Title: Open Astana Tango Cup 2023
Organizer: Aliya Kuanysheva
Date: October 21, 2023
Venue: Wyndham Garden Hotel, 25 Hussein ben Talal St.
Republic of Kazakhstan, Astana

The tournament is held in strict accordance with the General Tournament Rules. The Organizer and all participants, by taking part in the tournament, commit to comply with these Regulations.
The Pro-Am competition is open to any couple consisting of a Pro-Am teacher (Pro) and a Student (Am).
The Open Astana Tango Cup 2023 is intended to popularize Argentine tango as a form of cultural leisure and active recreation.

The Organizing Committee is responsible for the preparation and holding of the Tournament. The Organizing Committee in its work is guided by these Regulations and is responsible for observing of all its points during the preparation and conduct of the Tournament. The Organizing Committee is the highest authority for all Participants of the Tournament in solving any issues in the preparation and conduct of the Tournament.

Registration and subsequent accreditation of each participant of the Open Astana Tango Cup 2023 implies that s/he is familiar with these Regulations and assumes the obligation to comply with them.

Categories:

• Open Category — no restrictions
• PRO-AM — Professional + amateur

• dancers up to 1(one) year-Beginner
• dancers from 1(one) year to 3(three) years-Intermediate
• dancers over 3(three) years-Advanced

Nominations:
1.Tango de Pista (tango for the dance floor) Open category
2.Tango Escenario (stage tango) Open Category
3.Tango Milonguero Open category
4.Tango Nuevo Open category
5.Tango de Pista (tango for the dance floor) PRO-AM

• Single dance (competition on individual dance with division into categories, which are specified in the Application)
• Multi dance (competition on the sum of 3 dances with division into categories, which are specified in the Application)

The Tournament is open to dancers over 18 years of age.

No one can register two or more times in the same category, but can register in different categories with the same or a different partner.

For example, PRO-AM participants at Beginner level can also register in different categories at Intermediate level, and Intermediate participants at Advanced level.

Registration is carried out by filling in the registration form on the website - https://tangoguide.asia/open-astana-tango-cup-2023-eng

Registration is valid only after paying the participation fee in the selected categories. Registration and payment will be closed when accreditation for the relevant category closes on the day of the Tournament.

In case of successful accreditation Participants receive a certificate of participation and a number with which they perform in all competition categories of the Tournament.

Tournament participants must follow these rules during the Tournament:

1. Access to the dance floor is allowed only with the permission of the Organizing Committee and only within the entrances defined in the Tournament Program for dancefloor tryout entrances and competition entrances according to the list of participants of each entrance.

2. Dancers are personally responsible for entering the dance floor on time. The schedule of the Qualification with the start time of each entrance and the names of the Participants will be published on the start day of the competition on the information stand at the Tournament venue. The schedule of subsequent stages will be published there as soon as the lists of Participants admitted to participate in the respective stages are ready.

3. Participants of the Tournament will treat the Organizing Committee, other Participants and spectators of the Tournament with respect.

Competitions will be held in 3 (three) stages according to the schedule set by the Organizing Committee:
a) Classification, b) Semi-final, c) Final.

a) Classification: all registered couples participate. They can dance once or twice according to the schedule of competition rounds.

b) Semi-final: couples who have been selected at the Qualification stage participate.

c) Final: couples who have been selected at the Semi-final stage participate.

Depending on the number of participants in the competition category the Organizing Committee may decide to exclude the stages of Classification or Semi-final.

In all categories couples will compete in groups according to the lists of entrances formed by the Organizing Committee.

The competition is held in strict accordance with the rules and criteria described in the Evaluation Criteria of these Regulations. At each stage of the competition couples dance 2(two) or 3(three) themes at the discretion of the judges, chosen by the Organizing Committee. Tango experience of a couple is considered according to the maximum tango experience of one of the partners.

An exception is made for those participating in the subcategory “up to 1 year” – they will be sent the compositions of the qualifying tanda for preliminary familiarization.

