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43-486: The UCWDC is based on a framework of event directors, who are owners of regional dance-competition events in cities around the world. The event directors are overseen by a board of directors. The board of directors governs the overall organization and maintains a standard of operations, uniform competition format, judging, scoring and comprehensive rules, adhered to by dancesport competitors. These dancesport participants compete at authorized regional dance competitions during

86-546: A gymnastics floor , which is constructed by layering a standard surface over cushioning foam and spring floor. Whereas gymnasts perform barefoot and rely on the standard gymnastics floor for traction and cushioning, acro dancers seldom dance barefoot, instead depending on footwear such as acro shoes or foot thongs to provide the necessary traction and cushioning. All of the most common types of acro footwear provide both traction and cushioning. In addition, acro performance surfaces are frequently rough, so acro footwear must protect

129-515: A current UCWDC associate membership. Dancesport contestants may register in couples, line dance, teams, ProAm, ProPro, cabaret or showtime competition divisions. These divisions are divided by skill level and by age. Dancesport competition occurs via a system of “heats”. As a heat begins, contestants enter the floor from a staging area, take positions, a deejay plays music and the contestants perform. UCWDC couples, ProAm, and ProPro may compete in as many as eight country/western dances which are danced in

172-461: A dance level commensurate with their skill abilities and/or qualifications. Dancers may choose to compete in Classic style or Showcase style. In Classic, the competitors do not know which song the deejay will choose for them. In Showcase, couples choreograph routines to specific songs. Dance levels: Couples divisions are also organized by age ProAm couples are a dance partnership formed between

215-453: A dance routine—which is the design of movement and flow of steps in the routine—is copyrightable. Consequently, video recording is often prohibited at dance competitions in order to steer clear of copyright infringement issues. Nowadays, most competition companies tahke photos and videos for dance schools. When no professional videographer is available, competition production companies will sometimes permit each attending dance school to designate

258-587: A dancer's feet may strike the floor at high velocity . Cushioning is especially important when a Marley floor is unavailable, because uncovered performance surfaces have no cushioning whatsoever and thus may be extremely hard and unyielding. Acro dancers most often wear jazz dance shoes , which are commonly referred to as acro shoes by acro dancers. Acro shoes are called jazz boots , jazz ankle boots , jazz booties and other names, by their various manufacturers. They are typically laceless, slip-on shoes, with tight-fitting leather uppers that are designed to prevent

301-586: A professional dancer and a student. In general, the student pays the professional to dance with them in competition. ProPro couples are made up of two professional dancers, one of which is generally the senior instructor and the other, a professional who is the "student". The students wear a number pinned to their back. In UCWDC ProAm or ProPro competition, student dancers compete at a dance level commensurate with their skill abilities and/or qualifications. Dance levels: ProAm or ProPro divisions are also organized by age Competitive dance Competitive dance

344-452: A program for judge training and certification in order to establish uniformity and credibility. Potential candidates for this training must pay fees for training, adhere to a code of conduct, and maintain currency as a UCWDC adjudicator. The Vice President of Rules oversees UCWDC-certified judges, maintains a list (or "pool") of qualified judges and establishes standards for judging methodology. Competitors at UCWDC events are required to have

387-535: A recorded video of the performance with the judges notes on top. Some competitions also provide live critiques, though this practice is rare. Once the dancers are finished performing they will remain on stage while the judges give the dancers their critiques in person. Dance competitions became more known to the public after the debut of the television show Dance Moms . Dance Moms featured a competitive dance studio and its dancers as these dancers attended regional and national competitions. Acro dance Acro dance

430-620: A variety of forms, and consequently no individual performer has been cited as its originator. Sherman Coates (1872–1912), who performed with the Watermelon Trust from 1900 to 1914, was recalled by fellow dancers as the first acrobatic dancer they had ever seen. Another of the earliest documented acrobatic dance performers was Tommy Woods, who became well known for his slow-motion acrobatic dance in Shuffle Along , in which he would execute acrobatic movements precisely in time with

473-562: A videographer to record performances of students from that school. Unlike videography, still photography does not infringe copyrighted choreography. Because of this, many competition production companies permit photography at their competitions. Virtually all competitions prohibit flash photography, however, both for the safety of performers and to prevent undesirable distractions. Some competition production companies employ professional photographers to capture and sell photographs of dance performances. In such cases, photography by audience members

