Sydney comp

[Divissima]

TwK and I arrived on Monday and have been psyching ourselves up for the competition. Only three days to go - all very scary.

There should be a bunch of us there on Saturday - Viktor is competing, something we didn't expect. We thought he was judging (but perhaps you can do both over here). Other highlights will be David and Lily doing their stuff, and Clayton and Janine in the Masters event. They are up against Debbi Cantoni and her partner again.

We haven't exactly been practising hard (or at all) - this is our holiday after all, but now we're getting nervous about all those athletic Australian cerocers and there gravity-defying aerial moves...:really:

The weather has been 25 celcius today - we had a stroll around the Botanic Gardens and took in the magnificent views around the harbour. Beats working!

[Grant]

Originally posted by Divissima
The weather has been 25 celcius today - we had a stroll around the Botanic Gardens and took in the magnificent views around the harbour. Beats working!
where's that green-eyed jealousy smilie when i need it :confused:

good luck in the comp :nice:

grant

[Bill]

All the very best for the comp and of course to David and Lily.

Enjoy the day and the holiday. :D

[horsey_dude]

I know you will make us proud...

[Pammy]

Go Diva Go!

Just keep your eyes off the sparkling shoes and you'll do fine; and remember our motto if there are any sales out there; "you can never have too many shoes!"

See you when you return.

Hugs
Pammyxx:grin:

[BillCo]

Hi Diva , hope your having a fab time down under.
Say hello to TWK for me please and good luck to all of you!

:cheers: Sgt Billco.

[Divissima]

Hi guys - thanks so much for all your messages of support. I thought I'd post up a bit of a report on the day, so please bear with me through the boring stuff (or skip right to the results at the end).

Toby and I went out dancing on Thursday in Wooloomooloo and met Mark - and all the UK crowd: Lily and David, Clayton and Janine, Viktor, Ray and Jane Godman and Raymond were there. It was a bit daunting to see the Aussies doing their stuff - and brought home that we reall should have done some practice. We did manage a bit of time on Friday in a nearby dance studio, but the holiday mentality has definitely overridden the desire to get into serious competition mode! :really:

The comp usually takes place in the Town Hall in Sydney which is in the heart of the city, but this year the booking was cancelled due to refurbishments with the upshot that we were out on a university campus in the north of the city in a theatre - dancing on a stage with a proper seated auditorium for the spectators.

The competition was impressive in every way - Mark had fourteen judges from various different jive organisations in Australia, New Zealand and the UK (Viktor and Donna (formerly van Roose) as the UK judges), there were so many different categories with an extremely high standard of competitor.

Toby and I were in the Intermediate Championships category (the highest intermediate category) which allowed unlimited aerial moves (scary!). Our achievement was a fair reflection on our preparation - particularly as we went to the land of the big moves having incorporated only a couple of smaller lifts into our repertoire. We made the semi finals and were pleased with the result.

Ray and Jane were in the Advanced category and danced brilliantly - in their round I didn't see them miss a single break. They didn't make their final either but certainly deserved to in my book.

Raymond made the final of the dance with a stranger and danced brilliantly. Viktor danced in the Masters category with Debbie Cantoni and they won, beating Clinton and Melissa who are the awesome Aussie resident couple to beat. Viktor turned on the style and Debbie looked fantastic - a very tough act to beat. Unfortunately, Clayton and Janine withdrew from the Masters competition due to injury, choosing instead to focus on the showcase.

The team cabaret and showcase competitions were the strongest I have ever seen. The standard was amazing - so much so that the winners could have been almost anyone in the field. The winners, though, were Clayton and Janine (yay!! :waycool: ) having souped up their 'It's not right' routine even more. David and Lily came second - I have never seen them perform one of their aerial move cabaret routines before - but I have never seen anything like it, and nor had most of the audience who gave them a standing ovation.

I would not have wished to be a judge - it would have been a very tough day on them, all told. The UK contingent made their presence felt by making more noise than the Aussies - and waving flags at appropriate moments. There was a real sense of an international community of dancers which was a great feeling. Mark announced that he would be sending the results across to Adam Nathanson to announce at the final of the Jive Masters where, I understand, some Aussies won in a pleasing symmetry!

[Divissima]

Just a final word on two things - first on the 'international community' feeling I mentioned above... About half way through the day, an Australian gentleman came up and asked whether I was 'Divissima' from the forum then introduced himself as Gary Cappell (or GCappell). Hi Gary, if you are logged on and read this, it was lovely to meet you and have a dance. We met a few people at the party after the comp who were planning to visit later in the year and who enjoyed TwK's DJ set at the party.

Second, on a topic much discussed - the difference between Australian and UK ceroc. I think it has been said, as a sweeping generalisation, that the Australians tend to emphasise big moves over musicality. As a sweeping generalisation, I think it is probably fair. Just a small observation, but a telling one nonetheless... we saw a lot of musicality yesterday, especially in the showcase and team competitions, and not just big move after big move. However, in the advanced final one of the two records they had to dance to was 'At the strip' a classic big band swing number with several big highlights - on one of the biggest highlights of the song not a single couple hit the highligt. They all danced right through it - much to our surprise. But the big moves are spectacular - vive la difference!!!

