2025 Competitions
Competition questions? Please write us: contests@calbalclassic.com
Passes & Registration
Each competitor must have either a Full Weekend pass, Balboa Crash Course pass, Invitational pass, or a Party Pass to enter competitions.
Mixed Couples: Each participant must register separately.
Classic contests: Only one participant should register and list their partner’s name.
Competition Fees
Classics:
$50/couple/competition
Mixed Couples:
$25/competitor/competition
Competition Descriptions
The Open Classic
Open to couples of any skill level.
Prizes include:
Cash: $1000 first prize — $500 second prize — $250 third prize
Other: Trophies and merchandise vouchers and/or event passes.
Description:
- This Balboa and Bal-Swing competition is designed to showcase the intricacies of partnering and musicality in the mid-tempo round as well as the excitement of Bal-Swing and LA Swing in the fast round.
- Competitors in the Open Classic are entered into the Wild Card automatically.
- Prelims: Couples will dance in heats to a minimum of three songs at three different tempos. The Open Classic and the Wildcard share a single preliminary round—anyone competing in the Open Classic prelims is eligible to compete in the Wildcard finals.
- Finals: Finals will consist of a maximum of 6 couples. Finalists will dance a 1.5 minute spotlight to an original composition performed by the live band, and then dance in a fast all-skate to showcase diverse skills in musicality, partnering, spontaneity, performance, and style.
The Pure Balboa Classic
Open to couples of any skill level.
Prizes include:
Cash: $500 first prize — $250 second prize — $125 third prize
Other: Trophies and merchandise vouchers and/or event passes.
Description:
- This partnered contest is geared to feature today’s Balboa dancers dancing Pure Balboa / closed-position Balboa.
- The judges will be asked to evaluate competitors based on their personal judging criteria and preferences.
- Prelims: Couples will dance in heats to a minimum of three songs of three different tempos.
- Finals: Finalists will dance one dual spotlight to a slow song, one dual spotlight to a fast song, and one final all-skate.
The Wildcard Classic
Open to couples of any skill level.
Prizes include:
Cash: $700 first prize — $350 second prize — $150 third prize
Other: Trophies and merchandise vouchers and/or event passes.
Description:
- Entering the Open Classic prelims automatically qualifies you for the Wildcard.
- Prelims: The Open Classic and the Wildcard share a single preliminary round—anyone competing in the Open Classic prelims is eligible to compete in the Wildcard finals.
- Finals: Finalists are selected from the top couples (based on relative placement scoring) who did not make it into the Open Classic finals. Couples will get a 90 sec spotlight and fast all-skate.
The Amateur Classic
Open to couples who meet Amateur/Advanced skill level.
Prizes include:
Cash: $200 first prize — $100 second prize — $50 third prize
Other: Trophies and merchandise vouchers and/or event passes.
Description:
- This Balboa and Bal-Swing competition is designed to showcase the intricacies of partnering and musicality, as well as the excitement and energy of Bal-Swing and LA Swing.
- Prelims: Couples will dance in heats to a minimum of three songs of three different tempos.
- Finals: Finalists will dance to DJed music. They will dance one all-skate warmup song; then in a dual spotlight round to showcase diverse skill, partnering, and musicality; and in a final all-skate round.
- All-skate warm up: All couples will dance in a single group to DJed music at a tempo of approximately 210 bpm.
- Dual spotlight: Two couples will dance at a time to DJed music at a tempo of approximately 240 bpm.
- Final all-skate: All couples will dance to DJed music at a tempo of approximately 250 bpm.
Amateur Mixed Couples
Open to dancers meeting the amateur definition (see rules below).
Prizes include:
Cash: $200 first prize — $100 second prize — $50 third prize
Other: Trophies and merchandise vouchers and/or event passes.
Description:
- Competitors will sign up individually as a lead or follow and will randomly draw partners for each round of this competition.
- Prelims will be danced in heats with competitors changing partners a minimum of three times.
- Finalists will draw a partner and they will be judged as a couple for the entire final round.
- Finalists will dance a warmup all-skate and will dance in spotlights to DJed music. Couples may dance further all-skates as deemed necessary by the judges.
Advanced Mixed Couples
Open to dancers meeting the advanced definition (see rules below).
Prizes include:
Cash: $200 first prize — $100 second prize — $50 third prize
Other: Trophies and merchandise vouchers and/or event passes.
Description:
- Competitors will sign up individually as a lead or follow and will randomly draw partners for each round of this competition.
- Prelims will be danced in heats with competitors changing partners a minimum of three times.
- Finalists will draw a partner and they will be judged as a couple for the entire final round.
