PSDC Jack and Jills

2008- 2009 PSDC Contest Rules

Note: Points earned in PSDC contests do not count towards WSDC (World Swing Dance Council) points. Although PSDC’s points system is essentially the same concept as the WSDC points system there are some important differences. The most significant difference is that WSDC’s system tracks points of competitors worldwide. Only points earned at 2- or 3-day local, regional or national events whose advertising contains the WSDC logo will accrue under the WSDC system.

The PSDC points system tracks points earned only in PSDC contests. Your PSDC competition level does not determine the level in which you will compete at a weekend WSDC sanctioned event, or vice-versa. For further clarification, please contact PSDC Head of Judging Committee: Jimmy Ho via email or by phone: 503-929-5754.

General Contest Rules

  1. The contest year runs from January 2008 to November 2008.
  2. Membership in PSDC or any other swing club is not required to enter and compete in monthly club contests prior to the year end finals (see Jack & Jill Year End Finals)
  3. Entry fee is $3/person.
  4. Competitors must sign up to dance by 9:00 p.m. Contests will begin at approximately 9:15 p.m. When two contests are scheduled for one evening, the second contest will begin at approximately 10:00 p.m. with signups for the second contest also closing at 9:30 p.m.
  5. Competitors must dance 90% West Coast Swing. See Attachment “A” – Definitions.
  6. Competitors will be judged with a focus on the 3 T’s: Timing, Teamwork & Technique. See Attachment “A”.
  7. Competitors must do lead and follow movements. Choreographed routines are not allowed.
  8. Separation in performance is permitted on spins, turns and recognized breakaways.
  9. Lifts, drops, aerials, and acrobatics are not permitted. See Attachment “A”.
  10. In the dance performance, prohibited movements may result in a lowered placement with an equivalent reduction of points.
  11. Conduct exhibiting poor sportsmanship may also result in a lowered placement, equivalent reduction of points, and a warning from the Judging Committee. After a warning, any further such conduct will result in being banned from participation for a period to be determined by the Judging Committee.
  12. Contest music will be selected by the method explained in these Rules.

Criteria for Participation in Jack & Jill Points Contests

  1. If not already qualified under the Club’s point system, contestants must pre-qualify with the Head of the Judging Committee prior to entering a contest.
  2. Contestants must be proficient in dancing the following basic patterns: 4 Count Starter Step, Left Side Pass, Underarm Turn, Underarm w/ Hand Change, Right Side Pass, Push Break/Sugar Push, Turning Basic, Closed Tuck, Two Hand Tuck, Release Whip/Basic Whip, Closed Whip, Lock Whip/Basket Whip, Whip w/ Inside Roll, Whip w/ Outside Roll.
  3. A dancer who has never competed will usually begin in the Novice Division. However, a dancer may be placed into the Intermediate Division or Advanced Division at the discretion of the Head of the Judging Committee.
  4. Any dancer who teaches any style of partner dancing in group or private dance lessons, whether compensated or not, must check in with the Head of the Judging Committee, and alerts him/her to the fact that they are teaching. The Head of the Judging Committee will then place him/her in the appropriate contest level.
  5. Any unusual circumstances will be handled at the discretion of the Head of the Judging Committee.

Sign-up Procedures

  1. The entry deadline for all contests is 9:00 p.m. on the day of the contest.
  2. If unable to make the deadline, a contestant may sign-up by alerting either the Contest Coordinator or Head Judge prior to the deadline (see #4 below). If using e-mail to pre-enter, email must be sent no later than 11 a.m. on the day of the contest. Contestants using this sign-up option should not rely on being entered until they have received a reply to their request. Contestants must be present in time to attend the mandatory competitor’s meeting, if held, or request to be excused by the Head of the Judging Committee.
  3. Any unusual circumstances will be handled at the discretion of the Head of the Judging Committee.
  4. The attached schedule of contests is subject to change. Please refer to the club website or newsletter for current contest dates and times, or contact one of the following: Contest Coordinator, Jonathan Bean via email or phone (503) 284-9791, or Head of the Judging Committee, Jimmy Ho via email or phone (503) 929-5754.

Music

The contest music will be chosen by the DJ with the following conditions. The Head of the Judging Committee or the Judging Committee may help in the selection of the music, or give guidelines regarding tempo and style selections. The contest music must be deemed acceptable by the Head of the Judging Committee and Judging Committee as being appropriate for West Coast Swing and the level of the contest. The DJ will supply the Head of the Judging Committee with a list of the Contest songs he/she either intends to play or plays for the contest. The list will include song title, artist and beats per minute, and may be given to the Head of the Judging Committee at any point prior to the contest(s) or by the end of the dance at which the contest is held.

Length of Contests

At the discretion of the Chief Judge contest may include preliminaries and finals in heats or contest may be finals only. More than one heat may be required due to an unbalanced number of leads and follows. Partners will dance to a minimum of 2 songs.

Judges

  1. Judges will be selected by the Head of the Judging Committee or by agreement of the Judging Committee.
  2. Judges will be selected prior to the contest.
  3. Judges will report to the Head of the Judging Committee 15 minutes prior to the contest start time.
  4. Judges who are also competitors may only judge contests other than their own division.

Jack & Jill Year End Finals

  1. Finals will be held in November of each year.
  2. Points will be accumulated in the PSDC Novice, Intermediate Jack & Jills during the contest year.
  3. The top 5 male and female point scorers in the Novice and Intermediate Divisions will be selected for the Year End Finals. Only points earned in 2008 contests will be used to determine finalists. (Points accumulated from year to year will count towards moving to the next division.) In order to qualify for year end finals, contestants must have entered and danced in a minimum of two Jack & Jill points contests during the 2008contest year. In order to dance in the year-end finals, a contestant must be a member in good standing of PSDC.
  4. Couples will dance for approximately 2 minutes. At the end of a division competition in which the finalist couples dance spotlight or in small heats, all couples may be asked to dance as a group for 2 additional minutes to give the judges a second look.
  5. All other rules of the Jack & Jill club contests will apply.
  6. Any unusual circumstances will be handled at the discretion of the Head of the Judging Committee.

