Why so few airsteps competitors?

[David Franklin]

With all the talk about airsteps, thought I'd ask this.

It seems it's increasingly a struggle to get enough entries to run the airsteps category, with some competitions ending up cancelling it altogether. And this year looks to be worse still, with (as far as I know) two of the main couples of previous years no longer competing.

Meanwhile, we have seen on here many people passionately arguing for the right to perform aerials.

So I thought I'd ask why none of these people are interested in competing?

Please note: This is not intended to be any kind of attack. As someone who no longer competes myself, it would be more than a little hypocritical to criticize others who make the same decision. But I'm seeing this category completely dying out if something doesn't change, and I'm wondering what that change should be. (Or if no-one wants to compete, maybe it should just die out).

[CJ]

An airsteps category would interest me:waycool: .... just not this year!!!!:blush:

[Mary]

Very good point. People have debated to death the subject of aerials on the social dancefloor, and mostly it's a no-no. But there appears to be a number of people on the forum who do enjoy doing aerials. It would be a shame to see aerials die out just because it's inadvisable to practise on the social dancefloor because everywhere is so busy these days.

Aerials are fun. The challenge of learning and getting to grips with each aerial is fun. Learning to freestyle aerials for competition is a challenge, which is fun for those who like a challenge. There is a sense of personal achievement. The aerials category is the perfect platform for all of this - it would be a shame to see it disappear because of the controversy of late.

There is always an element of risk - like skiing, horse-riding, wind-surfing and countless other leisure activities, but we do them because we enjoy them and, I assume, we get a buzz from it. But there is far less risk in the more controlled environment than chucking some unsuspecting person in the air on any freestyle night, busy or otherwise.

In a competition aerials category there is a lot of support between fellow competitors as we all are doing something we enjoy, and it's less about competition and more about feeling good about what you have achieved. Some people quite enjoy watching it as well. :devil:

Aerials does not have to be dirty word!!!!

M

[bigdjiver]

... Meanwhile, we have seen on here many people passionately arguing for the right to perform aerials.

So I thought I'd ask why none of these people are interested in competing? ...In my case it is because I want to dance, not to do acrobatics. Modest aerials are a few more colours on my dance palette.

If I was to compete it would be in a showcase section. I would hope to entertain, and I would not care if everybody else entertained better.

I would not mourn the passing of the specialist aerials section, but I would not advocate its end. It is adults with informed consent again.

[StokeBloke]

In my case it is because I want to dance, not to do acrobatics. Modest aerials are a few more colours on my dance palette.
:yeah: Airsteps are wonderful. I would maybe have a go at competing in the future, but it's hard if you can't afford your own studio with the Ceroc ban. It's odd that people are so vocal about banning airsteps, and they seem to think that this will not have a knock on effect with regard to competition dancing. I'm not sure about turning something I love into something I have to really work hard at and practice practice practice. I would worry that the fun would get knocked out of it.

We have been forced to look elsewhere for dancing because of the Ceroc ban. I'm not sure others could afford to travel in the week, it makes for late evenings too.

To be honest though it's done us a favour. We found a new home for Tuesday's tonight, and as part of a dance towards the end of the night we were able to do a lovely slow beautiful swan dive together. We'll miss our friends at Stafford for sure, but as one door closes....

[fletch]

:
To be honest though it's done us a favour. We found a new home for Tuesday's tonight, and as part of a dance towards the end of the night we were able to do a lovely slow beautiful swan dive together. We'll miss our friends at Stafford for sure, but as one door closes....

this is sad:sad: but was allways inevitable :rolleyes:


:flower:

I will just have to remember not to pick on newbies, when they post excitedly about Stafford :na: one good thing I found two new friends you and TB :hug:

[Yliander]

with so many moves classed as aerials/airsteps here - it's a category that would interest me - given enough time to prepare properly – so not for me this time

I think one of the reasons for so few competitors is that aerials/airsteps take a lot of time, effort & money (for the right teachers) to learn, work up and get them looking good, not everyone has the resources to do this .

Also to me there is a weird sort of aura/attitude about comps here in that if you work hard to prep for a comp you are taking it too seriously and not enjoying your dancing…. And that is SO not true – I have been enjoying my dancing so much MORE since I started training and competing again. It gives me a real focus for improving and lets me explore areas of my dancing that I could never do in a social context. Thank you CJ :love:

[Mary]

We were practising on Ealing Common yesterday - only cost me a bit of petrol!

