Dance with a stranger roolz?

[Graham W]

Why is it that in the Dance With a Stranger (at local or other level) that the organisers don't always have a 100% FAIR way of applying how partners are matched?, for instance drawing the number out of the a box & then writing the name and number in front of the competitor in a table seems a good way..

G

[CJ]

Eh?!?!?!?!??!?!?????????????????????

[Andy McGregor]

At all the dance comps I've been to the DWAS partners are matched at random. Is Graham saying that he's been to a competition where there was some level of pre-selection or other non-random method of matching partners?

[philsmove]

I’m not too sure what graham W is driving at. Sometimes he is deadly serious, :angry: other times he is winding us up :devil:

But it is meant to be a dance with a STRANGER

A recent local DWAS was won by a couple who danced regularly together and regularly entered completions; hardly strangers, but fair and correct under the rules

3rd place was awarded to true “strangers “ a couple who had never danced together before, one was a serious competitor the other a mere mortal who only enters the local DWAS completions

I really would like to have seen them win, but other couple were better

It would be nice to find a formula that ensured partners were, as far as possible true strangers

[Minnie M]

When there are more than TWO couples on the dance floor, it is difficult for the judges to focus on all at the same time. In the case of Jive Masters, although I can understand the organisers decision on the mix of the couples, the very amature judges (i.e. the audience) would naturally focus of the more profile dancers.

I was there at the Jive Masters finals and thought Jive Brummie, Bill and SimonR were superb and possibly the best in their heat. However, that is what Jive Masters is all about as it is (mostly) the untrained eye that judges.

DWAS should be completely random - however, in all the years I have been dancing I have only ever got one dancer more experienced that me and that was my first and he won LeJive the previous year :worthy: (had only been dancing a few months) and we got to the finals !

What miffs me is the combination of dancers who have actual know and have danced with each other and don't own up - it is Dance with a STRANGER after all :whistle:

[TheTramp]

What miffs me is the combination of dancers who have actual know and have danced with each other and don't own up - it is Dance with a STRANGER after all :whistle:
I don't think that it would be possible to do this.

My own interpretation of the idea, is more the 'lucky dip' that some competitions call it. At competitions, if every couple who knew each other 'owned up', then it'd be chaos trying to get it sorted - I bet that at least half the couples when they get lined up, know, and have danced with each other before. I can't remember when I got a complete stranger in a DWAS competition (of course, MY partner ends up doing 'dance with a weirdo').

So, it's more a 'dance with someone that you might know, but don't know you're going to dance with until it's randomly sorted out', rather than 'dance with an actual stranger'.

At the Ceroc champs in London in 2001, I was stood next to Colin from Croydon, who, when the line was moved on, ended up with his wife. He tried to swap partners with me, since he thought that he shouldn't end up with his wife. I refused, and danced with the girl I had, who was more or less a stranger. He went out in the first couple of rounds, and I got a little further than that ( :whistle: ).

[Andy McGregor]

He went out in the first couple of rounds, and I got a little further than that ( :whistle: ).

The Tramp is (nearly) being modest. I think he won :clap:

[Tiggerbabe]

Must admit, I usually refer to it as the "Lucky Dip" too - and I've never yet been to a competition where it wasn't a random allocation of partners. Blackpool, Ceroc Champs and the Scottish competition, all done without any "pre-selection" of partners.
With people travelling all over the country to attend various events, I think it's not always going to be possible to make sure you've never ever danced with the person you end up with.

I love the lucky dip - and the main thing about it is that it's usually the first competition that most people will enter - 'cause it's the one that's not supposed to be too serious :whistle: :whistle:

[Minnie M]

Sorry I should amend my post to say - REGULARLY dance with the DWAS partner - you are quite right the longer you dance the less people you are likely to meet that you haven't danced with.

However, the judges to appear to (in most cases) tend to look at the lead rather than the follower - possible right as the dance would be useless if the lead is bad - BUT - they should consideration to the follower, to the 2nd round at least. The only follower that I can remember who gets through with a bad lead is Sophie B., however, she does backlead and can be OTT at times (most times) :blush:


I love the lucky dip - and the main thing about it is that it's usually the first competition that most people will enter - 'cause it's the one that's not supposed to be too serious

:yeah: yep - spose so - just want to get to the 2nd round - just once PLEASE :whistle: :tears: :tears:

[Andy McGregor]

I love the lucky dip - and the main thing about it is that it's usually the first competition that most people will enter - 'cause it's the one that's not supposed to be too serious :whistle: :whistle:

There's a category that's serious? :confused:

[MartinHarper]

It would be nice to find a formula that ensured partners were, as far as possible true strangers

Lots of ways to improve this. For example, all competitors declare in advance their telephone area code. No pair of dancers may share the same area code.
To avoid chaos, if you had something like that, you'd probably want to write a computer program to do the randomisation.

I like the idea of randomising partners after the first round, for multi-round DWAS.

[Minnie M]

Lots of ways to improve this. For example, all competitors declare in advance their telephone area code. No pair of dancers may share the same area code.
To avoid chaos, if you had something like that, you'd probably want to write a computer program to do the randomisation.

