Rules and regulations of Pro-Am

Rules and regulations

The competition will be held under the rules written below, accepted by the contestants and organizers.

The Budapest Open Pro-Am Dance Festival is an open Pro-Am dance competition, on which the participant couples are formed of a teacher (Pro) and a student (Am).

Dance Styles and dances

  • International Standard | Slow Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Slow Foxtrot, Quickstep
  • International Latin | Cha-Cha, Samba, Rumba, Pasodoble, Jive
  • American Smooth | Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz
  • American Rhythm | Cha-Cha, Rumba, Swing, Bolero, Mambo
  • Caribbean mix | Salsa (Cuban, LA Style), Merengue, Bachata (Dominican, Sensual)
  • Argentine Tango Salon | Tango, Vals, Milonga
  • Argentine Tango Free Style | Tango, Vals, Milonga

Competitions

  • Single Dance | all dance styles
  • Multi Dance | all dance styles (2, 3, 4, 5 dances together in any combination of the dances of a dance style)
  • Scholarship | all dances in a dance style (allowed to entry only if all single dances are danced in the same dance style on the same category and level)
  • 9-dance | all dances in American Smooth + American Rhythm
  • 10-dance | all dances in International Standard + International Latin
  • Showcase | International Standard, International Latin, American Smooth, American Rhythm, Argentine Tango és Caribbean mix styles
  • Show Dance | International Standard, International Latin, American Smooth, American Rhythm, Argentine Tango és Caribbean mix styles

Other dances

  • VIP Showcases and Show Dance performances

Rules

On the Single Dance, Multi Dance, 9- and 10-dance competitions only the students performance will be judged.

On the ScholarshipShowcase and Show Dance competitions the performance of the couple will be judged.

The Showcase and Show Dance competitions are danced to own music. Please send your music before the registration deadline  to nevezes@budapestopen.hu. The maximum length of the choreography can be 4:00 min

Showcase choreography is made from steps of only one dance. It”s like a Single Dance danced to an own music.

Show Dance choreography is a mix of more dances of a dance style. In case of International Standard, International Latin and American Rhythm 3-5 dances, in case of American Smooth 3-4 dances and in case of Argentine Tango ans Caribbean mix 2-3 dances have to appear in the choreography.

The  VIP Showcase and Show Dance dancers does not compete with each other, they will not be judged. Their performance will be held during the Saturday night Gala Dinner..

Ladies and Gentleman are compete together.

The Multi Dance, Scholarship9-dance and 10-dance competitions has to be danced with the same teacher.

Scholarship competitions are allowed to dance only if all single dances in the same dance style are danced on the same category and level.

The scores and ranking of the competitors can be seen only by the chairman, the adjudicators and the organizers before the announcement of results.

In any category with fewer than three entries the organizer reserves the right to eliminate the age divisions and merge competitors into one open division.

There is no restriction regarding dresses and costumes, but please don’t offend the canons of good taste.

Age groups

Age groups are defined by the age of the student.

  • J1 | util 10 years
  • J2 | 10 – 15 years
  • Y | 15 – 19 years
  • А1  | 19 – 27 years
  • А2  | 27 – 35 years
  • S1 | 35 – 45 years
  • S2 | 45 – 55 years
  • S3 | 55 – 65 years
  • SU | over 65 years

Registration in other age groups

  • J1J2, Y can dance in one higher age group
  • A2, S1, S2, S3 and SU can dance in one lower age group

Categories and levels

In all dance styles, competitions will be held in following categories and levels:

  • Bronze (only basic steps)
    • Beginner
    • Advanced
  • Silver (advanced basic steps)
    • Beginner
    • Advanced
  • Gold (open choreography, no syllabus restriction)
    • Beginner
    • Advanced

Bronze and Silver are closed categories, where only basic and advanced basic steps are allowed in all dance styles.

All competitors can dance in closed and open categories as well.

Registration and Entry

Entry can be provided by filling in the online entry form.

Entries can be done by the professional dancer only. The teacher decides the category and the level of the student in accordance with the knowledge of the student.

Teachers have to register to the website first.

Teachers can enter their students to the competition and they can update their entries any time until the registration deadline. Please note, that if you modify the entries, the entry fees will be calculated based on the update date. Please find the entry fees HERE.

