*You must be a competition or weekend pass holder to compete in any National Jitterbug Championship contest*. However, you may still compete in the Intergenerational Jitterbug contest without being a competition or weekend pass holder.

If you are on a waiting list for a contest - Be present in the room as the contest starts.  If a couple is not there to dance in their slot, you're up!  Be ready to compete, and have your contest fee for us!

Although we recommend you sign up for contests in advance (in particular, the Amateur Jack and Jill and Amateur Lindy, which always fill up about a month before the event), you may still sign up, change, or drop contests in front of the ballroom from 12:00-3:00 Friday - Sunday. Please note the cut off time of 3:00 PM - we will not be able to add any contestants after this time.

Please note:

• Each division limited to 30 couples - Jack and Jills to 60 leads & 60 follows.  Showcase  limited to 20 couples, but additional couples may be added at the discretion of the Head Judge.
  
• Fees are $30 per couple for couples contests, $10 per individual for Jack and Jills and Team.
  
• All contests are "anything goes" - lifts, drops, aerials permitted, except in Amateur Jack and Jill.
  
• We reserve the right to cancel any contest that does not have at least five couples as of the day of the event.
  
• Please note formats of all contests subject to change without notice, as determined by number of competitors.
  
• Costumes are encouraged and appreciated!

Cash prizes for 2008, as follows (1st-3rd also receive trophies, 4th & 5th place medals - cash prizes broken down 1st-3rd place):
Showcase - $1000
Team - $1000
Pro Lindy - $500
Advanced Jack and Jill - $300
Pro Balboa - $400
Am Balboa - $300
Shag - $300
Amateur Lindy - $400
Amateur Jack and Jill - $200

Don't forget to go for the Golden Budgie - our Rock the House Award for exceptional performance, given to couples, groups or individuals who exemplify the Spirit of the Jitterbug!  Previous winners - Filippo Bucomino & Titty Sperzagni (Italy, 2007), Joanne Harrold (CA, 2006), Ben Yau & Sheri Kang (CA, 2005), Ben Morris (CA, 2004), Narusi Oki & Naoko Terada (Japan, 2003), Dabney Hopkins and Tracie Jones (AZ, 2002). Make yours the next name on this list!

Please read our Pro and Am definitions below:

An Amateur is defined as someone who does not regularly teach dance and has not placed 1st in any major three day swing dance weekend contest where the contest is the main focus (ie, US Open, ALHC, ULHS, etc). If you competed as an Amateur in any previous NJC and placed 1st, you must now move on to the Pro division - if you have placed 2nd or 3rd in any major weekend contest or previous NJC, you MAY opt to move up to the Pro division but can continue to compete as an amateur if you prefer.  This year you are permitted to be a Pro Lindy dancer and an Amateur Balboa dancer, or vice versa.  

A Pro is defined as someone who has placed 1st in any of the above 3 day swing weekends, 1st in any Pro or Amateur Lindy NJC divisions, and/or is a regular dance instructor.  You may consider yourself a Pro if you have placed top 3 in any of the above mentioned contests; you MUST compete as a Pro if you have placed 1st.

With regards to the Jack and Jills - if you have won the Amateur Jack and Jill or Intermediate but not placed in any other contest, you are not required to then be a Pro in all other divisions although you must move up to the Advanced Jack and Jill.  If you have won or placed in previous Pro/Ams, you are not required to then be a Pro in all other divisions from now on.  We have created the Instructor's Jack and Jill to allow for a third Jack and Jill, the Advanced Jack and Jill.  Instructors are not allowed in the Advanced Jack and Jill so that this division can be for those who have done well in previous Amateur Jack and Jills or just feel ready to move up, and those Pros who are not this weekend's instructors. 

Not permitted - dancing as both a Pro and Amateur in the same division (ie, doing both Pro and Amateur Balboa with different partners), being in both the Adv and Am Jack and Jills, dancing twice with different partners in the same division (the exceptions are Showcase and Team, where a Team member may dance on more than one Team, and participants may be in more than one Showcase routine with a different partner).

Not sure if you're a Pro or an Am?  E-mail us at info@camphollywood.net - we'll be happy to help!

