Compete

Competitor Information

Everything you need to know before you step onto the championship floor — from who can enter to finding your exact division.

The Journey

Your Pathway to Success

Five simple steps from sign-up to the podium — all in one platform.

Find Your Division

Answer a couple of quick questions to lock in the division that's right for you.

Choose Your Categories

Tick eligible categories straight from your division reveal, adding to a running cart.

Register & Pay

Your cart carries forward into a secure checkout — pay for every entry in one place.

Stay Updated

Add the site to your home screen and receive announcements and schedule notifications.

Go for Gold!

Upload your music, check the schedule, self check-in, compete and view your results.

Divisions

Divisions run in a hierarchy — Novice, Amateur, Semi-Pro, Professional — with Youth and Masters sitting alongside. Read the definitions, then use Find Your Division to lock in yours.

Youth

17 or under on competition day. Has dedicated Youth categories. A 17-year-old may instead choose to compete in adult categories, but not both — that choice includes Semi-Pro. Youth dancers may always additionally enter Open Shines Teams.

Novice

Adult with under 24 months of lessons, OR first year competing anywhere in the world, in any style. Limited to Freestyle and Jack & Jill categories, but may also enter Open categories. May NOT enter Pro-Am.

Amateur

18+. Recreational only — no financial gain from dance activities, and not a regular teacher or preparer of classes.

Semi-Pro

18+. Regularly teaches or prepares classes (paid or not), OR receives dance-related income casually / part-time.

Professional

18+. The majority or all of their income comes from dance-related activities.

Masters (40+)

40+. Always eligible for Open categories. May additionally hold Amateur or Semi-Pro (not Professional) for Masters-specific categories.

Step 1 of the pathway

Find Your Division

Answer a couple of questions to lock in your division — then tick your categories below.

Age category

Competition Rules

The complete 2026 rulebook, with all this year's amendments applied. Please read carefully before entering, alongside the Terms & Conditions.

General Rules

Open to all NZ and International competitors.
Registration must be finalised by Friday 6 November 2026, 1:00pm — this includes the registration form, entry fee payment, and music submission for choreographed sections.
Choreography re-use (2026): a routine may be reused from a previous year, including at a different division level. The same routine may be used in a maximum of 2 entries in any given year.
Competitors may enter as many categories as they're eligible for, but only once per category — except Professional competitors in Pro-Am, who may enter multiple times with different Amateur partners (the Amateur may still only enter once per Pro-Am category). Competitors may also enter multiple Teams if representing different schools.
A minimum of 3 entries is required for a category to run; below that, the organiser reserves the right to merge it with another category, and will notify affected team leaders / competitors.
No props allowed — see Definitions below for what counts as a prop.

Music Rules & Requirements

Youth / Adult Solos & Duets: 1:10–1:30 minutes.
Adult Couples & Teams: 1:30–2:00 minutes.
Do not include your entrance or exit in your music cut. Take the floor before your track starts, and leave after it ends — your cut should contain only the music you dance to.
Tracks over/under these limits by up to 10 seconds: 5-point deduction, plus 1 point per further 10 seconds.
Remixed music is fine as long as the base rhythm and signature beat of the style stays clear and recognisable. No mixing dance styles within a routine except Showcase categories. Maximum 2 songs per music cut (Open Reggaeton Teams may use more).
Three things to do: (1) upload your music in the format specified via the registration platform, (2) label it clearly with your name/team and category, (3) bring a labelled USB backup with you on competition day.
Music submission deadline matches the registration deadline: Friday 6 November 2026, 1:00pm. Late or missing music forfeits the registration fee and category entry — no re-submissions after the deadline.

