Quick Facts
- WSDC Registry EventAll Jack & Jill contests award WSDC points.
- Who CompetesEvery Novice through Champion attendee competes in a skill-based Jack & Jill. Newcomers can compete with a Sunday Pass.
- Included In Your PassOne skill-based Jack & Jill entry comes with every Full Weekend Pass.
- Add-On Contests$25 per person, or $50 per couple for Strictly Swing and Pro-Am Spotlights.
- Entry DeadlineEntries close 1 hour before each contest starts.
- PetitionsPetitions to dance up a level are due to the WSDC by February 11, 2027.
- DatesFriday, February 26 to Sunday, February 28, 2027 at Danznik Studios.
Divisions
Compete in up to 5 types of contests. Your Full Weekend Pass includes your skill-based Jack & Jill. Everything else is an add-on you can enter when you register or at the event.
$0 included in your pass
- Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, All-Star, and Champions divisions
- Solo entry; partners and music are drawn at random
- Add a second entry in your opposite role for $25, on-site, if your division’s target capacity is not met
- Newcomer Jack & Jill is $25 with a Sunday Pass
$25 per entry
- Any dancer age 35 and up may enter
- Solo entry with random partners, WSDC Sophisticated points awarded
$50 per couple
- Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and All-Star divisions
- Your division is set by the higher partner’s WSDC level in the role they dance
- Enter more than one Strictly, with a different partner each time
$50 per couple
- Amateurs are Newcomer through Advanced dancers; All-Stars, Champions, and working pros count as Professionals
- 2 to 3 minute routine, at least 50% swing
- Each Professional may dance with up to five Amateurs
$25 per entry
- Solo entry, open to all levels
- Prelims judged as couples with a random partner
- Finals run as an elimination tournament with a new partner
- Just for fun: no WSDC points
Eligibility
Who can compete
Anyone 18 or older with the right pass. Novice through Champion dancers attend the full weekend on a Full Weekend Pass and compete in a skill-based Jack & Jill. Anyone can attend Sunday with a Sunday Pass, where the Newcomer Jack & Jill is an optional add-on for Newcomers.
Division eligibility
Your WSDC points (Chart 3 of the WSDC Registry Event Rules) determine your Jack & Jill division. For an opposite-role entry, Chart 4, the Secondary Role Advancement Chart, applies instead. Look up your points on the WSDC Points Registry. We strongly recommend Novice competitors have at least 1 Newcomer point or prior West Coast Swing competition experience.
Partner requirements
None for the Jack & Jills or the Rat Race: partners are drawn at random. Strictly and Pro-Am Spotlights are entered with a partner of your choice. Strictly partners may not dance together in more than one Strictly contest or in Pro-Am Spotlights.
Age requirements
The Sophisticated Jack & Jill is for dancers 35 and up. No other contest has an age division, and all attendees must be 18 or older.
Petitioning up or down
To dance up a level, petition the WSDC Chief Judges Committee by February 11, 2027. To dance down one division, get the Chief Judge’s approval at least 24 hours before the event starts. Full details in the Event Rules.
Fees
All Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, All-Star, and Champion attendees on a Full Weekend Pass must compete, and your entry into one skill-based Jack & Jill contest is included in your pass.
All additional contest entries are $25 per person, or $50 per couple for Strictly Swing and Pro-Am Spotlights.
- Skill-based Jack & JillIncluded with every Full Weekend Pass$0
- Second Jack & Jill, opposite roleAdded on-site if your division’s target capacity is not met$25
- Newcomer Jack & JillWith a Sunday Pass$25
- Sophisticated Jack & JillDancers 35 and up$25
- Strictly SwingPer couple, Novice through All-Star$50
- Pro-Am SpotlightsPer couple$50
- New York Rat RacePer entry, all levels$25
Jack & Jill, Strictly, and Rat Race winners take home cash prizes: $50, $40, and $30 per person for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place (Awards & Prizes).
Contest add-on fees are not refundable except when NYFF cancels a contest. A Registration Fee that covers card payment processing is added at checkout. Pass prices, refunds, and transfers live on Passes & Pricing.
Format & Judging
How Jack & Jill contests work
Enter solo and draw a random partner for each round. Depending on entries, your division may run prelims and semi-finals before the final. Partner draws and music are random and unbiased; see Random Pairing for how we protect the draw.
How Strictly Swing contests work
Enter with a partner of your choice and dance together in every round. Depending on entries, there may be prelims and semi-finals before the final. Role switching is not permitted.
