Competitor Guide

“Jack and Jill” is based on social dancing. This means improvising a dance with a random partner and to a random song. But it does not mean that competitions are exactly like dancing in a social setting.

For example, in a competition, you will be judged according to criteria that include how you present your dance. This means that visual aspects are more important in competitions than in social dancing. You should also be aware of things like audience engagement, understanding of technique, timing, and connection between movements, as these are all elements of recreational dance. This means that even great social dancers may need to make some adjustments to perform well in competitions.

Jack and Jill competitions are a mix of luck and skill. Skill is how well you execute and present the competitive criteria. Luck is who you draw as your partner when the judges are watching you and the others, and the music you get to dance to.

Drops (where at least one foot of each partner remains on the ground) are allowed.

Lifts (where both feet of one partner leave the ground and their weight is supported) are not allowed in any division and will result in immediate disqualification (in prelims) or last place (in finals).

Props are not allowed in Council competitions. Props include any item or removable piece of clothing intentionally used as part of the dance. The use of props results in automatic disqualification.

1. Hats, jackets, capes, sunglasses, and other reasonable dancewear items are considered costumes and may be used in all divisions. However, clothing or items MUST NOT be discarded or exchanged between partners.

2. From the beginning of the music to the end of all songs in your round or finals, it is strictly prohibited to remove or move any piece of clothing (including hats, jackets, hair ties, and others).

3. Adjusting clothing to avoid exposure of private parts is not considered using a prop.

4. If you are concerned that something might be considered a prop, you should ask before competing.

5. Microphones and/or earpieces are not allowed during any routine.

Performance-style dance costumes should generally not be worn for Council competitions, unless the event has sanctioned a theme (e.g., Halloween theme at an event). Costumes used for show performances and improv demos should not be worn.

Five criteria are used to judge competitors. They are described on our Judging Criteria page. You must review this content before competing.

Shoes are mandatory. Half-soles (Foofong, "Aranha", Undeez) and socks are not considered shoes. If you do not wear shoes, you will be disqualified.

Competitors who do not arrive in time for their competition for any reason, or who fail to attend mandatory competitor meetings, will be disqualified.

The flexibility of these policies is at the discretion of the event and its staff. If a competitor is removed from the competition, they will not be reinstated.

Followers must wear the competitor number (BIB) on the lower back, above the hips. Leaders must wear the number centered on the upper back.

It is important to place the number correctly in these positions to help judges identify competitors quickly and to help event staff distinguish easily between leaders and followers on the competition floor.

Numbers (bibs) must not be placed on the front or side of the body.

You must keep your number (bib) because it will be needed if you advance to the next round.

In Jack and Jill competitions, you will find the following categories:

• Newcomer

• Novice

• Intermediate

• Advanced

• All Star

• Champions (10 or more years of teaching experience, national and international recognition, and by invitation only from the Brazilian Zouk Dance Council directors)

• Invitational (invited by the event organization, will not earn points as it may include a mix of dancers from different levels)

• Junior/Master (age-based categories)

The most common categories are Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and All Star/Champions or Invitational.

As a competitor, you can earn points and move up through the Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and All Star levels in Jack and Jill competitions registered with the Council. Competitions that are not registered or do not follow our event rules will not earn you points.

You can move up between Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and All Star levels as follows:

The BZDC Council also tracks points for other categories, including Pro and Invitational categories. However, these categories are subject to discretionary criteria defined by event organizers regarding qualification terms. Participating in these categories does not imply a promotion to a higher category. For this reason, there are no advancement criteria within these categories.

Note: Competitors may remain in their current category until they achieve a first-place result, even after reaching the required points to move up.

As a competitor, you accumulate points and progress through the Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and All-Star divisions in BZDC-registered Jack and Jill competitions.

You may remain in your current division until you achieve a first-place result. Even if you reach the required points to move up, you may choose to advance only after earning first place. This allows you to stay longer in your division to build experience, confidence, and be truly prepared before moving up.

Note that competitions that are not registered, or events that do not follow official BZDC rules, do not award points in the database.

You may compete as either a leader or a follower, regardless of your gender or sex. You may also switch roles in different competitions.

Starting January 1, 2024, BZDC is changing its role classification rules. These changes are being made to:

• Reflect that skill in one role does not necessarily indicate skill in the other role; and,

• Encourage dancers interested in competing in their secondary role to participate.

What’s changing:

• Leader and follower roles will be tracked separately, with their own points.

• Competitors with different levels in each role may compete in more than one competition at an event.

• Competitors with no points in their secondary role will start one level below their primary role (exception: teachers with more than 2 years of experience must start at Intermediate in both roles).

