Organisation
1. The Organisation of the I U.K. Tango Competition (from now on referred to as OUTC) willl ensure the development, programming, regulations and implementation of the I U.K. Tango Competition in compliance with the following rules.
Categories
2. This Competition consists of the following categories: Tango Salon and Tango Stage.
Entry
3. Participation in the I U.K. Tango Competition is free.
4. The Competition is open to tango dancers in the U.K. and will not discriminate against or favour any age, nationality, race, level or qualifications.
5. Each contestant must register for the Competition online at http://www.uktangocompetition.com/ between September 1st 2008 and February 19th 2008.
7. Participants can compete in both categories, with the same or a different dance partner. However, a person will not be allowed to participate in the Semi Finals in the same category with different dance partners, therefore the first couple to pass to the next round will automatically be classified.
Rounds
8. The Competition will comprise of the following rounds: Qualifying Round, Semi Finals and Finals.
8.1 All rounds of the Competition will take place in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Couples will only pass to the next stage of the competition (Semi Finals or Finals) at the discretion of the Judging Panel.
8.2 The Judging Panel shall select as many couples from the Qualifying Rounds as they deem worthy to progress to the Semi Finals.
8.3 The Judging Panel shall select couples from the Semi Finals for the Salon and Stage divisions to progress to the Finals in each division.
8.4 The Judging Panel shall select a winning couple of each category from the Finals. Furthermore, they shall award special mentions for the second and third place and shall be entitled to award other mentions as they deem suitable.
Rules and Evaluation
Tango Salon
9. In this category couples shall dance three unrehearsed tangos, with a group of between 3 and 6 couples with recorded music to be selected by the OUTC.
10. Once a dancing couple is formed, they shall not separate as long as the music is playing. This means that they cannot break the embrace (abrazo), which is considered the tango dance position.
11. All movements shall be performed within the space allowed by the couple´s embrace.
12. The Judging Panel shall consider embrace, musicality, walking style and circulation on the dance floor as the fundamental criteria for qualification.
13. Costumes and make up will not form part of the Judges´ evaluation.
14. Ganchos, leaps, trepadas and any other typical tango escenario (stage) choreography are absolutely excluded.
15. Couples shall constantly move counterclockwise, as in the milongas, and shall avoid remaining in the same choreographic place in order to avoid interrupting the dancers' circulation.
Tango Stage
16. Couples in this category each perform one tango to their selected music in each round.
17. Dancers may prepare up to two choreographies, but may also present with the same choreography for all stages of the pre-selection up to the Finals.
18. The music must be provided by the couple in CD format, with only one music track on each CD. The CD/s must be presented to the OUTC up to one day before the start of the Competition and must be sent to the address which will be provided.
19. Participants may resort to movements, figures and techniques unrelated to traditional tango, as long as they are still within the discipline of tango.
20. Judges shall take into account choreographic composition, preservation of tango essence, use of the stage space, choreographic and postural techniques, couple synchronicity, interpretation and musicality.
21. Costumes and make-up will form part of the Judges evaluation.
Judging Panel
22. The Judging Panel for the I U.K. Tango Competition shall be composed of at least two members, appointed by the OUTC.
23. All decisions by the Judging Panel, as regards evaluation and progression of the couples in the competition, are final. Participants agree to this condition when entering the Competition.
24. In the event of a tie or as the Judging Panel may determine, competitors shall dance as many times as required, for the former to be able to make a final decision; competitors cannot refuse to dance.
Public Vote
25. In the Qualifying Round, in the case of a tie, the public with have the right to choose one of the couples as their favourite to proceed to the next round of the Semi Finals.
Selection
26. In each round the Judges will evaluate each presentation and assign scores as drawn from the sum of points allocated by each Judge on a 1 to 10 point scale according to the points outlined in the section "Rules and Evaluation". In the Semi Finals and Finals the scores are considered separately, likewise the scores from the Qualifying Round will not be considered.
Prizes
27. The prizes will be announced on the website by November 1st 2008.
28. All participants will recieve a certificate of participation in the I Northern Tango Competition, U.K.
Responsibility
29. Each participant, from the moment of registration, takes resposibility and accepts that they will be present for the competition, on the day, time and in the location given to the participant. The OUTC cannot take responsibily for any unforseen delays which may occur and may affect the presence of the participants at each round of the competition.
30. The OUTC is the only organisation which will determine the order of competition of participants, the way in which they will compete and the number of rounds in which each couple must participate.
31. All participants selected for the Semi Finals and Finals must confirm their registration in the competition in person on the date and time given by the ONTC. At this time the participants will also be given their competition number (order in which they will compete) and will be informed of the approximate time of their presentation. Participants who do not register in person will not be able to continue in the Competition. The only possible reasons for not registering in person taken into account include situations beyond the control of the participants, which can be proven and presented to the OUTC, and/or situations within the public domain.
32. All participants in the Competition agree to take part in the various activities and events organised by the OUTC, which can also include press conferences, reports, magazine articles, radio and television publicity etc..
33. The OUTC reserves exclusive rights to all aspects of the Competition, including all filming, photography and digital data and will not permit filming or photography of the event by any third party without prior agreement. This includes all photographic material which is taken by the public and/or that which is used for publicity and advertising. All participants agree to this and will not accept payment from any person or organisation with regards to fliming or photography of the event.
34. The OUTC shall duly solve any issue not contemplated in these regulations and shall provide such clarifications or constructions thereof as they may deem necessary.
34. The OUTC will be the only official media of communication for the Competition and will use the site http://www.uktangocompetition.com/ for this purpose.
35. The OUTC shall be entitled to remove participants from the competition in the case of: a) non-compliance with the regulatory provisions as outlined; b) loss of ethics or an improper act which affects the image of the Competition or causes public distress.
36. It is accepted that automatically upon registering for the Competition each participant confirms with their registration that they have read the rules and regulations of the Competition and that they agree to abide by them.
37. Ignorance is not an excuse.
38. In the case of doubt or disagreement with the present rules and regulation, the interested party shall not addresss the OUTC directly but shall present the case in writing in English to the OUTC.