Rock 'n' Roll Competition Classes: How the Classes from Schüler to A Differ

The German Rock'n'Roll and Boogie-Woogie Association, or DRBV for short, distinguishes among Schüler, Junioren, C, B and A in Rock'n'Roll partner dancing, among other categories. These names do not all fall on the same beginner-to-professional scale. Schüler and Junioren classify young dancers, while the letters describe a progression of sporting performance levels. An adult therefore does not automatically start in the Schüler class.

In the Schüler class, the focus is on the dance performance without acrobatics. The basic step, coordinated execution and figures must carry the routine. Junioren add a limited acrobatics program, but this does not open up all the possibilities available in the adult classes.

The acrobatics programs offer an initial guide to the letter classes: C includes three acrobatic elements, B five and A six in the acrobatics round. The number describes the scope, not which elements are permitted. Age limits, eligibility to compete and promotion are also covered by separate rules.

A specific example: Two adults can be new to dancing and still not be classified in the youth division. Conversely, an experienced youth couple can dance at an advanced level, even though their repertoire remains limited by age and class. “Junioren” therefore certainly does not mean “weak dancers.”

The differences between C, B and A cannot be reduced to three, five or six elements. What matters is which types of movement are allowed within the routine. Two acrobatic moves can look similarly spectacular and still be very different under the rules.

The C class limits the repertoire significantly, and somersaults are not part of its permitted routine. In the B class, partner-assisted somersaults are possible. In these moves, the acrobatic movement is guided through contact with the partner. This is different from a free rotation, in which the person being lifted has no guiding contact with their partner during the rotation. Such free rotations belong to the expanded acrobatics repertoire of the A class, within the limits set for them.

However, contact alone is no free pass: the rules cover specific elements and conditions for their execution. Brief hand contact before a flight phase does not make a subsequent free rotation a partner-assisted somersault.

That is why the entire movement sequence matters, not what it is commonly called. Similarly, the distinction between partner dancing and show elements in Salsa separates visual impact from dance function. You cannot infer permission for your own competition class from an impressive video.

As the acrobatics increase, footwork does not disappear. In the dance section, rhythm, posture, precise kicks and performing together remain clearly visible. The fundamentals of Rock'n'Roll kick technique explain the individual movement; the class determines the overall routine in which it is judged.

In Class A, footwork and acrobatics are performed in separate routines. This requires two differently structured programs: a dance sequence without acrobatics and an acrobatic sequence with dance transitions. A couple with impressive aerial figures does not automatically have an equally convincing footwork round.

Your goal is governed by the current DRBV tournament sport regulations and the corresponding class and acrobatics rules. Check the current version for your intended class, including age and promotion rules as well as permitted elements. A course label such as “Advanced” does not replace this classification.

This makes it possible to set a specific training goal: “We are developing a precise Class C routine” says more than “We want to learn more difficult tricks.” The class description sets the framework, and the coach develops a routine you can master within it. Acrobatics should be practiced in coached sessions with proper safety measures, not by trying to copy tournament videos on your own.