rules

For accreditation purposes, all registrants must attend on the date and time specified by the Preliminary Organization. The presentation of the national ID card or passport with valid residency will be required. At that time, they will be assigned a number and informed about the dates, locations, and approximate times of their performances in the different stages of the corresponding category.

Registrants who do not attend at the time of accreditation will not be allowed to participate in the championship. Delays will only be considered for legitimate reasons of force majeure, properly justified with supporting documents, except in cases that are of public knowledge. Once this stage has concluded, competitors will not be allowed to accredit.

During accreditation, registrants must present the registration form along with any additional information required by the organization. In this form, they must also declare whether they have had any professional, personal, or work-related relationship with any of the jurors in the six months prior to the championship, including any personal relationships, private lessons with jurors, or joint work on choreography for Tango Escenario. This declaration will be cross-checked with the jurors to determine potential conflicts of interest.

In the case of Tango Escenario, competing couples may not present choreography created, reviewed, or prepared by a member of the Preliminary Organization.

All data provided during accreditation will be considered an affidavit. Any contradiction found after signing may result in penalties such as score reduction, disqualification from the competition, or other appropriate measures.

The national ID card or passport must be presented before each day of the competition.

All participants agree to take part in various activities and events organized by the Preliminary Organization, such as press conferences, radio and TV interviews, and media engagements, if called upon to do so.

THE COMPETITION, in both categories, may take place in three (3) stages (according to the schedule set by the Organization): a) Qualification, b) Semifinal, c) Final.

Qualification: All registered couples will participate.

Semifinal: Couples selected during the qualification stage will compete.

Final: Couples selected in the Semifinal will participate.

For the competition to be considered official, there must be at least ten (10) couples in the Tango Escenario category and at least twenty (20) couples in the Tango de Pista category. If this minimum is not met, the competition will no longer be considered official, and the winning couple will not be qualified to compete in the TANGO BUENOS AIRES FESTIVAL AND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2025.

In the Tango de Pista category, couples will compete in group performances, dancing to three (3) recorded pieces of music. The music may be proposed by the Organization but must be agreed upon with the FESTIVALES BA supervisor. Special consideration will be given to the jury's recommendations.

In the Tango Escenario category, each couple will compete individually, dancing to a piece they choose. The performance must not exceed four (4) minutes in duration and must be submitted to the Organization in digital format (mp3 file on a pendrive) during accreditation. At this time, the couple must also declare the name(s) of the choreographer(s) who created, reviewed, or worked on their choreography.

Couples may be disqualified if they:

a) Do not comply with the regulatory provisions.

b) Make any political or religious statement during the competition that could be offensive to the public or the organization, or that could affect the event's development.

c) Engage in any unethical behavior or actions that damage the image of the Preliminary or the World Dance Championship 2025, or cause discomfort to the audience.

d) Engage in physical and/or verbal aggression, whether directed at participants, jurors, staff members, or the general public.

In such cases, THE ORGANIZATION and FESTIVALES BA may, by mutual agreement, disqualify or eliminate the couple from the competition. Competitors may take group classes or seminars with jurors, but private lessons with any juror are prohibited during the competition.

The jury will consist of at least four (4) judges, who, having reviewed and accepted the competition regulations, will assign scores to the participating couples. These judges will be appointed by mutual agreement between the Preliminary and the Festivals Direction.

All jury decisions are final and non-appealable. By registering, participants automatically accept this condition. In the case of any doubts or disagreements, participants may submit a written appeal (in Spanish or English) to THE ORGANIZATION and not directly to the jury.

Any juror who has had a professional or personal relationship or been a teacher of any of the competition participants during the six (6) months prior to the event must refrain from scoring that couple. The organization will consider both the voluntary declarations of jurors and the information provided by participants during the registration process.

In these cases, the organization may opt for a substitute juror or calculate the final score of the couple by averaging the scores from the jurors who have voted.

The scoring for each performance will be based on the accumulation of points from each juror, with the following scoring ranges in each stage: Qualification 5 to 8, Semifinal 6 to 9, and Final 7 to 10. The final score will be the average of the scores given by the jurors who have voted.

The Organization may award prizes and special mentions for second and third place, as well as other mentions as deemed appropriate.

In exceptional cases (e.g., power failure, stage incidents), the jury, in agreement with the supervisor, may require contestants to perform additional pieces to ensure a fair voting process, and the participants must comply.

In case of a tie in the final stage, the couples will have to break the tie by either dancing one (1) or two (2) additional pieces in the Tango de Pista category or presenting their choreography again in the Tango Escenario category, until the jury's vote determines the champion. The scores obtained by each couple will be made public after each stage is completed.

The Supervisor will be appointed by the General Direction of Festivals and Cultural Nights and will be responsible for ensuring the compliance of these regulations, as well as resolving any unforeseen circumstances within the competition. The Supervisor will also establish or inform about any necessary clarifications or interpretations of the regulations.

Any complaints made by a participant or juror should be submitted to the supervisor during the competition. The final decision on the dispute will be made by the supervisor, in collaboration with the institutional representative of the Ministry of Culture and THE ORGANIZATION.

1. Tango de Pista (Open, Amateurs, and Professionals):  Tango de Pista is understood as a social dance where improvisation, the embrace, and the connection between the couple are most important. The category will be danced in rounds, with couples moving counterclockwise, without retreating. They may walk one or two steps backward, but always within their own space. 

All movements must respect the space of the surrounding couples. If a couple delays the flow of the round, the jury may lower their score. If a couple stops the flow, they may be asked to dance an additional piece to resolve the situation.

2. Tango Escenario (Open, Amateurs, and Professionals):  Each couple will perform an individual presentation to a chosen piece of music, not exceeding four (4) minutes.

Tango Escenario will be evaluated on the combination of elements such as creativity, technique, and adherence to the tango aesthetic, including the effective use of space, attitude, and stage presence.

THE ORGANIZATION will take recordings of the event, including filming, audio, and photography, which may be used for promotional purposes. By registering, participants automatically authorize the use of these materials by THE ORGANIZATION and its partners.

Each category will have a winning couple, who will qualify to compete in the Tango Buenos Aires Festival and World Championship 2025. Winners will receive the first prize, which includes the full coverage of travel and accommodation costs for participation in Buenos Aires.

If the category does not meet the minimum number of competitors required, the organization may offer alternative prizes. Winners must represent the Preliminary, not their city of residence.

Registration and accreditation for the competition implies full knowledge and acceptance of these regulations.

Official Categories :
1. Tango de Pista
2. Tango Escenario

Unofficial Categories :
1. PRO-AM Pista
2. PRO-AM Vals
3. PRO-AM Milonga
4. Senior Pista
5. Senior Vals
6. Senior Milonga
7. Tango Vals
8. Milonga
9. Jack & Jill