Ballroom Shuffle is coming to ATOMIC Ballroom on Saturday, September 19. This special ballroom event brings together a Jack & Jill social dance contest, a workshop with professional smooth competitor Melinda Piekstra, and an evening social dance DJed by Doreen Fineman.

The Jack & Jill contest will feature Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz, and Rumba and is open to dancers at any level. In a Jack & Jill, dancers register individually as a Lead or Follow instead of signing up with a set partner. During the contest, dancers are randomly assigned to multiple different partners each round, which means competitors are marked as individuals, not as couples.

This format is all about connection, adaptability, musicality, social dance skills, and having fun in the moment. Ballroom Shuffle is designed to give ballroom dancers a fresh way to challenge themselves, connect with more people, and bring more energy to the social dance floor.

Registration & Pricing

Dancers will register through ATOMIC Ballroom’s system as either a Lead or a Follow. Competitors may sign up for Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz, Rumba, or all three styles.

Whole Event:

• $80 Presale (ends 9/18/26)
• $100 At the Door
• Includes Jack & Jill competition entry for one or all styles, plus the workshop and social dance.

ATOMIC VIP Membership:

• $70 Presale Only (ends 9/18/26)
• Available for ATOMIC VIP Members registering for the Whole Event.

A-la-Carte Options:

• $20 per entry per dance style in the Jack & Jill
• $30 for the special workshop
• $16 social dance fee

Regular Saturday Night Options:

ATOMIC Ballroom’s regular Saturday evening group classes and social dance will still be happening as scheduled for dancers who would like to attend the night as usual.

• $28 Group Class • Includes the social dance.
• $16 Social Dance Only

How the Jack & Jill Works

Competitors will register to dance in Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz, Rumba, or any combination of the three dance styles. Each style will follow the same Jack & Jill format. Dancers register individually as a Lead or a Follow, not as a couple. Partners will be assigned at random during each stage of the contest, giving dancers the chance to show how well they can connect, adapt, and dance with different partners in the moment.

• Quarter-Finals: Each style will begin with a quarter-final round made up of 1 to 4 heats, depending on the number of entries. In each heat, dancers will dance three 60-second rounds, each time with a different randomly assigned partner. At the end of the quarter-finals, judges will recall the top dancers to move on.

• Semi-Finals: Recalled dancers will return for the semi-finals, where 12 Leads and 12 Follows will compete in each style. This round will be divided into two heats, and dancers will again rotate through three 60-second rounds with different randomly assigned partners. Judges will then recall the top 6 Leads and top 6 Follows for each style.

• Finals: In the finals, the top 6 Leads and top 6 Follows will be randomly partnered. Each final couple will dance a 45-second spotlight round on the floor alone. Finals for Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz, and Rumba will take place during the evening social dance, followed immediately by awards.

Judges:

• Melinda Piekstra (Sway) – Head judge and tiebreaker, if needed • Preliminary and Final Rounds
• Doreen Fineman (Atomic) • Preliminary and Final Rounds
• Nikki Klaus-Pedroza (Atomic) • Preliminary and Final Rounds
• Dominic Seigler (Sway) • Preliminary and Final Rounds
• Chris Glowinkowski (DATC) • Preliminary Rounds
• Evan Yeh (Atomic) • Preliminary and Final Rounds

Scoring System

Relative placement scoring is a system widely used in Lindy Hop and West Coast Swing competitions and is known for being fair and transparent. ATOMIC Ballroom uses scoring software that allows judges to enter their scores digitally by phone or tablet. Or the tabulators will enter them manually.

In the preliminary rounds, judges score dancers based on recalls and alternates. In the finals, judges rank dancers from 1st place through the full group of finalists. Because all judges use the same method, each judge’s scores carry equal weight, and placements are determined based on where a majority of judges agree.

For more information about Relative Placement please visit this website: Click Here

Schedule

4:30 PM – 5:15 PM • Special Workshop

Start the event with a special workshop led by professional smooth competitor Melinda Piekstra.

5:15 PM – 7:40 PM • Jack & Jill Preliminary Rounds

The afternoon begins with social dancing for warm-up, late arrivals, and last-minute sign-ups, followed by the preliminary rounds for Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz, and Rumba. Social dancing will be mixed in throughout the afternoon to keep the energy up and give dancers time to change shoes and reset between styles.

• 5:15pm – 15 min – Welcome + Dance Game + Social Dancing
• 5:30 pm – 20 min — Quarter Final: Foxtrot
• 5:50pm – 5 min — Social dancing
• 5:55pm – 20 min. Quarter Final: Viennese Waltz
• 6:15pm – 20 min — Social dancing
• 6:20pm – 10 min — Quarter Final: Rumba
• 6:40pm – 10 min — Social Dancing + Dance Game + Announce Call-Backs
• 6:50pm – 10 min — Semi Final: Foxtrot
• 7:00pm – 5 min – Break + Announce Call-Backs
• 7:05pm – 10 min — Semi Final: Viennese Waltz
• 7:15pm – 5 mins – Break + Announce Call-Backs
• 7:20pm – 10 min — Semi Final: Rumba

7:40pm – 8:30pm • Dinner Break

Take a break, grab dinner, and recharge before the evening portion of the event begins.

6:15pm – 8:30pm • ATOMIC Ballroom Classes

ATOMIC Ballroom’s regular Saturday evening group classes will also be happening during the night. Dancers who are not competing, or who want to take class before the social dance, can still join our regular ballroom classes and be part of the evening.

8:30pm – 12:00am • Social Dance

The evening continues with ATOMIC Ballroom’s regular Saturday night social dance with DJ Ken & Doreen.

9:00pm • Final Round + Awards

The finals for Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz, and Rumba will take place during the social dance, followed immediately by awards.

Special Workshop with Melinda Piekstra
4:30pm – 5:15pm

As part of Ballroom Shuffle, the event will feature a special workshop with Melinda Piekstra, a professional smooth competitor and Head Judge for the Jack & Jill. This is a great chance to start the day with strong ballroom training before heading into the contest and social dance.

Melinda brings high-level ballroom experience, technique, and insight to the floor. Whether you are competing, social dancing, or attending the full event, this workshop is a valuable way to sharpen your dancing, build confidence, and get into the right mindset before the evening begins.

Be Part of the First Ballroom Shuffle

Ballroom Shuffle is your chance to be part of a fresh ballroom event at ATOMIC Ballroom. With Jack & Jill social dance contests in Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz, and Rumba, a special workshop with Melinda Piekstra, and an evening social dance with DJ Doreen Fineman, this event is built for dancers who want to compete, connect, and have a great night on the floor.

Sign up early, choose your dance styles, and join us for Ballroom Shuffle on Saturday, September 19, 2026.