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, leans, drops, slides, splits and spreads allowed
   ii. Aerials – NOT ALLOWED
6. Music – provided by TRI-State; limit two (2) minutes
7. Participants – One Adult (35 and over) and One young adult
8. Youth must be between the ages of  9 and 18 years

Classic Swing (Hand Dance, Philly, Detroit, Milwaukee Bop) (Heat)

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 – Heats
5. Adagio figures – NOT ALLOWED
6. Variable footwork recommended (Skates, etc.)
7. Techniques – consist of old school techniques (80% hand dance)
8. Music – provided by TRI-State; limit two (2) minutes
9. Ages – 21 and over

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- allowed
   ii. Aerials – NOT ALLOWED
6. Music – provided by TRI-State
7. Music pool will be approved by Ballroom experts
8. Ages – 21 and over

Contemporary Swing (Swing Out, Hand Dance, Philadelphia, 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 unless heated; three (3) minutes if solo two (2) minutes if heated

Invitational (Hand Dance, Swing Out, West Coast, Detroit/Philly/Milwaukee Bop)

1. Costumes – NOT ALLOWED
2. Breakaways – three (3) allowed, not to exceed 8 beats each
3. Choreography – none
4. Dance – Heats; partners selected at random, within perspective dance
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; limit two (2) minutes, may dance to two or more songs
7. Participants – Participation is limited to advanced level dancers who have received letters of invitation ONLY

Just Dance (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)

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 – allowed, but not required
   i. Lifts, leans, drops, slides, splits, and spreads)
   ii. Aerials – NOT ALLOWED
6. Music – provided by TRI-State; three (3) minutes, one slow, one fast song (1.5 min each)
7. Participants – Ages 21 and over

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. Leans, slides, splits and spreads allowed
   ii. Lifts and drops  NOT 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. Participants – Ages 21 and over

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.

Performing Arts Classic Level 1

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. Leans, slides, splits and spreads allowed
   ii. Lifts, Drops and Aerials – NOT ALLOWED
6. Music – provided by competitors; three (3) minutes maximum
7. Participants; Seasoned Competitors that have placed, made the finals and/or won in other Classic or Showcase categories

Performing Arts Classic 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. Leans, slides, splits and spreads 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.

Performing Arts Showcase Level 1, Advanced 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. Lifts, leans, drops, slides, splits and spreads
   ii. Minimum of three (3), maximum of six (6) lifts and/or drops required
   iii. Aerials – NOT ALLOWED
6. Music – provided by competitors; three (3) minutes maximum
7. Participants – Seasoned Competitors that have placed, made the finals and/or won in other Classic or Showcase categories
8. Participants – Ages 21 and over

Performing Arts Showcase 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. Lifts, leans, drops, slides, splits and spreads
   ii. Minimum of three (3), maximum of six (6) lifts and/or drops required
   iii. Aerials – NOT ALLOWED
6. Music – provided by competitors; three (3) minutes maximum
7. Participants – 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.
8. Participants – Ages 21 and over

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. Leans, slides, splits and spreads 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. Participants – One Pro (instructor, senior level dancer, etc.); One Amateur; Amateur must be 21 years or older, Max number of Amateurs per pro is 5
8. Judging – Only the Amateur’s performance is judged

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. Leans, slides, splits and spreads 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 21 years or older, Max number of students per pro is 5
8. Judging – Only the Amateur’s performance is judged

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, leans, drops, slides, splits and spreads allowed
   ii. Aerials – NOT ALLOWED
6. Music – provided by Tri-State; three (3) minutes; one slow, one fast (1.5 minutes each)
7. Participants must be at least 40 years old

Slow Dancing (Gray-stone Ballroom, DC Bop, Fred Astaire, etc.)

1. Costumes – NOT ALLOWED
2. Breakaways – NOT ALLOWED
3. Choreography – Accepted, but not required
4. Dance – Heats
5. Adagio Figures – Some allowed
   i. Leans, slides, splits and spreads 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 Beats Per Minute

Stepping

1. Costumes – Matching and complimentary outfits accepted, but not mandatory
2. Breakaways – Allowed
3. Choreography – Allowed; Improvisation, styling and uniqueness encouraged; fancy footwork that provide
   i. Precision and timing
   ii. Innovative moves
4. Dance – Heats; Maximum of three couples per Heat
5. Adagio Figures – Some allowed
   i. Drops, dips, leans, slides, splits and spreads allowed
   ii. Lifts and Aerials – NOT 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.

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
7. Participants – Ages 21 and over

Trio

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, leans, drops, slides, splits and spreads allowed
   ii. Aerials – NOT ALLOWED
6. Music – Provided by competitors; three (3) minutes maximum
7. Dancers, any combination of three dancers

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

Young Adults 16 to 20 (Heat)

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 – Allowed
   i. Lifts, leans, drops, slides, splits and spreads allowed
   ii. Aerials – NOT ALLOWED
6. Music – provided by TRI-State; two (2) minutes to three (3) minutes

Young Adults 16 to 20 (Solo)

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 – Allowed
   i. Lifts, leans, drops, slides, splits and spreads allowed
   ii. Aerials – NOT ALLOWED
6. Music – provided by competitors; three (3) minutes

Adagio Figure: A move that contains either a drop, lift, aerial, dip or oversway.

Adagio Group: At least one (1), but not more than three (3) adagio figures, with no swing (Hand Dance) moves between them. Beginning and ending an Adagio figure or group, begins when the dancer’s weight is supported by the partner and ends when the weight is no longer supported by the partner.

Aerial: A move where one partner is lifted by the assisting partner so that the head and torso are above the waist of the supporting partner and the lifted partner is released by the supporting partner leaving them momentarily in “mid-air”.

Breakaway: A set of symmetric or complementary movements or footwork executed by a couple who intentionally break contact (except for spins and turns), which is not a clearly lead-able derivative of a recognizable swing pattern.

Costumes: Attire which, in the opinion of the judges, is specifically designed or selected for couples competition and would not generally be worn for social dancing.

Matching Outfits: are clothing that is color coordinated and would be likely be worn in social dance, but would not be considered a costume.

Dip: A move where a dancer’s weight is supported by the partner and the head is below the partner’s waist.

Drop: A move in which either partner’s head and torso goes below knee level of the other partner. Low leans are not considered drops.

Entrance: Pre-choreographed segment of a performance, where competitors formally enter the floor and prepare to dance. Acknowledging your partner, the judges, or the audience is not considered an entrance.

Exit: Pre-choreographed segment of a performance, where competitors leave the floor. Acknowledging your partner, the judges, or the audience is not considered an exit.

Lean: A move where the dancer’s feet are in contact with the floor. The dancer’s weight is supported by the partner with the top of his/her head not lower than the top of the support partners shoulders (relative to being the same height). The support partner’s knees are not extending in front of the support partner’s toes.

Lift: A move where the dancer is not in contact with the floor. The partner supports the dancer’s weight. Any more lasting longer than a full beat of music where the feet of one partner are clearly off the floor and the other partner supports the lifted partner’s weight.

Oversway: A move where the dancer’s weight is supported by the partner and the head is below the top of the partner’s shoulder.

Props: Throw away skirts, shirts, scarves, etc., are considered props in this context and are not allowed. Anything other than what would be considered acceptable clothing.

Pull: A move where the dancer is pulling the partner’s weight across the floor.

Push: A move where the dancer is pushing the partner’s weight across the floor.

Routine: Any segment, which, in the opinion of the judges, consists of prearranged choreography including symmetric or complementary movements or footwork.