In the last twenty years, competitive ballroom dancing, sometimes referred to as DanceSport, has exploded in popularity all across the United States. For some couples, competitive dancing is their career. They often go on to become some of the world’s best dancers and teachers. For others, ballroom competitions are chance to improve their dancing beyond the social dance scene. Competitions exist for all ages and skill levels of dancers in a wide variety of dance styles.

In the United States, ballroom competitions fall in one of three categories: amateur competitions, pro-am competitions, and professional competitions. Amateur competitions are for amateur partnerships only. Organizations such as USA-Dance, the national governing organization for ballroom dancing, hold amateur competitions all over the US each year. Locally, our Portland USA-Dance chapter hosts a local competition in the spring or summer, while the Seattle chapter hosts 3 or 4 dances a year. USA-Dance also is responsible for organizing the amateur National Championship competitions each year.

In contrast, pro-am competitions are for students to compete with their teachers. The National Dance Council of America (NDCA) organizes and runs a majority of the pro-am competitions across the US. Portland hosts two pro-am events each year: Fall Festival, held in October, and City of Roses, held in March. Seattle also hosts the Seattle Star Ball in early August. The Ohio Star Ball, a national yearly pro-am competition, was seen by millions across the US on PBS and other television networks.

Professional competitions are often mixed with pro-am or even amateur competitions. Emerald Ball, held in Los Angeles, and the Holiday Dance Classic in Las Vegas are both nationally renowned for their pro-am and professional competitions.

Competing as an Amateur Couple

Amateur ballroom dance competitions are divided into four styles: American Smooth, American Rhythm, International Standard, and International Latin. Each of these styles is further broken up into events based upon a combination of skill level and age of the partnership. Uptown Ballroom specializes in International Standard and International Latin.

International Standard and Latin are divided into skill levels: newcomer, bronze, silver, gold, novice, pre-championship, and championship. Most amateur couples begin at the bottom, in newcomer or bronze. Newcomer is a category designed specifically for couples new to the competitive scene. Not all competitions offer a newcomers’ category, and couples are ineligible to compete in newcomers after their first few competitions.

Newcomer, bronze, silver, and gold are commonly referred to as the “syllabus.” This means that at each level of dancing, you as a dancer are restricted to dancing certain figures. At each level, new figures are added to the list of accepted figures. For example: bronze figures can be included in a silver or gold routine. The reverse does not hold true: silver figures cannot be danced in a bronze event. For additional information about competition syllabi, please click here for the International Latin syllabus (link: http://usadance.org/dancesport/athlete-information/the-syllabus/latin/) or here for the International Standard Syllabus (link: http://usadance.org/dancesport/athlete-information/the-syllabus/standard/).

Syllabus events, especially at USA-Dance sanctioned competitions, also have strict guidelines about the costumes a competitive couple wears. Men wear dress pants, a white shirt, vest and tie in newcomer, bronze, and silver, gradually transitioning to a dancing tuxedo as they move up to compete in gold. Women cannot have rhinestones or other decorations on their dresses. Sparkly earrings, colorful dresses, and rhinestoned hairpieces are often accepted, depending upon the competition’s rules, as alternatives to flashy dresses.

Novice, pre-championship (often abbreviated as pre-champ), and championship are “open” events. There are no restrictions or rules about which figures can and cannot be used. In addition, there are no costume limitations. Women dress in elaborate ball gowns, complete with rhinestones, feathers, and other theatrical embellishments. Men are required to wear dancing tuxedos with tails.

In addition to skill levels, competitive events are also broken up into age categories. Adult couples are between the ages of 18 and 24. Senior I couples are 35-44, and Senior II couples are 45 and above. The adult events are the most competitive, and therefore most difficult, categories in which to compete. Senior I and II couples can, and do, compete in the adult category as well as their own age category. However, an adult couple cannot compete in a Senior I or II event. At an amateur competition, then, you would see two or three bronze Latin rounds at one competition: adult Bronze, Senior I Bronze, and Senior II Bronze.

Finally, not all skill levels are required to dance all five of the dances that make up that category. In International Standard, for example, bronze competitors are required to compete in Waltz and Quickstep, gold competitors in Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, and Quickstep, and championship dancers in all five dances: Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot, and Quickstep. See the table below for more information about which dances are traditionally danced at each skill level.



 

International Standard		International Latin
Skill level	Dances Required	Skill level	Dances Required
New Comer	Waltz	New Comer	Cha-Cha, Samba, Rumba, Jive
Bronze	Waltz, Quickstep	Bronze	Rumba
Silver	Waltz, Tango, Quickstep	Silver	Cha-Cha, Samba, Rumba
Gold	Waltz, Tango Foxtrot, Quickstep	Gold	Cha-Cha, Samba, Rumba, Jive
Novice	Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep	Novice	Cha-Cha, Samba, Rumba
Pre Champ	Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Quickstep	Pre-Champ	Cha-Cha, Samba, Rumba, Jive
Championship	Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep	Championship	Cha-Cha, Samba, Rumba, Paso Doble, Jive

February 8-10 Snowball Classic, Vancouver, British Columbia (link: http://www.snowballclassic.com/)

March 22 Quest for the Best, Seattle (link: http://usadanceseattle.org/)

March City of Roses Ballroom Classic, Clackamas, Oregon (link: http://www.nwballroomdance.net/cor07.htm)