How it’s being implemented:

• Competitors who advanced using combined points from both roles before December 31, 2023, will keep their highest level in their primary role and start one level lower in their secondary role—even if some points were earned in that secondary role. They will also start one level below in their secondary role with 0 points.

• Competitors with points in both roles at their current level will have those points split by role and will compete at that level in both roles until they earn enough points to advance in one.

• Competitors with the same level in both roles may only compete in one role at that competition. Competitors with different levels in each role may compete in both divisions for which they qualify in each role.

Any teacher who has been regularly teaching Brazilian Zouk for at least two years may begin competing at the Intermediate level. This means they are not required to compete as a Novice dancer.

The purpose of this rule is to prevent such teachers from competing against their beginner students. The Council reserves the right to determine whether a teacher qualifies for this exception.

Competitors may request to compete in a category above their current level. For example, a competitor may request to compete in the Intermediate category instead of Novice.

Petitions exist to prevent large discrepancies between a dancer's actual skill level and the category they are assigned to. The dancer must clearly and objectively be better than most competitors in their current category for the petition to be approved. Most petitions are to move up one category. In exceptional circumstances, a petition to move more than one category may be approved.

Petitions to move down a category are considered “outliers.” They will only be approved in exceptional cases, under terms and conditions set at the Council’s discretion.

To submit a petition, the dancer must name two qualified individuals to evaluate the category in question and complete the online form provided by the event. For example, a Novice competitor petitioning to move to Intermediate must have two judges registered with the Council supporting their request. Neither judge may be or have been their dance partner or a family member.

Once submitted, the head judge or the Council will decide whether to approve the petition. The head judge or the BZDC Council reserves the right to deny the petition for any reason. Additional documentation, such as video proof of the dancer’s level, may be requested.

All petitions must be submitted before the competition closes. It is recommended that petitions be submitted prior to the event to allow enough time for proper evaluation. Petitions submitted during the event may be denied due to logistical limitations.

If you do not follow the petition procedure, you may not be allowed to compete in the requested category. If you compete without proper authorization, you may be disqualified from the finals (or as soon as organizers become aware that you're in the wrong category), and you will not earn any points or receive any prizes from that competition. You may also be banned from future competitions, at the Council’s discretion.

It is entirely your responsibility to ensure that you are registered in the correct category.

To be valid, the dancer must have at least 5 points in the category they are requesting. Competitions that go straight to finals are an exception— in these cases, the dancer must place in the top three.

If the dancer does not meet this requirement, they must compete in their original level at the next competition, regardless of whether they have already competed in the higher category. Violating this policy may result in disqualification from future competitions.

A dancer may request a permanent change from the Advanced category to the All-Star category if they believe they are well above the skill level of their current category, or if their reputation and contributions to the Brazilian Zouk community justify a category change—such as being nominated for All-Star status.

Exceptional dancers should consistently place at the top of their category. Compared to other dancers in their division, they should receive nearly unanimous “yes” placements in prelims and should consistently be considered top contenders in their respective categories.

This rule is most applicable to high-level instructors who have had limited access to competitions to advance from Advanced to All-Star. As top-level competitions become more common, this process may be phased out.

To be considered for a permanent category change, the dancer must fill out an online form and submit two YouTube links to videos of their social dancing with different partners who are not their regular partner. Each video must be no longer than two minutes. Once the petition is received, seven BZDC Council directors will evaluate it using the same judging criteria applied in Jack and Jill competitions (3 Ts + difficulty and appearance), as well as the dancer's years of teaching Brazilian Zouk. A minimum score of 280 points is required for the petition to be approved.

Petitions for permanent category changes will never be reviewed during the event in question; they must be submitted in advance.

To be recognized as a Champion by the BZDC, the dancer must meet a series of rigorous criteria that evaluate not only their technique but also their journey, influence, and representation in the dance scene.

• Time dancing Brazilian Zouk: A minimum of 10 years of experience in Brazilian Zouk is required, with consistent training and professional work over time.

• Representation in the market: The candidate must represent Brazilian Zouk not only in Zouk events, but also in events of other dance styles (Salsa, Bachata, Kizomba, WCS, etc.), expanding the dance’s reach.

• Responsibility as a Brazilian Zouk professional: Public image, behavior, and professional attitude are evaluated. The dancer must be a positive and influential figure in the market.

• Work demand: How in-demand the professional is: if they are invited to events, receive payment, and have their expenses covered by organizers.

• Knowledge in Brazilian Zouk: Being a great leader and/or follower is not enough — the dancer must have deep knowledge of Brazilian Zouk techniques and concepts, with solid training and hours of study.

• High-level lessons and choreographed performances: Improvised shows built minutes before performance time and without professional costumes are not considered. Classes should be well-balanced with theory, technique, exercises, and practice.

