Rules & Guidelines

Spooky Albany Swing complies with the competition guidelines of the World Swing Dance Council (WSDC). As a competitor, you are responsible for knowing the divisions in which you are eligible/required to compete, for understanding the WSDC Points Registry Rules, and for using your WSDC Competitor ID number (if one has been assigned) when registering for competitions. WSDC rules, which can be found at www.worldsdc.com, mandate that you dance in the Jack & Jill divisions at the appropriate skill levels for which you qualify. 

To compete at Spooky Albany Swing Spectacular 2025, you must:

• Hold a full weekend event pass.
• Register for competitions by the deadline listed and pay the required entry fees.
• Sign a legal waiver. If you are under 18, your parent or guardian must sign the legal waiver for you, indicating their consent.
• If you are under the age of 18, you must have your parent or guardian with you while in the ballroom, and you should also be comfortable social dancing with adults.
• Follow the Spooky Albany Swing Spectacular Code of Conduct.
• Always demonstrate good sporting conduct, both on and off the competition floor. This includes treating your partners, other competitors, competition officials, spectators, and the event itself with respect. 
• Know the rules. Read the rules carefully prior to the competition. You are responsible for following the rules whether or not you have read them. 

In addition,

• Multiple registrations are allowed. You may choose to enter any competition for which you meet the entry requirements. However, if you enter more than one Strictly Swing competition, you must enter with a different partner each time.
• Chief Judge Phillippe Berne will conduct a voluntary competitor meeting at Spooky Albany Swing. Please refer to the final event schedule for the time and location of this meeting.
• You are responsible for checking the event schedule and knowing the time of your competitions. 
• The Event Directors reserve the right to cancel any division with fewer than five couples.
• If your name is not called by the final preliminary heat in your division, see the emcee or Chief Judge immediately to let them know you signed up but were not yet called.
• If you are not in the ballroom when the last name is called to the floor for the final preliminary heat in your division, you will not compete. 
• During semi-final and final rounds, if you are not present in the ballroom after the last name has been called to the floor, we will call the alternate(s) to dance in your place. Once the alternate has been called, the dancer not present is out of the competition.
• There are no refunds. If you miss or withdraw from a competition, you forfeit your entry fee.
• For age-based divisions (Masters, and Sophisticated), you must meet the age requirement as of the close of the event. Competitors who meet the age requirements may compete in both Masters Jack & Jill and Sophisticated Jack & Jill.

WSDC JACK & JILLS

Spooky Albany Swing offers both skill level and age-based Jack & Jills, as defined in WSDC rules. All Jack & Jills are gender neutral.

WSDC Skill Level Divisions

Please refer to WSDC Rules at www.worldsdc.com/ for the qualifications and requirements of the WSDC skill level divisions, which are Newcomer, Novice, Intermediate,  Advanced, and All-Star.

You may compete in a maximum of two skill-level divisions, once in your primary role and once in your secondary role. Competitors are not permitted to dance both roles in the same division.

You must maintain your role, either as a leader or follower, throughout the competition.

Once entered as a leader or a follower, you must remain in that same role throughout the specific skill level competition (prelims, semi-finals, and finals). Role switching within the dance is not permitted in any round of competition in WSDC skill-based and age-based Jack & Jills.

Primary and Secondary Roles

Your primary and secondary roles are based on the number of points in the WSDC Skill Level Jack and Jill Advancement Chart (see www.worldsdc.com/). The primary role is the one in which you have points at a higher skill level or, if you have points in both roles at your highest skill level, the one in which you have more points. The secondary role is the one in which you have points only at a lower skill level or, if you have points in both roles at your highest skill division, the one in which you have fewer points.

Petition Process

Spooky Albany Swing recognizes the WSDC petitioning process for WSDC Jack & Jill skill-based divisions.

• Competitors may submit petitions to dance one level up or down for their primary role only. Petitions must be approved, or the competitor will not receive points for placement.
• Petitions are not allowed for secondary roles. Competitors may dance one (1) or two (2) levels down in their secondary role, with the following exception: to maintain the intent of the Newcomer Division, Intermediate competitors may only dance down one level down in their secondary role.

To petition, register for your Jack & Jill competition at the level for which you currently qualify. Then fill out the appropriate WSDC petition form, available online at www.worldsdc.com/wsdc-forms/. All petitions must be submitted to the WSDC with the WSDC Event Reporting form.

Petitioning Up (primary role only)
Petitions must be submitted to the WSDC Chief Judges Committee (“CJC”) at least 15 days in advance of the event (by October 8, 2025), along with two videos of the competitor’s dancing. Petitions and videos must be submitted via this link: www.worldsdc.com/level-up-petition. The CJC may approve or deny the petition after reviewing the competitor’s Points Registry record and videos.  

Approved petitions are valid and transferable for six months. When you present your approval, Spooky Albany Swing will move your Jack & Jill registration to the higher level. You should be prepared to compete in the original division if your petition is denied. Competitors who obtain a point in the higher division will remain in the higher division

Petitioning Down (primary role only)
If you want to petition to move down, download and fill out the WSDC Petition to Move Down Form, available at the link above. Submit your petition at least 24 hours before your competition. The Chief Judge, or qualified individual(s)/committee designated by the Chief Judge, may approve or deny the petition after reviewing competitor’s Points Registry record. If your petition is successful, we will notify you and move your Jack & Jill registration to the lower level. You should be prepared to compete in the original division if your petition is denied.

Exception: If you already have points in your secondary role one level down from your primary role, you may not dance two levels down in your secondary role.

All decisions of competition officials are final, and no appeals are allowed. Petitions are event-specific and not transferable.

WSDC Age-Based Divisions

Sophisticated Jack & Jill – Dancers aged 35 and above may compete in the Sophisticated Jack & Jill division in addition to their skill-based levels.

Masters Jack & Jill – Dancers aged 50 and above may compete in the Masters Jack & Jill Division in addition to their skill-based levels. 

Competitors may compete as a leader or follower in a skill level Jack & Jill and in the same or opposite role in an age-based Jack & Jill.

NON-WSDC JACK & JILLS

Spooky All-American Jack & Jill – This division is open to competitors of all levels, and you may enter in the role of your choice. Once randomly paired, the dancers compete as a couple through all rounds of competition. This competition is gender neutral, but role switching within the competition is NOT allowed. 

STRICTLY SWING DIVISIONS

Competitors may compete in all Strictly Swing divisions for which they qualify, as long as they have different partners for each division. All registrations for all strictly swing divisions must be listed under the leader’s bib number. You pick your partner; we pick the songs.

Strictly Swing Competitions:

Levels: Newcomer/Novice, Intermediate, Sophisticated, Masters, Advanced, All-Star

COMPETITION FORMATS

• All dancing must be lead/follow. Pre-choreographed routines, in whole or in part, are not allowed.
• For Jack & Jills, all competitors must wear their bib numbers for all rounds of competition. Bibs are only required for leaders in the Strictly Swing competitions.
• You and your partner must maintain physical contact except for spins, turns, short breakaways, and recoveries.
• “In the air” partner weight support moves (lifts above the shoulder, aerials) and acrobatic maneuvers are not allowed in any competition. Lifts below the shoulder are permitted in All-Star Strictly Swing.
• “On the ground” support moves (such as drops and slides) are allowed. However, you and your partner must each maintain at least one foot in physical contact with the floor during support moves.

Spooky Albany Swing makes every effort to conduct all competitions in accordance with current WSDC guidelines and reserves the right to update our Competition Rules should WSDC requirements change. Spooky Albany also reserves the right to make any changes in the competition schedule or format as we deem necessary.