Out in the open air, lots of sunshine, plenty of time and space for a warm up and stretch - and much cheaper than going to the gym. :D

M

[Yliander]

We were practising on Ealing Common yesterday - only cost me a bit of petrol!

Out in the open air, lots of sunshine, plenty of time and space for a warm up and stretch - and much cheaper than going to the gym. :D

M parks are a great place to practice - as can the ocean - build in crash mat :na:

[drathzel]

as can the ocean - build in crash mat :na:

very dirty dancing

[Mary]

parks are a great place to practice - as can the ocean - build in crash mat :na:


When I was young I gave up diving because water is a very hard and unforgiving surface when you enter it badly from a great height! It hurts - a lot.

M

[Mary]

very dirty dancing

Not if the water's clean. :D

M

[David Franklin]

very dirty dancingThat gives me a (very transparent) excuse to post the birthday card I made for Bryony last year (4 months pregnant):

[Twirlie Bird]

With all the talk about airsteps, thought I'd ask this.

It seems it's increasingly a struggle to get enough entries to run the airsteps category, with some competitions ending up cancelling it altogether. And this year looks to be worse still, with (as far as I know) two of the main couples of previous years no longer competing.

What a shame. :( I am so excited about watching my first champs this weekend (is that sad?). The category that I was most looking forward to is the aerials. :clap: I really wanted to see what the pro's could do in the air. :clap: I so enjoy watching these aerials. I guess it stems back from watching Dirty Dancing as a teenager.:whistle:


So I thought I'd ask why none of these people are interested in competing?

I think I may like to compete but definitely not this year. :sick: I am not sure though as many people says it takes the fun out of dancing. I guess it comes down to what you personally want to take from dancing. Each of us is on a different journey.


But I'm seeing this category completely dying out if something doesn't change, and I'm wondering what that change should be. (Or if no-one wants to compete, maybe it should just die out).

That would be so sad. :tears: I would hate to see this category die. For me aerials are part of dancing. Certainly part of showcasing. I really hope that more people will start to enter this catergory and it will be able to continue.

[fletch]

I guess it comes down to what you personally want to take from dancing. Each of us is on a different journey.



.



:yeah:


respect the journey :worthy:

[Twirlie Bird]

That gives me a (very transparent) excuse to post the birthday card I made for Bryony last year (4 months pregnant):

That is sooooooooooooooooo sweet. :awe:

That has made me feel all melty. :blush: Aaahhhhhhhhhhh :awe:

[Yliander]

I think I may like to compete but definitely not this year. :sick: I am not sure though as many people says it takes the fun out of dancing. I guess it comes down to what you personally want to take from dancing. Each of us is on a different journey. from what I have seen you & Stokie are close to putting the sort of work in for comps already. It's all about how you approach it - do it with a smile, perspective and a laugh then it adds focus to how you work on your dancing other wise it can suck the joy out of it.

[Tessalicious]

The category that I was most looking forward to is the aerials. :clap: I really wanted to see what the pro's could do in the air. :clap: I so enjoy watching these aerials. I guess it stems back from watching Dirty Dancing as a teenager.:whistle:
.snip.I would hate to see this category die. For me aerials are part of dancing. Certainly part of showcasing. I really hope that more people will start to enter this catergory and it will be able to continue.I agree that it would be a shame for the aerials category to die, but not for quite the same reason. The showcase is where you get to 'see what the pros can do', whereas the aerials category is freestyle with aerials allowed - from what I could tell last year, this category is entered by ordinary dancers who happen to want an outlet for their interest in aerials. The show-off factor of competing in aerials might be enough for some people not to need to do them at every venue they go to.

On the other hand, aren't we glad it's not oversubscribed with numpties? :whistle:

[Yliander]

When I was young I gave up diving because water is a very hard and unforgiving surface when you enter it badly from a great height! It hurts - a lot. true - but from 6 feet it's not so bad - and because in the oceon there are waves it's not as bad as a flat surface - besides it was fun to see my partner go under in a wave as he tried to lift me :na:

[Lory]

That gives me a (very transparent) excuse to post the birthday card I made for Bryony last year (4 months pregnant):

Brilliant! :na:

[Zebra Woman]

That gives me a (very transparent) excuse to post the birthday card I made for Bryony last year (4 months pregnant):

Excellent card David! :respect:




Nobody puts Bryony in the corner

[David Franklin]

Nobody puts Bryony in the cornerAnother anecdote (hey: it's my thread, and I'll sidetrack if I want to...)