Definitions

Pro-Am: A Professional or Semi-Pro dancer partnered with an Amateur; only the Amateur is judged.; Note: Errors by the Professional or Semi-Professional that detract from the Amateur's performance may still result in point deductions.
Cabaret: Minimum 50% recognisable partner dancing; tricks and lifts allowed for the remainder. Max 8 bars / 32 beats / 4 counts of 8 for continuous turns (2pt deduction if exceeded). Consistent timing throughout.
Classic: Minimum 50% recognisable partner dancing; max 6 tricks, no lifts. One foot must stay on the floor at all times, even during tricks (2pt deduction if both feet leave the floor via partner assistance). Max 8 bars / 32 beats / 4 counts of 8 for continuous turns (2pt deduction if exceeded).
Trick: Any movement or position that requires a partner's support to execute or maintain, where at least one foot remains in contact with the floor. Consecutive tricks count as one trick only if they flow seamlessly, do not change direction, and occur within 2 counts of 8.
Lift: Any movement in which a dancer, with a partner's assistance, has both feet simultaneously off the floor. Consecutive lifts count as one lift only if they flow seamlessly, do not change direction, and occur within 2 counts of 8.
Prop: Any object that isn't part of the costume — including any costume piece that becomes detached, intentionally or not (e.g. jacket, hat, wig), whether it's the wearer's own or removed by a partner/teammate.

Freestyle Categories

These categories are judged by ranking only — there is no numeric score.

How you enter: With a partner.
How you are judged: By ranking only — no numeric score.
What judges look for: Lead/follow connection, timing, musicality, creativity, styling and grounded technique.
Music: Chosen by the organisers — two songs per round at different tempos, roughly 1:30–2:00 each.
On the floor: All couples dance at the same time and rotate position between songs.
Rounds: More than 6 couples triggers a Qualifier Round, with the top 6 progressing to Finals (overall placing = average of heat and final).
Deductions: The deductions table does not apply to these categories.
What is not allowed: No lifts; tricks and dips should be used sparingly. Individual shines are fine, but pre-choreographed sections are discouraged. Partners may not swap lead/follow roles mid-category.

Jack & Jill Categories

Everything in Freestyle above applies, except for the following.

How you enter: Solo — partners are randomly rotated.
How you are judged: By ranking only, with Leaders and Followers ranked separately per song.

Choreographed Categories — General

Performed one at a time to chosen music, meeting duration and genre requirements. No restriction on move combinations; shines and tricks permitted for partnered categories per the Classic/Cabaret definitions above. Costume malfunctions are deducted per the tiered system in the Deductions table on the Judging Info page.

Salsa

Must be 100% recognisable Salsa dancing (2pt deduction if not met).
Chosen rhythm (On1/On2) must stay consistent — musicality-driven break-step variation is fine as long as it returns to the main break step; inconsistency costs 2 points.
Afro/Rumba content capped at 40% of the routine (raised from 30% for 2026), 2pt deduction if exceeded.

Bachata

Must be 100% recognisable as Bachata, clearly reflecting the chosen style (Dominican, Modern, Sensual, Fusion).
Other-genre elements are fine up to 30% of the routine, for musical interpretation only, always returning to the main rhythm.

Latin (Cha-Cha, Reggaeton, Samba, Kizomba, Zouk, etc)

Must show a minimum of 70% traditional style representation for whichever music style is playing at the time — judged section by section, not across the routine as a whole (new 2026 rule, 2pt deduction if not met). A routine set to half Salsa and half Bachata therefore meets the rule as long as the Salsa half is danced as Salsa and the Bachata half as Bachata.
Styles within a genre may be mixed (e.g. Fusion and Urban Kiz within a Kizomba routine).
Salsa and Bachata are not excluded from Latin. They may appear in a Latin routine, on their own or mixed with each other or with other Latin genres. What a Latin routine cannot be is 100% Salsa or 100% Bachata — a routine that is entirely one of those belongs in that style's own categories.

