For many entering the world of West Coast Swing (WCS) dance competitions, the points and scoring system established by the World Swing Dance Council (WSDC) can initially appear complex and challenging to grasp.
It’s understandable if a score sheet filled with numbers seems perplexing at first glance. Recently, discussions with dancers of varying experience levels within the WCS community have highlighted a common thread of confusion surrounding these scoring mechanisms. Furthermore, my involvement in developing an open-source project aimed at creating a free code implementation of the WSDC Relative Placement Scoring System has deepened my understanding and appreciation for how judging and points profoundly influence our dance community.
This system, orchestrated by the World Swing Dance Council, serves as a surprisingly effective framework for addressing the inherently subjective nature of dance evaluation. It translates nuanced opinions on dancing into tangible skill levels and contest outcomes that maintain consistency across diverse events.
Therefore, let’s delve into a comprehensive guide to understanding the scoring system within West Coast Swing, governed by the World Swing Dance Council.
Demystifying WSDC Points: What They Represent
The World Swing Dance Council (WSDC) utilizes a points system as a framework for event directors to categorize competitors based on their skill level. These points act as guidelines, ensuring dancers are competing against others of comparable ability. Each skill level defined by the WSDC has specific point thresholds that participants must meet. For a comprehensive breakdown, the official Points Registry Document provides exhaustive details. However, here’s a summary of the key skill levels and their associated point requirements:
| Skill Level | Description |
|---|---|
| Newcomer | Entry-level for beginners with zero earned points. Dancers can choose to advance directly to Novice if they prefer. |
| Novice | Competitors remain in Novice until accumulating 16 Novice points. Mandatory advancement to Intermediate upon reaching 30 points. |
| Intermediate | Dancers may progress to Advanced upon earning 30 Intermediate points. Mandatory advancement to Advanced at 45 Intermediate points. |
| Advanced | Dancers may progress to All-Star with 45 Advanced points earned within the last 36 months. Mandatory advancement to All-Star with 60 points within 36 months. |
| All Star | Qualification requires either 45 Advanced points within 36 months or 3 All-Star points within 36 months. |
| Champion/Invitational/Pro | Skill levels determined at the discretion of the event director, typically reserved for highly experienced and professional dancers. |
Beyond skill-based categories, the WSDC also recognizes age-based divisions: Juniors for competitors under 18 and Masters for those over 50.
Accessing Your WSDC Points Record
Curious about your current point standing or that of fellow dancers? The World Swing Dance Council Points Registry offers a public database where you can search for point totals by name: World Swing Dance Council Points Registry.
Exploring a dancer’s point history can be insightful, offering a glimpse into their competitive journey and achievements within the WCS community.
WSDC Points Allocation in Competitions
WSDC points are awarded based on two key factors: your placement in a competition and the number of competitors within your specific skill level and role (leader or follower). Larger events, characterized by a higher number of participants, naturally offer more points for equivalent placements. The World Swing Dance Council categorizes competition sizes into six tiers:
| Tier | # of Competitors | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | 4th Place | 5th Place | Additional Placements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 5-10 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tier 2 | 11-19 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Tier 3 | 20-39 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1pt (up to 12th Place) |
| Tier 4 | 40-79 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 1pt (up to 15th Place) |
| Tier 5 | 80-129 | 20 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 2pt (up to 12th Place) |
| Tier 6 | 130+ | 25 | 22 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 2pt (up to 12th Place) |
It’s important to note that leader and follower roles within the same skill level competition might fall into different tiers. For example, a competition with 39 leaders and 40 followers would apply Tier 3 point allocation for leaders and Tier 4 for followers, even though they compete as couples and are judged together in finals.
Navigating Preliminary Rounds to Reach Finals
The process of advancing to finals can vary slightly between events and is also influenced by the head judge’s approach. However, the common practice for preliminary and semi-final rounds involves judges individually assessing each competitor (not as couples). Judges typically cast a “Yes,” “No,” or “Maybe/Alternate” vote for each dancer. The number of “Yes” votes a judge can award usually corresponds to the number of competitors advancing to the subsequent round. For instance, in prelims leading to a semi-final with 30 couples, each judge might allocate 30 “Yes” votes, along with a selection of alternates.