We were talking about how we might try to start practising again, and Bryony suggested we could hire the gym and have Katie in her pram in the corner.

So of course, I looked at her with complete horror and said "You can't do that!"

(It took Bryony about a second to get it...)

[Chef]

I love doing airsteps and have spent many hundreds of hours in lessons and private practice with a few partners working on them. I would love to keep the skills current but my current dance partner is not keen.

Airsteps are inherently dangerous and you can only use them in dance or exhibitions about 5 nights a year.

There are lots of men who are really keen on doing airsteps but then it is very easy to be confident and brave about them when you are going to have both feet planted on the floor. I once saw Lilyb get out of balance at the top of a lift during a performance and start to head earthwards head first before Davidb controlled the situation and got her down without injury. Despite all their training and ability the experience left her so shaken she was unable to continue. You don't need many near misses before the flyer realises just how badly they can get hurt all for their few minutes in the spotlight.

We tried entering the category that allowed airsteps one year only to find that we were the only non professional dance couple on the floor. At that point there didn't seem much point carrying on but we were dressed up and determined to go down with all guns blazing.

Since then we have only ever done airsteps in cabarets and a dance show.

It does seem a bit odd that Ceroc are having a competition in a category that they have banned in their venues. What next? A competition to see who can carry drinks through a crowded dance floor the best.

[drathzel]

Personally i love being lifted. I agree with TB that it stems back to Dirty Dancing and wanting to be Baby.

I know how scary it can be and i have landed on my head during practice. Funny though everyone else was faffing about me and i was like "ok shall we try and do it right this time"

[TheTramp]

It does seem a bit odd that Ceroc are having a competition in a category that they have banned in their venues. What next? A competition to see who can carry drinks through a crowded dance floor the best.

As I said on another thread somewhere.....

I don't find this at all strange. When doing social driving, you can drive at 30mph in build up areas, and 70mph on motorways. When driving competitively, those that chose to take part, can drive much faster. You can also apply that to plenty of other sports, where competitions allow much more than are allowed during practice and 'social' elements.

That's what competitions are all about. Why should dancing be any different?

(Having said that, my personal preference would be for no aerials at all (and that means none, not some stupid rule about one foot below the waist) in freestyle competitions, but by all means, do what you like in showcase and aerial comps).

[Chef]

As I said on another thread somewhere.....

I don't find this at all strange. When doing social driving, you can drive at 30mph in build up areas, and 70mph on motorways. When driving competitively, those that chose to take part, can drive much faster.

I was only thinking about it on the basis that AFAIK airsteps are not something that they teach or advocate themselves.

[Dreadful Scathe]

You can also apply that to plenty of other sports, where competitions allow much more than are allowed during practice and 'social' elements.

:yeah: As has been said before - competition dancing is a VERY different thing. The majority don't compete - of those that do: there are those who take it seriously and practice; and there are those who moan about how the people who practiced are too good and should be in the next category up ;)

[Dreadful Scathe]

I was only thinking about it on the basis that AFAIK airsteps are not something that they teach or advocate themselves.

along with double trouble, showcases and cabarets...:)

[Jamie]

(Having said that, my personal preference would be for no aerials at all (and that means none, not some stupid rule about one foot below the waist) in freestyle competitions, but by all means, do what you like in showcase and aerial comps).

:yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah:

[TheTramp]

along with double trouble, showcases and cabarets...:)

Or indeed, how to compete at all, since, even the freestyles, the dancing is quite different from 'normal' social dancing.... :rolleyes:

[Chef]

along with double trouble, showcases and cabarets...:)

I can see that Ceroc(TM) teach dance elements that can me used within showcases and cabarets but they don't teach double trouble. So if the world argentine tango champions or waltz champions came along would they be able to win the Ceroc ballrooms section if Ceroc decided to put a section in just for the hell of it.

The big thing that I am struggling to understand is what makes it a CEROC competition as opposed to a hip hop, salsa, tango, west coast swing, lindy hop competition? Is it Ceroc because Ceroc teach it and if Ceroc don't teach it does that mean it isn't Ceroc. If it isn't Ceroc then are Ceroc qualified to judge a competition in it or is it like modern art where you may not understand it or be able to do it yourself but you know what you like?