Although this is technically a Lindy (Shag, and Balboa) competition, the main focus of this event is the concept of "jitterbug" - the idea is to have fun, dance to the music, work with your partner, and capture the joy of swing music and swing dancing that we all experience. We'll make no distinctions as to what is or is not "lindyhop" - as long as you have the spirit of the jitterbug, this contest is for you!  We use the "Relative Placement" system of tabulating scores.  To view a comprehensive explanation of this system, visit this link - http://www.swingdancecouncil.com/library/relativeplacement.htm

Judging criteria - all contests are judged with a "jitterbug" concept in mind - we go for a 50/50 system; 50% the three "Ts" (Timing, Technique & Teamwork) and 50% Showmanship (consisting of presentation, creativity, costumes, & difficulty).  We're not looking for perfection, but we are looking for a little heart & soul, and the spirit of the jitterbug!

Your NJC Master of Ceremonies will be Tim "Wolfman" Wollman

** please note these are preliminary formats & music tempos for the following contests - be sure to check back in as these may change.**

Showcase - couples perform a routine to their own music, song length to be between 2 and 3 1/2 minutes.  Showcase couples to draw for placement and turn in music between 12PM - 3 PM at the registration desk on Saturday.  Limited to 20 couples, but additional couples may be added at the discretion of the Head Judge.

Team - minimum of three couples to perform a routine to their own music, song length to be between 3 and 4 1/2 minutes. 

Pro Balboa - the prelims of this division will be Friday afternoon, dancers to dance in groups to two 1 1/2 minute songs, first song about 210 bpm, second about 240 bpm.  Finals consist of an allskate to live music, followed by a "phrase battle" to live music where couples will enter the circle two at a time for 32 eight counts (about one minute) to show off their stuff, followed by an allskate if there's any song left!  Bal-swing or pure Balboa permitted.  This division is for Pro level dancers whether or not they teach Balboa or have won any Balboa titles.

Am Balboa - the prelims of this division will be Friday afternoon, dancers to dance in groups to two 1 1/2 minute songs, first song about 205 bpm, second about 230 bpm.  Finals to two live songs Friday evening (dancers to dance in groups for both prelims & finals). Bal-swing or pure Balboa permitted.  This division is for Amateur level dancers who do not teach Balboa and have not won any Balboa titles.

Shag - the prelims of this division will be Friday afternoon, finals Friday night, collegiate or double shag permitted. Dancers to dance in group heats in prelim, final to be "phrase battle" style.  Prelim tempos 210/230, final tempo 240. 

Amateur Lindy - This is a just dance division, no routines.  Dancers to dance in group heats to three songs for 1 1/2 minutes each, slow to fast.  Finals will consist of a warm up dance followed by a "phrase battle" to one looped song where couples will enter the circle for 8 eight counts twice to show off their stuff, followed by an allskate if there's any song left.  Prelim tempos 130/185/205, final tempo 205. 

Pro Lindy - This is a just dance division, no routines.  Dancers to dance in group heats to three songs for 1 1/2 minutes each, slow to fast.  Finals will consist of a warm up dance followed by a "phrase battle" to one looped song where couples will enter the circle for 12 eight counts twice to show off their stuff, followed by an allskate if there's any song left.  Prelim tempos 180/200/220, final tempo 240. 

Amateur Jack and Jill - For new dancers with no or limited contest experience.  Dancers to rotate to partners randomly drawn - partners will rotate four times in four heats of about 24 dancers, song length about 1 minute. Aerials not permitted but minor drops, lifts, slides etc OK.  Finals will consist of 3-5 rotations of one heat of music of varying tempos and lengths.  Open to 60 leads and 60 follows. 

Advanced Jack and Jill - For advanced dancers who are experienced competitors.  Dancers to rotate to partners randomly drawn in two heats to four 1 minute songs.  Finals will consist of 3-5 rotations of one heat of music of varying tempos and lengths.  Because we now have an Instructor's Jack and Jill on Thursday night, this contest will not include the weekend's dance instructors.  Open to 60 leads and 60 follows.

Instructor's Jack and Jill -Meant as a showcase for this year's instructors, they will randomly draw a partner other than their teaching partner and dance two couples at a time to one song (195 bpm).  They will judge each other. 

Camp Hollywood Intergenerational Jitterbug Contest - sign ups begin in front of the Marquis Ballroom at 8:30 PM, Sunday night.  Contest is free and does not require a weekend pass to participate.  Limited to 30 couples.  Contest open to couples with at least a 30 year age difference between them.  Couples to dance in one group to one song, followed by a final round of about six couples to dance in a group to one more song later in the evening.  Top three couples to be determined by audience applause - 1-3 place to receive trophies.  Weekend pass not required for this contest.

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