For Competitors

Event links:

Registration is now closed. Please email ballroom@nd.edu for late registration. 

Fees:

  • Early registration (Open until March 31): 

    • Online payment: $50 

      • Online payment window is now closed

    • Cash, check, or credit card at the door: $55

  • Late registration, via email only (closes at 7:00 am Saturday, April 6): $65 paid at door.

COMPETITORS ENTERED ONLY IN OPEN-LEVEL EVENTS:

  • FREE

SPECTATOR FEES

  • Under 3: free

  • Ages 4 – 14: $5

  • Ages 15 and up: $10

  • ND/SMC/HC students and staff: Free!

Payment for regular registration should be made through the ND Student shop. If paying for large groups of people we recommend paying for ten people at a time. 

If unable to pay online, payment can also be made by cash, check, or credit card at the door. Please do not mail payment of any kind.

Late registration can only be done through email and late registration payments can be cash, card, or business/official check paid at the door. No personal checks, please.

Lodging

The ND Team is unable to offer crash space for competitors this year. Any questions can be emailed to ballroom@nd.edu

Registration Notes

Please pick up your registration at the Welcome Dance on Friday, April 5th. Check-in starts at 7 pm, and the Welcome Dance is at 8-11 p.m. If you are unable to attend Friday’s Welcome Dance, doors will be open to Saint Joseph High School at 7 a.m. on Saturday, April 6th. Line-up for the opening events will begin at 7:40 a.m., and the competition will begin at 8:00 a.m.

Judges will be enforcing syllabus restrictions at this competition. If any judge sees illegal moves for the specific round, they have the right to offer a warning or disqualify the couple.

Competitors may only dance two consecutive levels per style. The levels in consecutive order are Newcomer, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Novice, Pre-Championship, and Championship.

Newcomer Definition: For the Irish Dancesport Gala, a newcomer couple will be defined as two competitors who have been dancing no more than 12 months OR a dancer dancing the opposite of their usual role at a level no higher than Silver (if he/she has been doing so for less than 12 months) paired with a dancer who has not been dancing more than 12 months. We ask competitors to police themselves on this rule, but we also reserve the right to check registrations to ensure they are in compliance. If you have any concerns about application or enforcement of this rule, please contact us at ballroom@nd.edu. 

Role Switching Policy: In the special case of a dancer who switches roles between leading and following, the two consecutive levels rule is slightly altered. A dancer is still limited to dancing no more than two levels total in each style, but he or she may lead or follow (whichever is NOT his/her normal role) at a level up to two levels lower than the level at which he or she is leading or following (whichever is his/her normal role). For example, a follow at the Gold level is eligible to lead Bronze.

The exception to this rule is that a dancer may only lead or follow (whichever is not their usual role) at the Newcomer level if they have been doing so no more than 12 months.

Costumes are not recommended for dancers competing at levels lower than Gold.

***Dancers with tall heels will be required to wear heel guards to protect the floor.

TBA Policy

Terms: A TBA lead is a lead who is searching for a follow. A TBA follow is a follow looking for a lead.

We ask that each TBA be responsible for finding another TBA partner. Please use this spreadsheet to contact other TBAs. Make sure you go to the Notre Dame 2024 tab before entering your information. Please be mindful of level eligibility when selecting your partner(s). 

TBA follows, if you are unable to register with a partner before the day of the competition, you will be given the number assigned to the “TBA 0X” you registered with, which you can pin on any lead. In this case, please also have your lead wear a brightly colored armband (we will have a limited number of neon scrunchies at the check in table) so the judges know that only you are to be judged, not your lead. This armband must be clearly distinguishable as not a part of the dancer’s costume and must be visible to judges on any part of the floor. This will help control for level eligibility since you have not registered together.  

TBA leads, if you are unable to register with a partner before the day of the competition, you may pair with any available follow at the competition. If this is the case, please have your follow wear a brightly colored armband (we will have a limited number of neon scrunchies at the check in table) so the judges know that only you are to be judged, not your follow. This armband must be clearly distinguishable as not a part of the dancer’s costume and must be visible to judges on any part of the floor. This will help control for level eligibility since you have not registered together. 

Level Eligibility Guidelines:

Please consult the YCN Point Calculator to determine the proper level for your proficiency.

YCN Proficiency Points

The YCN system recognizes five consecutive levels, in increasing order of proficiency: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Pre-Champ, and Champ. Placing in the final of a level earns you points simultaneously in that level and the ones below it. Once you earn 7 (seven) points in a level, you can no longer dance at that level. Events qualify only if there was at least a semi-final danced. Points are earned as follows:

At the level you danced:

  • 3 points for 1st place
  • 2 points for 2nd place
  • 1 point for 3rd place
  • If there was a quarter-final danced, 1 point for 4th-6th place

At the level below the one you danced:

  • 6 points for 1st place
  • 4 points for 2nd place
  • 2 points for 3rd place
  • If there was a quarter-final danced, 2 points for 4th-6th place

At all levels below that: 

  • 7 points for 1st-6th place

Registration is on the honor system; however, we reserve the right to move couples up a level if it is brought to our attention that a couple is dancing at a level they no longer qualify for based on the YCN Proficiency Points.

If you believe your case calls for an exception to the rule, then please reach out to ballroom@nd.edu, and the officer board will make decisions on a case-by-case basis.