Para dance sport words · Beginner

The words you will hear in your first match, grouped the way you meet them.

B · Beginner · 15 words · Step 1 of 2

General terms

Para dance sport

Dance sport in which at least one dancer uses a wheelchair, in standard and Latin dances (conventional events) and in free dance (freestyle). It is run by World Para Dance Sport under World Abilitysport and is sometimes called wheelchair dance sport.

Conventional event

An event based on the standard and Latin dances listed in the rules, as opposed to freestyle.

Freestyle event

A free dance competition in which each competitor or couple performs one programme of their own choice, with no preliminary rounds.

Standard dances

Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Slow Foxtrot and Quickstep.

Latin dances

Samba, Cha-Cha-Cha, Rumba, Paso Doble and Jive.

Adjudicator

A person appointed by World Para Dance Sport from the sport's official list to judge. An adjudicator may not discuss the competitors or their performance with anyone before the competition closes.

Heat

A group of couples or athletes dancing the same dance on the floor together, with at most eight on the floor at once. Dancers are mixed from heat to heat, and everyone dances every dance in a round.

Events and participants

Combi

A couple of one wheelchair user and one licensed standing dancer. In a conventional event it is one man and one woman, and in freestyle it can be dancers of any gender.

Duo

A couple of two wheelchair users. In a conventional event it is one man and one woman, and in freestyle any gender.

Single

One wheelchair user dancing alone, in the men's or women's section, in conventional events, freestyle or both. The conventional single dances are five fixed ones: Waltz, Tango, Samba, Rumba and Jive. The junior single has three: Waltz, Samba and Jive.

Sport classes

There are six sport classes: SC1 and SC2 (combi standard), SD1 and SD2 (duo standard) and L&F1 and L&F2 (combi Latin, duo Latin, single and freestyle). Class 1 is for the more severe impairment and class 2 for the lesser.

The ruleWhat are the classes in para dance sport?

Conventional events

Final

In the skating system six couples dance the final, and the chairperson can add more. In the absolute points system up to 12 do, extended to at most 15 if needed, in heats of no more than three at a time.

Freestyle events

Freestyle programme

One free dance performed once for the adjudicators, one by one, in an order drawn for the final. Music lasts 1:30 to 2:00 for singles, 2:30 to 3:00 for combi and 2:00 to 2:30 for duo, and is submitted as an mp3.

Judging

Skating judging system

The adjudicators place the couples or athletes, with place one the best and no tied places given to different couples. In the final the place marks for the dances are added and the lowest total, which means the most first places, wins.

Absolute points judging system

The adjudicators give absolute points in three areas: technical skill, choreography with musicality and presentation, and difficulty level. It is used in freestyle and may be used in conventional events.