Rules & Regulations.....

These rules are board certified by IHDA.
Read carefully and use the appropriate definition where it applies.

Amateur:
Any competitive dancer who has never received financial compensation for dance, whether in competition, as an instructor, or as a performer. Your choice of Novice, Intermediate, or Advanced Levels are at your own discretion and that of your coach.

Professional:
Any competitive dancer who receives money for competition, teaching, or performing.

Silver Division:
55 years or older.

Junior Division:
(If available) for competitors under 15.

General Rules......

  • A competing couple consists of one (1) male and one (1) female dancer except in Bookends Hustle Division. An amateur dancer dancing with a Professional dancer in a Professional Division is considered to be a Professional couple.
  • Competitors may not use any props in any division of Disco America.
  • If there are fewer than three (3) entries in any division, Disco America reserves the right to cancel or combine that division.
  • Absolutely no private filming, video cameras or photography will be allowed at any time. This includes: Workshops, Contests, and General Dancing. No selling of video or audio tapes will be allowed without written permission or without the Video Pass of the Disco America organizers.
  • It is understood that all contestants and attendees consent to release the use of their photos, biographies and names that may appear on any television or in any videos for sale.
  • The overseer judge and Disco America committee will have final say on all discrepancies. All questions and/or disputes should be brought to the attention of the overseer judge only and not to the individual judges or Disco America committee. Disco America committee does not wish to be the "heavy", so in all fairness to yourself and your fellow competitors, please adhere to these guideline. When in doubt, ask, or leave it out.
  • MUSIC: The music is the sole responsibility of the contestants. All music must be on a "high bias" cassette tape or CD. music must be labeled with: your name, contest division, position dancing and correctly queued. Please have available a duplicate tape or CD. (No music required for Jack & Jill competitors).
  • TIME LIMIT Each couple will be allotted three (3-1/2) minutes. No warning will be sounded at the three minute mark, so time your routine accordingly. There will be a one (1) position penalty for ending your routine less than three minutes (3), or for exceeding the three (3-1/2) minute lime. TIME LIMIT for Teams is 3-4 minutes. There will be a one (1) position penalty for ending your routine less than three (3) minutes. or for exceeding the four (4 minute limit).
  • Levels of Divisions: Disco America does not wish to define your level of dance. The following are our definitions of levels in hopes of giving everyone a fair opportunity to compete against fellow dancers at the same level.
  • A waiver is attached to this set of rules. This waiver must be signed by all members of each dance team, and returned with you Entry Form.

Definition of Hustle Dancing
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.

Divisions......

Pro-Am Hustle/Salsa:
One competitor must qualify as an Amateur level competitor as defined in the Rules & Regs. Partnering (adapting to each partner's styles), lead and follow, dance ability, technique, floor craft and versatility are important for scoring. We pick the music, you pick the partner. Dancers will dance two (2) minutes. Costumes are permitted but not mandatory. NO routines, entrances or exits, lifts, aerials, drops, dips or acrobatic moves permitted. For this division Amateur will retain amateur status.

Pro/Am Open Showcase Division:
We invite Professionals with Amateurs to compete in this division in any partner dance form including Hustle, Salsa or Swing. Costumes, lifts, drops and aerials are allowed. Music supplied by the competitor. 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.

Just Hustle/Salsa:
Partnering (adapting to each partner's styles), lead and follow, dance ability, technique, floor craft and versatility are important for scoring. Costumes are permitted but not mandatory. No routines, entrances, or exits are allowed. No lifts, aerials, or drops permitted. Disco America will supply music. All competitors will share the dance floor for two minutes.

Professional Dance-off Championship
Routine must be recognizable Hustle, however lifts, dips, drops, side by sides are allowed. Spotlight routine can be no shorter than 2½ minutes and no longer than 3½ minutes. Costumes are recommended. Music supplied by the competitor.

Salsa:
Breaking on one, two, three or four is permitted, however proper salsa/mambo rhythm must be maintained.

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. Music supplied by the competitor. Costumes are recommended. 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. 

Strictly/Pure Hustle:
This routine must consist of a minimum ninety (90%) choreographed Hustle floor dancing (variations and/or syncopations allowed). Combination side-by-side allowed. Leaps and jumps are permitted as long as they are not assisted by a partner. NO ASSISTED LIFTS, DROPS, OR AERIALS of any kind are permitted. Music supplied by the competitor. Costumes are permitted but not mandatory. 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 Salsa/Swing:
Costumes and routines are not required, but are recommended. Music is to be supplied by the competitor. Routines shall be 2½ minutes and no longer than 3½ minutes. This is an anything goes competion. Lifts, dips, drops and side by sides are not required but are permitted. Routines must be 50 percent recognizable salsa.

Theater Arts Hustle:
Anything goes within the framework of the definition of Hustle Dancing. Music supplied by the competitor. Costumes are recommended. 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.

Rising Star Hustle
Participants must have not placed in the top three finalists in Professional Classic or Theatre arts hustle at any sanctioned dance event. If you win Rising Star you are no longer eligible to win again in this category. Music suppplied by the competitor. Routines shall be 2½ minutes and no longer than 3½ minutes. including an entrance and an exit with or without music.

Jack and Jill Hustle/Salsa:
These are "Just Dance" Competitions. Dancers draw for partners. No costumes, routines, aerials, lifts, or drops. All couples will share the dance floor for 2 minutes. Note: Bookends' division denotes same sex couples.

Open Team Division:
A team shall consist of 4 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. Music supplied by the competitor. Routine shall be no longer than (4) four minutes and a minimum of (3 1/2) three and one half minutes including an entrance and an exit with or without music.

Just Hustle Division:
Strictly lead and follow competition. Costumes are permitted but not mandatory. NO routines, entrances or exits, lifts, aerials, drops, dips or acrobatic moves permitted. Partnering (adapting to each partner's styles), lead and follow, dance ability, technique, floor craft and versatility are important for scoring. We pick the music, you pick the partner. Dancers will dance for two (2) minutes.

Bookends:
Girl/Gil and/or Boy/Boy competition. Bookends will be judged by a professional judging panel with a spotlight final. There will be a preliminary heat to determine the finalists who will advance to a spotlight dance and, depending on the organizers time allotment for this category, there will be a minimum of three couples with a maximum of six couple in the FINAL spotlight dance to determine 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place. Music will be chosen by the Event which will consist of one fast and one slow song for a minimum duration of 1:30 at each speed. Competitors will be judged as couples and all lifts, dips, and side-by-sides are allowed (This means Anything goes!!!!). This will be an open division for both professionals and amateurs.

Cabaret:
We invite one, two or three dancers to compete in this division in any style dance form EXCEPT Hustle Dancing. Costumes, lifts, drops and aerials are allowed. Music supplied by the competitor. 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.

Philly Freeze:
Like musical chairs, if you are on the dance floor and SUDDENLY the music stops, that is your partner for the competition. We pick the music and competitors will be judged as couples and all lifts, dips, and side-by-sides are allowed (This means Anything goes!!!!). This will be an open division for both professionals and amateurs.

For more information, please call Donna Boyle at (215) 233-5507, or please e-mail her by clicking here: Donnaboyledisco@aol.com

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