Part of being a successful competitor is understanding the rules before you compete. Rule violations can result in a drop in ranking or disqualification, and we don’t provide refunds for that.

Please familiarize yourself with our rules:

General Rules

• Swing in Bloom staff other than the Event Director and Assistant Event Director are allowed to compete.
• Children aged 16+ by April 22, 2027 are allowed to compete with a signed permission from a parent or guardian.
• There will not be any competitor meetings.
• Petitions will follow the rules posted by the World Swing Dance Council (WSDC)
• Anyone is free to video record all performances and competitions for personal use unless otherwise advised. Attendees taking video may not stand on the ballroom floor or near the ballroom backdrop, and may not impede judges or competitors.
• Callbacks will be called out in the ballroom.
• Final results and scores will be posted on Sunday evening.
• Competitions times will be posted on the event schedule. Start times are subject to change and will be announced in the ballroom and on social media, if possible. It is the competitor’s responsibility to pay attention to any schedule changes.
• Competitions will comply with all WSDC Judging Standards and Rules.

Conflicts & Randomization

We are working with the WSDC and our competition team to develop a process that helps address concerns around safety and competitions. We will have more information soon.

Dress Code and Conduct

• Competitors may dress casually.
• Clothing must be respectful, cover areas normally covered by undergarments, and be free from offensive language or imagery.
• Competitors must wear indoor-only footwear that is safe to dance in.
• Competitors must abide by the Swing in Bloom Code of Conduct. Violations of the Code of
• Conduct or behaviour that is deemed to be un-sportsperson-like may result in removal from any and all competitions with no refund.
  

Registering and Checking In

• Competitors must hold a full weekend pass to be eligible to compete.
• Competitors must pre-register for competitions by the deadline posted (usually at least one hour in advance of the competition).
• Competitors must check in in the marshalling area approximately 15 minutes before the competition begins. Any competitor who does not check in will not be permitted to compete and will not be issued any refund.

Music

• Routines: Competitors are responsible for sending their music to the Head DJ prior to floor trials.
• All other competitions: Music is at the discretion of the DJ.

Jack and Jill Competitions (WSDC)

• Divisions offered: Newcomer, Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, All-Star, Sophisticated, Masters
• These competitions will be run in accordance with the WSDC rules.
• Competitors register as individuals in the division that corresponds with their WSDC points.
• In preliminary and semi-final rounds, dancers will be randomly paired with other dancers, will dance with several partners, and will be judged individually. In the final round, dancers will be randomly paired with another dancer and will stay as a couple for the duration of the final round. In the final round, dancers are judged as a couple.
• Dancers must maintain their chosen role (i.e., follower or leader) for the duration of the division. Switching roles is not permitted within a division. See WSDC rules for more details.
• Couples must improvise each dance. Pre-choreographed phrases are not permitted.
• Drops, leans, and other weight-supported moves are permitted only in the Intermediate, Advanced, All-Star, Sophisticated, and Masters divisions and are only permitted if each dancer has at least one foot on the floor.
• Couples must maintain physical contact except for spins, turns, short breakaways, and recoveries.
• All-Star dancers must compete in the All-Star division in order to qualify for the discounted All-Star weekend pass.
  

Pro-Am Jack and Jill Competitions

• Dance to random songs with at least three randomly selected staff members or other highly skilled dancers. Register as an individual based on your WSDC points.
• Divisions offered: Newcomer/Novice, Intermediate
• This competition will only have one round per division and dancers will rotate to a new partner each song. Competitors are judged individually and scored against other dancers of the same role (amateur followers compete against other amateur followers, amateur leaders compete against other amateur leaders).
  

Strictly Swing Competitions

• Dance to random songs with a partner of your choice.
• Divisions offered: Newcomer/Novice, Intermediate, Advanced/All-Star.
• Competitors register as couples in the division that corresponds to the WSDC points of the partner at the higher level. Competitors who do not have any WSDC points must register in the Newcomer/Novice division.
• Dancers must maintain their chosen role within the partnership (i.e., follower or leader) for the duration of the competition. Switching roles is not permitted.
• Couples must improvise each dance. Pre-choreographed phrases are not permitted.
• Couples must maintain physical contact except for spins, turns, short break-a-ways, and recoveries.
• Drops, leans, and other weight-supported moves are permitted as long as each dancer has at least one foot on the floor.
• Costumes are not permitted but matching or complimentary outfits are acceptable.
  

Routines

• Perform a choreographed dance with a partner of your choice.
• Amateur routines are encouraged to abide by the rules of the Rising Star Tour.
• Routines should range from two to three minutes. Time and judging (if applicable) begin at the first movement of the performance regardless of when the music begins and ends when the music ends.
• Costumes are encouraged but not required. Props are not permitted.
• Lifts, drops, tricks, and stunts are permitted but not required.
  

Greatest Of Our Swing Event (G.O.O.S.E.)

• This competition comprises the top two couples in each of Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and All-Star divisions of the Jack & Jill competitions. 
• Third- and fourth-place couples in those divisions will be Alternates for this competition.
• Dancers are paired based on role, division, and placement as shown in the diagram below.
• Dancers are judged as a couple in spotlighted dances.
  

Swing of the (Parliament) Hill

In the preliminary round, dance to random songs with random partners of all levels. 

In the final round, the top 8 ranked leaders and top 8 ranked followers (by WSDC points) will be randomly paired with the top 8 leaders and top 8 followers from the preliminary round. 

The final will be spotlighted, head-to-head, one-song dance battles until only one couple remains.

• Competitors of all levels may enter this competition.
• Drops, leans, and other weight-supported moves are permitted only if each dancer has at least one foot on the floor.
• The 8 leaders and 8 followers registered for this competition who have the most WSDC points will automatically make it to the final round. These dancers will not dance in the preliminary round.
• In the preliminary round, dancers will be randomly paired with other dancers, will dance with several partners, and will be judged individually.
• In the final round, the 8 leaders and 8 followers who were automatically entered into the final round will be randomly paired with the 8 followers and 8 leaders with the highest scores in the preliminary round.
• The final round will be spotlighted head-to-head dance battles until only one couple remains.
• Finals will follow the Swing 16 format. The couples will be split into two lines. The two couples at the front of the line will dance against each other.
• Once the round ends, three judges will vote for a winner. The couple with the most votes wins. The winners go to the back of one line, while the losers leave the floor.
• The last couple standing wins.
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