I like the idea of randomising partners after the first round, for multi-round DWAS.

I hardly ever dance within my area code - come to think of it, the only one I would want to dance in BN3 would be Jockey :worthy:

My compition dance partner lives in NOTTINGHAM :rolleyes:

Reading the above posts I think it would be best to change the name to LUCKY DIP then it wouldn't matter AND we could have leads and followers of either sex - I would love to get Sparkles in a lucky dip :worthy: there are some great female leads out there - not so sure if I have met many good male followers though (not locally) Sorry Andy

Now that WOULD be fun :clap:

[MartinHarper]

change the name to LUCKY DIP [then] we could have leads and followers of either sex

Having a DWAS with leads and follows of either sex would be cool - but I don't see that "lucky dip" is any more gender-neutral than "dance with a stranger".

[philsmove]

Having a DWAS with leads and follows of either sex would be cool ....".

Once when entered (or should I say was coerced into) a role reversal DWAS :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Graham W]

I don't think that it would be possible to do this.

My own interpretation of the idea, is more the 'lucky dip' that some competitions call it. At competitions, if every couple who knew each other 'owned up', then it'd be chaos trying to get it sorted - I bet that at least half the couples when they get lined up, know, and have danced with each other before. I can't remember when I got a complete stranger in a DWAS competition (of course, MY partner ends up doing 'dance with a weirdo').

So, it's more a 'dance with someone that you might know, but don't know you're going to dance with until it's randomly sorted out', rather than 'dance with an actual stranger'.

At the Ceroc champs in London in 2001, I was stood next to Colin from Croydon, who, when the line was moved on, ended up with his wife. He tried to swap partners with me, since he thought that he shouldn't end up with his wife. I refused, and danced with the girl I had, who was more or less a stranger. He went out in the first couple of rounds, and I got a little further than that ( :whistle: ).

Nice to have chivalry... !

G

[Graham W]

Eg - when organiser stands up on stage & looking at the rows lined up says er, 4 guys around please...
G

[TheTramp]

Nice to have chivalry... !

Sorry. What are you trying to say?

That if I end up with someone I know and dance with (or am married to!). And next to me is a girl who I don't dance with much, but I know is a great dancer, it's okie for me to tap the guy on the shoulder, and say "I'm sorry, I can't dance with this girl, because she goes to the same club as me, lets swap"??

My point was that as far as I'm concerned, it's "Lucky Dip". You end up with someone good, or someone not-so-good, or someone you know, or someone you don't know. That's the lucky part. And just because you end up with someone that you dance with a lot, doesn't necessarily mean that you're going to win.

And anyhow, it's all for fun. So who cares anyhow? :whistle:

[Graham W]

(I meant Colin was being chivalrous, ..or maybe he saw how good your partner was)

Anyway I've made my point.....

& Phil's move - CHILL!

G

[Jive Brummie]

(I meant Colin was being chivalrous, ..or maybe he saw how good your partner was)

Anyway I've made my point.....

& Phil's move - CHILL!

G


:rofl:

[Andy McGregor]

:worthy: there are some great female leads out there - not so sure if I have met many good male followers though (not locally) Sorry Andy



How could you say that Minnie. I'm a good Old Git follower - I came 4th :wink:

[Andy McGregor]

Eg - when organiser stands up on stage & looking at the rows lined up says er, 4 guys around please...
G

I've held quite a few silly DWAS comps and I always do this - but I always pick someone in the room at random to pick a number between one and three: it's surprising how often people say "four" :confused:

Is Graham saying that he suspects an organiser of selecting two couples to be paired up? :wink:

[bobgadjet]

Lots of ways to improve this. For example, all competitors declare in advance their telephone area code. No pair of dancers may share the same area code.

Not necessarily THE best way. I'm from Watford and my partner is from Poole, so we would not have the same post or phone code.
Also, if partners were from, say, Harrrow and Watford, one would have a 020 code, the other 01923 which would look like they are miles apart ! ! !

I have only gone in for DWAS once, and my drawn partner asked if she could change with another guy who she danced with regularly. I said it should be a "stranger" and she said that may be so but she wanted to win ! ! !

So much for a nonserious competition.

Thankfully we went out in the 3rd of 6 rounds:grin:

[MartinHarper]

Not necessarily THE best way. I'm from Watford and my partner is from Poole, so we would not have the same post or phone code.

Feel free to suggest better ways. I suspect that no way is perfect.

[bobgadjet]

Feel free to suggest better ways. I suspect that no way is perfect.
I dont see anything wrong with systems that are used at present.

Out of a hat, random numbers taken at the door, whatever, but it would be highly possible, in a small event, for more than one couple to be brought together when chosen at random. In fact the possibilities would be more or less the same no matter how big the event, if it were truly random.

What IS wrong, is swapping partners once chosen, even if they WERE a couple to begin with.

Maybe the judges should be made aware of the "couplings" before their final choice.

Maybe there should be a discount of points if the couple were known to be partners, on the final tally-up.

