TANGO DANCE
ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

JUDGING PANEL
　
In both categories, the Judging Panel shall be composed of a minimum of four (4) judges who, having acknowledged and accepted these Regulations and undertaken to comply with them, shall determine the scores awarded to participating couples. Such judges shall be appointed by mutual agreement between the Preliminary Round Organization and the Directorate of Festivals.
　
All decisions of the Judging Panel shall be final and not subject to appeal. By the mere act of registering, participants shall be deemed to have accepted this condition. In the event of any doubt or disagreement, the interested party may submit a written statement (in Spanish or English) to the Organization and not directly to the Judging Panel.
　
Any judge who has maintained a professional and/or personal relationship with any participant in the Championship, or has acted as their instructor, during a period of at least six (6) months prior to the date of the Competition, shall abstain from issuing a score for such participant. For this purpose, both voluntary disclosures by judges and the information provided by participants in the registration form shall be taken into consideration.
　
In such cases, the Organization may appoint an alternate judge or determine the couple’s final score based on the average of the scores issued by the judges who have effectively cast their votes. To obtain the final score, the scores awarded shall be totaled and divided by the number of judges who have actually voted.
　
The score for each performance shall result from the cumulative points awarded by each judge according to the following scoring ranges at each stage: Qualifying Round: 5 to 8 points; Semifinal Round: 6 to 9 points; Final Round: 8 to 10 points. The final result shall be determined by averaging the different scores awarded by the Judging Panel. Couples whose average score ranks within the top fifty percent (50%) at each stage of the Competition shall advance to the next stage.
　
The Organization may grant prizes and special mentions for second and third place and shall also be entitled to award additional distinctions as it deems appropriate.
　
In exceptional circumstances (such as power outages, stage incidents, etc.), the Judging Panel, together with the official observer, may require competitors to perform additional tangos in order to reach a fair decision, and participants may not refuse to do so.
　
In the event of a tie for first place in the Final Round, couples shall be required to compete in a tie-break, either by dancing one (1) or two (2) additional tangos in the Tango de Pista category, or by performing their choreography again in the Tango Escenario category, until the Judging Panel determines the champion couple. Scores obtained by each couple during the Competition shall be made public after the conclusion of each stage.
　
In the event of a tie for second and third place in the Final Round, the Judging Panel shall deliberate and decide the final ranking.
　
OFFICIAL OBSERVER
　
The Official Observer shall be appointed by the DGFNC and shall be responsible for ensuring compliance with these Regulations, as well as for duly resolving any unforeseen circumstances arising within the framework of the Competition. The Official Observer shall also establish or communicate any clarifying or interpretative rules deemed necessary.
　
In the event that any complaint is lodged by a participant or a member of the Judging Panel, it must be brought before the Official Observer during the course of the Competition. Any decision regarding the dispute shall be made jointly by the Official Observer, the institutional representative of the Ministry of Culture, and the Organization of the Preliminary Round.
　
COMPETITION (EVALUATION PARAMETERS)
　
TANGO DE PISTA (OPEN, AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL)
　
Tango de Pista is understood as a social dance, where improvisation, the embrace, and the connection between partners are of primary importance. Couples registered in the Tango de Pista category shall compete in rounds and must, as on a social dance floor, move continuously in a counterclockwise direction, without stepping backwards.
　
During the round, couples must remain aware of and respect both their own space and that of the other participants, in order not to disrupt the harmony of the circulation.
　
Once formed, the couple may not separate while the music is playing. For the position to be considered correct, the body of one partner must remain continuously contained within the embrace of the other, it being understood that –in certain figures– this embrace may become elastic. All movements and figures must be performed within the space allowed by the embrace between the partners so as not to hinder the surrounding couples.
　
All figures commonly used in social tango may be performed, including barridas, sacadas al piso, enrosques, lápices, ganchos, boleos, among others, as well as decorative embellishments, provided they are executed within the couple’s own space and without invading or obstructing that of other couples.
　
Jumps, figures in which both feet lose contact with the floor, and any choreographic elements typical of Tango Escenario are strictly prohibited. The Judging Panel shall consider, as a fundamental aspect, each couple’s personal interpretation within the different tango styles. Musicality, floorcraft, style, the embrace, communication and connection between partners, as well as the pursuit of an individual personality through variations in dynamics and speed in relation to the music being played –while respecting its interpretation– shall all be taken into account.
