25/08/2026
🤠 THINKING ABOUT TRYING AN NCDC COMP BUT NOT SURE WHERE YOU BELONG? SAVE THIS POST.
One of the biggest questions we hear from dancers who are new to the National Country Dance Circuit is:
“Do I compete in Novice or Intermediate?”
The answer depends on whether you’ve earned NCDC points before. 👇
🧡 IF YOU’VE NEVER EARNED NCDC POINTS BEFORE:
You are considered a self-placed competitor.
First-time NCDC competitors may enter Newcomer, Novice, Intermediate, or Advanced after consulting with the event director about the division being offered and the best placement for their current level.
That means you do not have to automatically start at the lowest division just because this is your first NCDC competition.
Choose the division that most accurately represents where you are dancing right now. And remember—the system is designed so that, through competing, your results help reveal whether you should ultimately move up, move down, or remain in that division.
⭐ IF YOU HAVE ALREADY EARNED NCDC POINTS:
This part is different!
Once you earn a point in a self-placed division, you continue competing in that division until the NCDC database adjusts your placement up or down.
In other words, once you’ve pointed, you don’t simply self-select a different division at the next competition.
Think your current placement no longer accurately reflects your skill level? NCDC allows dancers to petition for a division change on a case-by-case basis. Reach out to the event/contest director if you have questions about your specific situation.
🏆 SO WHY COMPETE NCDC?
Because competitions can be about so much more than winning.
They give you a reason to challenge yourself, experience dancing with different partners under pressure, get out of your comfort zone, track your progress throughout the year, earn points toward your NCDC journey, and become part of a community of dancers doing the same thing.
And there’s something pretty incredible about stepping into that competition circle for the first time. 🥹
🧡 Sac Town Hoedown
The dance convention that feels like home
National Country Dance Circuit
