BEDC 2006 Competition Rules & Regulations

DEFINITIONS
Amateur:Is a dancer who does not receive financial compensation for teaching and/or performing in any dance form.
Professional: A dancer who is receiving financial compensation for teaching or performing in any dance form.
Pro-Am: Selection of category – Novice, Intermediate, or Advanced – is based on the level of the amateur should be selected with the guidance of the professional. Silver:: 55 years and older.
*Newcomer (New) A person studying the dance for less than a year.

GENERAL RULES

  1. Competitors and attendees must have a day or weekend pass and are required to fill out a registration form and sign a liability waiver compliance.
  2. All competitors will receive a number to be used for the entire weekend and will be responsible to keep that number.
  3. Pros may compete with no more than 3 Ams in any one level of a dance. This rule does not apply to the World Pro-Am Hustle Dance Qualifier, where Pros may dance with 1-Am per category.
  4. All competitors consent to release the use of their photographs, biographies, and names, for any video or television footage for sale.
  5. All Pro/Pro and Am/Am Hustle heat competitors will dance to two songs of 1.5 minutes each – one slow and one fast, to be selected by BEDC
  6. All solo competitors will supply their own music on CD. All solo competitions are indicated with a double asterisk (**).
  7. The minimum/maximum time allowed for all solo competitors includes entrance and exit, with or without music. Solo routines should be no less than 2 ½ minutes and no more than 3 ½ minutes.
  8. If there are fewer than three couples, the Big Easy Dance Classic reserves the right to cancel or combine divisions.
  9. The head judge and BEDC committee will have final say on all discrepancies. All questions and/or disputes should be brought to the attention of the head judge in writing (BEDC will supply a form for this purpose, if needed).

DANCE RULES
Hustle: A dance form using and combining the creative elements of circular rotation, slotted movement, elliptical rotation,traveling movement, visual lead and follow within the rhythm and timing of the dance. Basic will be defined as a ball change movement followed by two even steps.
Salsa: Breaking on one, ,two, three or four is permitted, however proper salsa/ mambo rhythm must be maintained(Quick/Quick/Slow)
Just Dance: When a competition is designated just dance, no costumes, routines, entrances or exits, lifts, aerials, or drops of any kind are permitted.
Swing: Each style will be designated on the competition entry form. For Triple Threat, any style of swing (West Coast, East Coast, Lindy or Jive is acceptable)


Solo Hustle Competitions
Semi-Finals: Partner dancing competiton. (one male and one female). Any applicable semi-final rounds will be heated just dance. No lifts, pre-choreographed side-by-sides or flairs allowed.
Finals: Finalists should have a prepared, spotlight routine to the song of their choice. Routine must be recognizable Hustle, however lifts, dips,
drops, side by sides are allowed. Costumes recommended. Solo routines to be 2 ½ minutes minimum to 3 ½ minutes maximum. Final placement will be based on a combined score from the heated and solo performances.

Other Dances: This is for both Pro/Ams, Amateur and Professional divisions.
Just Hustle: Partnering (adapting to each partner's styles), lead and follow, dance ability, technique, floor craft and versatility are important for scoring.No costumes, routines, entrances or exits allowed. Lifts, drops and acrobatic moves are prohibited. The music is selected by that event organizer, you pick the partner. Dancers will dance for two (2) minutes.
Classic Hustle: This routine must consist of a minimum fifty percent (50%) Hustle Dancing and the balance of a combination of side-by-side, leaps, jumps and drops. NO LIFTS OR AERIALS are allowed. During a drop, one foot of both dancers must remain on the floor at all times. Leaps and jumps are allowed as long as they are not assisted by a partner. Routine shall be no longer than (3 1/2) three and one half minutes and a minimum of (3) minutes including an entrance and an exit with or without music.
Theater Arts Hustle: Anything goes within the framework of the definition of Hustle Dancing. Routine shall be no longer than (3 1/2) three and one half minutes and a minimum of (3) minutes including an entrance and an exit with or without music.
Professional Cabaret: Any alternative dance. No hustle permitted. Anything goes but entries must be partnership form (male/female). Routines to be 2 ½ minutes minimum to 3 ½ minutes maximum.
Pro-Am Hustle/Salsa/Cha Cha/Rumba/Bolero/Merengue/West Coast Swing/East Coast Swing: These are just dance competitions with the exception that costumes are allowed. Contestants may dance up to two levels (their regular level, and one level up). In addition to the two levels permitted, contestants over 55 years of age may also dance in the Silver category Pro-Am competitions.
Jack and Jill: These are just dance competitions. Dancers will draw for partners or have partners selected randomly.
Triple Threat: A combination of heated and solo formats. All couples will dance 1 ½ minute heats in the following: Hustle, Salsa, Swing. Any style of swing or salsa is permitted. Heats are “just dance” competitions.
Pro-Am Cabaret : Open to any partner dance. Routines to be 2 ½ minutes minimum to 3 ½ minutes maximum.
Open Team Division: A team shall consist of 3 or more dancers. This division is open to any number of dancers in any configuration of genders. Any dance style accepted including Hustle, Swing and Latin. Costumes or similar attire is required. Routine shall be no longer than (4) four minutes and a minimum of (31/2) three and one half minutes including an entrance and an exit with or without music.

TIME ALLOWANCES FOR ALL SOLO PERFORMANCES:
Please note that there will be strict adherence to time allowances for solos, and anyone not adhering to the rules will be penalized. Head judge will allow for up to 10 seconds over or undertime with no penalty. However, more than that will result in a deduction from the final score. Anyone more than 10 seconds overtime will result in the music being cut off regardless of whether the couple is still dancing or not.