Competitors accumulating the highest number of “Yes” and “Alternate” votes progress to the next stage of the competition.
Understanding Finals and the Relative Placement Scoring System
Congratulations on reaching the finals! Initial exposure to final results can be disorienting, particularly when observing significant discrepancies in individual judge placements, such as one judge ranking you first while another places you tenth. The World Swing Dance Council employs the Relative Placement Scoring System to resolve these variations and determine final standings.
The detailed mechanics of the Relative Placement Scoring System are outlined in a comprehensive document provided by the WSDC, accessible here: Relative Placement Scoring System.
In essence, an odd number of judges ranks every couple in the finals, assigning placements from first to last. The odd number of judges is crucial for establishing placement based on majority rule. Placements are awarded when a majority of judges rank a couple at or above a specific placement threshold. The final placements are then determined in rounds after all judge scores are compiled.
- Round 1 (1st Place): The 1st place votes from each judge are tallied. If any couple secures a majority, they are awarded 1st place.
- Round 2 (1st and 2nd Place): If no couple achieves a majority for 1st place, the system considers each couple’s combined 1st and 2nd place rankings. A majority in this combined ranking earns a couple 1st place.
- Subsequent Rounds: This process repeats, progressively incorporating placements (1st through 3rd, 1st through 4th, etc.), until all final placements are assigned.
- Tie-Breaking Procedures: In the event of a tie in a round, several tie-breaking methods are applied:
- Majority of Majority: The couple with a larger majority of judges ranking them at or better than the current round’s placement wins. For example, with 7 judges (majority = 4), a couple with 5 judges ranking them within the top placements prevails over a couple with only 4.
- Sum of Placements: If the majorities are identical, the numerical sum of placements is compared. Lower sums take precedence. For instance, if two couples both have a majority of judges placing them in the top 2, but Couple A has rankings of 1st, 1st, 1st, and 2nd (sum = 5), while Couple B has 1st, 1st, 2nd, and 2nd (sum = 6), Couple A would achieve the higher placement.
While further tie-breaking methods exist, these two scenarios address the vast majority of ties encountered. For a deeper dive into all tie-resolution protocols, consult the detailed WSDC document linked above.
Following the determination of your final placement, WSDC points are awarded according to the event’s tier.
The Role of the Head Judge in WSDC Scoring
It might be surprising to learn that in the World Swing Dance Council Relative Placement Scoring System, the head judge’s scores are only invoked when another judge’s scores become unusable. Situations necessitating head judge scores include instances where a judge mistakenly awards duplicate placements or is unable to complete their judging duties.
Despite the title “head judge,” their scores typically do not carry more weight than other judges’ scores in determining final placements. In most cases, the head judge’s scores are not directly used in the final placement calculation.
Some events choose to publish only the scores from judges whose results contributed to the final placements, while others may include the head judge’s scores for complete transparency, allowing competitors to see the full spectrum of judges’ evaluations.
Dancing Outside Your Point Level
Occasionally, you might observe competitors participating in skill levels seemingly inconsistent with their point accumulation. The WSDC does permit dancers to petition to compete one level above or below their officially designated level. The head judge at the event generally holds discretion over these requests, and various valid reasons exist for seeking level adjustments:
- An instructor new to WCS competitions might opt to avoid competing against novice students, preventing potential discouragement for their students.
- An advanced dancer returning after a significant hiatus due to life events or injury may choose to compete at the intermediate level to regain competitive footing.
- A competitor with a strong track record in non-WSDC-sanctioned events may feel prepared to “dance up” a level in an official WSDC competition based on prior success.
This overview encapsulates the essential rules governing competition within the WCS community under the World Swing Dance Council. If further questions arise concerning WCS points and judging, please feel free to post them in the comments, and I will endeavor to incorporate them into this resource.
Bonus Resource: For discovering WCS events you might not be aware of, explore https://suitcasedancer.com/, a website I maintain that lists every WSDC registry event, searchable by month and region!
