1. The Organizers reserve the right to make any changes to the Rules, Guidelines, Events and any part of the Program or Schedule that they  deem necessary, to comply with any and all government ordinances, at any time before or during the Event with no advance notice. 

2. The organizers have hired the most qualified, Championship Adjudicators and Scrutineers available. The Chairperson of Judges shall be the  sole arbiter on decisions concerning ties, penalties, and other judges’ decisions. 

3. Male Competitors are required to wear numbers. Showcases, solos, and Formations are exempt. 

4. The On-Deck system will be used for lineup for competition heats. Competitors must check in with the Deck Captain and be prepared to  compete at least 30 minutes before the time scheduled.  

5. It is the responsibility of competitors to verify the correctness of entries, dances, and partners IN ADVANCE of the time scheduled for heats.  You will be provided with “heat sheets” at registration. 

6. No teacher will be permitted to compete with one of his/her students against another. 

7. The organizers reserve the right to cancel or merge any competition with fewer than 3 entries.  

8.  Any recognized syllabi are allowed for all closed and open categories competed in at this competition. Invigilators and the  chairperson of judges have been instructed to be cognizant of this fact when considering penalties. 

9. Competitors dancing in OPEN categories are not required to stay within the parameters of step lists. You may do whatever your talents and  experience allow you to do. Everything, however, must be within the bounds of good taste. 

10. There will be no credit given for cancellations made at the competition. Any changes made at the competition, due to no fault of the  Organizer, will be assessed at $20 per change. PLEASE CHECK CONFIRMATION INFORMATION PRIOR TO COMING TO COMPETITION. 

11. Age Categories: Adult Competitors may enter, in addition to their regular age, TWO age categories younger than his/her regular age. (i.e.  Ladies B can dance in Ladies A3 and Ladies A2 as well as Ladies B) 

12. Students may enter up to THREE LEVELS above his/her normal level of dancing. All levels may be entered in additional categories of Open,  Closed, and Proficiency… ( Does Not Apply to Open Advanced). Development Division and Smooth Closed Hold are not considered full  categories and may also be danced in addition. Anyone may enter Open Championships. 

13. Same-sex/gender neutral couples may not change roles (leader to follower and back again) during a dance. In other words, once a dancer is  designated as the leader or follow, he or she must remain the leader or follower during the entirety of the dance (this applies to both same-sex/ gender neutral couples as well as to traditional couples). 

14. The leader (or Male Student in Pro am) should always be assigned, and wear, the competitor's number. 

15. Organizers will continue to offer traditional divisions exactly as in the past, such as Ladies B, Gentleman C, Student/Student , etc. However,  same-sex/gender neutral couples must be permitted to dance in these traditional divisions should they wish to do so. 

16. Competitors are required to wear costumes/clothing specific to their gender: men to wear a tail suit, tuxedo, suit or a man's Latin costume,  and women to wear either a dress (both leader & follower) or the woman leader may wear a pant suit type of costume.

 17. Pro/Am Scholarships: 

             A. This is an Adult only, unisex competition 

             B. Pro/Am Students must compete in the same number of freestyle dances as per each scholarship                           entered. These qualifying free styles must be in the same level, style, and category as the scholarship. I.e.:               three bronze ballroom single dances qualify you for the bronze  ballroom closed scholarship.  

             C. Championship or multi-dance categories count as ONLY ONE of the qualifying dance                                          requirements. 

              D. ANY open scholarship has no syllabus restrictions. 

              E. Scholarships are open to all adult students who fulfill requirements regardless of age or sex. Male and                females students and ages  are combined and compete against the other. 

              F. Note! If work, school, or another valid reason prevents a competitor from being at the competition                    when the qualifying freestyle  dances are scheduled, showcase routines in the same level and category                      may be substituted for the deficient number of dances. The  organizers must be notified if this                                  situation exists so showcases can be scheduled before the pertinent scholarship is danced.

 18. Top Teacher Requirements: 

              A. There is no entry fee for Top Teacher 

              B. This is a unisex competition. 

              C. Teachers DO NOT have to be on a package in order to be eligible for top teacher awards. 

              D. Teachers ARE NOT required to have a specific number of students competing to qualify. 

              E. In the event of a tie, prize money for consecutive placements will be combined and divided.