Rules & Regulations 2026/2027

Rules and Regulations
Revised: [insert date]

World of Dance Netherlands season 2026/2027 consists of official Regional Qualifiers and the World of Dance Netherlands Championship. Teams may qualify for the Championship through a Regional Qualifier. The Championship serves as the national final stage of the WOD Netherlands Series and may lead to international World of Dance opportunities, including the World of Dance Summit.

Age Divisions

Age categories:

Youth Team Division
Junior Team Division
Upper Team Division

Levels:

Level A
Level B

Levels may be combined if there are fewer than 6 teams in the line-up for any division or level.

Youth Team Division

Team has a minimum of 5 dancers.
Dancers are under 12 years of age.
A maximum of 25% of the dancers in the team may be older than the age category.
The highest age of a dancer may be a maximum of 2 years older than the age category.

Junior Team Division

Team has a minimum of 5 dancers.
Dancers are under 18 years of age.
A maximum of 25% of the dancers in the team may be older than 17.
The highest age of a dancer may be a maximum of 2 years older than the age category.

Upper Team Division

Team has a minimum of 5 dancers.
This division is generally reserved for dancers aged 18 and older. Younger dancers are permitted.

Level A

You may choose to register your team for Level A if your team:

Ranked top 50% at a WOD event in an A-level category; or
Ranked top 50% at a WOD event without A and B levels; or
Has extensive experience performing on other stages or at other competitions.

You must register your team for Level A if your team has previously:

Ranked top 3 at a WOD event in an A-level category; or
Ranked top 3 at a WOD event without A and B levels; or
Ranked top 50% at a WOD event in an A-level category; or
Won national or international titles or TV shows.

Level B

You may choose to register your team in Level B if:

This is the first time your team is competing at a WOD event; or
Your team has previously competed at a WOD event and ranked in the bottom 50% of an A-level category.

You must register your team in Level B if:

Your team has previously competed at a WOD event without A and B levels and ranked in the bottom 50% of the line-up; or
Your team has competed in Level A and ranked in the bottom 50% three times in a row; or
Your team has competed at a WOD event without levels and ranked in the bottom 50% three times in a row.

World of Dance Netherlands reserves the right to move a team to another level if the selected level does not match the team’s experience, previous results, or overall level.

 

Championship Qualification

Teams may qualify for the World of Dance Netherlands Championship by participating in at least one official WOD Netherlands Regional Qualifier.

Teams may participate in more than one Regional Qualifier. If a team participates in multiple Qualifiers, the highest eligible score may be used for Championship consideration.

Championship invitations may be based on:

The team’s score;
The team’s ranking within its division and level;
The number of available spots in the Championship;
The overall balance of the competition;
Completion of registration, ticketing, and music upload before the deadlines;
Compliance with event rules and instructions.

Participation in a Regional Qualifier does not automatically guarantee Championship qualification. Final Championship invitations are issued by World of Dance Netherlands.

Legacy Qualification

Teams that have previously placed Top 3 at an official World of Dance Netherlands event may be considered for direct participation in the WOD Netherlands Championship.

Legacy Qualification is subject to:

Proof of previous placement if requested;
Correct division and level placement;
Available capacity;
Timely registration;
Approval by World of Dance Netherlands.

Legacy Qualification does not automatically guarantee participation unless participation has been officially confirmed by World of Dance Netherlands.

Registration Process

Step 1: Register your team using the registration form

Before you start, make sure you have all team information at hand, including:

The full names and birthdates of each dancer;
The full names of each choreographer, trainer, coach, or team captain;
A publicly available video link if requested;
A description of any props you may use.

All props must be registered and approved before being allowed on stage. Larger props must be brought inside the venue and placed backstage before the official event start time.

After receiving your registration form, your team has entered the registration and review process. World of Dance Netherlands will inform you if your team has been accepted into the line-up.

Step 2: Order your team tickets

Everyone entering the event needs a ticket, including dancers, coaches, choreographers, team captains, and assistants.

Team tickets are meant for dancers, coaches, choreographers, and team captains. Audience members must purchase regular audience tickets.

Team tickets must be ordered by the team choreographer, coach, or primary contact.

The ticket order must match the exact number of registered dancers, coaches, choreographers, and team captains.

The order must be placed for the entire team at once. Dancers cannot purchase individual team tickets themselves.

The ticket order must be completed no later than 3 weeks before the event, unless communicated otherwise.

The invoice must be paid no later than 2 weeks before the event.

There are no refunds for cancellations, removals from the line-up, or missed deadlines.

Step 3: Upload your music

Upload your MP3 file before the deadline using the official upload form.

The deadline to upload your music is 2 weeks before the event date, unless communicated otherwise.

