I'm going to have to go to my DanceSport Council representative and ask again, because while what you say makes sense, it contradicts what I have been told. See, I'm in the position of dancing both Gold and Novice these days, and I was warned that most people misinterpret this little subset of rules and that if I point out of Gold that I can't do Novice any more either, even if I didn't earn any points in Novice.

When I get a final answer I'll be sure to let you know -- and also will say who it came from. And if you get a final answer, please post it here along with who it came from. That way if our official sources disagree, we can have them fight it out and put a clarification in the rules.

Actually Laura,
This does help very much and was quite in line with what I saw this week-end. Your comment that novice is danced "alongside" with Syllabus is exactly what I saw. I saw some couples dancing silver, not gold, but then novice.

This is our third USABDA regional event, and although I dont study the rules or have expertise as both poster do, I do closly read the rules on the entry forms before I register.....

The Southeast Regional entry forms(last October) specifically stated that you could dance one level below your level, and IN ADDITION dance at the novice level...Of course for me that just added to my confusion!!

Your post is quite helpful to me, and as long as the rules dont change again, will dance novice in the future.... We have just begun to dance gold and it will be quite some time before we will point out in gold. I only wish this was a concern of mine!!!.

Dancing just Silver and Novice is allowed. So is dancing just Bronze and Novice, or just Gold and Novice. I was just outlining the *maximum* number of events a dancer at each minimum syllabus level could enter in my previous list.

It's a good idea to read the actual rule book whenever a new one becomes current because sometimes it's not practical to include every single rule in the registration materials. My group usually summarizes the most often confused or often violated rules, but we also have started putting in a statement that these aren't all the rules and that competitors are responsible for knowing all the rules even if they aren't in the registration packet.

Now, as for South East Regionals, what you said makes NO SENSE at all. Dancers are explicitly not allowed to dance below their lowest eligible proficiency level as per rule 4.5.4.5, "An Athlete shall NOT compete in any classification below the minimum proficiency level for which he or she is eligible." This means that if you have pointed out of Bronze, then your minimum proficiency level is Silver. Therefore, you can't enter Bronze-level events any more. If what you say about South East Regionals is true, then they were running their USA Dance sanctioned competition in violation of USA DanceSport rules.

If you want to dance Novice you should start doing it now, because if you point out of Gold you will no longer be eligible to dance Novice either.

And as for the rules not changing again...don't count on it. The rules are revised and changed every couple of years it seems.

Laura,
I think I mislead you on the SE regional....

What I meant to say was that you could dance one age level below in your category.

So for instance I am 49. I was able to dance silver(which I have not pointed out in) at the 18-35 age group , and then also the 36-50 age group in the same level.
Sorry for the confusion!

BTY at the SE regional, costumes were allowed at all levels!!!

Okay, then by USA DanceSport rules the SE Regionals was fine. They weren't talking about minimum eligible proficiency level, but rather age group.

The USA Dance age groups are:

Adult (19 and over, but Youth couples may dance up, so in a way it's really 16 and over).

Senior I (35 and over)

Senior II (50 and over)

I'm not sure if an organizer can prevent a Senior I or Senior II couple from dancing in Adult since Adult is 19 and over anyway, but I don't feel like digging through the rules right now to find out.

How rcruel of you to answer in that manner she is confused and unlike you not all of us are rememberization freaks so excuse me for her missinterpritation. and please excuse me for my miss spelling but i am in a hury but i hasd to reply becuase of your horrible manner!!!!!
And if you have any questions feel free to email me at crazymestef92@yahoo.com

And i do mean this in the most respect

Excuse me, but WHO is being horrible here? Everyone on this thread is being very respectful and are LOOKING UP the proper rule references (we're not rememberization freaks) so that we can explain where our arguments are coming from.

If anyone is being horrible here it is you for just jumping in and criticizing myself and anonymous when we were actually helping and just making sure that we all understood what the rules were, where they came from, and what they mean. That is how reasonable adults debate things: they state their points, and they look up and include FACTS (like, the actual rules) to support what they are saying. They also include references to their facts (like, by listing the rule numbers) so that the people they are talking to can go look up the same facts for themselves and read them in their proper contexts for themselves.

I couldnt of asked for better conversations and responses to answer my question. I think I understand pretty well now....

Janet, I've just emailed my Regional VP, Chapter President, and Regional DanceSport Representative to get a final answer for you. I certainly don't want to be telling you the wrong thing if Anonymous is right.

There's no harm in me double-checking, that's for sure! Especially since I often find myself in the position as a Competition Registrar of working with these very rules. If I've got it wrong and don't know it, then it will affect people who look to me to know the right thing to do. I certainly don't want to do that to people!

I'm sorry I don't trust you, Anonymous, but it's the Internet and all. You could be the head of the Rules committee for all I know, or you could be another well-meaning person like myself. That's why I'm checking it all out, just to be sure.

Thanks for your explanations Anonymous. I've directed the people I've emailed to read this thread so that they can see how the rules we've been discussing can be interpreted one way or the other.

Sorry for any confusion, but you can see I'm doing my best to get the official answer.

Thanks Laura for putting all this time into my questions...

I have to say this .. Of course I will always follow the rules in regards to what level I can dance at, but there are rules and than there is this.....

I think that just because you can, by the rules dance at a level, does not mean always, that you should.... I feel as dancers we need to be aware of what we can do on the floor based on our individual skillset... Let me explain...

I have been to comps where heats are combined. So you may have bronze and gold on the same floor... Well the dancng level is worlds apart, and I have felt it unfair to put these 2 groups together... It makes the bronze uncomfortable, while impairs the gold from dancing to thier potential.. This is why I hestiate to dance novice, as I do not want my level to impede another... After my NJ observation, I concluded that I could dance this level along my fellow dancers.

I remember once we were in a comp, and on the floor with bronze... We came upon a corner, and so was a bronze dancer.... My husband held back and let the bronze dance through... This decision blocked us in a corner, and earned us a last place.... I knew what my husband was doing.... It became more important for him to give the floor to the new dancer... For us it was only one mark of many, yet to the new dancer it was much more.... Yes, gave up my frame to look him in the eyes and smile..... Rules are rules, yet on occasion more important people are people!!!

Janet