West Coast Swing Competition Rules

Statement

The Calgary Dance Stampede is dedicated to creating a professional, fair, and exciting dance environment. Our goal is to showcase the artistry of West Coast Swing and related divisions, while maintaining integrity, inclusivity, and sportsmanship. As a recognized WSDC Registry Event and Rising Star Tour member, CDS follows the global standards set by the World Swing Dance Council (WSDC) and the Rising Star Tour (RST).

Competition Organizer

The Calgary Dance Stampede (CDS) is the official organizer of all competitions at the event. The Organizer retains the final authority in all competition-related matters. CDS is proud to be a fully recognized WSDC Registry Event for 2026, with results reported directly into the WSDC Points Registry.

General Eligibility

To participate, dancers must secure a Full Weekend Event pass and complete forms either online prior to the event or by paper registration on site. All required forms and waivers must be completed at the time of registration, and competitors under 18 must include parental consent. Registration is confirmed only when the completed registration and payment are received.

Role/Gender Requirements

Competitors are welcome to dance either the leader or follower role, regardless of gender identity.

Appropriate Dress Code

The Organizer encourages expressive and engaging performances while maintaining standards of quality and good taste. Attire that judges determine to be inappropriate in a social dance environment will not be permitted.

Competition Requirements

Competitors must comply with WSDC Registry Event Rules, CDS-specific competition rules, and RST regulations where applicable. In the event of conflicting rules, WSDC or RST rules will take precedence. Competitors are responsible for being familiar with all rules prior to competing.

See also official World Swing Dance Council rules at: www.worldsdc.com/rules/

Contestants’ Meetings

CDS will not be holding formal contestants’ meetings. Competitors who have questions regarding the competition should direct them to the Chief Judge. Petition forms to request a level change will be available at registration. Dancers will be called to line up prior to each division; the designated area will be announced in advance. Competitors are expected to remain in the ballroom and attentive to all announcements.

Petitions

Competitors wishing to move up one level must submit a petition to the WSDC Chief Judges Committee at least 15 days before the event, including two videos for review. Petitions to move down one level may be submitted to the Chief Judge at the event, prior to the first WSDC competition of the weekend. Petitions are not permitted for secondary roles.

Participation

All participants are expected to take personal responsibility for reviewing and understanding the event’s rules and competition procedures prior to arrival.

Dancers should arrive at least 15 minutes before their scheduled competition time. This allows sufficient time to be in the ballroom prior to their division, fully prepared to check in, warm up, and adjust to any schedule changes that may occur during the weekend.

Professional conduct is required both on and off the dance floor, this includes showing respect to partners, fellow competitors, event staff, judges, and the audience. Examples of inappropriate conduct include, but are not limited to, arriving late, displaying argumentative or confrontational behaviour, is missing the authority of judges or officials, or creating an unsafe environment through reckless actions. Any form of disrespectful or disruptive behavior may result in warnings, penalties, loss of standing, or disqualification from competition at the discretion of the Organizer and Chief Judge.

RST competitors may also be removed from the tour rankings for misconduct.

Judges

All competitions will be adjudicated by a minimum of five qualified judges. In addition, CDS will appoint a Chief Judge and may provide Alternate Judges to ensure fairness and consistency across all divisions.

Music and Video

Music for Jack & Jill, Strictly Swing, and ProAm competitions will be selected and provided by the event DJs.

For Rising Star and ProAm Spotlight divisions, couples are responsible for their own music selections and must provide music files to the DJ no later than one hour prior to scheduled floor trials.

Unless otherwise announced, competitors and attendees are welcome to record videos of performances and competitions.

Floor Trials

Floor trials will be scheduled according to the official Event Schedule. Competitors are responsible for reviewing the posted schedule to confirm times.

Posting of Results

Official results for all competitions will be announced at awards presentations throughout the weekend. Detailed score summaries will be posted following the final awards on Sunday. Results will also be published on the CDS website and official social media channels as soon as possible after the event.

