Competition Rules

Eligibility & Registration

To take part in any competition, all competitors must:

• Hold a valid event pass that includes competition entry (see Passes & Pricing).
• Register for each competition before the announced deadline. Competitions are registered and run through Scoring.dance; registration may also be completed at the Registration Desk while spots remain.
• Pay all entry fees for their chosen competitions.
• Pick up their competitor bib number during the designated times and wear it visibly in all preliminary, semi-final, and final rounds. Bibs are recommended but may not be required for spotlight finals.
• Sign the Event's liability waiver if asked.
• Meet the eligibility criteria for each division entered, as set out in these rules and the WSDC Registry Event Rules.

Age: There is no minimum age to compete. Competitors under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian consent to them competing and sign the waiver on their behalf, and should be comfortable social dancing in an adult environment.

Staff & judges: Judges and event staff may compete, with the exceptions required by the WSDC (see Section IX).

Contests & WSDC Points

The following contests award WSDC points:

• WSDC Jack & Jill skill-level contests: Newcomer, Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and All-Star.
• WSDC Sophisticated Jack & Jill (age-based): open to competitors of all skill levels who are 35 years of age or older by the close of the Event.

There is no Champions, Masters, or Juniors Jack & Jill, and no Strictly Swing competition at this Event.

Points Registry: Your skill level is set by the official WSDC Points Registry, the WSDC Registry Event Rules, and the WSDC Skill Level Jack & Jill Advancement Chart below. Points are tracked separately for the Leader and Follower roles.

Your responsibility: You are responsible for knowing which divisions you are eligible for in both roles, and for using your WSDC Competitor ID when registering (you receive an ID once you earn your first point). If your WSDC ID or points are wrong, you are responsible for getting them corrected, either at the Event or with the WSDC directly.

Skill Level Advancement Chart

Points Awarded per Tier

Tiers are set by the number of unique competitors in each role, so Leaders and Followers in the same division may be in different tiers. Reaching finals does not guarantee points. Points are only awarded if the final has at least 5 unique Leaders and 5 unique Followers. If you place twice in the same division, you only receive points for the higher placement.

Primary & Secondary Roles

• Primary role: the role in which you have points at the higher skill level. If you have points in both roles at your highest level, your primary role is the one with more points at that level.
• Secondary role: your other role.
• Entry limit: You may enter a maximum of two WSDC skill-level Jack & Jills: one in your primary role and one in your secondary role, in two different divisions. You may not enter the same division in both roles.
• Sophisticated: If you qualify (35+), you may enter the Sophisticated Jack & Jill in addition to your skill-level Jack & Jills.

Secondary Role Level

• The WSDC recommends competing one level below the highest level you are allowed in your primary role. You may compete up to two levels below it.
• Once your secondary-role points reach the "allowed to move up" amount for a level, you may only compete one level below your primary level. (Example: an All-Star leader with 60+ Advanced points as a follower must follow in All-Star or Advanced.)
• Your highest allowed primary level sets your secondary limit, even if you choose to dance a lower level in your primary role at this Event.
• If you have points in both roles at the same level, you must choose one role for that division.
• Newcomer: You may enter Newcomer in either role if you have no points in either role. You may enter Newcomer in your secondary role only if you have fewer than 16 Novice points in your primary role and no points at any level in your secondary role. If you are allowed to compete in Intermediate in your primary role, you may not enter Newcomer in your secondary role.

No dancing down: This Event does not run a Champions Jack & Jill. You may not enter a lower division because your own division is not offered. Dancers who are required to compete in Champions (10+ Champion points or 225+ All-Star points) may not enter the All-Star Jack & Jill without an approved petition.

Roles in a contest: You must keep your chosen role (Leader or Follower) through all rounds of a contest. Role switching during a competitive dance is not permitted for more than 8 beats.

If you are unsure about your level or eligibility, check the WSDC Points Registry or contact the Chief Judge before registering.

Petitions

Petitions can only move you one division, up or down.

• Petition down (primary role only): Submit a petition to the Chief Judge before the contest, as early as possible (petition down form). The Chief Judge, or people they appoint, will review your WSDC record and approve or deny it. Petitions down apply to this Event only and cannot be transferred to other events.
• Petition up (either role): Submitted directly to the WSDC Chief Judges Committee at least 15 days before the Event, together with two videos of your dancing (petition up form). Approved petitions up are valid for six months and at other events. If you earn a point in the higher division, you stay in that division.
• Secondary role: Petitions down are not allowed in your secondary role. Petitions up are allowed.
• Pending points: If you qualify for a different division because of recent placements not yet shown in the WSDC registry, tell the Chief Judge the event, placement, tier, and event contact so they can verify it.
• Wrong division: Competitors who dance in the wrong division without an approved petition will be disqualified and will not receive points.

