Competition FAQ

For Everyone

General schedule:

Wake up, do your hair & makeup, put on some comfortable clothes, eat whatever kind of breakfast won't give you a stomachache.
Leave Palo Alto around two hours before your first event, or early enough to get there comfortably 45-75 minutes in advance.
When you get there: register, get your number, put on your Standard costume + a wrap or jacket, and warm up. There will be general dancing on the main floor until the competition starts.
Arrange with your driver when to leave. Most competitions include a separate daytime & evening session, so if you are only dancing syllabus, you should be able to leave before dinner. When you can leave will depend on how long you stay in the competition!
If you don't make it very far in the competition, don't get bummed. It doesn't mean you're bad at dancing or that you won't be able to get really good. We are excited to have you on the team no matter how you do. There is a lot to learn. Be patient with yourself. And HAVE FUN!

Format of competitive events:

Standard first, then Latin.
Listen to the event announcements and line up at the on-deck area. with your partner when called. You may be asked to line up in numerical order. If not, try to be in the second heat or later, so you'll have a chance to hear the music before you have to dance to it.
When it's your turn to go on the floor, stand up straight and walk to your position. If there is no particular position your routine requires you to start in, just pick one!
If there are multiple heats, the event will be run one dance at a time. E.g., you will do 90 seconds of cha-cha, then exit and wait while all the other heats dance cha-cha; then 90 seconds of rumba, then exit and everyone else does rumba.
When the music fades out, gentlemen spin out their partners, both bow, then exit standing straight and at least pretending you just nailed that round.
There will be 3-7 judges standing around the floor. From the first until the semifinal round, they will be marking the couples they want to see again. In the final, they place all couples.
Wait a few minutes and then check for recalls. At some comps, there will be a computer or TV monitor next to the on-deck area with the numbers of recalled couples; at others you will have to check printouts on a bulletin board or ask the deck captain.
If you danced in a final, you aren't done yet. You need to wait until the end of the session for awards. It is okay to change clothes while you're waiting, if you have time. You don't need to accept the award in the same clothes you danced in (except at a professional NDCA comp such as San Francisco Open).
If you are sitting in the audience, feel free to cheer for couples you know or admire by calling out their number.

What are the judges looking for?

Stand up straight.
Smile.
Look overconfident.
Look like you know what you're doing.
Don't hide in the corner or duck underneath people's arms.
Stay on time with the music. If you get off time, stop and start again. Ladies, if your partner is off time, TELL HIM, don't just try to force him back into time. It is not generally a good idea to talk while you're dancing, but sometimes you have to.
If you crash into another couple or get crashed into, stay calm, stop if you need to, and start again.

Don't forget to bring:

Student ID if applicable
Safety pins
Superglue
Towel
Water bottle
Energy bars or another light snack you can much on
A wrap or jacket to stay warm between rounds
A change of clothes: sweats, etc.
Ladies: IF you have an extra set of competition-usable clothes, might as well bring them as a backup, in case something rips etc. (or your teammate needs to borrow something)
Bandaids/Neosporin/blister tape, especially if your shoes are new!

For More Information

Check out the official USA Dance Sport website. Especially the section on Rules, Policies & Bylaws

For Ladies

Dress:

For Standard, skirt should be knee-length or longer, and wide enough that it won't impede your movement.
For Latin, skirt should be knee-length OR SHORTER. Bring dance trunks or bike shorts for skirts that flare up when you spin.
You can wear tights or not, as you prefer. Tights should be skin color.
Shoes: Latin (open-toed) shoes are okay for Standard, more so than vice versa. Most people wear tan/bronze shoes; black is fine if your costume is black; silver and white are not recommended.
NO SPARKLES, SEQUINS, OR RHINESTONES. Anywhere on your body.
If wearing a skirt and top, it's best if they are the same color, but they need not be.
Jewelry is okay, but nothing that is likely to fly out and get caught on yourself or another couple, and nothing you won't be able to take off if necessary.
The key word is classy. Wear something that doesn't make you self-conscious and that won't fall off.
Use safety pins generously to hold things in place.

Hair:

Hair should be slicked/pinned back, in a bun if long enough. Make a ponytail, twist in one direction, and wrap it around the base in a spiral. Then cover with a hair net and bobby pin in place.
If hair isn't long enough, a ponytail is okay, or pinned up in some bun-like fashion.
Use bobby pins generously. Note that bobby pins are not the same thing as hairpins. Bobby pins are better.
USE LOTS OF HAIRSPRAY so you won't have to worry about your hair while you dance. If there is a fan in the room and your hair is flying around, you need more hairspray.

Makeup:

You will probably want to wear more makeup than you wear for everyday life.
NO GLITTER OR SPARKLE or you may be asked to wash your face.
Bare minimum: clear lip and eye lines. Use lipliner and eyeliner.
Lips: a color that looks good on you, not too dark. Use lip liner even if you never use it normally.
Eyes: dark eyeliner and lighter shadow (or lighter eyeliner outside the dark line). Shadow color can be either some sort of neutral tone or a color that matches your dress. Black mascara; false eyelashes recommended.
To apply lashes, line the bottom with glue, wait several seconds, and then put them on near the base of your lashes. Make sure they are close enough to the center of your eye that there isn't a piece hanging off the outside edge. If you have never done this before, give yourself extra time for some false starts. Apply mascara AFTER putting on lashes.
Some blush is a good idea. It should be noticeable from close up.
If you like being tan, feel free to get a drugstore tanning spray or lotion (sprays are harder to apply evenly) and tan before the comp.
All the makeup you need (incl. false lashes and tan), you can find at any drugstore.

For Gentlemen

Dress:

For Standard: White LONG-SLEEVED button-down shirt for syllabus level Standard. Black tie required, black vest optional.
For Latin: Black LONG-SLEEVED button-down shirt.
Black pants, socks, shoes. If you only bring/buy one pair of shoes, it should be Standard. Black non-marking dress shoes you have not worn outside can work too.

Hair:

Comb it.
Slick it back with gel or other product of your choice. The key is to keep it from moving around when you turn your head.

Makeup:

Yes, makeup. You can use a light foundation so you don't look sweaty/red. Up to you, really.