Participants will be able to express their personal vision of tango. This means that they can use movements, figures and techniques that are not usually part of the traditional tango style. Couples may break the embrace and use additional techniques from other dance disciplines, but only to the extent that it is satisfying and looks beneficial to the overall performance. The length of the tune is no more than 3 minutes. The music is provided on a flash drive prior to the Tournament.

Competition is held in accordance with the rules and criteria described in the Evaluation Criteria of these Regulations. During the dance the dancers will change partners to demonstrate their ability to dance with a different participant. The number of partner changes is determined by the Organizing Committee.

At each stage of the competition couples will dance 2 or 3 (three) themes at the discretion of the judges, chosen by the Organizing Committee. The scores are given to each participant individually. The dancers who passed to the Semi-final and Final, as well as the prize winners may be from different couples – it will be those who showed the best skill of dancing with different partners.

The competition is held in accordance with the rules and criteria described in Evaluation Criteria of these Regulations. During the dance dancers can break their embrace and use any elements of modern tango, including jumps and supports, but respecting the rules of movement in the ronda, as well as the space of the couple and the safety of neighboring couples. At each stage of the competition couples dance 2 (two) themes chosen by the Organizing Committee.

The Tournament Judging Panel will consist of a minimum of 5 (five) judges who, knowing and accepting these Regulations and undertaking to abide by them, will score the competitors. All judging decisions are unappealable. By registering to participate in the Tournament the participants confirm they agree with this condition. The result of each performance will be the sum of the scores given by each judge on a scale from 1 to 10 in accordance with the criteria set out in the next section.

The panel of judges will select one winning couple in each category. Also, the judging panel may (in agreement with the Organizer) award prizes or special prizes for second and third place, as well as has the right to mark anything they feel worthy of attention.

Tango de Pista (Tango for the dance floor), understood as a social dance in which the most important thing is improvisation, embrace and connection between partners.
Movement of couples in the ronda: couples, as on a real dance floor, dance in the ronda, moving continuously counterclockwise, excluding backward movement. Dancers may, if necessary, take one or two steps backward without going beyond the space of the couple. Dancers must respect the space of their couple as well as the space of other couples in the ronda, so as not to disrupt the harmony of circular movement. If a couple stays in the same place for two musical phrases, breaking the circular movement on the dance floor, the judges may reduce their marks.

Overtaking is prohibited, even when one pair in the ronda stops the circular traffic. The judges may order an additional composition to dance to solve the inconvenience. Once having created an embrace, the dancers must not separate while the music is playing. In order for the position to be recognized as correct, the body of each partner must be constantly contained within the embrace, taking into account that in certain figures the embrace may be flexible. All movements and figures must be performed within the space that the couple's embrace allows, in such a way that it does not affect the space of neighboring couples. The lead dancer may ask his/her partner to walk and/or turn either to the left or to the right without moving backwards across the dance floor.
There is no need to break the embrace between the compositions.
About the evaluation criteria: depending on the level (beginner, intermediate, advanced) the dancers may perform any figures used in the social tango, including barridas, sacadas drawn on the floor, enrosque, lapis, boleo, etc., as well as embellishments performed within the space of the couple without interfering and/or taking over the space of other couples. Jumps, figures that involve lifting both feet off the ground and any other choreographic possibilities typical of Stage Tango are completely forbidden.

As the main criterion, the Judging Panel considers the personal interpretation of each couple in various styles. The musicality and elegance of the walk are taken into account, but especially the connection in the couple and the display of their own individuality, expressed also in the change of dynamics and speed depending on the composition being played.
Costumes. Clothing is not an evaluation criterion. When choosing clothes, hair and make-up, Dancers are advised to remember that Tango for the Dance Floor (Tango de Pista) is a social dance, not a stage dance.

