If you dance in Professional Showcase, Classic, or Strictly Swing you can not dance in one of the other 2 categories just named with the same partner.  You CAN however dance in another category such as Hustle, Hand Dance, Shag, Lindy with the same partner. Judges decisions are final. If there are less than 5 competitors in any division - that division may be canceled or prizes altered at the event directors discretion.

Pros can dance with a maximum of 5 students in any one dance level unless there are enough other competitors to spread out the heats. Event director’s discretion - please contact us before the event.

Showcase Swing (NASDE)  Cash Prizes $1000
This is an open style swing division. Time and judging starts at first movement of performance with or without music. Lifts, Drops and breakaways permitted. Performance minimum of 2 minutes and maximum of 3 minutes…60% Swing.  (See definition section for details)
Lindy Showcase Solo competitors are encouraged to enter this division.

Classic Swing (NASDE)  Cash Prizes $1000
This is a solo division in a finals format. You perform to music of your choice from 2 - 3 minutes in length. Lifts , Acrobatic moves, and Aerials are not allowed, drops, leans, leverages are allowed. (See definition section for details) There is a minimum requirement of 80% recognizable Swing. Any form of swing dance is allowed. Contestants may make separate entrances but they must join together within 32 beats of music.  Judging starts at first movement of performance with or without music.   Disconnection is only allowed in spins and turns and short leadable breakaways. 

Lindy Showcase Solo (New Info)
This division has been incorporated into the Showcase Swing Category.  If you have a Lindy or East Coast / Jitterbug routine you should enter the Showcase Swing division which is featured on Saturday night.  We have added an enhanced Strictly Lindy Advanced division.

Strictly Lindy Adv/Pro
Just as at the Savoy Ballroom competitions anything goes. All forms of lifts, drops and air steps are allowed, but note that timing, teamwork, footwork and lead/follow steps as done by the dancers from the Swing Era are the benchmark. The Strictly Lindy Adv/Pro division will be run in a unique manner this year.  The first round is heated and danced to slower Lindy music.  The second round will be in a "phrased challenge" format. Each couple will be dancing a phrase to a fast song.  It will keep going around from couple to couple till we have a winner!

Strictly Swing
This category is for lead and follow dancing. There are no planned entrances or exits. No routines, lifts,  or aerials.  Leadable breakaway patterns are allowed for short duration but should be good examples of lead and follow. Costumes are not suggested in this division. Any form of Swing dancing is allowed. There is a minimum requirement of 90% recognizable swing. We pick the music which will be approximately 90 - 140 beats per minute. This may require a preliminary round in heats and a final round solo. We may play a slow and fast song or part thereof.

Cabaret
Any thing goes. This division is for any form of dance except swing (about 10% swing is allowed) . Can be a single, couple, or team. Time duration minimum 2 minutes, maximum 4 minutes performed solo.

Junior Division Solo
This is for couples of one male and one female over the age of 6 and no older than 18 as of the first day of the contest. It will be broken down into 2 divisions if there are enough competitors. These divisions are called Youth ( ages 6 - 12) and Teen (ages 13-18). Youth Definition - where the average age of the contestants is less than 13 years of age and the older partner may not be more than 15 years of age. Teen Definition - where the average age of the contestants is at least 13 years of age and the older partner may not be more than 18 years of age. There must be a minimum of 3 couples in each age group or there will be just one Junior category. This division runs solo to music of your choice from 2 - 3 minutes. Generally Showcase rules with the exception that no lifts may go above the shoulder level. Shoulder sits and shoulder level lifts are acceptable.

Lift: A lift is described as any move where both feet of one partner are off the floor and weight is supported by the other partner.

Drop: A drop is described as any move where the entire head and torso of one partner is entirely below the waist level of the other partner and weight is supported by the other partner.

Aerial: an aerial is a move where one dancer is lifted with the assistance of his or her partner and the entire body is in a position higher than the waist of the remaining partner.

Acrobatic: an acrobatic movement shall be described as any move where one person independently passes his/her foot, leg, or body over and across the plane of either partner’s head or independently brings both feet off the floor and one foot is above either partner’s shoulder level or both feet are above either partner’s waist level.

Allowed movements: Splits may be performed in Classic or Strictly by one partner if they independently initiate the move and help themselves out of the move.

For a minor violation, a penalty drop of one placement will occur. Blatant violations will be cause for disqualification. If a violation occurs by accident and not purposefully attempted for the couples gain, the judges are instructed to treat this as a mistake rather than a mandatory penalty. If you have any questions regarding a move - it needs to be brought up at the competitor’s meeting. All decisions of the judges are final.