Competition Rules and Expectations

SwitchOn Seattle Eligibility Requirements

Note: Only a few of these all of these comps will be held at each event.

To compete at our event, you must :

Have a pass eligible for comps (full pass)

Register for each competition by the official entry deadline. (See the weekend schedule.)

Pay any required entry fees.

Meet all other specific entry requirements outlined in the rules.

Division qualifications

At this time we are asking dancers to select their own level using our level descriptions:

Cookie Dough, Sugar Cookie, Chocolate Chip, and Snickerdoodle (levels descriptions)

Cookie Dough (you are welcome to compete at the Sugar Cookie Level (1) or wait until you feel ready.

Jack & Jill per level or with some level combined (may vary per event)

Partners chosen randomly right before the first dance.

High/Low and Low/High Jack & Jill

Partners at different levels chosen randomly before the first dance.

High/Low and Low/High Strictly

You choose your partner in advance. The levels vary for each dance.

Open Strictly: Any level dancer may enter this division. You choose your partner in advance.

Instructors and Judges of the event cannot enter the strictly.

Team Steal Battle Strictly for 3 dancers: You choose your team in advance. Any dancer and team composition may enter this competition. The number of people required to participate as a team is 3 (minimum and maximum). One instructor, member of staff or judge (not judging in for this event) allowed per team.

Team Steal Battle Jack & Jill for 3 dancers: (Leveled 1, 2, 3 or some combination of levels)

Teams chosen randomly right before the first dance.. One event instructor, staff member or judge (not judging for this event) allowed per team.

Team Steal Battle Jack and Jill for 4 dancers: (Recommended for level 2 and 3 only)

Teams chosen randomly right before the first dance.

Any dancer may enter this competition. The number of people required to participate as a team is 4 (minimum and maximum). One event instructor, staff member or judge (not judging for this event) allowed per team.

Multiple registrations

Multiple registrations are allowed. You may choose to enter any competitions for which you meet the specific entry requirements. However, if you enter more than one strictly competition, you must dance with a different partner each time.

It is possible to register for Team Steal Battle with one or both dancers you have already danced with in strictly.

Our Responsibility as the Organizers

Note: Not all of these comps will be held in every event.

We will select a panel of judges, chief judge, scorer, MCs, and competition DJs.

We will provide the names of these officials prior to the event on our website/social networks.

The chief judge can allow mock judges during the competition. Their scores will not be taken into account in finals results.

Registering contestants and verifying eligibility. We will collect entries from eligible competitors in advance and at the event. We will assign a bib number per pair to only one Strictly partner.

Holding all competitions, or modifying them if necessary. We will do everything we can to hold all competitions as planned. If necessary, we may extend the registration deadline or change the eligibility requirements (for example, by combining divisions) if we receive insufficient entries. If we must cancel a competition, we will refund your entry fee.

Scoring the results. We will use callbacks (yes, no, alt) for all preliminary heats, and relative placement for all finals.

Announcing the results and presenting awards. We will announce the results of all competitions at our awards ceremony. Our scorer will publish scores for public examination at the end of the event.

Your responsibilities as a competitor

Planning ahead. You may register for competitions in advance or at the event (during times listed on the schedule). If you register in advance, you should plan to pick up your bib number(s) at the event. Be sure to check for any last-minute changes to the schedule.

Knowing the rules. You should read the rules carefully prior to the competition. You are responsible for following the rules whether or not you have read them. If you have any questions, contact our chief judge ahead of time.

Our judging criteria

You will be judged on the following criteria:

West Coast Swing content: It includes identifiable swing patterns in order to provide variety and contrast.

Quality and quantity of role switching/stealing and how seamless the transitions look during the dance. It should not generate doubt on the role of each dancer at any given time.

Timing: Swing is danced beginning on the downbeat. Good timing includes not only dancing on the correct beat but finer distinctions such as whether you are dancing to the syncopated “swing” of the music. Your syncopations and footwork also need to be on time.

Teamwork: Swing is a connected partner dance. Demonstrating this connection through lead/follow or action/reaction with your partner is an expected part of any swing dance competition. A balanced performance of give-and-take with your partner should be your goal. Ignoring, disrespecting, or jeopardizing the safety of your partner indicates poor teamwork. Compensating and adjusting for your partner is an expected part of good teamwork.