In the Tango Milonguero category, close unbreakable body contact is mandatory, including the possibility of moving the axis forward. In order for the position to be recognized as correct, the body of each partner must be constantly contained within the embrace of the other, the mobility of the embrace is minimal. The frontal closed chest-to-chest embrace – the connection of the bodies in the chest area is close and constant. Both partners can shift their weight forward so that their axes are on the verge of equilibrium - the position can be almost volcadic, where a triangle is formed between the two partners and the floor (house of cards effect).
Closed embrace, usually high: the follower's hand is placed on the leader's neck or over the shoulder. This position is maintained throughout the dance with constant contact - once the hug is created, the dancers should not separate while the music is playing.
The use of variations in the dance, allowing to constantly maintain contact in a closed embrace: back ocho and giro are performed with minimal pivot or replaced by cross steps (ocho milonguero, giro milonguero); ocho cortado is used frequently.

Steps are mostly short, "chopped", under the body and together with the body. All movements and figures should be performed within the space that the embrace of the couple allows, in such a way that it does not affect the space of neighboring couples.
Dancers should respect the space of their couple as well as the space of other couples in the ronda, so as not to disrupt the harmony in circular movement. If a couple is in the same place for two musical phrases, disrupting the circular movement on the dance floor, the judges may lower their scores.
Overtaking is prohibited, even when one couple in the ronda stops the circular motion.
Judges may assign an additional composition to resolve the situation. The organizing committee may reduce the dance space for participants in this category in order to create a situation as close as possible to a full milonga.

In the Tango Escenario category, participants will be able to express their personal vision of tango (their style). This means that they can use movements, figures and techniques that are not usually part of the traditional tango style. Any figures used in both "social" tango and "stage" tango may be performed, including jumps, figures involving the loss of contact with the floor of both feet and other (including author's) choreographic possibilities. Couples may break the embrace and use additional techniques from other dance disciplines, but only to the extent that it is satisfactory and looks favorable for the overall performance. Couples (two participants per team) in order (according to the program) perform their numbers to the theme of Argentine tango. In Tango Escenario category each couple performs individually, dancing one musical composition chosen by themselves. This composition cannot be more than 3 (three) minutes long and must be submitted to the Organizing Committee in digital format (mp3, electronic media) no later than 1 day before the performance.

In the Tango-Nuevo category, close and/or open, as well as broken embraces (one or two arms) are allowed.  It is allowed to perform figures that are performed outside the space of the couple's embrace, but without violating the space of other couples, and respecting the rules of movement in the ronda, as well as the space of the couple and the safety of other couples. The panel of judges will take into account the interaction in the couple, the elasticity of the embrace, musicality, variety of choreography of the couple.

The participants of the Tournament, who took the prize-winning places, are awarded with diplomas, cups, valuable prizes and gifts from the organizers and partners.

In all nominations three winners (1,2,3 places) in each category are chosen, who receive a special trophy Open Astana Tango Cup-2023.

Participants of Tango De Pista Single Dance category are awarded with diplomas of participants.
Participants of the category Tango De Pista Multi dance are awarded with diplomas and medals.

The Tournament Organizer reserves the right to shoot all stages of the Tournament, using all known and new means and methods, including, but not limited to - audio, video and photo shooting, recording on digital media, both independently and engaging third-party specialists for this purpose, in order to promote and advertise the event. All materials and records are the exclusive property of the Tournament Organizer.

By registering for the Tournament, the Participants acknowledge the irrevocable and royalty-free transfer of the rights to use the above materials and recordings to the Tournament Organizer. This means that neither the Participants nor any third parties related to them have any possibility to demand payment from the Organizer for the use of the materials and recordings of the Tournament. This condition also applies without any restriction to photo and video materials that will be published or used for advertising and promotion of the Tournament.

The Tournament participation fee is in the national currency of the Republic of Kazakhstan, tenge.

The total amount for participating in the Tournament is the total amount for participating in each selected category.

Refunds.
In case of cancellation to participate in the Open Astana Tango Cup before October 10, 2023 inclusive, 50% of the prepayment will be refunded.
After 15.10.2023, the return of prepayment is not made.
The detailed list of figures, groups, levels and fees are available on the official internet resource of the festival - https://tangoguide.asia/astana-tango-festival-20-22102023-eng