Category-Specific Rules

Duets (all styles): up to 3 connected/assisted moves, each within 2 counts of 8. Simultaneous/group moves within that window count as one. Exceeding 3 moves, or exceeding the time window, is a 2pt deduction each.
Couples (all styles): Classic or Cabaret format. Minimum 50% recognisable partner dancing (raised from a 30%-shines cap for 2026 — same rule, opposite framing: up to 50% may now be shines/tricks/dips/flares); 2pt deduction if not met.
Shines Teams (all styles): Youth 17-year-olds may compete but shouldn't exceed 30% of team members, and are judged the same as adults. Same connected-move limits as Duets (3 moves, 2 counts of 8 each, 2pt deduction each if exceeded). Minimum 3 members per team; a school may field more than one team only with a completely different roster per routine.
Couples Teams (all styles): Classic or Cabaret format, minimum 3 couples per team (1 leader + 1 follower = 1 couple), performed lead/follow. Same multi-team-per-school rule as above.
Tango Freestyle & Jack & Jill: judged as social tango, with their own rules — see the Tango section below.

Tango Freestyle & Jack & Jill — Lead and Follow Challenge

Partnership requirements

Each competing partnership must consist of one Leader and one Follower. Competitors of any gender may perform either role. Once the competition begins, each dancer must remain in their nominated role for the entirety of the category.

Competition format

Competitors dance three pre-selected recorded tango pieces chosen by the organisers.

Dance style and floorcraft

These categories are judged as social tango. The essence of the category lies in improvisation, the embrace and the connection between partners, rather than choreographed performance. Throughout each round couples must circulate as they would at a traditional social milonga, maintaining a continuous counterclockwise line of dance without moving backwards against the flow. Competitors are expected to share the floor responsibly, respecting the space of surrounding couples and contributing to smooth, uninterrupted movement.

The embrace

After taking the embrace at the beginning of a musical piece, partners must remain connected until the music ends. A correct embrace requires one partner's body to remain continuously within the other's embrace, although the embrace may naturally expand or become more elastic when particular movements require it.

Permitted figures

All movements must be performed within the couple's own dancing space and must never obstruct or endanger nearby couples. Competitors may incorporate any figures commonly recognised as part of traditional social tango — barridas, sacadas al piso, enrosques, lápices, ganchos, boleos and other customary movements, together with appropriate adornments — provided they are executed without invading another couple's space or disrupting the flow of the ronda.

Not permitted

Jumps of any kind.
Figures in which both feet leave the floor simultaneously.
Choreographic movements or theatrical elements associated with Tango Escenario.

Judging criteria

Judges assess each couple primarily on the quality and authenticity of their interpretation of social tango, taking into account:

Musicality.
Navigation and floorcraft.
Interpretation of the different tango music styles.
Quality of the embrace.
Communication and connection between partners.
The couple's individual expression, and their ability to adapt dynamics, timing and energy in response to the music while remaining faithful to its character.

Presentation

Clothing does not form part of the judging criteria, but competitors are expected to present themselves tidily and appropriately. When choosing attire, hairstyle and makeup, remember that social tango represents the elegance of a social dance environment rather than a theatrical stage production.

Footwear

There is no requirement for dancers to wear heels, and no minimum heel height. However, where competitors elect to compete with no, or low heels, it may impact the Difficulty score.
Dance shoes — footwear made or suitable for dancing, with a secure fit, a sole that lets you turn and slide, and nothing likely to come off mid-routine — are recommended.
Footwear that doesn't suit the style you are dancing may impact the Overall Presentation score.
There is no footwear deduction.

Code of Conduct, Terms & Conditions

NZLDC aims to be positive, family-friendly, safe and inclusive. Breaches of these rules may result in disqualification and forfeiture of fees and any prizes.
Any harassment — verbal, physical or sexual — results in immediate disqualification and removal from the venue.
Moves depicting or implying violence, sexual assault or degradation are not permitted and will be penalised or result in disqualification.
Costumes must fully cover personal anatomy and suit a family audience; Youth division costumes must be age-appropriate.
Judges' decisions are final. Disputes are resolved by the Competition Director and Head Judge together.
Registration fees and spectator tickets are non-refundable for no-shows, illness, missed flights, change of mind, withdrawal, or forfeiture due to a rules breach. Nothing in these rules limits rights that cannot be excluded under New Zealand consumer law — see the Terms & Conditions for how refunds work if the event itself is cancelled or postponed.
By attending, competitors and spectators grant NZLDC permission to capture and publish photo/video from the event for promotional, editorial or commercial use, at no cost and without further consent required.