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New National Qualifying Rules

By Chuck Garrett and the Senior Committee
Staff Author
Photos by Carson Zullinger
Senior Committee reports on Board-approved updates.

Editor’s Note:  Chuck Garrett and the Senior Committee continue to keep all of USA Dance informed and ensure the individual dancer’s voice is heard.  American Dancer thanks Chuck and his team for making a difference!

 
Seniors,
 
Happy Wednesday!
 
We are pleased to be able to provide the Board-approved new Nationals Qualifying Rules. We thank the Vice President of DanceSport Ballroom Division, Daphna Locker, for providing this updated information.

Qualification Rules for Nationals 2025

To be eligible for Nationals you must accrue six (6) points. One accrues these points by:

  1. Being in the top 50% at Regionals (if three or fewer couples, all qualify) = 6 points – Qualified!
  2. Attend one Regional without reaching the top 50%, = 4 points, and one other competition to gain an additional 2 points (Sanctioned Local, Collegiate Challenge, Challenge, or another Regional Championship) – Qualified regardless of placement.
  3. Attend any three competitions to reach 6 points (sanctioned Local, Collegiate Challenge, Challenge, or Regional Championship) – Qualified regardless of placement.
  4. Hawaii / Alaska – Attend one sanctioned competition (Sanctioned Collegiate Challenge, Challenge, Regional Championship) – Qualified regardless of placement.
  5. Senior V couples who want to compete only in Senior V events do not have to qualify for Nationals. If a Senior V couple wants to compete in any other age category, they must qualify in that age level to compete at Nationals.
  6. No qualification is needed for Showdance, Solo, Pro/Am, Teacher/Student, Mixed Proficiency, and Professional events.

College Students – Additional Registration and Qualifying Rules:

  • Full-time college students (35 and under) automatically qualify, without attending qualifying events, for one collegiate level/style and will get the same level/style in Adult categories, this is considered your “registration fee event.”
  • For a second level/style of collegiate events, which must be consecutive to your “registration fee event” level,” you will have to qualify by achieving at least 6 qualifying points in each style you want to compete.
    • If you achieve at least 6 qualifying points/style, you will also be entitled to dance in both the Collegiate and Adult events. This second collegiate level is not part of your registration fee, and you will be charged the per-dance Collegiate fee. You will also be able to dance the second Adult level for no additional charge.
  • The exception is for Championship-Level events where Collegiate students must qualify like all other couples for the non-collegiate Championship events.
  • Those couples with mixed (one full-time college student and one non-college student) must qualify like all other couples for the non-collegiate events.

Regional Competitions = 6 points if you reach the top 50% in your category and = 4 points if you do not.

All Challenge (Collegiate & non-Collegiate) Competitions = 2 points

Local Competitions = 1 point

 
 
Dancers can find a link to the rules on the 2025 USA Dance National Ballroom DanceSport Championships Website home page.
 
Check out American Dancer’s latest article on Qualifying for Nationals.  Visit American Dancer for comprehensive, up-to-date information on USA Dance, Ballroom Competitions, and more.
 

The Senior Committee will continue to focus on growing and supporting our seniors and the greater USA Dance community. If you have questions or concerns, contact Senior Committee Chair Chuck Garrett at: ballroom-seniorathletechair@usadance.org.

Senior Committee

Chuck Garrett, Chair
Christine Newman
Kathy Linn
Ken Wellens
Lee Oswalt
Matt Wedin
Stuart Lucas
Senior Committee
Senior Committee at USA Dance Nationals: Senior Chair Chuck Garrett, Lee Oswalt, Matt Wedin, Christine Young, Stuart Lucas, Kathy Linn, and Ken Wellens.  Photo courtesy of the Senior Committee.

Meet Your Senior Committee Members!

Committee Chair Chuck Garrett and Member Lee Oswalt
Member Christine Newman with her partner Bryan Young
Member Kathy Linn with her partner John Linn
Member Ken Wellens with his partner Christy Wellens
Member Matt Wedin with his partner Tessa
Member Stuart Lucas with his partner Virginia

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Rules Update

The Chair of the Rules Committee, Sterling Sightler, has written an Executive Summary of the changes to the USA Dance Ballroom Division Rulebook.  They