- Finalists will dance a warmup all-skate and will dance in spotlights to DJed music. Couples may dance further all-skates as deemed necessary by the judges.
Open Mixed Couples
Open to any age or skill level of dancer.
Prizes include:
Cash: $500 first prize — $250 second prize — $125 third prize
Other: Trophies and merchandise vouchers and/or event passes.
Description:
- Competitors will sign up individually as a lead or follow and will randomly draw partners for each round of this competition.
- Prelims will be danced in heats with competitors changing partners a minimum of three times.
- Finalists will draw a partner and they will be judged as a couple for the entire final round.
- Finalists will dance a warm-up all-skate and will dance in spotlights to DJed music. Couples may dance further all-skates as deemed necessary by the judges.
General Rules and Guidelines for Competitors
General Rules
- Each competitor must have either a Full Weekend pass, Balboa Crash Course pass or a Party pass to enter competitions.
- A couple consists of one designated lead and one designated follow*. Dancers will generally be judged in the role for which they registered.
- Competitors are expected to exhibit courteous and respectful behavior at all times during the California Balboa Classic competitions.
- All competitions are in Balboa, Bal-Swing, and/or LA Swing unless otherwise specified. What constitutes these dance styles is left to individual judges’ discretion with respect to definition and score/placement impact. CalBal judges are encouraged to reward a combination of style that represents these dances in the essence of their original forms as well as modern dancers’ interpretation, innovation, and creativity.
- Each competitor must agree to the liability waiver.
- Each competitor must be present at the competitors’ meeting and must check in with the contest coordinator 10 minutes before the prelims and finals or they may be scratched without a refund.
CalBal’s Contest Levels
Please use the guidelines below and your discretion.
Amateur
- You do not travel regularly to teach Balboa, and teaching is not your primary source of income.
- You have not placed in the top 3 at any national or higher-level Balboa competition within the last 5 years.
- If you have made the finals in a non-Amateur Balboa division at a national or higher-level competition, you should compete in the Advanced or Open divisions. Placements in novice, newcomer, or Pro-Am do not disqualify Amateur status.
- These guidelines apply to dancers competing in a specific role (e.g., you may qualify for the Amateur division as a lead but not as a follow).
- If you are unsure whether you fit in this category, or if you prefer a challenge, you are welcome to compete in a higher category.
Advanced
- You may be teaching Balboa locally or regionally, or starting to travel for teaching engagements.
- You might consistently make finals or have placed in regional or national competitions.
- Competitors who have placed in the top 3 at regional or national competitions are encouraged to compete in the Open division.
- If you are uncertain about your level, this category provides a good middle ground, and anyone is welcome to “dance up” by competing here.
Open
- This division is open to all dancers, regardless of teaching experience.
- Dancers who consistently place in national or higher-level Balboa competitions should also compete in this division.
- This level has historically been occupied by professional level Balboa competitors who consistently place or win national and/or international competitions.
- Dancers of any level are welcome to compete in the Open category if they feel ready for the challenge.
For All Levels
- These guidelines apply to dancers competing in a specific role (e.g., you may qualify for the Amateur division as lead but not as a follow).
- If you compete in both lead and follow roles and make finals in both, you must choose one role for the finals.
- If you make finals in more than one competition at different levels, you must compete at the higher level and withdraw from the lower-level competition.
- Examples of a National or higher level competition include but are not limited to: CalBal, Camp Hollywood, Hot Rhythm Holiday, and European Balboa Festival.
Competing as both a lead and a follow
- Dancers may enter any division as both a lead and a follow if they meet the criteria to compete in their registered role in that division.
- If you wish to compete as both a lead and a follow in a single contest division, please contact our team (contests@calbalclassic.com) so that we can register you in both roles and ensure you are placed in different heats for the prelims.
- Dancers who wish to compete as both a lead and a follow in a single contest division must register for each role separately. Contest fees apply per role.
- If you make finals in more than one competition at different levels, you must compete at the higher level and withdraw from the lower-level competition.
- Competitors will be judged for dancing in their registered role for the duration of each heat, round, or spotlight. Any switch dancing done during a contest (dancing in the opposite role from registration) may be disregarded at the judges’ discretion.
Finals Format for competitors who qualify as both a lead and follow:
- Mixed Couples contests: Competitors will have to choose to dance as EITHER a lead OR follow in the finals.
- Classic contests: Competitors may dance in the finals with BOTH of their qualifying partners so long as they inform their partners of the format and divide their dance time in the all-skates evenly between partners (with assistance from the contest team).
All competition rules, description, and prizes are subject to change without notice. Final contest rules, descriptions, and prizes will be available at the event.