contests

Retaliation 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 when registering for competitions. WSDC rules mandate that you dance in the Jack & Jill divisions at the appropriate skill level for which you qualify.

​Retaliation Swing recognizes the WSDC petitioning process for moving levels based on the competitor’s current points. 

· You may submit a formal petition to the Head Judge in order to dance in a lower level than the Jack & Jill division for which you qualify in your dominant role. This petition must be received no later than 4 hours before competitions start on the day of the division for which you are petitioning. A competition committee will consider the requested reclassification petition after reviewing your WSDC Points Registry record. All decisions of our competition officials are final. No appeals are allowed.

· You may petition to dance at a higher level in your primary role via the WSDC petition process defined here: https://www.worldsdc.com/level-up-petition/. 

· You may dance up to two (2) levels down in your secondary role without a petition. No additional petitions are permitted for your secondary role.

​To compete at Retaliation Swing 2026, you must:

· Hold a full weekend event pass.

· Register for competitions during the open registration times listed on the schedule and pay the required entry fees.

· Be at least 13 years of age at the start of the event.

· Sign a legal waiver. If you are under 18 years of age, your parent or guardian must sign the legal waiver for you and agree to be present for all rounds of the competitions that you are entering.

· Demonstrate good sporting conduct at all times, both on and off the competition floor. This includes treating your partners, other competitors, competition officials, spectators, and the event itself with respect. 

· Follow the Retaliation Swing Code of Conduct.

· 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:

· There are no competitor meetings at Retaliation Swing. You are responsible for checking the event schedule and knowing the time of your competitions.

· The Event Director reserves the right to cancel any division with fewer than five couples.

· The Event Director and Head Judge reserve the right to remove any competitor from competition without a refund for displaying unsporting conduct or for failure to abide by the event Code of Conduct.

· We will be marshalling all competitions. If your name does not appear on the posted heat sheets, see the Emcee, Comp Coordinator, or Head Judge immediately to let them know you signed up but were not yet called.

· If you are not seated in the correct seat in the staging area when the your assigned heat is called to the floor, you will not be permitted to compete in that division.

· During semi-final and final rounds, if you are not seated in the correct seat in the staging area in a timely manner, 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.

· If you miss or withdraw from a competition, you forfeit your entry fee.

· All competitors will honor the schedule for any division they are registered for, including check-in times for any callbacks. Chronic lateness may be considered unsporting conduct for the purpose of event competition rules.
 

WSDC JACK & JILLS

​Retaliation Swing Jack & Jills are gender neutral. 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, Sophisticated, Advanced, and All-Star.

All competitors in the Sophisticated Jack and Jill must be 35 years of age, or older, by the end of the event in order to compete in this division. Competitors may dance in both the age division, and their leveled division contests.

Competitors may compete in a maximum of two skill-level WSDC Jack & Jill competitions, once in their primary role and once in their secondary role. You may enter one skill level as a leader and a different skill level as a follower, each at your appropriate WSDC-pointed level.  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). 

Non-dominant Role Competing and Tracking:  Competitors may compete as both Leaders and Followers in skill level Jack & Jills. Leader and Follower points will be tracked separately in Points Registry. 

· Competitors qualify for their dance level based on either their Leader or Follower points, whichever is higher and may compete in this dominant role.

· Competitors may also compete in their non-dominant role as long as they don’t qualify in both for the same division. 

· Competitors may dance down an extra level for their secondary role.

· Competitors will not be permitted to dance both roles in the same division.
 

STRICTLY SWING DIVISIONS (NON-WSDC):

The Retaliation Strictly: This is an open level strictly with the following exceptions:

· All Stars cannot dance together,

· Champions may only dance with Newcomer or Novice leveled competitors.

The prelim for the Retaliation Strictly will be a standard heated prelim. The finals will include…some harmless shenanigans. (No blindfolds or other potentially hazardous “challenges”, we promise.)

Master’s Choice Strictly: At least one partner must be 50 years of age or older by the end of the event, with the following exceptions:

· Champions may not dance together

· Champions and All Stars may not dance together

Because this is an age requirement rather than a skill level requirement, you may also enter another Strictly Swing contest if you wish.

ALL-RETALIATION (ALL-AMERICAN FORMAT) JACK & JILL (NON-WSDC):

This division is open to competitors of all levels and you may enter in the role of your choice. This division is completely randomized, any Lead may draw any Follow without restriction. Once randomly paired, the dancers compete as a couple through all rounds of competition. Role switching within the competition is NOT allowed.

ROUTINE DIVISIONS

Rising Star: Retaliation Swing is a member of the WCS Rising Star Tour. The Rising Star division will follow all rules and requirements of the 2026 Rising Star tour, listed here: https://risingstartour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-RST-Rules-July-1.pdf. 

ProAm: This division is designed to highlight a performance between a professional and an amateur. 

1. Time limit: 1 ½ - 2 ½ minutes, measured from the first performance movement whether music is playing or not. 
2. Amateurs must be at least 6 years of age on or before the Sunday of the event. 
3. Costumes are encouraged but not required.
4. Choreographed routines are required. Competitors select their own music.
5. Swing content: 50% is present throughout the performance. Lifts and aerials are permitted but not required.
6. To qualify for a partnership in ProAm, an instructor/student relationship must exist.
7. Amateurs are defined as anyone who does not receive any compensation for helping/teach Swing dance.
8. A Professional is defined as someone who earns a significant amount of income teaching or performing Swing.
9. Each Pro is limited to five (5) students per Division. 

JACK & JILL (INCLUDING ALL-RETALIATION) AND STRICTLY SWING FORMATS

​· All dancing must be lead/follow. Pre-choreographed routines, in whole or in part, are not allowed. Role switching is not permitted.

· At least 80 percent recognizable swing content is required for all divisions, with the exception of the Retaliation Strictly, where 70 percent swing content is required in the Prelims, however, swing content will be completely at the judge’s discretion for the Final.

· Your level for any Strictly contests must match the level you are competing in for your WSDC Jack and Jill’s.

· For Jack & Jill competitions, all competitors must wear their bib numbers for all rounds of competition. Bibs are only required for leaders in the Strictly Swing divisions. 

· You and your partner must maintain physical contact except for spins, turns, short breakaways, and recoveries.

· “In the air” partner weight support moves (lifts, aerials) and acrobatic maneuvers are not allowed.

· “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.

Retaliation 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.

​Retaliation Swing also reserves the right to make any changes in the competition schedule or format as we deem necessary.

Any questions or concerns may be sent to director@retaliationswing.com.