All spectators must pay at the door on the day of competition according to the following rates:
Students with ID from any school/campus: $10
Non-students: $15
The admission fee permits unlimited entrances and exits to and from the event area for the duration of the competition.
A limited number of housing spaces are available with UCBD members for out-of-town teams. These spaces usually take the form of a couch, futon, or floor and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. To request housing, please contact the Competition Coordinator at competition@ucbd.org as soon as possible.
All non-UCBD competitors must sign a “Facility Waiver” on the day of the competition during check-in. Competitors who fail to sign this form will not be permitted to compete. The submission of these forms by required by the UC Berkeley Recreational Sport Department.
The UC Berkeley Ballroom Beginners' Competition is restricted to amateur ballroom dancers. Although collegiate in nature, this competition is open to all amateur level ballroom competitors. However, due to logistical considerations, there will be no age categories (i.e., no Pre-Teen, Junior, Youth, or Senior categories).
All events are closed syllabus and will be strictly invigilated. In other words, any figure in a syllabus routine can only be at the level of the event or in any level below.
For International syllabus events, please reference the ISTD or DVIDA listings. A comprehensive list of both ISTD and USISTD syllabus listings can be found here.
The Invigilator shall be responsible for all decisions regarding syllabus infractions. In the event of an infraction in an event that is not a final round, the offending couple will be called to the head table and be given a warning. Couples committing an infraction in the final round of any event (even those events with just a final round) will be automatically disqualified. The Invigilator’s decisions regarding syllabus infractions will be final.
The Chairperson of the Judges (or Head Judge) shall be responsible for overseeing the judging panel and shall be responsible for decisions regarding any problems with marking, ties, or adjudication decisions. The Chairperson’s decision shall be final.
All competitors are allowed to dance at one’s proficiency level and the level above for each style.
All events are single-dance events.
All shoes worn by competitors must not have the capacity to damage or alter fundamental characteristics of the floor. In particular, shoes should be non-marking and non-gouging. Shoes with suede soles (i.e. actual ballroom dance shoes) are naturally recommended but not required as we recognize that not all dancers are willing to invest in a set of ballroom dance shoes.
All ladies’ shoes must have heel protectors. Heel protectors can take on a variety of forms – clear plastic covers, suede taped to the heel, etc. Suede heel protectors will be for sale at the registration table for $3 per pair.
All competitors should note that at no time are they allowed to apply powder, oil, or other dance aids to their shoes in an attempt to alter the coefficient of static and kinetic friction between their shoe’s soles and the floor. Dance aids on the shoes will transfer to the floor and over the course of a competition will seep and become ingrained into the floor, making it unsuitable for dancing and other activities. Please familiarize yourself with this policy to avoid the frustration of getting pulled from an event due to a shoe policy infraction.
Absolutely no food or drinks inside the gymnasium. The only exception is water in spill-proof containers. This policy is strictly enforced by the UC Berkeley Recreational Sport Department – violation of this rule could prevent the UCBD from hosting another ballroom dance competition. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
UCBD is not liable for any injuries that may occur during the course of this event. All persons at this event compete/attend at their own risk.
UCBD is not responsible for any property that is stolen or damaged during the course of this event. All participants/attendees are responsible for their own belongings.
UCBD reserves the right to cancel any events and/or change the schedule at any time.
Competitors and spectators should be aware that during the course of competition, anyone in the ballroom may be photographed or videotaped by any variety of people for private or public viewing. Everyone attending this competition hereby consents to be photographed or videotaped by their attendance at the competition.