Contests & Shows

We pride ourselves on being the stress free weekend at the end of the competition year, where we can all come together, let our hair down, be creative, take epic classes and party/dance all night long! With that said, what’s a little competition amongst friends!

TAP is a WSDC Sanctioned Event and hosts a myriad of Sanctioned Jack & Jill Contests (All Gender / Any Role / Improv Divisions), and a couple other comps for funzies! Please see our schedule for a full list of Divisions.  Here is the breakdown of each division offered:

Jack & Jill Contests (Points Based):

• Novice Jack & Jill – Open to any dancer who hasn’t pointed up out of Novice. (Typically starts on Friday evening)
• Intermediate Jack & Jill – Must meet World Swing Dance Counsel requirements. (Typically starts on Friday evening)
• Advanced Jack & Jill – Must meet World Swing Dance Counsel requirements.
• Allstar Jack & Jill/Champs – Must meet World Swing Dance Counsel requirements to compete in Allstar or above to compete. 

Fun Contests & Shows:

• Strictly Swing B (Nov & Int) – Contestants sign up as a couple and dancers should be eligible to compete in WSDC in Novice or Intermediate in the role that they are dancing in this contest. If you petition down for JJ and you’re approved to go down, you may also go down in this SS in that role.
• Strictly Swing A (Open < 10 Champ Points) – Contestants sign up as a couple. All levels welcome except those with over 10 Champion Points at the beginning of the weekend. Also, if you make finals in the DJ Battle, you can not dance this contest with the same partner you danced in the Champs/Allstar SS (DJ Battle) on Friday.
• Champs/Allstar Strictly – This is Friday Nights big show! Aka The DJ Battle. At minimum, must have Allstar points or have finalled in Classic or Showcase at the Open in the last 5 years. This contest is designed to be a good time and a show! This is a celebration of  improv dance, DJ skill and Showmanship!
• Inspirational Champs Improv Show – This typically is an invitational show.  We limit this to a straight to final ‘reasonable’ size, so please if you are not selected for this show, we ask for your grace and compassion. We love you and wish we could put everyone in it, but alas, that’s not realistic. If you’re coming to TAP and are not on staff, but have done high-level invitationals before and would like to be in this division, please let us know!  We’ll do our best.

Notes on dancing in multiple contests and the petition process:

• Petition Guidelines – Petitions can be submitted for one skill level up or one skill level down only.  Competitors may submit petitions for their primary role only. Competitors may not submit petitions for their secondary role.
  
  
• Petitions to move up:
  All petitions to “dance up” must be submitted to the WSDC using this link: www.worldsdc.com/level-up-petition/. TAP will require an official valid approval letter from the WSDC to allow your petition to be implemented at TAP. Please note that this new process takes time to complete. We recommend at least 30 days before the event to start this process. 
  
  

• Petition Down:
  Petition down should be submitted in writing using WSDC PETITION DOWN FORM and emailed to Paul Warden at least 1 week before the event starts: [email protected] 

• Non-Dominant Role Jack & Jills – Yes please! Feel free to dance one division as a leader and one division as a follow. We follow the World Swing Dance Council’s restrictions and guidelines here.  The division a competitor selects for their primary role at the Event determines what level they may compete at for their secondary role. WSDC recommends competitors dance one (1) level down, but based on their skills, competitors may dance two (2) levels down from their primary role unless they are required to move up based on the WSDC Skill Level Jack and Jill Advancement Chart. Please be advised,  at TAP to make our schedule even remotely work on time, we often are forced to run contests simultaneously in two ballrooms. We do our best to make sure we account for people dancing up or down 1 division, but as of now, the schedule is very tricky for those dancing a 2 division separation in different roles. So you might need to choose a division if you make semis, please read the schedule carefully. 
  
  
• Strictly Swing Divisions – Follow normal guidelines above set by the WSDC. Aka, your Primary Role and Your Secondary Role level applies at the whole event, Jack and Jills and Strictly Swings. 
  
  
• Allstars – You man dance in both the DJ Battle SS and the Strictly Swing Open division. If you are in the Invitational, you may not dance the Allstar Jack & Jill.

Possible Division Condensing
Although TAP is typically a very well attended event and has almost always reached the upper tier for each leveled division; with the Global Pandemic, it is almost impossible to predict turn out or the state of affairs leading up to the event that might cause fluctuation in competition numbers. So please know that there is always a chance that any division might fall below the threshold to run. If ultimately we all face that situation we will follow WSDC guidelines and condense division down.  Please know this is not our intention, but it’s always a possibility.