Korea Westival Competition Rules
Korea Westival adheres to the competition guidelines set by the World Swing Dance Council (WSDC). As a competitor, it is your responsibility to be aware of the divisions in which you are eligible or required to participate, understand the WSDC Points Registry Rules, and use your WSDC Competitor ID number when registering for competitions. According to WSDC rules, you must dance in the Jack & Jill divisions corresponding to your skill level qualifications.
Korea Westival recognizes the WSDC petitioning process for moving up or down one skill level based on your current points. If you wish to dance in a Jack & Jill division one level above or below your qualifying skill level in your dominant role, you can submit a formal petition to Chief Judge Irina Puzanova. The reclassification petition will be reviewed by a committee, including the Chief Judge, after examining your WSDC Points Registry record. Please note that all decisions made by the competition officials are final, and no appeals are allowed.
To participate in Korea Westival competitions, you must:
Hold a full weekend event pass.
Register for competitions during the designated open registration times listed on the schedule and pay the required entry fees.
Exhibit good sportsmanship at all times, both on and off the competition floor. This includes treating your dance partners, fellow competitors, competition officials, spectators, and the event itself with respect.
Familiarize yourself with the rules and carefully read them before the competition. It is your responsibility to follow the rules, regardless of whether you have read them or not.
Additionally:
There are no mandatory competitor meetings at Korea Westival.
You are responsible for checking the event schedule and knowing the time of your competitions.
The Event Directors retain the right to cancel any division that has fewer than five couples.
If your name is not called by the final preliminary heat in your division, inform the emcee or Chief Judge immediately to let them know that you signed up but have not been called yet.
If you are not present in the ballroom when the last name is called for the final preliminary heat in your division, you will not be able to compete.
During semi-final and final rounds, if you are not in the ballroom after the last name has been called, the alternate(s) will be called to dance in your place, and you will be disqualified from the competition.
If you miss or withdraw from a competition, you will forfeit your entry fee.
JACK & JILLS
Korea Westival Jack & Jills are gender neutral. For qualifications and requirements of the WSDC skill level divisions (Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and All-Star), please refer to the WSDC Rules at www.worldsdc.com. It's important to note that the newcomer division will not be affiliated with WSDC points. Newcomers can participate in both the newcomer division and the WSDC Novice division..
Competitors are allowed to compete in a maximum of two skill-level WSDC Jack & Jill competitions, once in their primary role and once in their secondary role. You can enter a specific skill level as a leader and a different skill level as a follower, each corresponding to your appropriate WSDC-pointed level. Once you have entered as a leader or a follower, you must remain in that same role throughout the entire competition, including preliminaries, semi-finals, and finals.
Competitors who wish to compete in their non-dominant role and track their points separately can participate as both leaders and followers in skill level Jack & Jills. Points for leaders and followers will be tracked individually in the WSDC Points Registry. Competitors qualify for their dance level based on their higher point total as either a leader or a follower, and they can compete in their dominant role. Competitors may also compete one level down in their non-dominant role, provided they do not qualify at both levels for the same division. Petitions to compete more than one level down will not be approved, and competitors are not permitted to dance both roles in the same division.
NON-WSDC JACK & JILLS
DaGatchi J&J: This division is open to competitors of all skill levels, and you can enter in the role of your choice. Once randomly paired, the dancers compete as a couple throughout all rounds of the competition. Role switching within the competition is not allowed.
Invitational Jack & Jill: Participation in this division is at the discretion of the Event Directors. Role switching within the dance is not allowed, but lifts below the shoulder are permitted.
STRICTLY SWING DIVISIONS
Competitors can participate in any Strictly Swing division for which they qualify, as long as they have different partners for each division. All registrations for Strictly Swing divisions must be listed under the leader's bib number. In all rounds of competition, dancers are judged as a couple.
Novice Strictly Swing: Dancers who qualify for Novice based on their points in the WSDC Registry can compete in this division. Dancers with Intermediate points or above cannot compete in this division. This division is gender neutral, and role switching within the dance is not allowed.
Open Strictly Swing: To participate in this division, one of the partners must qualify as an intermediate in the WSDC Points Registry. This division is gender neutral, and role switching within the dance is not allowed.
COMPETITION FORMATS
All dancing must be lead/follow, and pre-choreographed routines, either in full or in part, are not allowed.
At least 80 percent recognizable swing content is required for all divisions, except for the Invitational Jack & Jill, which requires a minimum of 75 percent swing content.
For Jack & Jill competitions, all competitors must wear their bib numbers throughout all rounds of the competition. Bibs are only required for leaders in the Strictly Swing divisions. Bibs are not necessary for the Invitational Jack & Jill.
You and your partner must maintain physical contact, except for spins, turns, short breakaways, and recoveries.
"In the air" partner weight support moves (lifts, aerials), and acrobatic maneuvers are not allowed, except in the Invitational Jack & Jill, where lifts below the shoulder are permitted.
"On the ground" support moves, such as drops and slides, are allowed. However, during these moves, both you and your partner must maintain at least one foot in physical contact with the floor.
Korea Westival strives to align all competitions with the current WSDC guidelines and reserves the right to update its Competition Rules in case of any changes in WSDC requirements. Additionally, Korea Westival reserves the right to make any necessary changes to the competition schedule or format as deemed appropriate.