City of Angles West Coast Swing Competition Rules

 

General Competition Requirements

  1. Entries: All contests must have a minimum of five (5) entries to be valid.

  2. Judges: City of Angels will adhere to all guidelines set by WSDC regarding judges.

  3. Scoring System: Finalized scoring inputs will be computerized by a professional scorer.

  4. Full weekend pass required in order to enter any contest

  5. *Note that it is our expectation that attendees read, understand, and abide by our Code of Conduct in all City of Angels-related activities, including competitions.

  6. Competitors are responsible for following the WSDC Registry Rules. Competitors will not receive WSDC points for placement if they fail to follow the WSDC Points Registry Rules

Contest Requirements

  1. Waiver Forms:

    • Each contestant must sign the appropriate waiver form.

    • Contestants under eighteen must have a parent or guardian sign any required forms.

  2. Role/Gender Requirements:

    • City of Angels is open to individuals of any gender dancing either lead or follow, as they prefer.

    • Contestants are encouraged to register in whichever role they prefer.

  3. Appropriate Behavior and Dress Code:

    • The Organizer aims to encourage expressive and exciting dance performances without sacrificing quality and good taste.

    • Actions that make judges uncomfortable in a social dance setting, such as wearing inappropriate attire or showing disrespect, are prohibited.

    • Competitors should consult with the Organizer or Head Judge in advance regarding routine/competition attire acceptability.

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 couples competition, you must enter with a different partner or swap roles.

Responsibilities of Competitors

  1. Planning Ahead:

    • Check the weekend schedule in advance to meet registration deadlines and bring appropriate competition attire.

    • Arrive on time for all meetings, competitions and marshaling.

    • Check at the event for any schedule changes.

  2. Knowing the Rules:

    • Competitors should read these rules carefully before their competition.

    • Adherence to these rules is mandatory, regardless of whether the competitors have read them.

    • Questions about the rules should be directed to the Head Judge in advance.

  3. Being Prepared to Compete:

    • Competitors should be present in the ballroom and prepared to marshal at least 15 minutes before the start of their competition.

    • Competitors are responsible for their bib numbers.

    • Cancellation after the registration deadline results in the loss of the entry fee.

  4. Demonstrating Good Sporting Conduct:

    • Competitors must display good sporting conduct at all times, both on and off the competition floor.

    • Competitors may not speak to judges regarding their placements or scores until after the awards have been given.

Competition music

1. Music for our Jack & Jill and Strictly Swing competitions. Our chief DJ will appoint a competition DJ to select music for each Jack & Jill and Strictly Swing division. 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 the competition DJ to play additional music.

2. Music for Rising Star, Masters, and Juniors routines. You must provide your own music for your routine. You must submit your music to our competition DJ at least 3 hours prior to your competition. If possible, please submit your music before the event or bring your music to floor trials (see the weekend schedule). Please supply your music to the DJ on a USB flash drive. You may also want to bring a backup copy. You are responsible for retaining additional practice copies.

City of Angels is a WSDC registry event. Every effort has been made to ensure our event rules follow current WSDC rules. However, if there is a conflict, the WSDC rules take precedence.

City of Angels Competition Rules

We offer the following WSDC divisions:

Newcomer, Novice, Intermediate, Sophisticated, Masters, Advanced, All Star & Champions Jack & Jill

We use the WSDC points registry to determine eligibility for WSDC Jack &  Jill skill level divisions. https://www.worldsdc.com/registry-points/

If you don’t have any WSDC points, you should enter our Newcomer Jack & Jill division.

You may enter only one skill level division (Newcomer, Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, All-Stars, or Champions) in your primary role.

If you are 50+ years old, you may also enter the Masters Jack & Jill.

If you are 35+ years old, you may also enter the Sophisticated Jack & Jill.

You may also choose to compete in your secondary role either one or two levels down. 

Note: Some competitors may be required to compete in a higher division in Strictly Swing, because their partner qualifies the partnership for the higher level. Competing or placing in a higher level Strictly Swing doesn’t qualify you to compete at that level in a WSDC Jack & Jill competition.

Submitting a petition

Individuals may enter a maximum of two unique skill divisions within two different roles. Per the WSDC rules, a dancer will be allowed to dance down one to two levels at their own discretion without seeking a petition.  However, under no circumstances is a dancer that has an intermediate point or higher in their primary role allowed to dance in Newcomer in their secondary role. The only dancer allowed to dance in Newcomer in their secondary role is a Novice Dancer who has no Novice points in their secondary role.

Petitions may only be submitted to dance one level up or down in their dominant role. Petitions to dance up must be submitted 15 days prior to the start of the event to the Chief Judges Committee:  worldsdc.com/level-up-petition

To petition down, dancers may either fill out the form electronically and email it to [email protected] or fill out a paper copy, available at event registration. “Dancing down” petitions must be submitted prior to the contest deadline cutoff.  In the case of all petitions submitted, our Head Judge will review your petition and either approve or deny your request. You will be contacted with the decision as soon as possible. Please be prepared to dance in your original competition level or division in case your petition is denied. The petition form to “dance down” is available here: https://www.worldsdc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/WSDC-Jack-and-Jill-petition_vF_Oct-2023.pdf

If you have petitioned to dance in a different division at one event, this does not “carry over” to the next event. You need to petition at the next event as well. Once you have competed and earned points in a higher division, you should stay in that division (if you continue to qualify).

Non WSDC All American Jack & Jill: Competitors randomly draw one partner and stay with that partner through all rounds. All levels of dancers are welcomed and encouraged to enter.

