// CATEGORY RULES
1. Bridging the Gap
1. Costumes - recommended, but not required
2. Breakaways - Three (3) allowed, not to exceed 8 beats each
3. Choreography – NOT ALLOWED
4. Dance (Heats)
5. Adagio figures - some allowed
i. Lifts and drops - allowed
ii. Aerials – NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by Tri-State; limit two (2) minutes
7. Participants - One Adult (21 and over) and One young adult
8. Ages - Must be ten (10) years difference in age
2. Classic Hand Dance
1. Costumes – recommended, but not required
2. Breakaways – NOT ALLOWED, with the exception of turns and spins
3. Choreography - accepted, but not required
4. Dance (Solo)
5. Adagio figures – NOT ALLOWED
i. Variable footwork recommended (Skates, etc.)
ii. Techniques – consist of old school techniques (80%
hand dance)
6. Music - provided by competitors; limit three (3) minutes
7. Ages – 21 and over
3. Detroit Ballroom (Heat)
1. Costumes - accepted, but not required
2. Breakaways – Not allowed
3. Choreography – Not allowed
4. Dance Heats
5. Adagio figures - allowed, but not required
i. lifts, leans, drops, slides, splits, and spreads)
ii. Aerials - NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by Tri-State
7. Music pool will be approved by Ballroom experts
4. Detroit Ballroom (Solo)
1. Costumes - accepted, recommended
2. Breakaways – Not allowed
3. Choreography - accepted, but not required
4. Dance Solo
5. Adagio figures - allowed, but not required
i. lifts, leans, drops, slides, splits, and spreads)
ii. Aerials - NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by competitors; music three (3) minutes
5. Invitational (Hand Dance, Swing Out, Steppers)
1. Costumes – NOT ALLOWED
2. Breakaways – three (3) allowed, not to exceed 8 beats each
3. Choreography - none
4. Dance - partners selected at random, within perspective dance
5. Adagio figures - some allowed
i. Lifts and drops allowed
ii. Aerials - NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by Tri-State; limit two (2) minutes, may dance to two or
more songs
7. Participants - Advanced Level Dancers Only (Received Invitation Letters)
6. Just Dance
1. Costumes – NOT ALLOWED
2. Breakaways – three (3) allowed, not to exceed 8 beats each
3. Choreography – NOT ALLOWED
4. Dance (Heats)
5. Adagio Figures - some allowed
i. Lifts and drops allowed
ii. Aerials - NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by Tri-State; three minutes., one slow, one fast song (1.5
min each)
7. Participants - Adults Only
7. Ladies & Gents (Beginners, Intermediate/Advanced)
1. Costumes - NOT ALLOWED
2. Breakaways - Three (3) allowed, not to exceed 8 beats each
3. Choreography - NOT ALLOWED
4. Dance (Heats) -- Partners randomly selected
5. Adagio Figures - some allowed
i. Lifts and drops allowed
ii. Aerials - NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by Tri-State
7. Dance to slow & up tempo music (1.5 minutes each)
i. Preliminary; individuals judged
ii. Finals; couples judged
8. Line Dance
1. Costumes - highly recommended
2. Breakaways (does not apply)
3. Choreography required
4. Dance (Solo)
5. Adagio Figures (does not apply)
6. Music - provided by competitors; minimum three (3) minutes, maximum 5 minutes
7. Participants - minimum six (6) people
8. Routine should be repetitive, not to exceed 72 beats of music, variations
within the repetitive sequence are allowed but not required. Changing/facing
different walls are recommended but not required.
9. Performing Arts
1. Costumes - highly recommended
2. Breakaways - Three (3) allowed, not to exceed 8 beats each
3. Choreography - highly recommended
4. Dance (Solo)
5. Adagio Figures - some allowed
i. Leverage moves allowed
ii. Lifts Drops and Aerials - NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by competitors; three (3) minutes maximum
10. Performing Arts (Level 2), Advanced Beginners and Intermediate
Dancers
1. Costumes - highly recommended
2. Breakaways - Three (3) allowed, not to exceed 8 beats each
3. Choreography - highly recommended
4. Dance (Solo)
5. Adagio Figures - some allowed
i. Leverage moves allowed
ii. Lifts Drops and Aerials - NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by competitors; three (3) minutes maximum
7. This category is for the dancer that wishes to do a solo routine but has not
competed in a top level category comparable to our Level 1 Performing arts.
