Competitions

Aussie Pro-Am

This is the only competition in Australia where novice dancers can compete in a lead/follow competition with their regular instructor. Only the novice dancer is judged, not the instructor. The Pro-Am division is designed to showcase the student’s true abilities. West Coast Swing teachers are able to enter this division as the “Pro” with up to 3 different students (Newcomer/Novice level), and the division is open to any teacher/student partnership from Australia, NZ, Asia (as applicable).

Male and Female students are judged separately for the Pro-Am title. The title of Best Teacher is also up for grabs for the Teacher with the most student points.

Jack & Jill

Jack n Jill is a lead/follow division designed to test social dance skills in West Coast Swing. Partners are randomly assigned at the start of the prelims and are judged individually. In finals, new partners are matched and judged as a partnership.

All preliminary rounds are held as an all-skate; Finals will feature spotlight performances and an all-skate (Newcomer Final will feature an all-skate only). The Invitational Jack n Jill division will feature International Pros and Australian dancers as invited by the Event Directors.

Division qualifications are available here.

Levels: Newcomer, Novice, Intermediate, Advanced/Allstar, Invitational.

Strictly Swing

Strictly Swing is a lead/follow division designed to highlight social dance skills with a pre-arranged partner. Couples are judged as a partnership.

Preliminary rounds are held as an all-skate; Finals will feature spotlight performances and an all-skate (all competitors on the floor at once).

Levels: Novice, Intermediate, Advanced/AllStar.

Classic

Classic is an open-level division in which dancers perform a choreographed routine. This division features choreography, music selection and costumes.

Lifts and aerials are not permitted in this division.

Full classic division rules are available here.

Teams

The Teams division will feature a minimum of 3 couples in a choreographed routine. This is an open-level division featuring choreography, music selection and costumes.

Lifts and aerials are allowed in this division.

Full teams division rules are available here.

Full Competition Rules

Full competition rules and eligibility criteria for each category are available here.

The Australian Open is a World Swing Dance Council (WSDC) Registry Event.

The Australian Open is an AANCE Sanctioned Event (Jack n Jill and Strictly Swing).