Strictly Swing skill level divisions

1. Novice Strictly Swing. This division is intended for dancers with limited competition experience. You may enter this division if you and your partner both qualify for our Novice Jack & Jill division in your chosen roles (and neither partner qualifies for our Intermediate, Advanced, All-Stars, or Champions Jack & Jill division in your chosen roles).

2. Intermediate Strictly Swing. This division is intended for dancers with some previous competition experience and success. You may enter this division if you or your partner qualifies for our Intermediate Jack & Jill division in your chosen roles (and neither partner qualifies for our Advanced, All-Stars, or Champions Jack & Jill division in your chosen roles).

3. Advanced Strictly Swing. This division is intended for dancers with significant competition experience and success. You may enter this division if you or your partner qualifies for our Advanced Jack & Jill division in your chosen roles (and neither partner qualifies for our All-Stars or Champions Jack & Jill division in your chosen roles).

4. All-Stars Strictly Swing. This division is intended for dancers with significant competition experience and success at the Advanced level and above. You may enter this division if you or your partner qualifies for our All-Stars Jack & Jill division in your chosen roles (and neither partner qualifies for our Champions Jack & Jill division in your chosen roles).

5. Champions Strictly Swing. This division is intended for the top champion-level competitors. You may enter this division if you or your partner qualifies for our Champions Jack & Jill division in your chosen roles.

Other Strictly Swing Divisions:

1. Switchly Strictly. It’s time to switch it up! In this division, dancers switch lead & follow roles with their partners, aiming to lead or follow 50% of the time. Dancers of any skill level or age may enter the division, with a maximum of 1 All-Star or Champion allowed per partnership (as determined by their current WSDC level). Choreography is not allowed. 

2. Hi-Lo Strictly. Partnerships must consist of one dancer who qualifies for newcomer, novice or intermediate WSDC Jack & Jill level and one dancer who qualifies for advanced, all star or champion WSDC Jack & Jill level.

3. All Star/Champions 3 for All Strictly. 3 in the pool at once! Make a trio and do your best. In this chaos, the “Steals” trios tend to maintain two leaders and one follow allowing the two leaders to pass the one follow between themselves. The “Doubles” trios tend to maintain one leader and two follows allowing the two followers to follow the single leader throughout the dance. *This is in no way required* All dancers in the trio must be All Star or Champion level per WSDC.

4. Masters Choice. Get ready for the fun! Master dancers (age 50 and older) may invite any dancer available to compete from the Newcomer level through Champion (no age requirement), it must be a Master’s Dancer doing the inviting. Choreography is not allowed.

Routine Divisions

1. Rising Star. Please see the Rising Star Tour website for current rules: https://risingstartour.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Rising-Star-Tour-Rules-2025-Highlighted.pdf

2. Masters Routine Rules: This division is characterized by social Swing dancing at a performance level. This division is open to all styles of Swing and can include, but is not limited to Carolina Shag, Dallas Push, East Coast Swing, Hand Dancing, Hollywood Swing, Houston Whip, Imperial Swing, Jive, Jitterbug, Lindy Hop, Rock-n-Roll, and West Coast Swing.

  • The rules governing the Master Swing Division are the same rules that govern the Classic Division, except both competitors must be 50 years of age or older, on or before the Sunday of the event.

  • A break-away is to be no more than 8 beats of music.

  • A couple must remain in their designated roles throughout the entire routine with an allowable exception of (1) 8-count maximum of role switching.

  • Choreographed routines are required.

  • Competitors must have purchased a full weekend Pass to compete.

  • Competitors select their own music and have choreographed routines.

  • Dance costumes are required (Halloween style costumes are not considered appropriate).

  • Performance time is a minimum of (2) minutes and a maximum of (3) minutes. Timing starts with the first performance movement with or without music.

3. Juniors Routine Rules: The rules governing the Young Adult Division are the same rules that govern the Showcase Division except:

  • lifts and aerials that have one (1) partner’s torso rise above the other partner’s shoulders are NOT allowed. The intent of this rule is for the safety and/or lack of experience to execute these moves for this age group. 

  • Weight support moves are optional.

  • This division is for Competitors aged 6 to 17 years of age, on or before the Sunday of the event.

  • If an established partnership has one partner 18-19 years of age, that couple may petition the Organizer for an exception to the age restrictions rule.

  • Competitors must have purchased a full weekend Pass to compete. 

  • Competitors select their own music and have choreographed routines.

  • The rule for Swing Content is 75% (as in Showcase).

  • Costumes are required and must be in good taste and age appropriate for this age group. A breach of this rule may be considered as a penalty or a violation. (Halloween style costumes are not considered appropriate).

  • Routines and choice of music must be in good taste and appropriate for this age group. A breach of this rule may be considered as a penalty or a violation.

  • Performance time is a minimum of (2) minutes and a maximum of 3 minutes.

  • Timing starts with the first movement with or without music.

  • A minimum number of five (5) entries are required to run this division for full prize money to be awarded. If 3-4 entries are registered, the division may run, but the prize money may be adjusted. If there are (2) or fewer registered entries, the division will be canceled, and entry fees refunded.

4. Pro-Am Routines: The rules governing the Pro-Am Routine division are the same rules that govern the Rising Star Division except:

  • Costumes are encouraged but not required.

  • To qualify for a partnership in our Pro-Am, there must be an instructor/student relationship.

  • Amateurs are defined as anyone who does not teach West Coast Swing on a regular, ongoing basis.

  • A Professional is defined as someone who earns a significant amount of income teaching or performing West Coast Swing

 

 

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