• International influence: The professional must be actively involved in the international scene, receiving invitations to teach and perform at relevant events (congresses, festivals, workshops, etc.). The dancer should inspire others around the world to practice Brazilian Zouk.

• Invitation by the BZDC board of directors: The final decision to join the Champions group is made by the BZDC Board of Directors. Even if all criteria are met, the nomination can be postponed until the board believes the appropriate time has come.

Until August 2018, BZDC required competitors to earn 15 points in the Novice category before advancing to Intermediate. BZDC allows anyone who earned 15 Novice points before August 2018 and has not yet earned any points in Intermediate to choose whether to compete in Novice or Intermediate.

In some cases, you may encounter mixed categories at a competition. This usually happens when there are not enough dancers in a particular category.

In a mixed All-Star/Champion division, dancers will earn points according to their current category. For example, the All-Star dancer will earn points in the All-Star category, while their Champion partner will earn points in the Champion category.

In mixed Novice/Intermediate or Intermediate/Advanced divisions, all dancers will earn points in the lower category. For example, all competitors in a mixed Novice/Intermediate division will receive points in the Novice category.

A “Tier” is how the BZDC determines the number of points finalists will receive in a competition. It is designed to reflect the level of difficulty based on the size of the competition. For example, placing 1st in a competition with 40 competitors is more difficult than placing 1st in a competition with 10 competitors.

Tiers are calculated by role—not by couple. For instance, a competition with 15 leaders and 20 followers will be “Tier” 1 for leaders and “Tier” 2 for followers. The Council recognizes 3 tiers with the following point distributions:

No points are awarded in prelims. Absent competitors are not counted in the total number of participants. For example, a competition with 16 registered leaders but only 15 who show up for prelims will be considered a Tier 1 competition.

In some cases, the final round may have a discrepancy between the number of leaders and followers. In such cases, a few dancers may be asked to dance twice. If a dancer earns multiple placements that result in points, only the highest placement will count for points. For example, if a competitor places 3rd and 1st, only the 1st place points will be recorded.

Competitions must have a minimum of 5 couples in order to be officially registered as a BZDC competition.

If there are more than 15 competitors in each role, at least one preliminary round is required. The following is recommended (but not mandatory):

• Tier 1: Direct final round or optional preliminary.

• If couples dance individually in the final (spotlight final), the preliminary must have more than 10 couples.

• Tier 2: Preliminary round is required; semifinal is optional.

• Tier 3: Preliminary round is required; semifinal is highly recommended.

Additionally, if there is a role imbalance greater than 3 in a Tier 1 or higher competition, a preliminary round must be held. If there are only 5 competitors in one role for a given category, the maximum allowed imbalance is 2. For example: 5 followers to 7 leaders, or vice versa.

Judges are not allowed to evaluate direct family members, current or former partners, except when there are no other qualified judges available. While most judges maintain impartiality regardless of who is competing, this rule exists to ensure fair competition.

However, if no other qualified judge is available, a judge may need to evaluate a family member or another close competitor. Additionally, judges are expected to disclose potential conflicts of interest to help resolve disputes. Examples include close friends, team members, or instructors from the same school.

Whenever possible, judges without conflicts should be selected for the role.

A Conflict of Interest occurs when, in a situation like judging, someone could receive a personal benefit by favoring or penalizing a competitor.

Types of Benefits:

• Real benefit: Something that will actually happen as a result of their decision.

• Perceived benefit: Even if nothing happens, it may look like it could. Perception matters as much as reality.

• Direct benefit: A result that happens because of the decision, like being paid extra.

• Indirect benefit: Something less obvious, like improving a relationship or gaining exposure.

Risks of Conflicts:

Conflicts of Interest — real, perceived, direct, or indirect — can damage the competition’s reputation. Risks include:

• Public perception of unfairness or bias in competitions or the BZDC.

• Ethical concerns about a specific judge.

• Undermining a competitor’s win, including the competitor’s own belief in their victory.

• Claims of overcorrection (judging too harshly to “compensate” for the conflict).

• Public arguments involving judges, organizers, or coordinators.

Risk Levels:

• High Risk: Romantic/ex-partners, official partners/co-organizers, people with public conflicts, organizers judging their own events.

• Medium Risk: Unofficial partners, protégés, close friends.

• Lower Risk: General students, casual friends.

Self-judged divisions (All-Star/Champion/Invitational) may be handled differently, since peers are judging peers with a shared understanding.

Best Practices:

• High Risk: Should be avoided completely.

• Medium Risk: Avoid if possible. Judge the opposite role in prelims. Replace judges in finals if alternatives exist.

• Lower Risk: Usually acceptable, but avoid multiple judges from the same school/community if possible.

