who knows the basic West Coast Swing (WCS) patterns, such as:
• Starter step
• Sugar push
• Underarm turn
• Left side pass
• Right side pass
• Tuck
• Whip
Jack & Jill contests offered:
- Newcomers
- Novice
- Intermediate
- Advanced or Advanced/All-Stars (* – depending on registrations)
Division Qualifications:
The World Swing Dance Council (WSDC) Points Registry determines eligibility for these leveled West Coast Swing Jack & Jill contests. Look up your level here: www.worldsdc.com.
Competitors are responsible for entering only contests they qualify for. If you haven’t earned any WSDC points you can choose to start in Newcomer or Novice.
Notes:
The points required for moving up (or down) is based on the points in either the dancer’s primary or secondary role, not their combined points.
SPECIFIC RULES FOR JACK & JILLS DIVISIONS:
1. Contestants must be at least sixteen (16) years or older by the end of the event to participate.
2. Music will be selected by our DJ staff; length of music and number of songs per heat is at the promoter’s discretion.
3. This division will be danced in heats for preliminaries, quarter-finals, and semi-finals (if needed).
4. Lifts, aerials, and acrobatic moves are NOT allowed. Support moves, such as drops, slides, and splits are allowed (but not required) to the degree that they would be considered safe and appropriate on a social dance floor.
5. You may not enter 2 levels dancing the same role.
6. You may not enter the same level dancing both roles.
7. You may not change roles during the Jack & Jill contest for more than eight (8) beats of music.
Ekarolas 