Competition fun for everyone!

The Northwest Balboa Festival is a fun and supportive space for up-and-coming dancers in the local & national scene to stretch their competition skills on the floor!

Our 2025 competition line-up:

  • Amateur Strictly

  • Novice/Advanced Mix & Match

Competitions

  • Novice/Advanced Mix & Match

    A competition to encourage interactions between newer and more established dancers. Give newer competitors a chance to compete in their best light and a supportive environment. 

    - Values partnership highest
    - Free to enter

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    Prelims: Novice Follows will be partnered with Advanced Leads, and Novice Leads will be partnered with Advanced Follows. Partners will rotate in between each song for 3 songs. Leads and Follows in both categories will be judged separately.

    Finals: Finalists will be randomly partnered as a Novice dancer with an Advanced Dancer. They will dance in dual spotlights to DJ’d music with all skates before and after. 

  • Am Strictly

    This competition is to show off a planned partnership within social dancing Balboa-Swing. Values are technique, timing, partnership, and performance.

    - $30/couple
    - Only one person in the partnership needs to sign up/pay

    → If you are unsure whether you fit in this category please reachout to us at admin@nwbalfest.com and we will help you determine if this is the right competition for you.

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    Prelims: Each couple will dance in a heat to 3 songs of varying tempos. 

    Finals: Each couple will dance in a dual spot light. All Skates before and after. This will be to DJ music 

  • MORE INFO COMING!

    Stay tuned…

How we define levels

Novice (Mix & Match)

  • You have not competed before, or have only competed a few times in amateur level competitions.

  • You are not in the Perfector track.

  • You did not place in previous Nov/Adv or Pro/Am competitions in the past two years.

  • You’re excited to explore the competition experience with an Advanced dancer!

These guidelines apply to dancers competing in a specific role (e.g., you may qualify for the Amateur division as a lead but not as a follow).

Advanced (Mix & Match)

  • You are a regular competitor.

  • You have finaled in amateur, advanced, or open level competitions.

  • You’re an avid social dancer who travels and/or teaches locally.

  • You are in the Perfector track. You’re excited to help make the Novice dancers shine! 

Amateur (Am Strictly)

  • You do not travel regularly to teach Balboa, and teaching is not your primary source of income.

  • You have not placed in the top 3 at any national or higher-level Balboa competition within the last 2 years.

  • If you have made the finals in a non-Amateur Balboa division at a national or higher-level competition, you are not considered an Amateur. Placements in novice, newcomer, or Pro-Am do not disqualify Amateur status.

  • These guidelines apply to dancers competing in a specific role (e.g., you may qualify for the Amateur division as a lead but not as a follow).

If you are unsure which category you qualify for any any competition, please reach out to us at admin@nwbalfest.com and we will help you determine if this is the right competition for you.

 Frequently Asked Questions

  • Sign up when you complete your weekend registration.

  • All competitions will take place at Washington Hall, our venue for the evening social dances.

  • The organizing team will work with you to find a competition that is suitable for your level, per our competition guidelines.

  • Contact us!

    admin@nwbalfest.com
    taylor@nwbalfest.com