DIVISIONAL RULES

Judging Criteria

Competitors will be judged on the following elements:

  • Timing: Dancing on time and with syncopation that reflects the music.
  • Technique: Execution, balance, posture, footwork, and control.
  • Teamwork: Quality of connection, lead/follow, and partnership.
  • Choreography (Routine Divisions): Creativity, variety, and musical structure.
  • Musical Interpretation: How well the dance reflects the music’s phrasing, accents, and dynamics.
  • Presentation: Audience engagement, showmanship, and confidence.

Restarts

Restarts are only permitted in the case of technical issues (music, lights, or floor) or costume malfunctions that compromise safety. Restarts must be approved by the Chief Judge, and the original performance will be disregarded.

Age Requirements

CDS competitors must be at least twelve years old to participate in West Coast Swing. Dancers aged 12 and older are eligible to compete within the Newcomer, Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced divisions. Sophisticated is defined as 35+, and Masters as 50+ by the close of the event weekend. Competitors under 18 must include parental consent and be supervised while at the event.

Jack and Jill Divisions

Jack and Jill competitions are the centre of WSDC-sanctioned events, designed to showcase social dance skills and adaptability with randomly assigned partners. CDS will run all standard WSDC Jack and Jill divisions, with points awarded in accordance with WSDC Registry rules.

Jack and Jill contests emphasize adaptability and social dance skills. Dancers sign up individually and are paired randomly with partners throughout multiple rounds. Music is provided by the event DJ, and competitors are judged on their ability to connect, improvise, and interpret the music in real time.

Depending on the number of entries, preliminary and semi-final rounds may be held and will be danced in a heated format. A minimum of 5 unique Leaders and 5 unique Followers must be present in finals for WSDC points to be awarded. Combined divisions will award points to the lower division as per WSDC standards.

Divisional Qualifications / Skill Levels

Competitors advance based on WSDC’s point thresholds. Progression is as follows:

  • Newcomer: Allowed to move up at the dancer’s discretion, required at 1+
  • Novice: Allowed to move up at 16 points; required at 30.
  • Intermediate: Allowed to move up at 30 points; required at 45 or with 1+ Advanced point.
  • Advanced: Allowed to move up at 60 points; required at 90 or with 1+ All Star point.
  • All Star: Allowed to move up at 150 points; required at 225
  • Champion: Allowed with 1 Champion point; required with 10+ Champion points or 225+ All Star points.

If a competitor qualifies to dance at more than one level, they may choose different levels for different competitions during the weekend. For example, a dancer with 20 Novice points as a follow may compete in Intermediate Jack and Jill but still enter ProAm Strictly and Strictly Swing as a Novice follow. However, they cannot compete in both Novice and Intermediate Jack and Jill as a follow.

Strictly Swing Divisions

Strictly Swing divisions showcase the essence of spontaneous social dancing, where couples rely on authentic lead-and-follow technique rather than planned choreography. While dancers may incorporate commonly recognized swing patterns and variations, the priority is to demonstrate continuous connection and improvisation throughout the dance. Partners enter the division together and remain paired for all rounds, with judges evaluating them as a couple based on timing, technical skill, partnership quality, and overall musical expression.

Rules: To compete in Strictly Swing, dancers must be at least twelve years old by the close of the event, with Sophisticated competitors required to be 35+ and Masters and Sophisticated categories open to those 50+ . Couples are expected to maintain a minimum of eighty percent recognizable swing content, as determined by the judging panel, and must keep physical connection throughout the dance except during spins, turns, brief breakaways, and recoveries. Weight-support moves are permitted provided at least one foot remains in contact with the floor and drops or leans are acceptable under the same condition. While coordinated outfits are allowed, costumes are not. To preserve fairness, couples may not compete together in both Strictly Swing and a Routine division, and they must register at the highest WSDC level for which either partner qualifies based on their point status.