[Gus]

Originally posted by Divissima
Toby and I were in the Intermediate Championships category (the highest intermediate category) which allowed unlimited aerial moves (scary!)........We made the semi finals and were pleased with the result.

Well Done :grin: No mean feat considering the standard of the opposition. Seems like the Brits did themselves proud! No doubt this may inspire a lot more of Brits and Aussies travveling halfway round the world to compete.

[Gary]

Originally posted by Divissima
Just a final word on two things - first on the 'international community' feeling I mentioned above... About half way through the day, an Australian gentleman came up and asked whether I was 'Divissima' from the forum then introduced himself as Gary Cappell (or GCappell). Hi Gary, if you are logged on and read this, it was lovely to meet you and have a dance.


Thanks for the dance :). Divissima wasn't kidding about the UK folks being loud, either. I was sitting near them when Ray and his partner were in a heat and they just went off.

I also scored a dance with LilyB which was very nice (and some Aussies laugh at me for frequenting a Scottish ceroc forum. hah!). Just had a great lifts workshop with David and Lily last night, and looking forward to another one tomorrow (my muscles should be nicely stiff by then :( )

[Pammy]

Well Done!

As previously said, you did fabulously; but the most important thing is that you had a great time, and from reading your posts, you obviously did just that! :grin:

See you soon.

Pammyx

[Will]

Divissima,

Well done to you and Toby for getting to the Semi's, and also thanks for the synopsis of the comp. I would so love to have been there.

Will :wink:

P.S. Safe journey home to all the UK contingent.

[Mary]

Divi, thanks for the report. Sounds like it was an amazing event to be at. Also sounds like the competition is really tough - well done getting to the semi's. Fantastic news about David & Lily making 2nd in the showcase - good on yer guys.

Would love to do one of David & Lily's lifts workshops - somebody keep me posted if they know of any. Although I should ask them when they get back. Hope Lily is enjoying the diving (massive green smiley here).

Well done to everyone for representing the UK.
cheers: hug:
Enjoy the rest of your hols and safe journey home.:cheers:

M::

[Paul F]

WELL DONE DIVI :cheers:

and indeed to everyone from the UK (and australia :grin: ) for doing so well.

Im very envious :wink:

[Divissima]

Thanks, guys! :waycool: :blush: :grin: Having a great time out here - looking forward to getting home and catching you all for a dance. Might manage one last night at Wooloomooloo - Gary, will you be there on Thursday? It's ceroc or the bridge walk! :eek:

[Gary]

Originally posted by Divissima
Might manage one last night at Wooloomooloo - Gary, will you be there on Thursday? It's ceroc or the bridge walk! :eek:

Sure, I can make it to the city this Thursday.

Maybe you can do the bridge walk sometime during the day? (It's a very pretty view).

Can we get Toby to DJ again?

[DavidB]

Just got back on Sunday. It is a long journey...

The competition seems like ages ago. We enjoyed it. It was exceptionally well organised, and the standard of dancing was very good at all levels. Mark Harding really did make an effort to welcome all the visiting couples - whether from other parts of Australia, or from abroad.

There were plenty of differences between this competition and the UK ones. There were more divisions - Beginners, 2 levels of intermediate, Advanced and the Masters (similar to the Open at Hammersmith). The Dance With A Stranger had an Intermediate and Advanced division. There were 14 judges, with as many as 12 used for some divisions. They have a standard way of marking and collating that is used in most of the competitions in Australia. There were never more than 8 couples on the floor, and they were rotated to different positions. The music was very good, with a wide but not extreme range of styles and tempos. You usually got 2 or even 3 songs to dance to. You changed partners in the DWAS, and were prevented from dancing with your regular partner.

The emphasis seemed to be on running an event that was aimed at competitors and spectators. They seemed to have listened to every usual comment/complaint from competitors, and tried to do something about it. The highlight of the day was the competition - people were encouraged to come and watch good dancing, and not turn up after everything had finished. There was hardly any freestyle dancing until the party at the end.

I'd compare this to the major UK competitions, where the emphasis is very much on getting as much freestyle in as possible, and running (rushing?) through the competitions as quickly as is practical. Why else would you have 30 couples in a heat to be judged on one song? The highlight of the night seems to be the freestyle party at the end. The UK comps - especially Blackpool - do listen to the competitors. But Hammersmith particularly seems to have no real thought given to the spectators.

I don't know which approach is best. You can't have both ways - there just isn't enough time to have lots of smaller heats, and still get a lot of freestyle. The only way is to make the competition longer, and run it on both Saturday & Sunday.


There was also a big difference in the dancing in the competitions. Big team routines seem to be very popular in Australia, and they take them pretty seriously. This results in most of the dancers being very good at performing their dancing to an audience, and they have an understanding of what looks good and bad. Even if they made a mistake, or danced off time, they still looked good.

