Competitions

FORMAT
This is a social dance competition. In the preliminary rounds, leaders and followers are randomly paired together and dance to songs of different tempos, but are judged individually. In the finals, leaders and followers are randomly paired up, but will be judged as a couple as they dance in spotlight format. Judges will value how each couple connects to the music and to the partner.

OPEN LEVEL
Open to everyone. Recommended to dancers who don’t have much experience with competitions or who have never competed.
Prelims: 3 All Skate songs selected by the DJ (~160, 140, 190 bpm). About 1 min 30 sec each song.
Finals: Live band.
– One song All Skate for Warmup (~150 bpm).
– One song for Spotlights in a Jam format: ~170 bpm: 1 chorus per couple (16x8s). Drum break to ~190. 1 more chorus per couple (16x8s). All Skate till the end of the song.

ADVANCED LEVEL
Open to everyone. Recommended to dancers who have some experience with competitions or who have been dancing for several years.
Prelims: 3 All Skate songs selected by the DJ (~170, 150, 200 bpm). About 1 min 30 sec each song.
Finals: Live band.
– One song All Skate for Warmup (~150 bpm).
– One song for Spotlights in a Jam format: ~170 bpm: 1 chorus per couple (16x8s). Drum break to ~190. 1 more chorus per couple (16x8s). All Skate till the end of the song.

ALL STARS LEVEL
Recommended to dancers with some competition experience on national/international events. Still, anyone is free to sign up.
Prelims: 3 All Skate songs selected by the DJ (~180, 160, 200 bpm). About 1 min 30 sec each song.
Finals: Live band. 
– One song All Skate for Warmup (~150 bpm).
– Spotlights: each couple got a 1min30sec individual song ~180-185bpm
– All-skate finale: ~210 bpm, about 1 chorus

Strictly Lindy Hop

FORMAT
Lindy Hop Strictly contests are social dance competitions. Dancers register as couples and will dance to music selected by ILHC Latin America. The finals will be danced in Spotlight format to a live band. Although choreographed sequences are not prohibited, the judges will be looking for spontaneity, creativity, and connection to the music and to the partner.

OPEN LEVEL
This level is open to everyone and especially recommended to dancers who don’t have much experience with competitions or who have never competed.
Prelims: 3 All Skate songs selected by the DJ (~180, 140, 200 bpm). About 1 min 30 sec each song.
Final: Live band.
– One song All Skate for Warmup (~150 bpm)
– Spotlights in a Jam format: ~170 bpm: 1 chorus (16×8), drum rolls, ~200 bpm: 1 chorus (16×8)
– All-skate finale: ~200 bpm, about 1 chorus

ADVANCED LEVEL
Open to everyone. Recommended to dancers who have some experience with competitions or who have been dancing for several years.
Prelims: 3 All Skate songs selected by the DJ (~180, 150, 210 bpm). About 1 min 30 sec each song.
Finals: Live band.
– One song All Skate for Warmup (~160 bpm).
– Spotlights in a Jam format: ~160 bpm (1 chorus), drum rolls, ~210 bpm (1 chorus)
– All-skate finale: ~210 bpm, about 1 chorus

ALL STARS LEVEL – Qualifiers for World Finals in New York!
This level is recommended to dancers with more competition experience at national/international events, but it’s open to everyone.
Prelims: 3 All Skate songs selected by the DJ (~190, 160, 220 bpm). About 1 min 30 sec each song.
Final: Live band.
– One song for Warmup (~160 bpm).
– Spotlights in a Jam format: ~160 bpm (1 chorus), drum rolls, ~230 bpm (1 chorus)
– All-skate finale: ~230 bpm, about 1 chorus

Solo Jazz

FORMAT
Solo Jazz contests are solo Black American vernacular jazz dance competitions. Dancers must use Charleston and vernacular jazz vocabulary. They will dance to music selected by ILHC Latin America. 

OPEN LEVEL
This level is open to everyone but is especially recommended for dancers who don’t have much experience with competitions or who have never competed.
Prelims: 3 All Skate songs selected by the DJ (~190, 140, 220 bpm). About 1 min 30 sec each song.
Final: Live band.
– One song All Skate for Warmup (~170 bpm).
– Spotlights in a Jam format: ~200 bpm: 1 chorus (16×8) ,drum rolls, second round (1 more chorus).
– All-skate till the end of the song

ALL STARS LEVEL – Qualifier for World Finals in New York!
This level is open to everyone but is especially recommended to dancers with competition experience on national/international events.
Prelims: 3 All Skate songs selected by the DJ (~200, 140, 230 bpm). About 1 min 30 sec each song.
Final: Live band.
– One song All Skate for Warmup (~150 bpm).
– Spotlights: ~170 bpm (1 chorus), drum rolls, ~230 bpm (1 chorus)
– All-skate finale: ~230 bpm, about 1 chorus

Classic Routine – Open

This category is open to everyone. Competitors display their Lindy Hop choreographed creativity without aerials, air-steps, acrobatics, or lifts. “On the ground” moves (such as drops, slides, and splits) are allowed. Competitors (1 lead and 1 follow) dance to music of their choice. The emphasis is on partnering. Routines must last between 2 and 3 minutes.

Team Routine – Open

Team division for Lindy Hop and/or Authentic Jazz routines. The minimum number of participants is three dancers. Teams dance to music of their choice. Routines must last between 2 and 3 minutes.

All Style Battle

FORMAT
This is a Solo Dance competition, open to everyone. Dancers of any solo dance style are welcome to participate! Competitors will dance to different styles of music selected by the organization (swing, funk, house, Brazilian music, etc.). Judges will be mainly looking for creativity, spontaneity, and how dancers adapt to different styles of music.

Prelims: 3 All Skate songs from different styles selected by the DJ (About 1 min 30 sec each song).
Semifinals and finals: Battles 1 vs 1. There will be 2 songs from different styles per battle. Both dancers of the battle will dance ~45 sec of each song. Music will be selected by the DJ.