[Gadget]

FWFW my opinion is that there shouldn't be an "Air step" category - it should be showcase.
This is because all the practice and development of any specific move will be better and have more impact is actually choriographed rather than trying to work out the best place to insert it into a 'freestyle' track (where I think they often are just put in to be put in rather than to match the music.)

[Yliander]

I knew it was to good to be true for a thread to stay on topic.

I suspect the ceroc ban on aerials has nothing to do with the falling number of entries in airstep/aerials category - as the numbers seem to have been dropping off long before the ban was ever mentioned. There were only 4 couples at blackpool

[TheTramp]

There were only 4 couples at blackpool

More than there were the last 2 years if I remember. There were only 3 couples doing the aerials competition in Brisbane last year too (AND that's with no aerials in the freestyle competition too!). And we know how much Aussies like to throw their partners around..... :wink:

[bigdjiver]

That gives me a (very transparent) excuse to post the birthday card I made for Bryony last year (4 months pregnant):Love it!

:devil: At precisely what age/weight does young Katie have to be before you carrying her into a Ceroc venue constitutes "an aerial"? :devil:

[StokeBloke]

Maybe the ban on aerials will have the counter effect. People will be more aware of these steps and as a result want to try them out. Leading to more people finding that they can successfully accomplish these dance moves, and go on to compete in the future.

There's not a lot in life more alluring than the word 'no' :wink:

[ducasi]

I've moved some of the posts from this thread to the other thread (http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/lets-talk-about-dance/12193-new-ceroc-aerial-rules.html), as they were not about competitions.

[Mary]

FWFW my opinion is that there shouldn't be an "Air step" category - it should be showcase.
This is because all the practice and development of any specific move will be better and have more impact is actually choriographed rather than trying to work out the best place to insert it into a 'freestyle' track (where I think they often are just put in to be put in rather than to match the music.)


I disagree. Freestyling aerials is one skill. Choreographing a showcase routine is a completely different skill. Choreographing an aerials routine is one thing to showcase just aerials, but to choreograph a showcase there is a whole different set of criteria, and different choreographic skills involved, and is a lot harder.

An airsteps category makes it accessible to 'regular' dancers and involves a let less work IMO (and fewer arguments!!!).

M

[Feelingpink]

:yeah: Airsteps are wonderful. I would maybe have a go at competing in the future, but it's hard if you can't afford your own studio with the Ceroc ban. It's odd that people are so vocal about banning airsteps, and they seem to think that this will not have a knock on effect with regard to competition dancing. I'm not sure about turning something I love into something I have to really work hard at and practice practice practice. I would worry that the fun would get knocked out of it.

We have been forced to look elsewhere for dancing because of the Ceroc ban. I'm not sure others could afford to travel in the week, it makes for late evenings too.

To be honest though it's done us a favour. We found a new home for Tuesday's tonight, and as part of a dance towards the end of the night we were able to do a lovely slow beautiful swan dive together. We'll miss our friends at Stafford for sure, but as one door closes....Aren't you concerned about your fellow dancers on a Tuesday night - at whichever venue you are going to? Two seasoned aerial competitors - Dave Franklin and Mary are talking about practising in a gym and on a common. Surely that says something about their attitute to safety - they're practising not on the social dance floor, but in places where there is lots of room and a lack of dancers. I've had a best friend kicked in the head by aerials during a social dance night very seriously, so your 'she'll be right' attitude worries me. It's great that you might want to enter competitions, but please think about other places to practise.

[StokeBloke]

Aren't you concerned about your fellow dancers on a Tuesday night - at whichever venue you are going to? Two seasoned aerial competitors - Dave Franklin and Mary are talking about practising in a gym and on a common. Surely that says something about their attitute to safety - they're practising not on the social dance floor, but in places where there is lots of room and a lack of dancers. I've had a best friend kicked in the head by aerials during a social dance night very seriously, so your 'she'll be right' attitude worries me. It's great that you might want to enter competitions, but please think about other places to practise.
I think we are talking about two different things here. We were not practicing new moves for competitions on Tuesday, we were simply dancing. My bad for confusing the issue. This Thread is about competitions so I can see how that confusion could have easily happened. Sorry :flower:

[LilyB]

That gives me a (very transparent) excuse to post the birthday card I made for Bryony last year (4 months pregnant):

That is so cool, DF :respect: