PROFESSIONAL COUPLE:

One or both participants have performed taught for payment.

COMPETITION DATE

Professional Couples Competition: Sunday, March 14, 2010

The Palais Royale Ballroom - 1601 Lake Shore Blvd W

Local and out of town contestants compete in Toronto

ONE TIME COMPETITION - Sunday, March 14, 2010

Finals for the Professional category will be held at The Palais Royale Ballroom (All local and out of town contestants must be in Toronto)

• ROUTINE OR CHOREOGRAPHY REQUIRED
• All contestants must check iby 6:00pm sharp and submit music
• All the couples will dance together to a warm-up song
• Contestants will perform a choreographed showcase of their choice that must be between 1:45-2:00 minutes in duration
• Song chosen for the finals must be 90% salsa = max 12 seconds of non-salsa content
• Only CD's will be accepted and must be clearly labeled with participants' names and category. There must be ONE SINGLE TRACK on the CD!
• Costumes may contribute to the overall presentation score. However the use of regular street clothes will result in points penalties
• There will be a panel of 4-6 local and international judges. All of whom have several years of experience teaching, performing and/or competing in Salsa.

ADDITIONAL RULES & TIPS FOR COMPETITORS

• There will be a maximum of four (4) dips, lifts or tricks allowed.
• Continuous tricks, lift and dips whithout pause or disconnection are considered one trick
• Maximum length of trick if continuous two (2) bars of eight (8)
• Shines or separation from partner must not exceed 30 seconds

Points Deductions:

• Deviation from min and max routine time (5 points )
• Additional tricks (5 points per incident)
• Music (non-Salsa) (5 points for every 30 seconds of music)
• Separation from partner longer than 30 seconds (5 points)

Dancers will be judged in the following categories:

• Timing
• Musicality
• Technique/Difficulty
• Connection/synchronization
• Showmanship
• Originality

*Please see example of score sheet for more information

PRIZES

The winners of the Professional Couples Category of the 2010 Toronto Salsa Festival will win:

• Trip for two to The 2010 Bermuda Salsa Nights in Bermuda - Courtesy of BermudaSalsa.com
• Night Passes to the Montreal Salsa Convention April 2010 (Value $150) - Courtesy of The Montreal Salsa Convetion
• 50% Off Passes to the Canada Salsa Congress - Courtesy of The Canada Salsa Congress
• Competition Winner prize bonus package (TBA)
• 1st Place Winners will also receive direct pass to the Final round of the 2010 Six Degrees Salsa Competition to be held shortly after (Top Prize $6000).
• 2nd Place Winners will receive direct pass to the Semi-Final round of the 2010 Six Degrees Salsa Competition

Competitor Full Pass Special: Competitors will enter free to all evenings in which they are competing. They can also upgrade their pass to a FULL ALL ACCESS PASS by adding $99 ( $274 value!)