SOME TIPS FOR YOU FROM JC & VALERIE : 

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🎟️ Wristband & Pass – Keep It on the whole Weekend!

When you arrive you’ll receive a wristband to wear at all times. It serves as your pass for all Montreal Westie Fest activities.

🚫 Important: The wristband must not be removed, exchanged, or lost. It is your proof of registration for the entire weekend. If lost, a replacement may incur a fee.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in keeping the event running smoothly!

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🧭 Workshops by level – How It Works

To offer you the best possible learning experience, Montreal Westie Fest workshops are organized by level.
This means each participant can only attend workshops assigned to their designated level group.

This structure allows:

• teachers to adapt content and pacing to your needs,

• students to progress in a coherent and stimulating setting,

• better group dynamics and comfort for everyone.
   

⚫️ Level breakdown:

• WCS Fundamentals: New to WCS or wishing to improve basics for better performance in Newcomer or Novice.

• Level 2: Must have at least 5 Novice points.

• Level 3: Must have 16 Novice points.

• Level 4: Must have 30 Intermediate points.

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🎯 Auditions for Level Change

Think your assigned level doesn’t quite reflect your current skill?
No problem!

👉 We offer auditions so you can move up a level if needed.

📅 Audition will be held:

• Friday at 7:00 PM

• Saturday at 11:00 AM

📍 Location: Concerto Room

👉 We encourage you to audition. It’s free!

👉An information meeting about auditions will take place Friday at 6:45 PM in the Main Ballroom. Highly recommended!

👉 After your audition, you’ll be informed if a level change is possible or recommended, based on the evaluation.

👉 A volunteer will write your number in invisible ink on your arm.

ℹ️ Note: A level change is not guaranteed – it depends on your audition performance and space availability in each group.

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🏆 West Coast Swing Competitions

West Coast Swing offers a unique competition format – fun, social, and highly technical – allowing you to dance with different partners in a friendly yet challenging environment.

🌐 The WSDC System

The World Swing Dance Council (WSDC) is the international organization that recognizes official competitions and records dancers’ results using a point system.

These WSDC points:

• track your personal progress,

• help you move up levels (e.g., from Novice to Intermediate, then Advanced…),

• ensure fair classification for future competitions.

👉 A WSDC Competitor ID will be automatically assigned after your first competition placement.

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🕺💃 Jack & Jill vs Strictly Swing – What’s the Difference?

🎲 Jack & Jill

• You register individually.

• Your partner is assigned randomly.

• You dance to surprise music chosen by the DJs.

• This is the format that earns WSDC points.
   

👉 Jack & Jill tests your ability to adapt quickly to different partners and unexpected music.
It’s the most common competition format.

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​🎲 Pro-Am Jack & Jill
Same concept as Jack & Jill, except that your partner is a Pro.
This is not a WSDC format: no points are accumulated.

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​🎲 Strictly Swing

• You register as a couple with a partner of your choice.

• You still dance to surprise music.

• This is not a WSDC points format – no points are awarded.

• Judging focuses on connection, musicality, and partnership in social dancing, without pre-choreographed routines.
   

👉 Strictly Swing highlights your partnership chemistry, shared style, and comfort dancing together.

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In short: Jack & Jill values improvisation and versatility while Strictly emphasizes partnership chemistry and style cohesion.

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📁 Others category

🌟Rising Star 

It's a routine division for dancers from Novice to All-Star. They have a choreography, with a partner, that they will perform in Spotlight. You definitely wants to see that. 

 

💃 Pro-am Spotlight 

It's a routine division. An Amateur is dancing with a Professional, a choreography that they worked together, and they will performed it in Spotlight. You want to be there! 

 

💃 Pro-am Jack n Jill

It's an improvisation competition, Jack n Jill format, with an amateur dancing with a professional. It's fun you can try it!
➡️ Partners are drawn at random and judged on social dancing, just like in a classic JnJ.

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🌿 Well-Being Team 🌿
Throughout the weekend, a dedicated team is here to support you.
Whether you’re experiencing stress, a conflict, or simply need a listening ear (or even a hug 💜), our Well-Being Team is available to help you with kindness and confidentiality.

Our goal: to make sure everyone feels good and fully enjoys the festival. ✨

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🕺💃 Social Nights

Days are filled with workshops, competitions, and shows—but save your energy for the social nights…

Our DJs are known for keeping us dancing until the early hours of the morning—just in time for breakfast!

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📱Dance, post, tag 💃🕺 → @montrealwestiefest

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💬Got a question, a doubt, or just wanna chat? 👉 Valérie & Jean-Christophe are here for you!