ProAm Strictly Divisions

The ProAm Strictly category is designed to showcase the dynamic between dance instructors and their students, providing amateurs with the chance to gain competitive experience in a supportive format. Amateurs are considered social or recreational dancers who do not earn substantial income from teaching or performing, while professionals are recognized as those who do. To maintain balance, each professional may enter no more than five students in a single division. Judging focuses exclusively on the amateur’s performance, allowing them to demonstrate their skills and progress in a live contest setting.

Rules: In ProAm Strictly divisions, must consist of at least eighty percent recognizable swing content, as determined at the judges’ discretion. Couples are required to maintain physical contact throughout their performance, with the exception of spins, turns, short breakaways, and recoveries. Weight-support movements are acceptable so long as one foot remains on the floor and drops or leans are permitted under the same condition. While coordinated outfits are encouraged, costumes are not allowed.

ProAm Spotlight Division

The ProAm Spotlight division showcases choreographed routines performed by a student together with their instructor, set to music of their own choosing. Each couple appears individually on the floor, and judges evaluate both the teacher and the amateur as part of the overall presentation. Amateurs are defined as dancers who do not teach on a consistent basis or derive significant income from dance, while professionals are those who do. To ensure fairness, each professional may present no more than five spotlight routines, and those with multiple students must accept the randomly assigned order of performance. The full running order will be posted prior to the start of the division.

Rules: In the ProAm Spotlight division, each couple presents a choreographed routine performed by a professional with their student, set to music of their own choosing. Routines must run between two and three minutes and must contain at least eighty percent recognizable swing content, as determined by the judges. Each performance must feature one amateur partnered with one professional, with amateurs defined as dancers who do not teach West Coast Swing and professionals as those who earn significant income from teaching or performing it. To ensure fairness, each professional may enter no more than five spotlight routines, and those working with multiple students must accept the randomly assigned order of performance. The official dance order will be drawn at random and posted prior to the start of the division.

Formation Team Division

The Formation Team division highlights coordinated performances by multiple swing couples working together as a unit. While there is no set limit to the number of entries, the final capacity is determined by the event organizers. Use of props is not permitted.

Rules: The Formation Team division showcases choreographed group performances by multiple swing couples dancing in unison. Each team must include at least two couples, and at least three teams are required for the division to be held. While the number of entries is flexible, final capacity will be determined by the event organizers. Dancers are evaluated collectively as a team, and no individual scoring is applied. Participants must be at least six years old by the close of the event, and each dancer may compete on only one team unless the event director approves an exception for special circumstances. Routines must be fully choreographed, last between three and five minutes, and contain a minimum of eighty percent recognizable swing content at the judge’s discretion. Competitors may select their own music, and while props are not allowed, lifts, aerials, acrobatic moves, drops, breakaways, partner switches, and reverse lead/follow are permitted. Costumes are required, and choreographed entrances and exits are acceptable.

Rising Star Division

CDS is proud to be part of the official Rising Star Tour (RST). The Rising Star Division gives developing dancers the opportunity to perform choreographed routines under global standards. RST rules always take precedence over event rules.

Eligibility: Dancers may not have Champion points in the last 10 years, may not have been NASDE finalists, may not have won a previous RST overall, and may not have placed in the top three of Classic or Showcase twice.

Routine Requirements: 70% swing content, performance length between 2 and 3 minutes, costumes are encouraged, no props allowed, one role switch of up to 8 beats is permitted, and up to seven weight-support moves are allowed.

Rising Star Tour Age Requirement: The Rising Star Tour sets its own eligibility criteria, requiring competitors to be at least fifteen years of age to participate. Calgary Dance Stampede will honour this standard for the Rising Star division, while all other divisions follow the WSDC age requirements.

See also official Rising Star Tour rules at www.risingstartour.com/rules.

 

Last Updated: 2025-09-10