Guide to Self Placement - Line Dance 

Beginner 

-The dancer has to think about steps & counts throughout the dance, some muscle memory is created with repetition and practice.

-The dancer is adding in limited variations. For example - adding a single rotation to a traveling step, or stomp to emphasize a beat. 

-The dancer is focusing on adding natural arm movement to the dance. 

-The dancer is focusing on having a pleasant facial expression during the dance. 

Intermediate 

-The dancer is able to create muscle memory of the dances steps & counts with repetition and practice. 

-The dancer is beginning to explore the use of variations, adding in some step changes or extra rotations. 

-The dancer has natural arm movement and is starting to add choreographed arm movement and styling to the dance.

-The dancer is beginning to explore the use of facial expressions in the dance.
Advanced 

-The dancer is easily able to create muscle memory of the dances steps & counts with repetition and practice. 

-The dancer is taking full advantage of variations, adding in rotation, step changes, and level changes while maintaining the integrity of the choreography.

-The dancer has natural arm movement and is working on adding layers and levels to the choreographed arm movements and styling.

-The dancer is exploring the use of facial expressions to convey emotions. 

Line Dance - Rules

• 2 Full Vanilla Walls Required - Can be at any point throughout the dance

• Round Length

• Prelims - 90 Sec (2 Songs)

• Semi Finals - 90 Sec (2 Songs)

• Finals - Full Songs (2 Song)

• Dancers must maintain proper spacing and distance throughout the entire dance. 

• Staggered spacing is required and must be maintained to allow everyone the opportunity for "dance space". 

• Variations must go with the flow of original dance choreography. 

• No Aerials Allowed 

• Aerial Definition - The dancer's feet may not leave the ground while the body is changing the plane of dance.

• No props

Line Dance Judging Criteria

All Categories Weighted Equally 

Timing - Line dance should be executed with proper stepsheet timing, variations must be on time with the music. 

Technique - Line dance should be executed with proper stepsheet technique, variations and stepsheet choreography should demonstrate good body mechanics, foot placements and articulation, arm engagement and facial expressions. 

Content - The styling and variations added to the stepsheet choreography. 

Showmanship - The overall performance of the dance.

Line Dance Choreography Guidelines

Choose Your Division

Low Division (Beginner/Improver): Accessible footwork and rhythms, limited tags and restarts, no phrasing.

High Division (Intermediate/Advanced): Challenging footwork and rhythms, unlimited tags, restarts, bridges, or skip starts. All phrased dances belong in this division.

Choose Your Music

Song Selection - Any genre or style is welcome.

Market Research - Be sure to research whether a dance already exists for your chosen song.

Remember: You’re choreographing for the social dance floor, so marketability matters.

Choreograph Your Dance

Build a dance that fits the song and your division level.

Consider structure, flow, and audience appeal.

Write Your Stepsheet

Format clearly with counts, directions, and tags/restars/phrasing (if applicable).

Have someone proofread it — this is encouraged, not cheating!

Record Your Videos

Demo Video: Perform your full dance from start to finish. Your entire body must be visible at all times.

Tutorial Video: Walk through the counts, steps, and phrasing. This is not a teaching video — it’s a clear walkthrough for judges familiar with line dance terminology.

Submit Your Materials

Create a new folder in the provided Google Drive.

Upload your demo video, tutorial video, and stepsheet to that folder.

Line Dance Choreography Judging Criteria

Step Flow & Creativity – How well the choreography connects, flows, and showcases originality.

Musicality – Effective use of rhythm, timing, and accents within the music.

Phrasing – How well the choreography aligns with the song’s structure and phrasing.

Marketability – The dance’s potential for social floor success and broad dancer appeal.

Stepsheet Accuracy – Clarity, correctness, and consistency of the written choreography.

Guide to Self Placement - Country Swing 

Beginner 

-The dancer is practicing the rotational basics of country swing and they are beginning to extend their patterns from 3 to 5 steps. 

-The dancer is using the basics of connection where the lead is guiding and the follower is listening. 

-The dancer is focusing on basic frame, arm & foot placement.

-The dancer is focusing on having a pleasant facial expression during the dance.

Intermediate

-The dancer has a firm foundation of the rotational basic foundation and mastery of 3 to 5 step patterns. The dancer is introducing slotted patterns into the dance. The dancer is starting to introduce speciality moves. 

-The dancer is beginning to explore the connection where the follower begins to add perspective to the dance and offers new connection points. The lead begins to listen for the followers perspective and help to work it into the dance. 

-The dancer is beginning to manipulate their frame and is adding in arm and footwork styling.

-The dancer is beginning to explore the use of facial expressions in the dance.

Advanced 

-The dancer has mastery of the slot and is now working on combining patterns and footwork with layers and levels to speciality moves.

-The dancers are manipulating and offering connection points throughout the dance to add in conversation. 

-The dancer is using changes in their frame, arm styling, and footwork to create lines and shapes. 

-The dance is exploring the use of facial expressions in dance to convey the dancer's emotions.

Country Swing Jack & Jill - Rules

• Dancer will enter under designated role - competing both designations lead & follow in the same level is not allowed. 

• Round Length

• Prelims - 90 Sec (3 Songs) 

• Semi Finals - 90 Sec (3 Songs) 

• Finals - Full Songs (3 Songs) 

• Dancers must maintain proper spacing and distance throughout the entire dance. 

• The rotational integrity of country swing must be present. 

• No Lifts Allowed - one foot must remain on the ground at all times.

• No Props

Country Swing Judging Criteria 

All Categories Weighted Equally 

Timing - The dance should go to the rhythm set forth by the music, either SSS or QQS throughout their basic rotational patterns. Timing may be manipulated during the dance but it must accentuate the underlying rhythm of the song.  

Technique - The dance should demonstrate - country swing with a rotational basic. Slotted patterns should last no longer than 16-24 counts before returning to rotational The dance should also demonstrate good body mechanics, foot placements and articulation, arm engagement and facial expressions. 

Content - The styling and variations added into the dance, including facial expressions.

Teamwork - The dance should demonstrate good communication between the partners in the dance through physical connection, spatial awareness, and eye contact. 

Showmanship - The overall performance of the dance. 

Country Swing Strictly - Rules

• Dancers will enter as a designated partnership, Lead and Follow 

• Prelims - 90 Sec (3 Songs) 

• Semi Finals - 90 Sec (3 Songs) 

• Finals - Full Songs (3 Songs) 

• Dancers must maintain proper spacing and distance throughout the entire dance. 

• Lifts Allowed - lifts must be done with proper safety and technique & dancers must be aware of their spacing when executing a lift. Beginner Level - lifts must remain below the waist

• No Props

A dancer may dance up a level in country swing strictly to dance with an individual in a higher level, but a dancer may not dance down a level in country swing strictly 

Country Swing Judging Criteria

All Categories Weighted Equally 

Timing - The dance should go to the rhythm set forth by the music, either SSS or QQS throughout their basic rotational patterns. Timing may be manipulated during the dance but it must accentuate the underlying rhythm of the song.  

Technique - The dance should demonstrate - country swing with a rotational basic. Slotted patterns should last no longer than 16-24 counts before returning to rotational. The dance should also demonstrate good body mechanics, foot placement and articulation, arm engagement and facial expressions. 

Content - The styling and variations added into the dance, including facial expressions.

Teamwork - The dance should demonstrate good communication between the partners in the dance through physical connection, spatial awareness, and eye contact. 

Showmanship - The overall performance of the dance.