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516-937: Is a popular, widespread sport in which competitors perform dances in any of several permitted dance styles—such as acro , ballet , contemporary , jazz , hip-hop , lyrical , modern , musical theatre , tap , and improv —before a common group of judges. This is in contrast with other activities that involve competition among dancers based on purpose, or specific dance styles or genres, such as pom squad and dancesport (competitive ballroom dance ). The competitive dance industry largely consists of competition production companies —also sometimes called dance competition companies and dance competition lines —that conduct regional competitions at stops along their annual, nationwide tours. Dancers who compete at these regional competitions are students ranging in age from approximately five to eighteen years old. After competing regionally, qualifying routines and studios go on to compete nationally towards

559-423: Is a style of dance that combines classical dance technique with acrobatic elements. It is defined by its athletic character, its unique choreography , which blends dance and acrobatics, and its use of acrobatics in a dance context. It is a popular dance style in amateur competitive dance as well as in professional dance theater and in contemporary circus productions such as those by Cirque du Soleil . This

602-654: Is an especially challenging dance style for dancers as it requires them to be trained in both dance and acrobatic skills. Acrobatic dance emerged in the United States and Canada in the early 1900s, as one of the types of acts performed in vaudeville . Although individual dance and acrobatic acts had been performed in vaudeville for several decades prior to 1900, it was not until the early 1900s that it became popular to perform acts that combined dance and acrobatic movements. Acrobatic dance did not suddenly appear in vaudeville; rather, it appeared gradually over time in

645-975: Is common for judges to issue a maximum of 100 points each, at least one company implements a system in which judges may issue up to 200 points, based on the rationale that such a scoring system is similar to that employed in public schools. Although scoring at dance competitions vary, judges usually give scores based on score technique, performance, costume, music, and difficulty level of the performance. Each competition's ranks are different. The performances are usually ranked within each dance category. Most competitions have opportunities for dancers to win title positions. Titles include Mr. and Miss Dance for petites (ages commonly 8 & under), juniors (ages 9-11), teens (12-14), and seniors (15-19). These competitions normally include dancers who choose to pay an extra fee to run for title. Dance competitions are organized and conducted by independent competition production companies. In 2007 there were at least 150 such companies operating in

688-438: Is in contrast to acrobatic , artistic and rhythmic gymnastics , which are sports that employ dance elements in a gymnastics context under the auspices of a governing gymnastics organization (such as FIG ) and subject to a Code of Points . Acro dance is known by various other names including acrobatic dance and gymnastic dance , though it is most commonly referred to simply as acro by dancers and dance professionals. Acro

731-541: Is not uncommon for two regional tours to be visiting the same metropolitan area at the same time. Dances and performers typically are categorized in various ways so as to create different competitive divisions. These categories are not standardized, and may vary significantly from one competition to another: These divisions are intended to ensure that dancers will compete against others of the same age and experience, and similarly sized groups, and thus avoid unfair comparisons (e.g., beginner vs. advanced). The choreography of

774-411: Is performing tricks, as loss of control can lead to serious injury. Aside from the safety aspect, form-fitting clothing also helps to expose a dancer's body lines, which can add significantly to the visual impact of an acro dance performance. Competitive acro dancers frequently wear costumes when performing at dance competitions. Acro costumes often have loose fabric pieces such as short skirts , but

817-421: Is the integration of ballet technique as the foundation for dance movements, thus bringing into acro dance a precision of form and movement that was absent in vaudeville acrobatic dance. Also, vaudeville acrobatic dances were often little more than acrobatics set to music, whereas modern acro dance is fundamentally dance, with its acrobatic movements performed in a dance context. A defining characteristic of acro

860-718: Is the smooth, graceful transitions between dance and acrobatic movements. Also, a dance must have a significant percentage of dance movement, with respect to its acrobatic content, in order for it to be categorized as acro. For example, a gymnastics floor exercise is not considered to be acro because it has little or no dance movement compared to its acrobatic content, and also because it lacks smooth transitions between dance and gymnastic movements. Also, acro does not employ supporting apparatus such as those used in acrobatic gymnastics. The dance movements in acro are founded in ballet , jazz , lyrical and modern dance styles. Acro dance movements are not restricted to these dance styles, but