Declaration is key:

Having a conflict is not inherently bad. Declaring it shows integrity. What matters is not just being fair — but being perceived as fair.

Prizes will be distributed at the discretion of the event. Most events will offer trophies, medals, or ribbons for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. Cash prizes, certificates, and event passes are other types of awards that may also be given to competitors.

In other words, the choice of prizes offered is entirely up to the event organizers.

Some judges are willing to give feedback, some don’t remember enough to provide it, and others sell their feedback as part of private lessons. You may hire a professional to watch your performance (live or by video) and give you feedback. This is a private arrangement between you and the judge or professional.

Generally, judges do not provide feedback until the official results of the competition have been announced.

It's uncommon for judges' scoring sheets to include many notes due to the speed with which they must make decisions—and because taking notes can interfere with watching the competition properly.

Preliminary and final scores will be posted on the BZDC website after the event. However, these rankings only include Yes/No/Alt results—they do not include judges’ feedback or notes.

You will automatically be assigned a BZDC number if you reach the finals. Until then, you will not have a BZDC number.

Be sure to use your BZDC number when registering for future competitions to ensure your points are mapped to the correct profile. Not using your BZDC number can result in duplicate profiles.

You can check your points by searching your name in the BZDC points registry.

If a potential competitor is aware of a situation that would make another competitor feel uncomfortable dancing in their respective division (including allegations of harassment or assault), it is their responsibility to report the issue to the event organizer in advance. This gives the organizers enough time to address the situation before the competition.

If the issue is not reported and a complaint is later filed—and the organizers determine that the individual in question was previously aware of the situation—the organizers reserve the right to request that the individual not participate in the competition and to refund their registration fee.

For preliminaries and semifinals, organizers and staff have the discretion to ensure that individuals involved in a conflict do not get paired with each other. For final rounds, pairing will still be random unless the alleged behavior is a criminal matter that has been brought to court (e.g., allegations of assault, harassment, or stalking). In such cases, the organizers have the right to ensure those dancers are not paired together.

The event organization has full authority to decide whether or not to apply this section, and the BZDC will not intervene or make decisions on these matters because its board does not have the knowledge or jurisdiction to handle such issues.

Note: This section refers to extraordinary situations that may pose a threat or trauma to individuals based on their past experiences or their relationship with another competitor. Organizers should not consider discomfort based on gender, sex, ethnicity, race, age, religion, sexual orientation, or any other individual right.

Although competitions reward dancers for technical performance, not making it to finals or not placing should not be seen as a measure of your worth or potential as a dancer. It simply means that, according to certain criteria, your dancing did not stand out as much as others’ at the moment when the judges were watching.

Moreover, reaching finals or placing in a competition is not an indication that you have nothing left to learn. It is entirely possible for someone who placed 1st in one event to not make finals in another.

Videos and any feedback you receive are incredibly useful for identifying areas that can be improved to help you get better results. Even if you did well, you can use that feedback to help you keep performing well in future competitions.

Before a competition, you should be properly warmed up and stretched. It is highly recommended that you do not compete while cold. Feel free to stretch, exercise, or warm up your body while waiting.

Don’t forget to bring your BIB number and attach it to the upper back if you are leading or to the lower back if you are following. You should also eat something light, use the restroom, and have your water bottle ready. Bring a jacket to stay warm while you wait.

The Council expects all competitors to show respect toward each other, organizers, judges, and competition staff throughout the event. This means that competitors may be banned from some or all future Council-registered competitions if they engage in inappropriate behavior related to a Council competition.

Some examples of inappropriate behavior include:

• Yelling or swearing at someone

• Sending harassing or threatening messages to a coordinator or judge about the results

• Engaging in discriminatory or harmful behavior, such as making harassing, threatening, or defamatory posts on social media about someone involved in the competition (note: criticism is not the same as defamation)

We understand that some competitors may have concerns, questions, or complaints about something that happened (or is happening) during a Jack and Jill competition. We are committed to providing a path for managing these issues.

Your first point of contact for any concerns should be the event organizer, competition coordinator, or the head judge of the specific competition. If you don’t receive a response or need additional help, please email the Council at info@brazilianzoukcouncil.com and we will respond within one week.

The Council will review any issues raised by email and, when necessary, speak directly with the event organizer. In some cases, we may determine that the issue was a misunderstanding or relatively minor. In those cases, we may not take specific action but will do our best to prevent similar issues in the future.

If there is a more serious problem—such as a conflict of interest, rule violation, scoring issue, or other matter—we may take additional steps to minimize the impact and ensure it doesn’t happen again. This may include adjusting results as needed, issuing a warning to a judge or event, placing an event on probation, or removing BZDC status from the event. We will do our best to minimize the impact on competitors whenever possible.