WESTERN REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP INFORMATION

About

This year, the NDCA will host the FIRST EVER National Championship for Collegiate and Post-Collegiate dancers. Dance by the Shores is one of the Regional Competitions on the path to Nationals (May 1st-3rd, 2026, hosted by Cal Poly SLO), but we are NOT a QUALIFYING competition: if you don't attend the Western Regional Championship, you can still attend Nationals. HOWEVER, the top three schools who win our team match will receive travel stipends from the NDCA that will go towards Nationals transportation.

LINK TO NATIONALS WEBSITE (CLICK)

Team Match Rules and Info

OVERVIEW

• • Team Match will take place Saturday evening, following Open Smooth, and a full panel of 7 judges will be working

  • Signups will occur during the day, and due to the expected popularity of the event, competitors will be dancing for 2 to 2.5 minutes to give the judges an equitable opportunity to judge every couple

  • Team Match will be composed of one competition per Dancesport category: Latin, Standard, Rhythm, Smooth, and Nightclub, which means only five dances will be competed total

    • • This is the order of the dances. We will draw in real time which dance will be selected for each category; options are as follows:

        • • Smooth: Vwaltz or Tango

          • Rhythm: Cha Cha or Rumba

          • Nightclub: Salsa, Bachata, or West Coast Swing

            • We have taken out West Coast Swing, as many couples expressed inexperience, and Salsa and Bachata are more well-known

          • Standard: Waltz or Quickstep

          • Latin: Samba or Jive

WHO

• • The only individuals eligible to compete are those registered with a school, competing for their school, as an undergrad- or graduate-level student

  • Teams will get to decide which individuals will represent them in each of the five Team Match events

    • • Each team for Team Match needs to contain a minimum of 6 people

        • • If a Team has less than 6 people, or less than 3 leads/3 follows, one couple can compete in everything

      • Individuals are only allowed to compete in two of the three categories

      • Individuals who compete in the Latin Team Match cannot compete in the Rhythm Team Match, and individuals who compete Standard cannot compete Smooth

      • **This is designed to even the playing field for schools who have very high-level athletes with schools who have less high-level athletes

  • ALL LEVELS ARE ELIGIBLE TO COMPETE

  • **There will be penalties for trying to cheat the system

SCORING

• • Points from each style will be added to an overall team score, and the winners will be crowned Western Regional Collegiate Champions (only 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place will be calculated and recognized)

Email ucsddancesport.team@gmail.com with any questions!