Points

  1. Points are awarded to the 1st through 5th place winners of each Novice & Intermediate contest, including year end finals.
  2. A competitor who places twice in a contest will receive points for his/her highest placement only.
  3. Points will accumulate from year to year within the Novice & Intermediate divisions as follows:
    Placement Points
    1st 5 points
    2nd 4 points
    3rd 3 points
    4th 2 points
    5th 1 point

Contest Divisions

  1. Novice Jack & Jill (See also “Criteria for Participation in Jack & Jill Points Contest)
    • A competitor must accumulate 20 points in the Novice Division before progressing to the Intermediate Division.
    • A Novice competitor reaching 20 points during the contest year has the option of progressing to the Intermediate Division or staying in the Novice Division for the remainder of the year.
    • A Novice competitor who has accumulated enough points at the conclusion of a contest year to progress to the next division may petition the Judging Committee for permission to remain in his/her current category for another year. Petitions should be directed to the Head of the Judging Committee.
    • A Novice competitor who progresses to the Intermediate Division after the contest year begins, starts at zero points in the Intermediate Division and is ineligible to compete in the Novice Year End Finals.
  2. Intermediate Jack & Jill (See also “Criteria for Participation in Jack & Jill Points Contest)
    • An Intermediate Competitor is one who has either accumulated 20 points while in the Novice Division or has been approved for the Intermediate Division by a simple majority vote of the Contest Committee Judges.
  3. Masters Jack & Jill: A Masters competitor is any competitor age 50 or above. All levels may enter. General Contest Rules apply. No points will be earned in this division.
  4. Open Jackpot Jack & Jill: All levels may enter. All entry fees for this contest will be split equally by the first place winners. No points will be earned in this division.

Attachment “A” – Definitions

A. West Coast Swing Content

The definition that Judges will use to identify the presence of West Coast Swing content is as follows:

West Coast Swing is an American Rhythm Dance in which patterns are executed within a slot. It is identified primarily by 6-beat and 8-beat patterns that incorporate a wide variety of rhythms, including triples. Six-beat patterns include, but are not limited to, passes, underarm turns, push-breaks, and open-to-closed/closed-to-open position moves. Eight-beat patterns include, but are not limited to, whips. In addition, 2-beat and 4-beat extensions and 4-beat rhythm breaks may be incorporated to phrase the dance to the music, to extend a pattern, and/or to accent breaks.

B. Judging Criteria
  • Timing. Swing is danced beginning on the downbeat. Timing extends to much finer distinctions than a single beat. It includes the spaces between the beats (the “&a” counts) and whether a competitor is fractionally ahead of or behind the beat and “&a” counts. Timing also extends to footwork such as points, kicks, taps, etc., to body isolations, as well as hand/arm actions.
  • Teamwork. Swing is a connected partner dance. The demonstration of this connection and appearance of “lead/follow” or “action/reaction” between partners is the goal of teamwork, i.e. a balanced performance with give-and-take between partners. One partner ignoring, “out-dancing,” disrespecting, or jeopardizing the safety of the other partner (or of other competitors) indicates poor teamwork. Compensating and adjusting for one’s partner are components of good teamwork.
  • Technique. How well the competitors execute the movements comprising their dance constitutes technique. This includes elements such as control of balance and weight, foot placement, bodylines, and turns and spins.
  • Choreography. The selection and order of movements and transitions executed during a dance comprise choreography. Good choreography demonstrates an intimate connection with the music, and the ability to match patterns and syncopations to the phrasing of the music. It must also include identifiable West Coast Swing patterns that provide variety and contrast and meet the required percentage of swing.
  • Music Interpretation. Adjusting the flow of the dance to fit the style, tempo, mood, and rhythm variations in the music comprises good musical interpretation. Couples should strive to demonstrate the ability to hear and interpret nuances in the music throughout their dance.
  • Presentation. Creating an atmosphere of excitement by inviting interest in a performance is the desired effect of good presentation. Good presentation begins with the selection of appropriate attire. While providing a good show is one aspect of presentation, it cannot substitute for good dancing. Competitors should aim primarily for demonstrating a positive chemistry as a couple. Gratuitous mugging to the audience or the judges may result in a lower score. Good sporting conduct before, during, and after the dance is also an element of good presentation.
C. Lifts, Drops, Aerials & Acrobatics
  • Lift. A lift is any intentional maneuver lasting longer than a full beat of music where the feet of one dancer are clearly off the floor and the partner supports the weight. This definition shall not include any of the following common syncopations or moves: “flea hops”; “bunny hops”; “heel clicks”; “Flying Lindy” (and its obvious adaptations to other swing styles); “jumps” by competitors over the leg of the partners and leveraged slides. Lifts are prohibited in all PSDC club contests.
  • Drop. A drop is a move in which the follower’s head and/or shoulders are lowered below the leader’s waist. Drops are prohibited in all PSDC club contests.
  • Aerial. An aerial is a move in which one dancer is lifted with the assistance of his/her partner and the head and torso is in a position higher than the waist of the supporting partner. Aerials are prohibited in all PSDC club contests.
  • Acrobatic Moves. A dancer independently passes his or her leg or body over and across the plane of either partner’s head, i.e. walkovers, hand springs, cartwheels, deep backbends and full splits. Acrobatic moves are prohibited in PSDC club contests.
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