I personally felt this was overdone at times - particularly in the freestyle and DWAS divisions. It is knows as 'mugging the audience' - when everything is projected out to the front, and consequently away from your partner. It is ok in a showcase or a team cabaret where there is a choreographed routine. But reacting to your partner is such a key part of 'lead and follow' dancing that he/she must take priority. However in the UK you usually get the other extreme - when people dance without any awareness of where the audience is. So typically you get a couple doing a drop, and all you can see is the man's backside. There should be a balance where you dance for your partner, but present it to the audience. I don't think either country does this yet.


Much has been made of the idea that dancers in the UK are more 'musical', whereas the Australians are more flashy and showy. I partly agree with this. The Australians love their aerials, and they do them well. (Fortunately they seem to have enough opportunity of doing routines, shows and competitions that they had no need to do them when social dancing.) They also love multiple spins, and lots of drops. Their technique seems very good at all levels - probably better than you get in the UK. Sometimes though you see so many tricks that you want to see some contrast. You don't see a huge amount of playing with the music. You rarely see simple moves that might draw attention to the tricks even more. I'm not sure why this is - virtually every lady I danced with could and would improvise at any opportunity. I get the feeling the men are too interested in showing themselves off, and don't give the ladies enough chance.


They do take their dancing seriously. They do lots of team routines, and work hard at them. You have to have reached a certain standard before you can do some workshops. They seem to have far more workshops. Their classes are done at a very fast pace. It has been suggested that this more 'serious' approach to Modern Jive may take the fun out of it. On the evidence of what we saw, nothing could be further from the truth. The dancers that we saw from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane enjoy themselves just as much as the dancers we've seen from Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen, and are just as friendly. There is no compulsion to do anything - you can just turn up to your regular night and dance if you want. It is just that they provide a way of developing your dancing to a very high level within Ceroc without having to learn a new dance.

David

[Gary]

Originally posted by DavidB


I don't know which approach is best. You can't have both ways - there just isn't enough time to have lots of smaller heats, and still get a lot of freestyle.

There's lots of other occasions for freestyle. I'm happier with the competition being mainly for the competition.



Much has been made of the idea that dancers in the UK are more 'musical', whereas the Australians are more flashy and showy. I partly agree with this.


Come back! Teach musicality workshops!


You rarely see simple moves that might draw attention to the tricks even more. I'm not sure why this is - virtually every lady I danced with could and would improvise at any opportunity. I get the feeling the men are too interested in showing themselves off, and don't give the ladies enough chance.


I'm probably guilty of this. I'm trying to give more "space" to my partners, but progress on "letting go" of control is slow.

[DavidB]

Originally posted by gcapell
Come back! Teach musicality workshops!Everyone just seemed to want aerials workshops.

I'm trying to give more "space" to my partners, but progress on "letting go" of control is slow. It is a shock to the system, for both the man and the lady. I find it worthwhile - not least because the more the lady does, the less I have to do, but the more credit I get.

David

[Gary]

Originally posted by gcapell

Come back! Teach musicality workshops!



The universe was listening. From Nicky's latest newsletter:


The next scheduled Advanced Class ... will be a Style & Musicality class, with emphasis on listening to & interpreting different styles of music, finding & hitting the breaks, changing your existing move repertoire to varying tempo music.


Excellent timing :)

[LilyB]

Originally posted by gcapell
... Divissima wasn't kidding about the UK folks being [b]loud, either. I was sitting near them when Ray and his partner were in a heat and they just went off. We learnt from the Scots!:wink: Besides, we came a long way & wanted to make our presence felt!:D


...I also scored a dance with LilyB which was very nice (and some Aussies laugh at me for frequenting a Scottish ceroc forum. hah!)....Thanks for the dances, Gary. David & I had a terrific time in Sydney, much of it due to all you friendly folks there. It was such a delight to finally meet you - after all your e-mails & messages on this forum. And huge thanks also for the recommendations re: diving in Cairns - we had an absolutely fab time there (no dancing, just doing touristy things).


... Just had a great lifts workshop with David and Lily last night, and looking forward to another one tomorrow (my muscles should be nicely stiff by then :( ) We enjoyed teaching both Sydney workshops and one in Melbourne for Debbie Cantoni. We can't believe the number of people in Oz who are serious about learning advanced aerials. The standard of aerials of the Australian dancers, in general, was pretty impressive. I guess it is because they have been permitted for some time now to include aerials in competitions, even at Intermediate level. Also, as DavidB has noted, they do far more choreographed routines over there which can & usually do incorporate aerials.

We will definitely have to make our way Down Under again pretty soon - the piggy-bank is being re-filled (very slowly!:tears: :sad: )

LilyB

[Gary]

Originally posted by LilyB

We will definitely have to make our way Down Under again pretty soon


:yum:

[Divissima]

Any plans to visit us here, Gary? Would be grand to see you :grin:

[LilyB]

Originally posted by Divissima
Any plans to visit us here, Gary? Would be grand to see you :grin: Yes!!!!!!!! And there's definitely a room for you at our place here in London.

LilyB

[Gary]

Originally posted by Divissima
Any plans to visit us here, Gary? Would be grand to see you :grin:

No plans, but it is tempting.