SCTC 2020 JUDGES:

• Danilo Maddelena (SCTC competition supervisor & head judge 2017-2020)
  2014 – Present  – organizer of the Official Italian Tango Championship.
  2015 – Present – organizer of the Metropolitano Tango Championship held in Italy.
  Former judge in many international competitions, former head organizer of the European Tango championship.
• Vanessa Villalba & Facundo Piñero – One of tangos most sought after couple. Judges, maestros and performers all around the world, responsible for many of the finalists/winners of the mundial championship.
• Virginia Pandolfi – Recognized in the world of tango, not only for her talent as a dancer but also for her abilities as a teacher, she is also an authentic milonguera and stands out for being elegant, sensual and very musical. Virginia’s beginnings were influenced by stage tango, but over time the course of her career leaned strongly towards the improvisational dance. Her dance today and teaching style are the fruit of a path composed of two fundamental ingredients, the love of dance and the commitment to work.
• Sabrina & Ruben Veliz (Los Veliz) – recognized as masters of masters they  have trained many of tango’s most talented dancers. Participated in most famous festivals around the world. They have been judges of many tango championships around the world including world tango championship. 
• Manuela Rossi & Juan Malizia – 2014 stage tango world champions and 2013 third place winners in tango salon. Highly accomplished in  competition, judged and performed at prestigious tango events all over the world.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

SCTC is an exciting international Argentine tango competition open to everyone, regardless of skill level or residency. Anyone (amateur or professional) from any country can compete.

Competitors are scored by our chosen panel of judges. All competition rounds will be open to spectators.
Social categories will feature multiple couples on the floor at the same time, dancing in improvised movements to random music. Stage categories will feature one couple (or one stage group) at a time dancing in choreography to pre-selected music.

• QUALIFYING ROUNDS are held on FRIDAY MAR 13, featuring all registered couples. 
• SEMI-FINAL ROUNDS are held on SATURDAY MAR 14, featuring only semi-finalists. 
• FINAL ROUNDS are held on SUNDAY MAR 15, featuring finalists. Winners and prize announcements will follow shortly. (GROUP STAGE will compete only on this day.)

Competitors are scored by the “ranking system”, rather than the “point system”. This allows for clearer distinction between competitor placements by negating possible conflicts in excessively even (and/or uneven) scoring by judges. For more info – see video here.

REGISTRATION RULES:

• Competitors of any nationality or citizenship are welcome to participate/register, but MUST BRING OFFICIAL ID on day of registration.
• All categories (except SENIOR TANGO) are open to both amateur and professional dancers. SENIOR TANGO category is not open to professional dancers. The status of “professional” is determined by the dancer’s main source of income and not by skill level.
• All competitors must be at least 18 years old by the date of competition. (SENIOR TANGO competitors must be at least 55 years of age OR cannot have more than 15-year age difference if one partner is below 55.)
• Competitors may have one or multiple partners, but can participate only ONCE in each category with the exception of group stage category.
• GROUP STAGE category will require a minimum of 3 registered couples in a group to be eligible to compete. 
• In order for the stage group category to be considered a competition and receive prizes, a minimum of 3 groups are required to register, otherwise it will be considered a showcase.
• Minimum number of couples must be registered to guarantee prizes. (See minimum for each category here.) In the event that fewer couples have registered, competition will become a showcase with evaluation by judges.

COMPETITION RULES FOR SOCIAL CATEGORIES (TANGO, VALS, MILONGA, SENIOR TANGO):

The social competition categories are danced IMPROVISED just as you would in a traditional milonga setting with extra emphasis on elegance, connection, technique, musicality, and style. Social categories are danced each day in groups of 7-12 couples at a time, to 3 different songs (per group, per category). Competitors are encouraged to dance as “naturally” as they can in respect to the traditional tango style. Judges will give extra attention to each couple’s posture, embrace, connection, elegance, musicality, walking, turns, and style.

Tango Salon (unrestricted entry, amateurs and professionals)

• Tango Salon is conceived as a social dance, where the most important aspects are the improvisation, embrace and connection between the dance partners.

