I get a lot of questions [read: complaints] about the levels, age categories, dances, and general WTF-edness of dancesport competition entry forms and the ensuing competition printed program.
First, understand that the number of levels, the precise name of these levels, the ages in a particular age category, and the dances available CHANGE from competition to competition.
- Sometimes, there is Newcomer Bronze, Beginning Bronze, Intermediate Bronze, and Full Bronze; other times, there's Novice Bronze, Bronze 1, Bronze 2, Bronze 3, and Open Bronze.
- Often, the A age category is 18-35, but I've seen 16-29, 21-49, and every thing in between. I've seen F age categories and I've seen C3.
- Bachata, Peabody, and Country and Nightclub 2-Step are luck-of-the-draw. It's up to the organizer to include any of the "Catch" dances.
Second, here's how to decode the mess, starting with "what level should I dance":
Proficiency Levels
Let's make it easy. I grabbed proficiency level examples from three different competition entry forms:
Notice that they're generally the same.
Here's what you do next:
If this is your first competition EVER, enter the Newcomer Bronze division.
Newcomer divisions are meant for newcomers. On the "rules and regulations" page included in the registration packet or online, there's usually a guideline listed such as "less than 50 lessons hours". According the NDCA rulebook (which I read regularly to enforce my dance police knowledge), people "are eligible to enter the Newcomer division for a period of one year commencing with their first NDCA sanctioned event regardless of the style".
Meh.
If you're dancing more than 2 competitions in your first year, you are not a Newcomer anymore. In fact, you probably have a Real Fancy Dress, take multiple lessons a week, know a lot of judges, and know how to read your heat sheet, so while I usually encourage dressing the part, knowledge, schmoozing, and all-around awesomeness, leave the Newcomer category to someone who looks a little like a deer in the headlights and move up to Bronze.
How satisfying is it to win anything, unless it's a challenge?
You are probably dancing more than one set (called a "round") of dances.
…
"Why am I dancing more than one set of dances?" you are asking. SO many reasons:
- You already paid the lion's share of registration costs, so dancing more is negligible.
- To qualify for a style's multi-dance event, you usually have to dance 5 single-dance heats in that style (which is more dances than the Waltz, Tango, and Foxtrot that you currently know).
- The more you're on the floor, the more you learn… even if your teacher doesn't say a thing.
- More dancing is more fun.
To enter another round, go to the next level on the list and sign up for that one (Pre-Bronze in our examples' cases). Want another round of dances? You're probably safe to sign up for the next level (Bronze 1, Interm Bronze, and Int Bronze), meaning you have signed up for three consecutive levels.
Looking at that Open Bronze category? You can dance anything (Silver syllabus, Dancing With The Stars stuff, dips, kicks, crazy choreography, your regular Bronze moves, whatever) in Open Bronze and STILL BE JUDGED AS A BRONZE DANCER. Got a Solo/Showdance routine that you'd love to use the choreography from? Pick the appropriate dance, enter the Open Bronze division, and go at it. Just starting Silver routines, but don't want to dance against the big guns yet? Enter Open Bronze to get your feet wet. It's the no-holds-barred division, but in a good way.
Note: If you are dancing something that can be best described as "ronde, yah ba da bum-be-dah", it's Open. If you are dancing syllabus steps (aka, moves with names), that is Closed.
To summarize:
Newcomer? Dance it if you are new. Not Newcomer? Choose the beginning levels of Bronze, whatever they are named. Super comfortable in Bronze? Choose the last levels of Bronze, possibly including Open Bronze. New to Silver and want a easy level? Open Bronze. Have some fun choreo that you're dying to put on the floor? Open Bronze.
If you're a hard-core, entry-happy dancer, after you've entered 3 consecutive levels, it's best you read that Rules and Regulations page. Competitions limit the number of levels you enter, so it's best to read up on each competition's restrictions before you sign yourself up for everything from Newcomer through Gold.
Silver
The same rules apply to signing up for Silver heats, but there's no Newcomer category to worry about.
You can sign up for Open Bronze, and then a couple levels of Silver, generally speaking, if you're newish to Silver and want to warm-up before you hit your Silver heats.
You can sign up for Silver and dance Bronze steps, which will earn you huge props from me.
Gold
Ditto on signing up for the Gold heats, but beware, THERE IS A GOLD SYLLABUS. I mean, I'd hope as an upper level dancer, you'd know that, but some people dance Open choreography in Gold and feign ignorance of a Gold syllabus.
REALLY?!
There's your sign that you should not be dancing Open.
In the above cases, you should be dancing from the Gold syllabus if you are entered in the Pre-Gold, Gold 1, Closed Gold, Int. Gold, Interm. Gold, or Full Gold categories.
Open
Gold is not Open. Are you doing Open? Then sign up for Open Gold or Advance, or the often seen Gold Star [1 or 2], Advanced, or Open.
Multi-Dance Events
Either called Multi-Dance [ahem, lame], Championships, and/or Scholarships, these events involve the averaged scores of 3-10 dances, are danced against more people than your single dance events since they have broader proficiency levels and age categories, placing well is more prestigious, and THEY ARE MORE EXCITING.
YOU MUST READ THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR EACH MULTI-DANCE. Make sure you're entering the correct level (including Open or Closed) and age.
Organizers are adding more multi-dance events each year (because of the excitement and general awesomeness of them) and besides the usual "5 single dance entries in that style required", there are amazing opportunities like DanceVision-sponsored Scholarships (where you may only dance DVIDA syllabus steps and win money to be used at the extensive DanceVision store), Senior Scholarships (where the minimum age is anywhere from 60-70 and those "old people" will kick your ass), 6 and 9 or 10-dance events (which include both styles from either International or American: Standard and Latin or Smooth and Rhythm), and others.
Check out those entry forms, read carefully, and enter whichever ones you qualify for.
CAVEATS
- Competitors can dance in certain levels as long as they want to: to perfect the technique, to feel confident, to win.
- Dancers can dance many different levels, spanning Bronze and Silver or Silver and Gold. As long as they're adhering to the specific competition's guidelines and the restrictions of the level, it's accepted.
- Some participants will be all the floor all day. They have entered the maximum number of proficiency levels and age categories available. It's a little like an ultra-marathon for runners – challenging, painful, difficult, and satisfying for some.
- There are often invigilators on the judging panel to make sure couples are dancing in the correct category at the correct time. If you truly feel someone is breaking the rules, you should, in this order: A) consult the competition's own guidelines B) consult the NDCA rulebook C) ask your instructor about the perceived infraction D) ask the chairman of judges about the perceived infraction.
Boom.
Next up: age categories and how old are you really?
Three years ago: Voilà, in which I'm an idiot.
Two years ago: Serious Blockage, in which I have a block.
Riot and Frolic 