Click here for Berkeley Beginners Registration
Schedule
date: Saturday November 4th
We will be offering Smooth, Standard, Latin and Nightclub.
Aimed at being a small scale event to allow beginners to try out competing at a low stakes, this event is open to dancers who are in their second year or less of competition.
Rules
Costumes are not allowed in the Newcomer level, but are allowed in Bronze and above, and Rookie/Veteran. We follow the CDA Costume Guidelines which consider the following items to be costumes:
-
Jackets of any kind, including tail suits, tuxedo jackets, and off-the-rack suit jackets.
-
Floats, streamers, scarves, cords hanging from sleeves, sashes, or any other non- structural material that flows behind while a dancer is in motion.
-
Shirts or tops that are open to below the breastbone.
-
Skirts or dresses with more than two layers in the skirting.
-
Any article of clothing incorporating rhinestones, gemstones, sequins, or actual lights. (“Articles of clothing” include shirts, pants, vests, skirts, socks, ties, pocket squares, belts, suspenders, etc. Jewelry item are not considered articles of clothing and may include stoning, etc. These include: rings, necklaces, belt buckles, tie pins & clips, bracelets, earrings, other piercings, hair pieces, cufflinks, watches, and lapel pins.)
-
The heavy use of feathering, glitter, metallic fabric, metallic threading, and related decorative effects constitutes a costume when more than 10% (cumulative) of the area of the article of clothing is covered by these effects. The use of fringe will still be allowed.
Shoes are excluded from these costume guidelines since they present an unavoidable expense regardless of their appearance. Nevertheless, dancers are expected to honor the spirit of costuming restrictions and not augment (e.g. add stoning to) shoes for levels of competition in which costuming restrictions apply.
Levels
Newcomer
Newcomer events are open to couples where both partners have not previously competed, and started learning ballroom less than a year ago. Costumes are not permitted, and only Bronze syllabus choreography may be danced.
Bronze
Bronze events are for beginning dancers relatively inexperienced with ballroom dance competitions. First and second year dancers are permitted in this level, but not bronze level dancers who have been taking lessons for greater than two years. Costumes are permitted, but only Bronze syllabus choreography may be danced.
Silver
Silver events are for dancers with competitive experience: dancers who have competed in the last year, but have not been learning ballroom for more than two years. Those taking intermediate level classes and dancing regularly should find this category appropriate. Bronze and Silver syllabus figures can be used and costumes are permitted.
Rookie/Veteran
Think of this level (also called Mixed Proficiency) as being similar to a Pro/Am event, but with an experienced Amateur instead of a Pro. The rules:
-
One partner (the Rookie) must be a newcomer or bronze level dancer, and the other partner (the Veteran) must be a silver level dancer or higher.
-
Both partners must be amateur dancers.
-
Choreography is strictly restricted to Bronze syllabus only
-
Only the Rookie dancer will be judged.
-
There are no costume restrictions.
-
The events will be all single dance events (no multi-dance).
Payment
Registration fees will be $15 for students, and $20 for non students, per person. Payment will be taken at the door or in advance, through Venmo (strongly preferred) @CalBallroom, or in cash. Teams which are paying for multiple members can use checks, please check with competition.calballroom@gmail.com or president.calballroom@gmail.com for more information. Spectator tickets will be $10 for anyone not competing.