MSF'25 Rules and Bylaws

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General Participant Requirements

   -Attendees will wear their wristband throughout the duration of the weekend. 

   -Pay any required entry fees for each competition before the contests begin.

   -Sign a legal waiver (if under the age of 18 a parent or guardian must sign for you) to participate in the event. If under the age of 18, attendee must have their parent or guardian with them while in the ballroom.

   -Register for each competition by the official entry deadline. Entry deadlines are available on the schedule.

   -Entering a contest indicates consent for the event to use unrestricted use of your name and likeness in photos and videos that may appear in future promotions.

    -Meet all other specified requirements to enter your contests as outlined in these rules.

  -All Covid and other illness-related mandates will be strictly adhered to if called upon by local authorities. At the time of this posting, there are no current vaccine or testing requirements but is subject to change.

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Role/Gender inclusiveness

Monterey Swingfest welcomes persons of any gender to dance as a leader or as a follower in our contests. (Please see the specific rules for each competition for any additional requirements).

Dress Code

Monterey Swingfest strives to have all attendees and competitors thrive in a safe environment. This means that although we want attendees to wear what they feel comfortable in and allows for creative expression through their attire, any actions or clothing that judges view as disrespectful or unsafe towards one’s partner or other dancers, will not be tolerated. Contestants should check with the Head Judge in advance if they have any questions regarding acceptable actions, movements, or clothing.

Contest Requirements

Entries: Each contest must have a minimum of five entries to be a valid contest. Contest with fewer than five entries may be canceled or may have the prize money reduced at the Organizer’s discretion. Entry fees for canceled contests will be refunded.

Judges: There will be a minimum of five judges for all competitions. Additionally, there will be a Head Judge and Alternate Judges available.

Scoring System: Contests are scored by computer and relative placement. Contestants will be judged in the preliminaries and/or semi-finals as an individual and as a couple in any finals for Jack and Jill competitions. They will be judged as a couple in all rounds for all strictly divisions.

Strictly Swing Contests

Sign up with a partner of your choice. Lead/follow contest. Depending on the number of couples, there may be a preliminary round and/or semi-final round, followed by a final.

   -Costumes and props are not allowed but coordinating attire is acceptable.

   -Strictly Swing partners may not dance together in more than one strictly contest.

   -You may enter more than one strictly swing contest by dancing at your WSDC level in your dominant role, and one level ‘down’ in your non dominant role.

   -Skill divisions: Newcomer/Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, All Star/Champion: A couple’s strictly swing division is determined by their WSDC Jack and Jill levels. If partner’s qualify for different WSDC levels, they must enter at the higher skill level if dancing their dominant role.

   -Master’s Strictly Swing: Contestants must be 50 years or older to be eligible to compete in this division. Masters contests are an age division and is therefore open to all skill levels so long as they meet the age requirement. 

  -Generational Strictly Swing: Contestants must have a twenty year age gap between them to qualify for this division. 

  -If a strictly couple signs up together for a leveled strictly swing division, they may also sign up for Master’s Strictly or Generational Strictly, so long as they qualify.

WSDC Jack and Jill

Sign ups are done as an individual. Lead/follow contest. Depending on the number of couples, there may be a preliminary round and/or semi-final round, followed by a final.

    -WSDC qualified Jack and Jills include: Novice, Intermediate, Masters, Advanced, All Star/Champions.

    -We adhere to WSDC Jack and Jill rules. You may compete in up to two skill divisions in WSDC Jack and Jills. You may dance in your WSDC pointed level in your dominant role and one level down in your non dominant role. For more information, please read up on WSDC rules here: https://worldsdc.com/wsdc-points-registry-rules/

    -Non WSDC Jack and Jill contests include: WCS 101 (open to brand new dancers with up to a maximum of 10 Newcomer points) and All American (a contest open to any all skill levels).

All American Jack and Jill

We are running a new style of All American Jack and Jill. Professional staff of Monterey Swingfest will be placed into the finals. Contestants will sign up and be randomly selected with a partner. That pairing will be judged as a couple in the prelims and the semis. You and your partner will make the final together as a couple. For the finals, partnerships will be once again randomly selected and you will have a potentially new partnership. Finals will be judged as newly coupled partnerships.

Petitions

  -If you are unclear as to which competition level or division is right for you, please ask to speak to our Head Judge before you register. 

  -If you would like to compete in a division for which you do not meet the WSDC requirements for, or if you would like to change your competition level or division in which you dance, you may submit a petition. 

  -Petition form link: https://www.worldsdc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2018.1D-WSDC-Petition-Form.pdf

To petition in advance: Please download the WSDC petition form, fill out the form, and email it to info@montereyswing.com 

  -If you are wanting to petition to enter a division not covered by the WSDC petition form, such as petitioning to dance in All Star/Champions Jack and Jill, then please email info@montereyswing.com listing the reasons for your request to be reviewed by the Head Judge.

To petition at the event: Please fill out a WSDC petition form available at our contest registration desk providing a list of reasons for your request. You must submit the petition before the contest registration deadline. Please provide either your cell phone number or an email address so that event staff may contact you at the event regarding their decision. 

In the case of all petitions submitted, our Head Judge will review your petition and either approve or deny your request. You will be contacted with the decision as soon as possible. Please be prepared to dance in your original competition level or division in case your petition is denied.

Notes in regards to petitions:

-If you have petitioned to dance in a different level at another event, that decision does not carry over to all events. 

-You should petition to dance one level lower, one level higher, or to stay in your current division. If you compete more than one level lower or higher than your qualified skill level, and you make the finals or place in that division, you will not receive any WSDC points for that competition.