　
Clothing shall not be considered an evaluation parameter; however, participants are encouraged to appear well-presented. Couples should bear in mind when choosing attire, hairstyle, and makeup that Tango de Pista is a social dance rather than a stage performance.

TANGO ESCENARIO (OPEN, AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL)
　
Each couple shall perform individually to a tango of their choice, with a maximum duration of four (4) minutes. In the event of a problem occurring during the choreography, it shall be up to the couple to decide whether to continue; the Judging Panel will evaluate how the situation is resolved, but the performance may not be repeated. In the case of a technical issue, the Organization, together with the Judging Panel, may authorize the repetition of the choreography at the end of the assigned time slot.
　
Participants may dance according to their own artistic vision of Argentine Tango as a dance form. Accordingly, movements, figures, and technical applications that do not directly refer to traditional tango shall be permitted. For evaluation purposes, the Judging Panel shall consider the following aspects:
・Choreographic composition
・Musicality
・Creativity
・Dance performance: interpretation, precision, clarity, and fluidity of movement, as well as mastery of the specific techniques of tango as a dance style
・Costume.
　
The embrace may be broken, and techniques drawn from other dance disciplines may be incorporated, provided they are justified and contribute to the overall performance. Aerial tricks and other movements characteristic of different dance styles must not be excessive, meaning they shall not exceed one third of the performance.
　
FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORDING
　
The Organization of the Preliminary Round shall record all stages of the Competition by any means or format now known or hereafter developed, including –without limitation– filming, audio or video recording, photography, and digitalization, either directly or through authorized third parties, for the purpose of promoting and publicizing the event. The Organization of the Preliminary Round shall subsequently submit such material to the DGFNC.
　
By the mere act of registering for the Competition, participants grant their express and irrevocable authorization for the use of the recordings obtained, without this implying any form of payment or compensation of any kind that may be claimed from the Organization of the Preliminary Round and/or the DGFNC by any individual or entity asserting rights over the participants’ image or likeness. This clause shall also include –without limitation– any photographic material that may be published and/or made available for promotional, advertising, or related purposes.
　
PRIZES
　
Each official category shall have one winning or champion couple, who shall automatically qualify to compete in the corresponding rounds of the Tango Buenos Aires Festival and World Championship 2026. In the Tango de Pista category, if the category includes forty (40) or more couples, the winning couple shall qualify directly for the Semifinal round; otherwise, they shall qualify for the Quarterfinal round. In the Tango Escenario category, if the category includes twenty (20) or more couples, the champion couple shall qualify for the Semifinal round; otherwise, they shall qualify for the Quarterfinal round of the Tango Buenos Aires Festival and World Championship 2026. The winners of both categories of the European Championship and the Asian Championship shall qualify directly for the Final round.
　
All winners shall represent the Preliminary Round in which they obtained first place and, without exception, shall not represent the city of origin or residence of either partner.
　
The first prize in each category shall be provided by the Organization and shall consist of full coverage of travel and accommodation expenses for both members of the couple, including airfare from each partner’s city of residence to the City of Buenos Aires, applicable taxes or visas, meals, and lodging during the days in which the rounds of the Tango Buenos Aires Festival and World Championship 2026 for which they have qualified are held, and for as long as the couple remains in the Competition.
　
The Organization shall be obliged to ensure, by all necessary means, the presence and participation of the winning couple in the aforementioned rounds.
　
The Organization may establish additional prizes. All contestants shall receive a corresponding certificate of participation, which may be issued in digital format.
　
Couples who win Preliminary Rounds within the European and Asian zones of influence may participate in the Final of the European and Asian Championships; such participation shall not be mandatory.
　
If the couple who wins in any official category declines to participate in the Tango Buenos Aires Festival and World Championship 2026 representing the Preliminary Round, they shall automatically forfeit the prize consisting of full coverage of travel and accommodation expenses in the City of Buenos Aires, and both partners shall be deemed ineligible to participate in the Tango Buenos Aires Festival and World Championship 2026.
　
If one or both categories lose their official status due to the minimum required number of couples not being met, the Organization of the Preliminary Round may opt to offer alternative prizes for the competition, but shall be exempt from awarding the winning couple full coverage of travel and accommodation expenses in the City of Buenos Aires.
　
Registration and subsequent accreditation of each couple in the Competition shall constitute full knowledge and acceptance of these Regulations by each participant.