Just to add to Jame's post:

Competitions for kids under age of 18 devide as such:

Pre-teen: age not over 12 years old by D.O.B.

Junior: 13-15 by D.O.B

Youth: 16-18 at the time of competition day.

Unfortunately, some competition organizers would only offer kids' American style open Championship level with only 3 dances ( Chacha, froxtrot and swing ) instead of 9 dances. How can ballroom dancing be promoted for kids this way? In the meantime the same competition had included lots of NON-real-ballroom items like show dance, Polka, disco-hustle, night club 2 step, country western, WCS (there are many competitions strictly for CW and WCS anyway). Sure, organizers need to justify his/her expenses and make a profit but shortcut kids is not a very wise way. For these kids are to carry on future ballroom activities and they are the future participants of many competitions to come.

Keh

since I dont know how this is handeled in the US I give you an idea how this in europe , especially in germany works.

there are 2 sections:

latin
standard
(There is a special section 10 Dances Adult and Youth, too , only couples with minumim level A in one section and S level in the other section are allowed for these special competions)

we difference follwing classes:

kids <14
juniors 14-16
youth 16-18

I am not sure since his changes often
-
adults both partner >18
adults II one partner >28

adults II are allowed to start at adults, too
-
seniors both partners >35
seniors 2 one partner >45
seniors 3 one partner >55

there are some restricted events for couples >66
-

levels D,C,B,A and S (special) level

you have to start at D and make your way up to S.
to move to next level the couple have to make an amount of finals (normaly 6or 10 times places 1-6 [D->C] or 1-3 [A->S] ) and an amount of points (120 - 200), for every couple beaten a couple gets 1 point, maximum is 20 per competition. It depends on how many couples are registered in one class/level of a region.

To reach S takes normaly several years.

D have to perform 3 dances:
latin: ChaCha, Rumba, Jive
standard: Walt, Tango,Quickstep

C have to perfom 4 dances:
latin: Samba,ChaCha, Rumba, Jive
standard: Walt,Tango,SlowFox,Quickstep

B,A,S perform all 5 dances:
latin: S,Cha,R,PD,J
standard: W,T,VW,SF,Q

D,C class are low level , B mid level and A and S class are high level.since there is the possibility of partner change there are some cheaters, too.

The adult S top couples are unbeatable for "real" amateur couples because they do only dancing,eating,dancing,sleeping,dancing,...

At all I think its a fair system, since you are not forced to move to a weaker class ( adults is the strongest class). to move to adult II or senior classes is volunteer. Only the youngsters have to move up to adults.

thanks dronak.

i forgot to add :

there is only one winner of a comp... no seperated winners of the dances, the results of all dances are added . so you have to master all required dances to win

for D and C level there is a limitation of the variation danced. its similar to the sylabus of US "gold" or so. for B,A,S the only limitation are that lifts are not allowed.

if you get pissed of dancing in S level because of not winning because of the "amateur" top couples (remember dancing, sleeping, eating, dancing...but no regular job...yes they are still amateurs) than you can move up to the Pro´s.

3 sections:
latin
standard
10dances

2 levels

rising-star ( the performance of the couples there is equal to A/S amateur level)
professional (the queens and kings on the floor )

offical amateurs are not allowed to accept money or price awards, Pros are allowed.

[This message was edited by curl on 08-09-01 at 12:29 PM.]

[This message was edited by curl on 08-09-01 at 12:31 PM.]