Petitions are not approved to help a division reach a tier. All petitions are reported to the WSDC. Decisions on petitions are final — be prepared to compete in your original division if your petition is denied.

Divisions With Too Few Entries

• A WSDC division needs at least 5 Leaders and 5 Followers (Tier 1) when registration closes.
• If it does not, the Event Director may combine it with the neighbouring division (e.g. Advanced/All-Star) or cancel it.
• A combined contest awards points for the lower division (e.g. Advanced points for Advanced/All-Star). A combined Newcomer/Novice contest awards Novice points.

Competitor Responsibilities & Conduct

• Know the rules: Familiarise yourself with all competition rules and schedules. Competitors who do not follow the WSDC Registry Rules will not receive WSDC points. Ask the Chief Judge or event staff if anything is unclear.
• Be prepared: Arrive at the ballroom 15–20 minutes before your scheduled competition and marshalling times. Check the Schedule and the schedule posted at the Event for updates.
• Marshalling: Listen for marshalling calls and go promptly to the designated area. Not being present when your heat or final is called may result in disqualification. Alternates may be called for finals if registered competitors are absent.
• Sportsmanship: Show respect towards partners, fellow competitors, judges, staff, and spectators at all times, on and off the floor. Poor sportsmanship may lead to penalties or disqualification.
• Communication: Raise concerns or questions through official channels, such as speaking privately with the Chief Judge or the Event Director. Confronting, arguing with, or harassing judges or officials is prohibited and may result in disqualification and future bans.
• Withdrawals: Competition entry fees are non-refundable. If you must withdraw, please notify competition staff as soon as possible.

Dance Requirements, Format & Judging

• Swing content: Competitions focus on West Coast Swing, and judges expect recognisable swing content throughout.
• Lead & follow: Jack & Jills are about spontaneous lead/follow dancing. Pre-choreographed routines or significant choreographed sequences are not permitted.
• Connection: Keep an appropriate physical connection with your partner throughout the dance, except during spins, turns, short breakaways, and similar natural parts of the dance.
• Weight support & lifts: "On the ground" moves (drops, slides, leans where connection to the floor is kept) are allowed if done safely and appropriately for a social dance context. Lifts, aerials, and acrobatic moves where both of a partner's feet leave the floor are not allowed in any contest at this Event. Any move the judges consider unsafe may be penalised — when in doubt, leave it out.
• Attire: Dress appropriately for competition. Costumes are not allowed. Avoid overly casual wear such as jeans. Attire should be tasteful and suitable for an all-ages audience. Ask the Chief Judge beforehand if you have questions.

Judging Criteria

Jack & Jill Format

• Competitors enter individually.
• Partner rotation in preliminary and semi-final rounds is random. Leaders and Followers are judged individually, and partners change between dances.
• Finalists are randomly paired and judged as a couple. No redraws.
• Music is selected by the event DJ and assigned fairly to all competitors.

Scoring, Results & Restarts

• Scoring system: All contests are scored with Scoring.dance, a WSDC-approved computerised scoring system.
• Preliminary rounds (prelims, quarters, semis) use the WSDC callback system: Yes = 10, Alternate 1 = 4.5, Alternate 2 = 4.3, Alternate 3 = 4.2, No = 0. Callbacks are ranked by the total, and ties are broken by the Chief Judge's raw scores.
• Finals use Relative Placement and are judged by at least 5 judges, never an even number, plus the Chief Judge.
• Results are posted at the Event and published on Scoring.dance, where they stay available for at least 30 days. They include all rounds, placements, and score reports; judges may be listed anonymously (Judge 1, Judge 2, etc.). If results turn out to be wrong, corrected results will be posted. Results are reported to the WSDC Points Registry.
• Restarts (e.g. wrong song, clothing malfunction, sound or lighting problems) can be requested by a competitor or the Chief Judge, but only the Chief Judge can approve one and decides whether it happens immediately or later in the contest.

Judging Integrity & Who May Compete

• Judges and event staff may compete in any contest they qualify for. A judge never judges a contest they are competing in.
• As required by the WSDC, the following may not compete in any swing contest at the Event: the Event Director(s) and Owner(s) and their spouses and children, the Chief Judge, and the Scorer (the person running the scoring system). The Scorer also may not judge.
• Judges will not judge an immediate family member, current spouse or partner, established dance partner, or current business partner, and must report any such conflicts to the Chief Judge.

Organiser Rights & Final Authority

The organisers (Lysaker WCS) and the Chief Judge may adjust schedules and formats, and combine or cancel divisions as described in Section V. Any change to these rules will be announced on this page and at the Event, and will follow the WSDC Registry Event Rules. Decisions by the Chief Judge and event officials on rule interpretations, eligibility, and placements are final and binding.