Your audio file name should include your crew’s name.

Only .mp3 files are accepted. Other file formats are not allowed.

If you upload a newer version, World of Dance Netherlands will always use the latest version received before the deadline.

Music Length

Youth Division: between 2:00 and 2:30 minutes
Junior Division: between 2:00 and 4:00 minutes
Upper Division: between 2:00 and 6:00 minutes

Music longer than the allowed time limit may result in a deduction of 0.5 point per second over the time limit.

Online Registration Deadline

Online registration, team tickets, and music upload must be completed before the communicated deadlines.

Failure to complete registration on time may result in removal from the line-up without right to a refund.

All event ticket purchases are final. There is no right of withdrawal or cooling-off period when purchasing concert or event tickets in the Netherlands, because this falls under services with a specific performance date.

Pre-show Packets

World of Dance Netherlands will provide a Talent Packet to each team’s primary contact before the event.

The Talent Packet may include:

Check-in time;
Show line-up;
Running order;
Backstage information;
Example score sheet;
Important event details.

Talent Packets will usually be sent out approximately 1 week before the event date.

Judges Panel & Scoring System

Each event will be judged by a panel of 3 to 5 judges and 1 to 2 tabulators.

All competing teams will be scored based on the following criteria:

Performance: 20%
Technique: 20%
Choreography: 20%
Creativity: 20%
Presentation: 20%

Performance

Facials
Energy
Stage presence
Showmanship

Technique

Cleanliness of routine
Dynamics in movement
Body control
Musicality
Timing and synchronization
Execution
Foundations

Choreography

Originality of routine
Creativity in routine
Variety of routine
Musicality
Concept

Creativity

Music selection
Transitions
Theme
Staging and blocking
Use of space

Presentation

Costume
Performance attire
Hair and make-up
Attitude
Facial expression

Deductions

Deductions may be given for, but are not limited to:

Music exceeding the time limit;
Unsafe or unapproved props;
Inappropriate content;
Failure to follow backstage or stage instructions;
Unsportsmanlike behavior;
Late music upload;
Other rule violations.

Main Stage Area & Backstage

At World of Dance Netherlands events, the following areas may be available for dancers:

Backstage waiting area;
Dancer prep area;
Stage entrance and exit route;
Crossover, if allowed by the venue.

The dancer prep area is only for teams that are close to performing.

Due to the nature of World of Dance venues, individual dressing rooms cannot be guaranteed for every team.

Due to time constraints, technical rehearsals on the main stage are not permitted unless approved by the organization.

Props

All props must be submitted during registration and approved in advance by World of Dance Netherlands.

Props may not damage the venue, stage, dance floor, technical equipment, other teams, or visitors.

Unapproved or unsafe props may be refused.

Props involving fire, liquids, glass, confetti, glitter, smoke, sharp objects, or other high-risk materials are not allowed unless written approval has been given in advance.

Teams are responsible for preparing, using, and immediately removing their own props.

Awards & Prizes

World of Dance Netherlands will hold an Awards Ceremony after a division, event block, or at the end of the event.

World of Dance Netherlands may award trophies to teams that place 1st, 2nd, and 3rd within each division and level.

Additional awards may include:

Best Theme
Best Costume
Crowd Favorite
Special Recognition Awards

Cash prizes, if applicable, will be communicated per event.

World of Dance Summit

Teams participating in official World of Dance Netherlands events may become eligible for international World of Dance opportunities, including the World of Dance Summit.

Participation, eligibility, invitations, and advancement to international events are subject to the rules, structure, and approval of World of Dance.

World of Dance Netherlands may nominate or inform teams about international opportunities, but final participation depends on the applicable international requirements.

Media & Content

By participating in a World of Dance Netherlands event, dancers, coaches, teams, and attendees agree that photo and video recordings may be made during the event.

World of Dance Netherlands may use photo and video content for promotional, commercial, editorial, archival, and social media purposes.

Teams are responsible for ensuring that all dancers, parents, guardians, coaches, and representatives are aware of this condition.

Code of Conduct

All participants, coaches, choreographers, team captains, crew members, and visitors must behave respectfully toward the organization, judges, staff, volunteers, other teams, and the audience.

Inappropriate behavior, aggression, threats, discrimination, intimidation, vandalism, or failure to follow instructions may result in a warning, disqualification, or removal from the event.

World of Dance Netherlands stands for community, respect, performance, and professionalism.

Final Decision

World of Dance Netherlands reserves the right to make final decisions regarding:

Team acceptance;
Division placement;
Level placement;
Championship qualification;
Running order;
Rule interpretation;
Deductions;
Disqualification;
Event changes.

The decision of World of Dance Netherlands is final.