April 4-6 USA Dance National DanceSport Championships, Baltimore, Maryland (link: http://www.usadancenationals.org/)

May 1-4 Emerald Ball DanceSport Championships, Los Angeles (link: http://emeraldball.com/)

July 12 The Competition Formerly Known as Spring Fling (link: http://www.portlandballroomdancers.com/SpringFlingHome.asp)

July 26 Quest for the Best, Seattle (link: http://usadanceseattle.org/)

August Seattle Star Ball, Seattle (link: http://seattlestarball.com/)

October 25-26 USA Dance NW DanceSport Championships, Seattle (link: http://www.usadanceseattle.org/nwregional/)

October Fall Festival, Clackamas, Oregon (link: http://www.nwballroomdance.net/)

November 15 Quest for the Best, Seattle (link: http://usadanceseattle.org/)

December Holiday Dance Classic Championships, Las Vegas (link: http://www.holidaydanceclassic.com/)

FAQ

Why should I dance in a competition?

Dancing in a competition has many benefits for the dance student. The biggest advantage is that is creates a goal for you. Students who participate in competitions tend to learn faster and dance with more technique and style than students who only focus on the social aspects of dancing.

Competitions are also a great place to meet people with similar interests. Everyone at the competition, from the newest dancer to the seasoned veteran has worked hard to get there. This builds great camaraderie and confidence with everyone rooting for one another. By the end of the weekend, most people feel a sense of accomplishment and are inspired to learn more.

Do I need a partner to compete in ballroom?

No! Many people choose to compete with their teacher as a pro-am partnership. There are 2 pro-am competitions in Portland each year, and one in Seattle. There are also several fun competitions in Los Angeles and Las Vegas that we attend each year. Pro-am competitions are a great way to focus on improving the dances of your choice, as well as showing off for your friends!

How are ballroom events judged?

During the event, up to seven judges will rank the dance couples based on their skills, presentation, and showmanship. Scores from all the judges are combined to obtain the final standings. Adjudication is a subjective process (to say the least) and that is why several judges are used to ensure fairness.
Depending on the number of entries, competitors may be required to compete in a series of elimination rounds (nth round, quarter and semi-final) until six couples are recalled for the final round by the judges. During the final round, the top placements are determined.

What do I wear at a competition?

Your competition attire will depend upon whether you are dancing syllabus events (bronze, silver, and gold) or open events (novice, pre-championship, and championship) and whether you are dancing International Standard or International Latin. For more information about costuming requirements, click here (link:USA-Dance rulebook).

What else do I need for a competition?

Always bring plenty of water, Powerade, or other preferred beverages and snacks. A sewing kit, baby powder for your shoes (some floors are stickier than others), all your hair and make-up accessories, a camera, and any other items you might require.

Is it OK to cheer for a favorite couple during competition?

Yes! During the competition, you will be seeing some lovely and inspiring dancing. Beautiful movement to music is one of life's great joys! Applause is much appreciated anytime during the event. So don't be afraid to clap, yell and call out the number of your favorite couple. We invite you to play "judge" during the competition and see if you agree with the judges results. So sit back and experience this wonderful visual and aural delight.

Can I attend a competition as a spectator?

Spectators are welcome at competitive events. Contact the organizer of the event that interests you for information on cost & availability of tickets, seating, etc. Attend and cheer on your favorite dancers. Many competitions also have social dance opportunities scheduled as well so be sure to ask.

How do I find out more information about competition rules?

Click here for the USA-Dance competition rulebook (link: http://usadance.org/dancesport/athlete-information/rules-policies-and-bylaws/).

How does a competition work?

Couples register, usually ahead of time, for their events. When they arrive at the event venue, they pick up a schedule and their 3 digit competitor number, which will be pinned to the man’s back so that judges may identify the couple. Depending upon the competition and the number of entrants, an event may have none, one, or several qualifying rounds (heats) before the 6 final couples are chosen.

These couples are divided into smaller groups called heats. The first heat of no more than 12 couples is brought onto the floor. The waltz music begins and the competitors have 90 seconds to dance.
During these 90 seconds there are judges standing around the floor watching all the couples. The leader of each couple has a 3 digit number on his back. If a judge likes how a couple is dancing the judge will write down the leader’s number on his pad, i.e. the judge marks the couple. When the 90 seconds ends, the next heat is brought onto the floor, the song is played again and the process repeats itself until all the heats have danced.
The judges were instructed to advance a certain number of couples from this group of 60 to the next round. A person called the Scrutineer looks at all of the judges' marks and brings back that number of couples from the group who had the most marks. For example, suppose the judges were instructed to bring back 40 from 60. The scrutineer will recall the 40 couples that received the most judges’ marks to advance to the next round
The results are often posted in the competitors’ preparation area, usually next to where competitors enter and exit the floor. These 40 couples are now in a new round and are divided into new heats of no more than 12 couples. The process repeats, halving the number of couples each time, until the final round, in which the top 6 couples are called back for one final round. In this round, the judges rank the couples in each of their dances to determine overall placing. Their scores are added together for each of their dances and a placement of 1-6 is determined.

How much do competitions cost?

It depends on the competition. Must USA-Dance competitions are designed to be inexpensive, with $15-$25 admission fees that cover unlimited entries and act as your general admission! Pro-am competitions tend to be more expensive, as you pay per event. If the competition requires an overnight stay, sharing a hotel room (and carpooling!) with other competitors can save you a lot of money!