Technique: How well you execute the movements in your dance constitutes technique. Good West Coast Swing technique includes clean execution and completion of dance elements such as control of balance and weight, delayed weight transfer, foot articulation and placement, body lines, spins and turns.

Musical interpretation. Good musical interpretation consists of adjusting the flow of your dance to fit the style, tempo, mood, and rhythm variations in the music. You should strive to demonstrate the ability to hear and interpret nuances in the music throughout your dance.

Showmanship . Creating an atmosphere of excitement by inviting interest in your performance is the desired effect of good presentation. While providing a good show is one aspect of presentation, it cannot substitute for good dancing. You should aim primarily for demonstrating positive chemistry as a couple. Gratuitous mugging to the audience or the judges may result in a lower score. Good sporting conduct before, during, and after your dance is also an expected element of good presentation.

N.B :

Partner weight support moves (“tricks”): Like other patterns, these moves will be judged according to the standard criteria of timing, teamwork, and technique. In these moves, you and your partner must both maintain physical contact with the floor. Drops, leans, circular movements, leveraged slides, and splits are examples. However, any moves that our judges deem unsafe and lifts may earn a violation penalty. When in doubt, leave it out.

Chief judge contact information:

(needs to be added once they have been selected)

Being prepared to compete.

A competitor meeting will be available (soon to be announced in the schedule). Attendance is optional.

You should be in the ballroom at least 15 minutes before your competition.

During the competitions, we use marshalling to prepare the following heats prior dancing. Check which heat you are dancing in before the competition starts and follow the call for marshalling immediately.

Competitors, your bib number must be worn for all competitions. We recommend attaching it to your hips, centered at the back.

If you miss the competition (or withdraw after the registration deadline), you will forfeit your entry fee.

Demonstrating good sporting conduct: You must demonstrate good sporting conduct at all times, both on and off the competition floor. This includes treating your partners, other competitors, competition officials, spectators, and the event itself with respect. Demonstrating a poor attitude by behaving in ways that our chief judge, judging panel, or other competition officials deem inappropriate or disrespectful may result in a violation penalty or disqualification.

Using appropriate channels to communicate your concerns: If you have questions or concerns about our competitions, use appropriate channels to share your concerns, In private discussion with our chief judge. You are not allowed to confront, pressure, challenge, or argue with individual judges. If you harass or verbally abuse a judge or other competition official, we may disqualify you and may also ban you from competing at our events in the future. Usually a good time to ask for feedback about your competition performance is during a private lesson.. Please be kind.

Reviewing your scores:You may review this information to see how you did. If you are unable to review your scores at the event, you also may contact our chief judge after the event.

Attire and behavior:

For all competitions, some attire and behavior is not allowed (political, religious, violent, referring to sex.). Check with our chief judge in advance if you have any questions regarding the acceptability of specific attire or behavior.. We all have our own views; we ask that you avoid using the competition floor to express them.

Keep in mind that: All ages (including young dancers) will be present at our event.

The event owners may livestream and record any part of the event, including your performance.

It is our desire to encourage expressive and exciting dance performances without sacrificing quality of dancing and good taste. To maintain this balance, we encourage you to put on a good show (including humor where appropriate) but within the context of presenting solid dance fundamentals.

Any action that our judges b;lieve would make them uncomfortable in social dancing (such as inappropriate touching or simulating sexual behavior) may earn a violation penalty/disqualification.

Requesting a restart:

This only applies to spotlighted dances. You may request a restart only in certain cases, such as:

Your competition attire fails during your dance.

Our sound system fails during your dance.

You may not request a restart simply because you are dissatisfied with your performance, partner, or music.

You must request a restart prior to your departure from the floor, and our chief judge must approve your request. Our chief judge may also call for a restart at any time.

Competition music

Our competition DJ will select all music for our competitions. Music for finals spotlight dances will be approximately the same length of time for each couple. The exact time of fade out is left to the DJ’s discretion to maximize the effectiveness of the music. If our judges need more time to determine callbacks or final placements, our chief judge may ask our competition DJ to play additional music.