• Circulation of couples: Couples, as in a real dance hall, will dance in rounds and will have to constantly move counterclockwise without going backwards. They will be allowed, if needed, to walk one or two step backwards at most always within the space of the couple. The couple must be aware and respectful of their own and other couples’ space in the round in order not to break the harmony when moving around. If a couple performs more than two phrases in the same spot, obstructing the circulation on the dance floor, the Jury may consider lowering their score. In the event that one couple stops the flow of traffic around the dance floor, it is not possible for other couples to go past them. If the jury deems it necessary, the round of couples may have to dance to another tango to solve the inconvenience. Once formed, the couple must not separate while the music is playing. For the position to be considered correct, the body of one of the members of the couple must be contained at all the time by the arm of the other. It is understood that in certain figures this may be flexible, but not throughout the whole duration of the dance. All movements and figures must be made within the space allowed by the couple’s embrace, so as not to get in the way of the other couples dancing. The leader may invite the follower to walk and/or turn to their right or left, without taking steps backwards on the dance floor. It is not necessary for partners to break the embrace between tangos.
• Evaluation criteria: The couple may perform any commonly used figures of “social” tango, including barridas (sweeps), sacadas al piso (drawn to the floor), enrosques (twists), ganchos (hooks), boleos, etc., as well as embellishments always within their own space, without standing in the way of couples dancing around them. Jumps, figures that involve lifting both feet off the ground, and any other choreographic possibilities typical of Stage Tango are completely forbidden. The Jury will take into account the couple’s own interpretation in different styles as fundamental to the score. They will also consider their musicality, elegant walking style, but especially the connection between partners and the search for their own expression, as well as the ability to change the dynamics and speed accordingly depending on the tango being played.
  

COMPETITION RULES FOR STAGE CATEGORIES (STAGE TANGO & GROUP STAGE):

Stage Tango (unrestricted entry, amateurs and professionals)

The stage competition categories are danced using CHOREOGRAPHY in a typical stage setting with an extra emphasis on aesthetic and artistic expression. Stage categories are danced each day featuring one couple (or team) at a time dancing choreography to their chosen music. Competitors are encouraged to dress-up and dance in a flashier and more expressive manner, using the entire floor as much as they like. Judges will give extra attention to artistic expression, musical interpretation, technical difficulty & execution, and synchronicity of the dancers.

• PERFORMANCE: Each couple will offer an individual performance with a song of their choice that shall not be more than four (4) minutes long. In case of having a problem with the choreography, the couple will decide whether to continue dancing or not, and the Jury will evaluate the manner and grace with which they solve the inconvenience; but the couple will not be allowed to repeat the performance. If a technical problem should occur, the Organization along with the Jury will evaluate the repetition of the choreography at the end of the assigned performing time slot.
• EVALUATION CRITERIA: Participants will be able to express their view of the Argentine tango dance. This means that couples will be allowed to perform movements, figures and embellishments that are not directly related to the traditional tango dance. But the choreography must include traditional elements of tango: figure eights, spins, long walks, boleos, hooks, and the “milonguero embrace.” Couples will be able to break the embrace and use techniques from other dance disciplines, as long as they are justified and enrich the performance of the dancer. Aerial tricks and movements from other dance disciplines must not be excessive. This means that they must not exceed a third of the overall performance. The couple must include floor movement sequences throughout the whole stage floor.
• COSTUMES: Outfits may be taken into consideration during the judging process.
• SONG – the chosen song must be 4 minutes or less.
• MOVEMENTS – competitors are allowed to perform their personal expression of tango but must incorporate traditional Argentine tango movements (close-embrace, walking, ochos, sacadas, etc) into their choreography. Aerial movements and movement from other dance disciples cannot exceed a third of the entire performance duration.
• MISTAKES – competitors are encouraged/expected to dance through their mistakes. Competitors are not allowed to repeat or start over for performance reasons.
• TECHNICAL PROBLEMS – if technical problems occur during performance, competitors will be allowed to perform again.