Competitions

You need a valid multi-day pass to compete, in addition to your entry — day passes do not qualify.

You must not be a complete beginner. This is strictly enforced for safety on a wet pool deck. Everything else is open level, with no restriction by years dancing.

This one is for social dancers. You can enter if you social dance Bachata regularly and have never been contracted to teach Bachata workshops for payment at any international festivals — teaching locally is fine.

Paid festival Bachata artists, the organisers, staff and judges of this competition, cannot enter.

One entry per person, per division. You confirm your eligibility by signed declaration at sign-up, and the organisers may decline, reassign or disqualify an entry that does not meet these criteria.

Entering a second division? Online checkout currently accepts one active entry per email across this competition. Contact the organisers before trying to register for another division.

Partners are drawn at random (Jack & Jill). Enter on your own and register as a Leader or a Follower — you do not bring a partner, and you cannot choose one.

The emcee draws the pairings at random. Everyone dances with at least two or three different partners in the preliminaries, roughly 60–90 seconds per rotation, cut by the DJ.

You compete as an individual. Judges rank Leaders and Followers separately, never as a couple. Your placing is based on your dancing across the partner rotations.

Open Level — Different Gender: partners are randomly rotated between Leads and Follows.

Open Level — Same Gender: register as a Leader or a Follower regardless of gender, and partners are randomly rotated within your role. Both divisions are open level, with no restriction by years dancing.

A preliminary is a first round. A semifinal, when needed, narrows the field before the final.

5 or fewer dancers in your role: straight to the final.

6–10 dancers in your role: one earlier round, then the final.

11 or more dancers in your role: preliminary, semifinal, then final.

These are the usual routes with a five-person final for each role. Organisers set the rounds for each division; a role with fewer dancers may join later.

Leaders and Followers advance separately. By default, earlier rounds send the top half, rounded up, through; the round immediately before the final sends five dancers per role (or everyone if fewer remain). Organisers can adjust the number advancing, so listen for the confirmed rounds and callbacks — the announcement of who goes through.

In the final, dancers are re-paired with two or three different partners under the same random rotation. Judges rank each role separately to decide the official placings.

Four criteria: Connection, Timing & Musicality, Technique, and Entertainment with Safe & Fun — floorcraft, natural styling, and no forcing complex patterns, dips or aerials on someone you have just met.

Relative placement means comparing judges’ rankings, not adding performance points. In each round, every judge ranks the Leaders they judge from best to last, and the Followers separately.

If a tie affects who advances or a top-three final place, judges rank the tied dancers on Technique first, then Connection, then an overall re-rank if needed. If they are still tied, the head judge decides. Ties that do not affect these outcomes may remain shared.

People’s Choice is a separate audience award. Audience voting during the finals does not change the judges’ official placings.

This is danced on a pool deck, so grip matters more than style. Barefoot is fine, as are flat non-marking water shoes or sandals with a secure strap. No flip-flops — they come off in turns.

Suede and leather-soled dance shoes are not allowed: they lose all grip on a wet deck. Clean, non-marking rubber or foam soles are fine. Heels are strongly discouraged, and if worn need secure ankle straps and rubber tips.

Swimwear, cover-ups and quick-dry activewear are all welcome. this is a pool party, not a ballroom. Avoid loose flowing fabric, long fringe or trailing skirts that soak up water or catch on a partner. Tie your hair back and take off dangling jewellery and watches.

Rub sunscreen in fully and let it dry before you dance — greasy hands and arms wreck the connection. Organisers may ask you to change footwear or adjust costume before a heat if it is unsafe on the deck; that is a safety call and does not affect your score. No costume change is needed between prelims and finals.

Check in at the competition desk at least 30 minutes before the published start time. Late arrivals may be moved to a later heat or withdrawn.

Photography and video are permitted throughout. By entering you agree to appear in event coverage.