903-408: Is typically prohibited so as to provide an exclusive market for the official photographers. At the end of a competition, studio owners collect a packet of judges' critiques. Inside the envelope will include handwritten judges scoresheets with detailed corrections and notes for each routine. In some cases, competition companies may email audio critiques to the studio owner. These audio critiques provide

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946-400: Is usually edited to conform to such time limits. There is no industry-wide standard for scoring, but awards are typically awarded in this order: Bronze, High Bronze, Silver, High Silver, Gold, High Gold, Platinum, High Platinum, and Diamond. The maximum number of points issued by each judge, as well as the maximum possible final score, varies among competition production companies. Although it

989-966: The Grizzly Rose in Denver , Colorado , the Lone Star Cafe in New York City , New York and the Wrangler’s Roost in San Diego , California . A new dance craze began in the United States and with it, the rise of country/western dance competitions. In 1989, a group of 21 country/western dance-event owners met in Grantville, Pennsylvania with the goal of creating a national organization with uniform rules, teaching canon, judging, dance standards and competition formats. Prior to

1032-564: The United States and Canada alone. Competition production companies move from one metropolitan area to another, stopping for a few days in each area to conduct a regional competition. By touring in this manner, these companies are able to generate profits while at the same time enabling significant numbers of dancers to attend local competitions. Some companies also conduct one or more national competitions after their regional tours have ended. The competitive dance industry has no oversight body or standards organization, although at least one effort

1075-404: The bottom of the foot from skin abrasion. Abrasion protection is particularly important on the ball of the foot, which is subjected to a great deal of friction during dance turns and leaps. Traction is essential to prevent lateral slipping that could result in dangerous falls to the hard floor. Cushioning serves to soften the impact when performing tricks such as tucks and layouts, in which

1118-421: The complete absence of these styles will typically cause a dance to be categorized as something other than acro (e.g., breakdance ). The acrobatic movements and acts of balance performed in an acro dance are referred to as tricks . A variety of tricks are commonly performed in acro dance, varying widely in complexity and the skills required to perform them. Aside from the obvious requirement that dancers possess

1161-483: The creation of the UCWDC, country/western dance events had differing formats and rules. The UCWDC created a uniform structure. The UCWDC Country Dance World Championships, popularly referred to as "Worlds", is an annual competition which awards country/western world dancesport championship titles to individuals, couples, and dance teams from around the globe. Worlds has been held every year, since its inception in 1993, with

1204-665: The dance season, beginning in January and ending in December of any given year. After attending a required minimum number of dance events, dancers are able to establish eligibility for attending the UCWDC Country Dance World Championships at the end of the year. The UCWDC was established in 1989 and was incorporated in 1990 as a non-profit organization in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania . In 1980,

1247-412: The dancer's feet from shifting inside the shoes. Because of their thin, pliable leather uppers and split soles, acro shoes have excellent flexibility, thus enabling dancers to attain both good dance form and acrobatic control. The sole is made of soft, composite rubber so as to provide both high traction and cushioning, and it provides excellent protection from skin abrasion as it covers the entire bottom of

1290-490: The dancer's head. Acro dance is not uniformly defined within the competitive dance industry . Some dance competition companies require an acro routine to have a minimum of four or five tricks with at most fifty percent acrobatic content. Other companies require an acro routine to have exactly, or more than, fifty percent acrobatic content. Also, at some competitions an acro dance may fit into an explicitly defined "acro dance" performance category, while at others it may fall into

1333-411: The dancers follow rigorous schedules. Twelve hour or more days are extremely likely, as many classes and activities are crammed into each day. The music used in competitive dance routines is typically adapted from commercially available songs created by professional recording artists . Dance routines are subject to time limits at most dance competitions, and consequently the original, commercial music

