ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE

• Participants must be at least 18 years of age at the time of the competition.

• The categories have no geographical restrictions and are open to participants from anywhere in the world.

• Contestants may participate in any or all categories. However, no contestant may compete more than once in the same category, even with a different partner.

• All participants must confirm their registration at the time of accreditation and check-in (accreditation cannot be done by just one participant). All information provided at check-in will be considered a sworn statement. Any inconsistency in the information after signing may be penalized by the organizers and the Bilbao Tango Festival & International Championship.

• To obtain accreditation for official categories, it is mandatory to present an identity document (birth certificate, passport, rental agreement, or similar) to confirm nationality and/or place of residence.

• Relationship with jurors: There are no restrictions on having a friendship or student relationship with jurors. However, jurors can choose to abstain from voting on a particular pair if they recognize they cannot be completely impartial.

• Participation in all categories is open to professional and amateur dancers. The distinction between a “professional” and an “amateur” dancer has less to do with skill level and more with the professional status of the dancers. “Professional” means that the dancers earn their living teaching and dancing/performing tango, and “amateur” means that they do not, but it does not always imply that the professional couple's dancing level is superior to that of the amateur couple. Some people are excellent at teaching or performing choreography, while others may be amateurs who are excellent social dancers who could excel in competition. To accommodate the different ways in which dancers excel in tango, five divisions were established for the competition: Tango de Pista Competition, Waltz, Milonga (improvisation categories with three songs in a round, with partners), and Milongueros (social category with partner changes), and Tango Escenario Competition (choreographic performance category).

• FILMING AND PHOTOGRAPHY: The Organization reserves the right to record all stages of the championship for promotional and archival purposes. By registering, participants expressly authorize the use of this material without financial compensation.

STAGES AND RULES OF THE COMPETITION

The competition, in all categories, will take place in three phases:

1) ️ Qualifiers: All participants will compete in preliminary rounds. All registered couples will participate and will dance only once. The qualifying round will take place on Friday, February 13, 2026, starting at 4:30 p.m. 2) ️ Semifinals: The couples with the highest scores will advance. Couples selected in the Qualifying Round will participate on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. 3) ️ Finals: The best couples will compete to determine the champions. Couples selected in the Semifinal will participate on Saturday, February 14, 2026, starting at 6:00 p.m.

• In Tango de Pista, Waltz and Milonga, couples will compete in rounds of a maximum of 12 couples, dancing three songs chosen by the jury (the songs will be announced just before the round begins).

• In Milongueros, participants will compete individually (there will be two winners: follower and leader), changing partners for each tango, and will dance four songs chosen by the jury (the songs will be announced just before the round begins).

• In Tango Escenario, each couple will compete individually with a musical piece of their choice, with a maximum duration of 4 minutes.

ACCREDITATION AND CHECK-IN

To complete accreditation and check-in, all previously registered contestants must arrive at the Oriol Palace on February 13th from 12:00 to 3:30 p.m. with their original ID or passport. During this process, they will receive their order number and will be informed of the approximate times they will perform in the different phases of their corresponding category.

Those who do not complete accreditation and check-in will not be able to participate in the championship.

Upon check-in, contestants must complete a personal information form, in which they must state whether they have had a work, professional, or personal relationship with any member of the competition jury in the last 6 months (180 days) prior to the competition. This declaration will be evaluated by the supervisor and compared with the jury members to determine whether any of them should refrain from judging a participant.

TANGO FLOOR (FREE ENTRY, AMATEURS AND PROFESSIONALS)

Tango de Pista is conceived as a social dance, where the most important elements are improvisation, the embrace and connection between dance partners, and the flow of movement around the dance floor.

Circulation of couples:

• Pairs must move steadily counterclockwise without moving backward, allowing a maximum of one or two steps back if necessary.

• Couples who stay in the same place for more than two sentences, hindering traffic on the dance floor, will be penalized.

• In case of obstruction, the jury may decide that the round repeats a tango.

• The hug must be maintained throughout the dance.

Evaluation criteria:

• Social tango moves (barridas, sacadas al piso, enrosques, ganchos, boleos, etc.) will be allowed, but without interfering with other couples' space.

• Jumps, moves that involve lifting both feet off the ground, and choreographies typical of Stage Tango are prohibited.

• The following will be evaluated: musicality, style and elegance in walking, technique and precision, connection between the couple, respect for the dance floor and flow, and the ability to change the dynamics according to the tango being performed.

Locker room:

• Attire will not be evaluated, but elegant attire appropriate to the social nature of Tango de Pista is recommended.

TANGO WALTZ AND MILONGA (FREE ENTRY, AMATEURS AND PROFESSIONALS)

The same criteria will be used as for Tango de Pista, but emphasis will also be placed on the suitability of the steps and musicality for waltz and milonga, respectively.

MILONGUEROS (FREE ENTRY, AMATEURS AND PROFESSIONALS)

Four songs will be danced, using the same criteria as Tango de Pista, but with an eye toward adaptability to different couples.

TANGO STAGE (FREE ENTRY, AMATEURS AND PROFESSIONALS)

Each couple will perform individually with a song of their choice (maximum 4 minutes).

Evaluation criteria:

• The incorporation of techniques from other dance disciplines is permitted, provided they enrich the performance.

• The choreography should include traditional tango elements: eights, turns, long walks, boleos, hooks, and the milonguero embrace.

• Tricks and aerial movements must not exceed one third of the total performance.

• The following will be evaluated: artistic expression and musicality, stage presence and costume, technique and quality of performance, and the inclusion of traditional tango elements.

Locker room:

• Unlike in Tango de Pista, in Tango Escenario, costumes will be taken into account as part of the evaluation.