11. Pro Am Heat
1. Costumes – NOT ALLOWED, matching outfits are allowed
2. Breakaways - Three (3) allowed; not to exceed 8 beats each
3. Choreography – NOT ALLOWED
4. Dance (Heats)
5. Adagio Figures - some allowed
i. Leverage moves - allowed
ii. Lifts, Drops and Aerials - NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by Tri-State; three (3) mins., one slow, one fast (1.5 mins.
each)
7. Participants - One Pro (instructor, senior level dancer, etc.); One Amateur,
.); Amateur must be 16
years or older, Max number of students per pro is 5
8. Judging – Only Amateur is judged
12. Pro Am Solo
1. Costumes - allowed
2. Breakaways - Three (3) allowed, not to exceed 8 beats each
3. Choreography - recommended, but not required
4. Dance (Solo)
5. Adagio Figures - some allowed
i. Leverage moves - allowed
ii. Lifts, Drops and Aerials - NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by competitors; three minutes maximum
7. Participants - One Pro (instructor, senior level dancer, etc.); One Amateur;
Amateur must be 16
years or older, Max number of students per pro is 5
8. Judging – Only Amateur is judged
13. Rising Star (Adults Only)
1. Costumes – NOT ALLOWED
2. Breakaways - Three (3) allowed, not to exceed 8 beats each
3. Choreography – NOT ALLOWED
4. Dance (Heats)
5. Adagio, Figures - some allowed
i. Leverage moves - allowed
ii. Lifts, Drops and Aerials - NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by Tri-State; three (3) minutes; one slow, one fast (1.5
minutes each)
7. Participant Level - Beginner/intermediate level dancers
8. Judging - No previous 1st, 2nd or 3rd place wins
14. Seasonally Chic (40 Years or Older)
1. Costumes – NOT ALLOWED
2. Breakaways - Three (3) allowed, not to exceed 8 beats each
3. Choreography – NOT ALLOWED
4. Dance (Heats)
5. Adagio Figures
i. Lifts and drops - allowed
ii. Aerials - NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by Tri-State; three (3) minutes; one slow, one fast (1.5
minutes each)
15. Show Case
1. Costumes - highly recommended
2. Breakaways - Three (3) allowed, not to exceed 8 beats each
3. Choreography - highly recommended
4. Dance (Solo)
5. Adagio figures -
i. Minimum of three (3), maximum of six (6) lifts
and/or drops required
ii. Aerials - NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by competitors; three (3) minutes maximum
16. DC Bop (Slow Dancing) -- (Gray-stone Ballroom, Bop, Fred Astaire,
etc.)
1. Costumes – NOT ALLOWED
2. Breakaways - not to exceed 8 beats each
3. Choreography - accepted, but not required
4. Dance (Heats)
5. Adagio, Figures - some allowed
i. Leverage moves - allowed
ii. Lifts, Drops and Aerials - NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by Tri-State; two (2) minutes, may dance to two or more
songs; tempo between 80-100 Beeps Per Minute
17. Stepping
1. Costumes – matching and complimentary outfits accepted, but not mandatory
2. Breakaways - allowed
3. Choreography – allowed (Improvisation, styling and uniqueness encouraged;
Fancy Foot Work that provides
i. precision and timing
ii. innovative moves
4. Dance (Heats) – Maximum of three couples per Heat
5. Adagio Figures - some allowed
i. Drops and dips - allowed
6. Music, provided by competitors (1.5 minutes per couple); three (3) minutes to
four and one-half (4 ½) minutes; depending on the number of couples on the floor
(for example, three (3) minutes for two (2) couples, etc.
18. Swing Out, Bop (Philadelphia and Milwaukee)
1. Costumes - accepted, but not required
2. Breakaways - Three (3) allowed, not to exceed 8 beats each
3. Choreography - accepted, but not required
4. Dance (Solo/Heats) – This category may be heat or solo
5. Adagio figures - allowed, but not required
i. lifts, leans, drops, slides, splits, and spreads)
ii. Aerials - NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by competitors; music three (3) minutes
19. Team
1. Costumes - recommended
2. Breakaways - Four (4) allowed, cannot exceed 40 beats of music total
3. Choreography - required
4. Dance (Solo); minimum four (4) couples
5. Adagio figures - allowed
6. Music - provided by competitors; minimum three (3) minutes; maximum four (4)
minutes;
20. Trios
1. Costumes - recommended
2. Breakaways - Three (3) allowed, not to exceed 8 beats each
3. Choreography - accepted, but not required
4. Dance (Solo)
5. Adagio Figures – allowed
i. Lifts and drops - allowed
ii. Aerials - NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by competitors; three (3) minutes maximum
7. Dancers, any combination of three dancers
21. Young Adults (15 and Under)
1. Costumes - accepted, but not required
2. Breakaways - Three (3) allowed, not to exceed 8 beats each
3. Choreography – NOT ALLOWED
4. Dance (Heats)
5. Adagio Figures - some allowed
i. Leverage moves - allowed
ii. Lifts, Drops and Aerials - NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by Tri-State; two (2) minutes to three (3) minutes
22. Young Adults 16 to 20
1. Costumes - accepted, but not required
2. Breakaways - Three (3) allowed, not to exceed 8 beats each
3. Choreography – NOT ALLOWED
4. Dance (Heats)
5. Adagio Figures - some allowed
i. Lifts and drops - allowed
ii. Aerials - NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by Tri-State; two (2) minutes to three (3) minutes
23. Young Adults 16 to 20 (Solo)
1. Costumes - recommended, but not required
2. Breakaways - Three (3) allowed, not to exceed 8 beats each
3. Choreography - recommended, but not required
4. Dance (Solo)
5. Adagio Figures - some allowed
i. Lifts and drops - allowed
ii. Aerials - NOT ALLOWED
6. Music - provided by competitors; three (3) minutes