World Salsa Championship India Qualifiers, Bangalore - August 15, 2008

We are delighted to announce the World Salsa Championship Qualifier for the very first time to be hosted in India. This event will give an opportunity to the best salsa dancing couples from across the country to showcase their talent at Third India International Salsa congress and compete to earn the prestigious right to represent India at the World Salsa Championships 2008.

We would like to thank Albert Torres and The Salsa Seven Inc. for associating with us and giving the Indian Salsa Community this great opportunity.

This Competition is only open to Indian Nationals.

Registration:

• Fee: Rs. 3900 (100 USD)
• The last date for registration and payment of Fees is June 30th.

NOTE:

• Due to availability of limited time slots we would not be in a position to accept any registrations beyond June 30th under any circumstances.
• The management reserves the right to refuse registration and is not liable to disclose the reasons for such refusal, any decision taken by management regarding registration would be final and binding on the applicants
• The registration fees is not refundable under any circumstances
• The registration fee only ensures your participation in the competition, for details about the charges for other events at the congress, please refer to "Fees and Registration" section

CATEGORIES
We will be having only one competition where contestants can choose to dance in the on '1' style or the on '2' style . We will not be having a separate 'Cabaret ' category and Team Division. In the competition couples dancing in the on '1' style will be be competing against couples dancing in the on '2' style. The competition will be judged by an elite panel of judges who will declare one couple as winners, and that talented couple will get a chance to represent India at the World Salsa Championships 2008 and will have their airfares covered by LVDS and their Accomodation will be taken care of courtesy Albert Torres and the Salsa
Seven.

RULES:
Please note there will be no lifts allowed in this contest. At any point of time During the performance if both feet are lifted of the floor the couple will be Disqualified. Also tricks are defined as any move which the leader or Follower takes leverage or an impulse to execute a certain move which he or She would have otherwise been unable to execute without the leverage or Impulse and also maintains contact or support through the entire move. If you have more tricks, dips or flares than are necessary than you scores Will be subjected to negative marking. If you have any questions please do mail us at richard@indiasalsa.com

PRELIMINARY ROUNDS
Preliminary warm up rounds for the competition are 1.5 - 2.0 minutes and competitors will dance to the DJ's pre selected music. Each couple will then perform a routine no longer than two minutes that they have choreographed to their own music. The routine cannot go over two minutes. We will have a time keeper for each routine. If routine is longer than two minutes the team or couples will be deducted percentage points for each second over two minutes. No changing of partners can occur after you have entered the preliminary rounds.

MUSIC & CD

• Music should be 100% salsa. You are allowed to mix no more than 3 different songs or 3 mixes in one routine.
• Reminder: A Maximum Of 3 Songs Per Routine Can Be Mixed Into Your Routine.
• All dancers are required to bring their own two-minute or less pre-recorded music on a CD format. Only music of one performance is allowed on each CD. Please make 2 copies of your performance. Also make sure each CD is of a different brand
• The DJ will not slow down or speed up your CD. Please protect your CD's by having covers for each one. Also please identify your cd by putting your name, name of song, artist name, name of record company and author of song and length of each song on the cd. This is very important.

COSTUMES & DANCE ETIQUETTE
Contestants are encouraged to wear costumes or matching outfits. We strongly suggest that jeans are not used as costumes and that ladies wearing dresses or skirts wear nylons or fishnets.

Suggestion: Gentlemen wear socks with your costumes when wearing long pants.
Contestants will show etiquette during contest by refraining from distracting others while competing couples are performing.

JUDGING CRITERIA
Choreographed Routines Will Be Judged By The Following Criteria:

• Timing 40% - - Was correct rhythm maintained throughout the routine?
  Were syncopations deliberate and within the acceptable deviations of timing for the dance? As you can notice by the guidelines, the judges will be looking closely to the timing of the contestants. This criteria alone represents 40% of the overall score. Contestants will be judged from the moment they are on the dance floor whether it be the warm up period or the choreographed routine.
• We will not deduct points if you are dancing "On 1" and return by breaking "On 5". The same if you are dancing on " 2" and return by breaking on "6 ". If you were to return on any other beat than that mentioned you will be deducted points. The Head Judge, will make this decision depending how many times the infraction occurs in the routine and will determine the amount of points deducted.
• Be aware that you may look great and do some great steps and even do moves that the crowd will love, but if your timing is not consistent to your selected division, you will be deducted between 10% - 40% of your score.
• Technique 10% - Reflected through balance, placement and line. Partners must reflect adequate "Latin/Salsa Motion" and "Isolations" as designated by the dance style. Movement should appear to be effortless. These are all reflections of good dance technique.
• Difficulty 10% - What was the level of the turns utilized? The amount of turns both double and single foot? By both parties or only one? How intricate were the shines? In the cabaret division, what was the difficulty of the lift-work? Was it properly executed? How about jumps, kicks?
  Any movements requiring exceptional balance, flexibility or strength? Were all movements attempted successfully executed?

Difficulty can be ranked as follows for On-1 and On-2:

• A Level: Basic movement, no single footed turns, no multiple turns, no single leg balance elements, no splits, dips etc…. 0-5.9
• B Level: Silver level salsa patterns, double turns, single pirouettes or variations of such, basic syncopations or shine movements, Basic Dips 6.0 - 7.9
• C Level: Multiple Touch and Go Spot Turns, Intricate Multi-Level Hand Changes in Patterns, Single Leg Independent Balance Elements, Intricate Syncopations and Movement for Shine Patterns and Choreography, Intricate Dips or Flairs that do not leave the floor 8.0 -10.0.

Connection / Partnering Skills 10% - How well did the couple work together as a team? Was there an actual Lead/Follow relationship established? How synchronized was the team during side-by-side movement or shines?

Choreography/Originality 10% - How well put together was the performance? Did the routine flow easily from one movement to the next? Was there something clever or new that was part of the routine? Was musical was it?

Appearance and Showmanship 10% - How professional and polished did the team appear to be? Did they project to the audience and capture their attention?

Heat 10% - 10% of the couples score will reflect how they performed in a pure Lead/Follow heated format, ensuring that dancers truly possess knowledge of the dance.

Infractions

• Minor balance error should take 1-3 points off technique (each time)
• Minor mis-connect should take 1-3 points off connection (each time)
• Major fall should take 5 points off of technique (each time)
• Major misconnect for more than 2 8-'s should take 5 points off connection (each time)
• All decisions are final and are to be determined by the Scrutinizer and Head Judge

Disqualifying Infractions
In the "On 1" & "On 2" categories, no move in which both feet leave the ground at the same time will be permitted, including any move above the shoulder will not be allowed. If at any time for either dancer, if both feet leave the ground, points will be deducted. If ANY part of the body of either dancer goes above the partners shoulders, the couple will be disqualified with no refund.

Couple or team will be disqualified if any contestant is under the age of 16 years old on dates of competitions. Each participant will need to bring proof of age upon request. They will also not be allowed to re-enter under this or any other division during this particular qualifying contest. They can enter another qualifying contest in the future by registering and paying the entry fee for that particular event.

Disclaimer:

Competitors should have no objection to the promoters/Organizers of the 3rd India International Salsa Congress and the ESPN World Salsa Championship - India Qualifiers in using pictures and videos of them in all promotional and campaigning activites in any medium or form. Competitors should also not hold any one liable of any injuries caused to them during the Competition/Event.