How are "Nightclub" competitions different from other dance Contests?

If this were a Ballroom or Swing competition, I understand that the "Thou must dance in the Professional Division because Thou got paid Once" rule includes cash won at competitions as well. This would mean that cash received from winning a competition would place you at the Professional level for later contests. It is for this reason the prizes at the Amateur level in a Ballroom competition are not cash - just trophies and scholarships to dance schools for example. 

BUT, if Nightclubs were to give away "tangible" items, such as a trophy, a car, or a vacation, the couples would have a difficult time "splitting" the prize (unless they were married). This is why cash prizes draw more competitors and people to the nightclubs. More competitors means more dancers, more dancers means more people watching, which means more drinks sold, which means more money to the bottom line, which keeps the nightclubs in business. 

On the other hand, if nightclubs just gave a trophy to Amateurs and money to the Professionals, all hell would break loose. Very few Amateurs would bother competing as a result because it’s not easy to find and deal with a partner to begin with. Competing is difficult. You must learn to live with your partner’s idiosyncrasies, practice till you’re blue in the face, deal with people’s criticisms, have the patience of Job, invest an incredible amount of time, and grit your teeth through all the bruises from accidental hits. Not many people can take it. Not many can withstand the work and the effort - especially during a very long twelve-week competition. (you can read more about what it’s like to compete and have a partner at my partner’s page). Like anything else in life, you’ve got to really love it, or earn money doing it.  

Because of the recent Amateur controversy at the Mayan, if there is going to be a Divisional (Pro/Am) dance competition of any sort, each promoter should provide to the Amateurs backgound research questionaires that they will need to sign. This should take place PRIOR to allowing them to enter the Semi-Final levels. The reason I say Semi-Finals is that a great number of last-minute Amateir competitors emotionally jump in to see how well they’ll do against their peers. This "background research" will eliminate any potential impostors and keep the competitions fair.