Judging criteria
Jack & Jill and Strictly contests are scored by a panel of judges led by a Chief Judge, using computer scoring. In prelims and semis, judges call back their picks for the next round with the WSDC Callback system. Finals are placed with Relative Placement. Full results and score reports are posted to the Results Archive within 3 days of the event.
Callbacks, prelims & finals
Whether your division runs prelims depends on entries. To keep contests balanced, each skill-based Jack & Jill has a per-role target: 42 in Novice and Intermediate, 30 in Advanced, 22 in All-Star, 12 in Champion, and 25 in Newcomer. These are targets, not strict caps. Prelims and semis use at least four judges per role; finals use at least five plus the Chief Judge, always an odd number for Relative Placement.
Music, tempo & heat expectations
Our DJs pick the songs, and every draw is random: expect contemporary and swing & blues at danceable tempos. Prelims run in heats of several couples; finals formats are announced by the emcee. Drops, leans, and other weight-supported moves are allowed only if both partners keep one foot on the floor (Champions are exempt in Jack & Jill).
Role selection
Compete as a leader or a follower. Your role is your choice at registration and tied to your Full Weekend Pass role. Your WSDC level can differ by role: your primary role uses Chart 3 and your secondary role uses Chart 4 of the WSDC Rules. Dance your opposite role via the second Jack & Jill add-on, a Strictly, or the Rat Race.
Competitor Schedule
The full 2027 schedule is not posted yet; contest times will be published on the Schedule page.
- Friday: check-in, leveled workshops and intensives, then the Advanced Strictly and All-Star Strictly before the evening social.
- Saturday: competitor warm-ups and judge Q&As, Jack & Jill prelims and finals for Novice through Champion, with the Advanced, All-Star, and Champions finals at night.
- Sunday: Newcomer Jack & Jill, Sophisticated Jack & Jill, Novice and Intermediate Strictly, Pro-Am Spotlights, and the New York Rat Race to close the weekend.
Entries close 1 hour before each contest starts, and marshaling matters: arrive no later than 15 minutes into your contest’s marshaling block or you may be scratched.
Curious how the weekend flows? Browse the 2026 schedule.
Rules & Policies
The Event Rules are the source of truth for every contest. The short version:
- Competitors agree to follow the Event Rules and the Code of Conduct.
- Contest add-on fees are not refundable except when NYFF cancels a contest. Pass refunds and transfers are covered on Passes & Pricing.
- Attending NYFF grants use of your name and likeness in event photos and videos (General Rules).
- Full results, placements, and score reports are posted to the Results Archive within 3 days of the event.
Jump straight to a section: Jack & Jill, Strictly, New York Rat Race, Pro-Am Spotlights, Random Pairing, Awards & Prizes.
FAQ
Do I need a full weekend pass to compete?
Novice through Champion dancers compete in their Jack & Jill with a Full Weekend Pass. With a Sunday Pass, you can enter the Sunday contests: the Newcomer Jack & Jill, Sophisticated Jack & Jill, Novice or Intermediate Strictly, Pro-Am Spotlights, and the New York Rat Race.
Can I enter more than one contest?
Yes. Beyond your included Jack & Jill you can add the Sophisticated Jack & Jill, Strictly contests, Pro-Am Spotlights, the New York Rat Race, and a second Jack & Jill in your opposite role (added on-site if your division’s target capacity is not met).
Do I need a partner?
No. Jack & Jill and Rat Race partners are drawn at random. You only need a partner of your choice for Strictly and Pro-Am Spotlights.
Can I change divisions later?
Your Jack & Jill division is determined by your WSDC points, so it changes only by qualifying for a new division or by petition: up through the WSDC Chief Judges Committee by February 11, 2027, or down one division with the Chief Judge’s approval at least 24 hours before the event. If your level changes after you register, we adjust your pass to match.
What happens if my division fills up?
Division sizes are targets, not strict caps: 42 per role in Novice and Intermediate, 30 in Advanced, 22 in All-Star, and 12 in Champion. Second opposite-role entries are first come, first served and pause once a division reaches its target. Pass availability is separate; see Passes & Pricing for live availability.
What if I’m unsure of my WSDC level?
Look up your points on the WSDC Points Registry and check Chart 3 of the WSDC Registry Event Rules. No points in either role? We encourage the Newcomer Jack & Jill. Still unsure? Contact us if you need help determining your level.
When do contest entries close?
1 hour before each contest’s scheduled start time. Second opposite-role Jack & Jill entries are added in person during the weekend while capacity lasts.