We offer the possibility to enter competitions on the spot. You van do this at least 1,5 hours before the competition is start. In this case you have to pay higher entry fees.

After sending the entry form, an automatic confirmation will be sent to the Teachers via e-mail.

The entry fees have to by paid in cash on the spot at the registration desk.

Music

We provide music from computer.

The length of music at the competition meets the following standards:

For International Latin and International Standard as well as for American Smooth and American Rhythm music should play from 1:10 up to 1:30  minutes long with exception for:

  • International Style Viennese Waltz, Quickstep and Jive competitions  – from 1:00 up to 1:20 minutes long.
  • Pasodoble competition – up to second highlight.

For Caribbean Mix competitions – from 1:20 up to 2:00 minutes long.

Depending on the number of couples on the dance floor, the chairman may reduce or prolong the music. The music can be reduced up to 1 minute in case there is just one couple on the dance floor or all the couples take part in different categories and stages.

Showcase, Show Dance and VW Show music: maximum 4 minutes, together with entering and exiting the floor. After 4 minutes of time music will be faded.

Start numbers

Students wear the start numbers in all cases. A student has only one start number during the whole event apart from the fact, how many teachers he/she dances with or how many competition he/she dances.

Awards

Winners of the Single DanceMulti Dance9- and 10-dance, Showcase and Show Dance competitions will receive gifts and diploma.

In case at least 3 participants, for the first three places of the Scholarship competitions medal and diploma will be given. The winner gets an extra cup.

Top Teacher award: 1000 EUR
To qualify you have to enter at least 40 competitions. Teacher who’s Students are the best all in all will win this award.

Adjudicators

The panel of judges assesses the participants’ performances.

Judges in categories International Standard, International Latin, American Smooth иAmerican Rhythm, as well as the festivals’ Chairman are chosen out of judges who have a license of any official dancing organization. Judges in other categories are invited by the Organizer from a number of heavyweight specialists in those categories.

Festival’s Chairman defines the number of couples proceeding to the next rounds, gives preliminary warnings and disqualifies the participants, takes care of the competition schedule and introduces changes aimed at following the established schedule together with the Organizer.

The decisions of the Chairman concerning the questions of judging, holding of the competition and its schedule are final and not subjected to any further discussion.

Attending Vendors

You can find the list of attending vendors on our website. Professional photos will be taken during the whole event.

Competitors conduct

While on the competition premises, competitors shall conduct themselves in a civil sportsmanlike manner at all times.

Please take care of your belongings! The organizer cannot be held responsible for loss of any of your personal belongings or property you leave in the changing room, in the ballroom or in the hotel room.

The organizer can’t  be held liable for injury sustained by persons attending the Hungarian Open Summer Ball. Everyone enter the competitions at his or her own risk.

It is the competitor’s responsibility to be in attendance in advance of the advertised time scheduled for the events he/she is entering. All competitor have to check in at the registration desk at latest 1 hour before the event he/she is entering. The organizer reserves the right not to wait for the latecomers and exclude them from that competition without paying back the entry fee.

Students have to dance all dances of one Multi Dance, Scholarship, 9- and 10-dance competitions with the same teacher.

A showcase and a Show Dance choreography can’t be longer than 4 minutes.

The couples stay on the floor until the music stops, else they will be excluded.

Penalties for braking the rules:

  • braking the rules in the first round of the competition: warning by the chairman
  • braking the rules later during the competition: cancelling the couple’s scores
  • braking the rules in the final: the couple will be classified to the last place

If a couple has to give up the final because of an injury, they will be classified as the last ones in all dances then have to cancel.

The competitors accept the marking, scores and the result given by the judges. No competitor shall harass or question a judge about his/her personal reasons for marking.

The competitors must not give interviews until then leave the dance dance floor.

All information regarding the event are official only if appeared on the official website. Competitors won’t be informed directly about any change. They have to check this website for the latest news by their own.

Others

The registered couples accept to list their names and clubs in the entry list on this website.

The couples accept that the organizer may share their photos – which were made during the events – on this website. The organizer may use this photos to promote it’s next events.