Welcome to our second Slow Balboa competition – the Stardust Championship! We’re excited to see dancers have fun, showcase their skills, and celebrate this unique style. In 2025, we will have both an amateur and advanced competition.

This contest is open to all levels of dancers except event instructors at Stardust Slow Balboa Weekend.

Format for Amateur Competition:

  • Prelims: 3 all-skates to varying levels of tempos
  • Finals: 3 all-skate songs

Format for Advanced Competition

  • Prelims: 3 all-skates to varying levels of tempos
  • Finals: two all-skates, and spotlight songs for each couple

Rules:  

  1. You must dance with your chosen partner for each dance in the role you signed up as.
  2. Aerials & floorials are allowed, but you must be safe and aware of your surroundings.
  3. If you do not show up to competition check-in on time, you may be scratched without refund.
  4. Only people who have purchased a full weekend pass, a dance pass, or a Saturday evening dance ticket may sign up for the competition.
  5. Registration for the competition ends on Saturday Nov. 15th time TBD.

Schedule:

  • Prelims: Saturday afternoon
  • Finals: Saturday night

Registration: You can register for the comp when you register for the event.  If you have already registered for a pass and wish to add the comp, or if you are attending thew dance in the evening and wish to register for the competition, we will add a separate registration form later. The deadline for registering is Saturday, November 15th TBD.

Prizes: Passes to Stardust Slow Balboa Weekend 2026 and other prizes to be announced.

Judging: Judges will be event instructors. Judges will be looking for a strong foundation in closed-position styles, such as Dean Raftery’s Slow Balboa or Ray Cunningham’s Laminu (Lambda Nu). Contestants will be judged on their ability to blend these traditional techniques with creative flair, demonstrating ad-lib steps and beautiful, expressive movement. While contemporary open-position steps are welcome, these movements should complement—rather than overshadow—dancers’ knowledge and mastery of the closed-position elements in these dances.

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