How many times have you danced with your partner and fouled up a dance or two? It could happen in any dance, moreso if you are really TRYING to impress.

Leave the organiser to come up with whatever way they feel is best "in their opinion", but NEVER allow partner changes after picking.

At the end of the day, take the seriousness out of the competition, after all.................................


.....


IT'S ONLY A DANCE ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! :whistle:

(flood gates opened ! ! !)

[philsmove]

I've held quite a few silly DWAS comps :


Ah yes but some people even took silly week seriously :whistle:


:

Is Graham saying that he suspects an organiser of selecting two couples to be paired up? :wink:

I suspect the opposite happened




& Phil's move - CHILL!

G


Have tuned central heating off and put beer in fridge :cool: :cool: :cool:

[Lou]

Why don't all fun DWAS competitions rename themselves to Take A Chance, or Lucky Dip, to more accurately represent their nature?

Or, if you want to take it more seriously in certain competitions, go down the Australian route of splitting into intermediate & advanced sections, making sure dancers own up if they are allocated a familiar partner, and rotating partners again in subsequent rounds. I can see advantages in this, as it clearly demonstrates unrehearsed lead & follow skills. ;)

BTW.... if someone thinks that another dancer is trying to "fix" the competition by standing a certain number away from the partner that they want - what's to stop that person standing an equal number away from the person that they want to end up with?

[ElaineB]

Or, if you want to take it more seriously in certain competitions, go down the Australian route of splitting into intermediate & advanced sections, making sure dancers own up if they are allocated a familiar partner, and rotating partners again in subsequent rounds. I can see advantages in this, as it clearly demonstrates unrehearsed lead & follow skills. ;)

I think one of the London venues did a 'rotating' DWAS..........seems like a good idea to me........perhaps the winners should be the best leader and the best follower.........just a thought!

Phil - get that beer out of the fridge and get some wine in - then put the beer somewhere warm for heavens sake! :rofl:


Elaine

[Graham W]

Why don't all fun DWAS competitions rename themselves to Take A Chance, or Lucky Dip, to more accurately represent their nature?

Or, if you want to take it more seriously in certain competitions, go down the Australian route of splitting into intermediate & advanced sections, making sure dancers own up if they are allocated a familiar partner, and rotating partners again in subsequent rounds. I can see advantages in this, as it clearly demonstrates unrehearsed lead & follow skills. ;)

BTW.... if someone thinks that another dancer is trying to "fix" the competition by standing a certain number away from the partner that they want - what's to stop that person standing an equal number away from the person that they want to end up with?

..all I am politley trying to say is why not make it 100% fair rather then have the doubts aired above by AM & Lou..
It stops people with criminal backgrounds & intentions or dodgy indivs taking any advantage.. & hey, MAKES IT MORE FUN!!

I am doing this for a lady who I felt got stitched at a comp - she'd been attending that partic class for 4 years.. sigh, say no more..

[philsmove]

=ElaineB Phil - get that beer out of the fridge and get some wine in - then put the beer somewhere warm for heavens sake! :rofl:


Elaine

:cheers: Don’t worry There is always a bottle of chardonnay in the fridge :cool:

PS when my best friend’ son, who was applying for a job in a bar, was asked what he knew about wine? He Replied “Well - all I know is - white wine is served cold and red wine at room temperature” he got the job

[Andy McGregor]

PS when my best friend’ son, who was applying for a job in a bar, was asked what he knew about wine? He Replied “Well - all I know is - white wine is served cold and red wine at room temperature” he got the job

I'm not trying to lessen philsmove's friend's son's successful job application, but, having had a few bar jobs when I was a student, I think that they always offer you the job - although some people don't last very long once they've started. Anyone ever heard of someone being turned down for a job in a bar after an interview?

[Bill]

DWAS may never be 'fixed' but in London you can guarantee getting someone you know by making sure a whole group stand together. They never move more than 4 or 5 women round so you can tell roughly who you might get. Unless they move something like 25 women on this can always happen. I usually try and stand in a line where I don't recognise anyone and although I recognised Elaine when we were paired up last year we had only ever had a couple of dances ages before.

The fun of DWAS is to dance with someone you never dance with but I would imagine in London at least many dancers will know each other so less likely to be a stranger. At least in Blackpool the lines are led off so you have no idea who you will be dancing with.

[Happy Feet]

Its all about having fun guys, but i must say there are some decent prizez to be had at the Doncaster Ceroc venue this coming weekend, check it out on the ceroc uk web site.

I salute all you fabulous dancers out there.

Pingu:D

[David Franklin]

Its all about having fun guys, but i must say there are some decent prizez to be had at the Doncaster Ceroc venue this coming weekend, check it out on the ceroc uk web site.I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume it was unintentional, but digging up a thread nearly 3 years old to post this brings to mind a certain pork based product that comes in a tin...

[Andy McGregor]

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume it was unintentional, but digging up a thread nearly 3 years old to post this brings to mind a certain pork based product that comes in a tin...Hot-dog sausages? :confused: :wink:

[Raul]

this brings to mind a certain pork based product that comes in a tin...

.. and a famous Monty Python's sketch