General Rules

1. Organiser

EUROPEAN SWING DANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS is the Organiser of this event. Final decisions on all matters pertaining to these competitions rest solely with the Organiser.

2. Responsibilities of the Organiser

SCHEDULE: The Organiser will determine the date, time and location for each competition, and the daily Competitors’ Meeting, and will announce this information prior to the event.

The Organiser reserves the right to cancel a division if the number of entries is below the minimum of three (3) couples or six (6) dancers, and to rearrange the schedule if necessary.

Cancellation of a division would result in the refund of any applicable competitor entry fees.

Any schedule or location changes will be noted on the European Swing Dance Championships website (www.eurosdc.com) if they occur prior to the event. If the changes occur during the event, they will be publicly announced and/or posted on noticeboards at the event, as well as announced at the Competitors’ Meetings.

AWARDS: The Organiser will determine and award all prizes and money. Monetary awards will be given in cash, in the Euro currency, at the Awards Ceremony. No other form of payment can be provided.

POSTING OF SCORES: The results of the competitions will be posted for review after the Awards Ceremony, at the event and on the website (http://www.eurosdc.com).

COMPETITION FORMAT: The Organiser reserves the right to determine the format of each competition division, including whether it consists of preliminary heats and/or finals, and whether the competition is danced in all-skate, phrase-battle or spotlight formats. These decisions will be communicated on the website before the event, and any changes will be announced as soon as possible on the website or through announcements at the event.

3. Age Requirements

Competitors must be at least 18 years old to compete in any of the following competition divisions: Solo Blues, Slow Dance Couples.

Competitors must be at least 14 years old to compete in all other competition divisions.

The Competitor must meet the age requirement specified in these rules on or before Friday, 15th June 2012.

Proof of age is required.

Competitors under 18 years of age must have a parent or guardian sign their Waiver form, before they will be allowed to compete.

4. Eligibility to Compete

Competitions are open to dancers of all nationalities, worldwide.

A “couple” consists of one leader and one follower. Leaders and followers may be of any gender.

REQUIREMENTS: In order to be eligible to compete, each competitor must meet ALL of the following requirements:

  1. Hold either a Full Weekend Pass or a Competitor Weekend Pass for the 2012 EUROPEAN SWING DANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS, paid in full.
  2. Have paid the required competition entry fees
  3. Have signed a Waiver form. No Competitor will be allowed to compete without a signed Waiver, and every member of a Team must sign the Waiver. Competitors under 18-years of age must have a parent or guardian sign their Waiver and any other required forms. Competition Waiver forms will be available at the registration desk when you arrive at the event, and also at the daily Competitor Meetings.
  4. Register by the official entry deadline, using the official online registration system at www.eurosdc.com
  5. Meet the entry requirements of each individual competition division (eg: as regards to dance level, length of routine, etc.)
  6. Meet all the specific requirements outlined in these rules

 

5. Responsibilities of Competitors

RULES: All Competitors are responsible for reading and understanding the rules prior to the 2012 EUROPEAN SWING DANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS. Competitors are responsible for adhering to these rules whether or not they have been read.

BEHAVIOUR: All Competitors must demonstrate safe, respectful and courteous behaviour at all times at the EUROPEAN SWING DANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS, both on and off the competition floor. Failure to adhere to these standards could cause disciplinary action by the Organiser, or penalties from the Judges.

COMPETITORS’ MEETING: Unless prior arrangements are made with the Event Organisers, Competitors are required to attend the Competitors’ Meeting on each day they are competing (including both preliminary and final rounds). Attendance at the Competitors’ Meetings is compulsory. A single representative of a team or a couple is acceptable.

DANCE ORDER: Drawing for dance order will take place at the Competitors’ Meetings and will be posted on the Competitors’ noticeboard. Competitors are required to be familiar with their assigned dance order and be prepared to be announced and to compete in this order.

PUNCTUALITY: Competitors are required to be in attendance at the competition venue, and ready to compete, 15 minutes before the scheduled start time of each competition division. Competitors must check-in with the competition staff for each competition division, and failure to do so may result in disqualification from competing in that division, without a refund of entry fee.

DEADLINES: Failure to comply with deadlines and attendance at mandatory meetings may result in disqualification from competing in the event without a refund of entry fee. These decisions will be made solely at the discretion of the Organiser.

6. Costumes

Costumes are not mandatory, however tasteful, neat and appropriate clothing and safe footwear is required. For the appreciation of the audience and judges, we encourage you to dress in a vintage (1920s to 1940s) style, or in colourful or dramatic dance attire, but this is not compulsory.

7. Competition Music

COMPETITION MUSIC: Music played during all competition divisions (except showcase divisions), will be selected by the official Competition DJ, appointed by the event Organisers. Music will be swinging jazz and blues music, predominantly from the 1920s, 30s and 40s, in a variety of tempos. Musical phrasing may be 32-bar swing phrasing or 12-bar blues phrasing.

SUBMITTING YOUR MUSIC: For showcase divisions, it is your responsibility to submit your music to the Competition DJ, no later than the competitors’ meeting on the day of your division. You can submit your music during the competitors’ meeting that day (or in a prior meeting), either on a one-track CD or USB thumb-drive, or email it to esdcmusic@gmail.com well in advance of the competition.

8. Judging

JUDGING SYSTEM: The Relative Placement System will be used to judge all the competitions at the EUROPEAN SWING DANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS. Judges decisions are final.

JUDGING CRITERIA: The judges will be looking at a range of criteria, including how well you improvise and respond to the music, how you work as a partnership, your repertoire, your creativity, your connection, if you can recognise phrasing in the music, and how the audience responds. The value placed on each of these criteria is at the discretion of individual judges. The judges decisions are final. Swing dancing is about having fun social dancing, connecting with your partner and engaging with the music, and EUROPEAN SWING DANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS judges will be looking for couples that embody these values.

9. Competition Cancellations & Withdrawals

There are no refunds on competition entry fees UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. If you wish to change your registration, you can apply the fees you have paid to a different competition, event pass, t-shirt or other available items, but no refund will be given. Alternatively, you can transfer your competition entry into someone else’s name.