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1376-775: The end of their season. Dance schools (often referred to as dance studios ) arrange for their classes to compete in a range of disciplines as solos, duets, trios, or in a small group dance in addition to or in place of large group routines. Competitions typically begin in January and end in July or August. Competitive dancers must be physically fit because even short dances can be physically demanding. Dancers must continuously train to maintain and improve their technique, balance skills, strength and flexibility. Dance studios typically advise their students to avoid activities that put them at risk for injury or illness, especially while attending competitions. Except for holidays and short breaks during

1419-668: The exception of the 2021 event which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The world championships are the culmination of a competition season and have been located primarily inside the United States, however they were held once in Canada, once in the Netherlands, and once in Sweden. "Worlds" is the largest event on the UCWDC calendar. Worlds 2020 had over 6,500 entries, while Worlds 2023 has over 7,000 entries. The UCWDC maintains

1462-460: The film Urban Cowboy , featuring John Travolta , was released. The movie influenced popular culture with not only the success of three #1 hits on the country music charts, but the portrayal of a country/western nightclub, country/western attire and a dance competition at the Dallas, Texas honkytonk, Gilley’s. Country/western dance became popular in the United States and gave rise to nightclubs such as

1505-452: The following prescribed order; triple two-step , nightclub , waltz , polka , cha cha , east coast swing , two-step , and west coast swing . In couples competition, one partner, generally a male, is the "lead" and the other, generally a female, the "follow". Leads wear a number pinned to their back. The number allows the judges to assign judging scores to the appropriate competitive couple. In UCWDC couples competition, dancers compete at

1548-435: The foot. Less commonly, acro dancers may wear foot thongs , which are variously called Dance Paws and FootUndeez , depending on the manufacturer. Foot thongs—which are slip-on, partial foot covers that protect only the ball of the foot—are sometimes preferred over acro shoes for aesthetic reasons. In particular, flesh colored foot thongs endow the wearer with the appearance of having bare feet, while retaining some degree of

1591-617: The music. In 1914, acrobat Lulu Coates formed the Crackerjacks, a popular vaudeville troupe that included acrobatic dance in their performance repertoire up until the group disbanded in 1952. Many other popular vaudeville companies combined acrobatics and dance in their shows, including the Gaines Brothers. Since the decline of the vaudeville era, acrobatic dance has undergone a multi-faceted evolution to arrive at its present-day form. The most significant aspect of this evolution

1634-454: The requisite skills to perform tricks, the types of tricks that can be performed in an acro dance depends on the number of dancers. Solo tricks can be performed by independent dancers in solo or group dances. Examples of this are: Double tricks —also known as partnering tricks —can only be performed by a pair of dancers. An example of this is the pitch tuck , in which one dancer forms a "saddle" with his hands. The second dancer steps onto

1677-482: The saddle and then the first dancer thrusts the saddle upward. The second dancer, who is propelled upward with back rotation, lands on her feet after a complete revolution in the air. Acro partners will sometimes execute lifts and adagio in addition to single and double tricks. Group tricks generally require three or more dancers. Examples of this are: Acro dances are typically performed on hard stages with widely varying surfaces. Such floors differ substantially from

1720-422: The sizes and locations of these pieces are carefully calculated to ensure that they pose no safety risks. As an extra safety measure, skirts are sometimes pinned or stitched at the back below the waistline so that they will not hang at full length when the dancer is inverted, as in hand walking ; this prevents the skirt—which might otherwise become entangled in the dancer's hair or costume headpiece —from contacting

1763-442: The summer, competitive dancing is typically a year-round activity: dancers attend classes during competition season, to refine their competitive routines, and during off-season to prepare for the next upcoming competition season. Some dancers attend dance intensives during the summer to improve technique. These intensives normally last a few weeks and happen in various locations around the world. Intensives are typically very intense, as

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1806-406: The traction, cushioning, and abrasion protection provided by acro shoes. Acro dancers commonly wear flexible, form-fitting clothing for both safety and aesthetic reasons. Form-fitting clothing is preferred over loose clothing because the latter does not move synchronously with the body and thus may interfere with a dancer's ability to maintain control. This is especially important when a dancer

1849-416: Was attempted to establish a limited set of competition rules and safety standards in the industry. Competition production companies seldom coordinate their tours with each other. Tour start and end dates, as well as cities visited, vary from one company to another. Most companies conduct regional tours from approximately January through May, while National competitions generally run from June through August. It

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