PDA

View Full Version : Competing or just dancing for fun?



Bop
19th-August-2006, 08:46 AM
So what makes those who compete have a go?

Mr Bop and I have been dancing for over five years and its always been just for fun, but this year we have wondered about entering the Scottish Champs in September. I've no idea what category - probably Intermediate, but we do enjoy aerials and to include those we'd have to enter the Open section. It would just be fun as we're nowhere near the standard of those who win competitions.

We will probably go to the Champs as we'll miss the Glasgow party and would love a good night's dancing, but we're really not sure whether to enter the competition too?

Any thoughts?

Bop

Andreas
19th-August-2006, 10:18 AM
I too just dance for the fun of it but here are a few things that may answer your question (in no particular order):


adrenaline rush
recognition
goal
incentive to practice
exhibitionism
narcism
vanity
social component of comps
justification of spending money and time
costumes


I'd also have put 'competitiveness as such in there but in a way it is result of a number of the listed points. Still, I am sure there are more.

David Bailey
19th-August-2006, 10:55 AM
There are lots of pros and cons to competing.

I guess some pros are:

You have an incentive to practice dancing, which should help develop your technique - you can find out your flaws and hopefully fix them.
You can develop a good set of moves and ideas - because you're thinking about dancing.
You can also develop by watching other couples dance.
Winning is good :)


I guess some cons are:

It's hard work (!)
You may get specialised - i.e. only used to dancing with one person, not so much with any partner,
You develop visually-oriented "competition-winning" skills - e.g. facing the judge, pleasing the crowd, getting dolled up - possibly at the expense of pure lead-and-follow partner dancing.
It's a, well, competitive atmosphere... lots of attitude, and losing is bad :(


There you go - four of each, who says I'm not even-handed :)

Baruch
19th-August-2006, 05:56 PM
So what makes those who compete have a go?
For me it's a combination of the adrenaline rush you get when competing; the enjoyment of the whole event; the chance to show off a bit; and having more of the dance floor to ourselves so we can really go for it in our dancing.

We've only done local competitions so far, but we hope to do more in the future.

Gadget
19th-August-2006, 10:33 PM
The only pro(s) I can think on that would make me want to compete are
Get a rough indication of how I look in comparison to other dancers.
Chance to spend some time with one person and focus on stuff.
Not saying I would never compete, but the biggest competiton draw to me (as a social dancer) would be the "lucky dip" - I see this as a better 'judge' of lead and follow abilities, which to me are the key skills of a social dancer.

Green-eyed Monsta
20th-August-2006, 03:43 AM
I have never competed, but I admire those that do. :worthy: It is always nice to see something done well and I appreciate the time/money/effort put in by those that compete just so I (and others like me) can sit back and think WOW! :worthy:

quiet_flame
20th-August-2006, 04:00 AM
As I compete on a regular basis, doing pretty much every competition on offer this year, the reason I compete is mainly to guage how I dance compared to other dancers, but also to get chance to go out and perform.
What can I say but, I'm a show pony :rolleyes:

The other reason I compete is to gain a certain amount of respect.
As a dancer if I do well on the competition circuit (especially as I'm a jive master... something about teaching, and winning over the past couple of years.) I then have the opportunity to teach more, and go to other states as a guest teacher because I'm in the top three of Modern Jive dancers competing currently. I haven't won at Jive Masters level yet... but I've come third twice out of three times competing, and now the partnership my dance partner and I couldn't beat have broken up due to injury :devil: I'm in with a shot. I hope.
Mind you... Trampy's competing... :eek: and Nicky & Robert :what:
Maybe not as much of a chance as I had hoped for.:(

Bop
22nd-August-2006, 11:27 AM
Well we've decided to give it a go - mainly because if we're going to the Champs, it will be a bit strange just being spectators. I've just filled in the form and will post it later - we've gone for intermediates.

So now, any tips? We've never even been to any dance competitions before.

Bop

robd
22nd-August-2006, 11:29 AM
mainly because if we're going to the Champs, it will be a bit strange just being spectators.

Why? I didn't find it strange being a spectator at Hammersmith this year. I guess the amount of freestyle (if any) between rounds and during the evening dictates how worthwhile attending on a non-competing basis might be though.

Robert

Lory
22nd-August-2006, 11:32 AM
So now, any tips?

Imodium plus instants :wink:

Good luck, rather you than me :na:

Bop
22nd-August-2006, 11:34 AM
Why? I didn't find it strange being a spectator at Hammersmith this year. I guess the amount of freestyle (if any) between rounds and during the evening dictates how worthwhile attending on a non-competing basis might be though.

Robert


Well we might be wrong, having never been to a competition before, but our impression is that by competing we'll feel more "part of the day". I'll let you know after the event if we should have just gone and watched!

Bop

Baruch
22nd-August-2006, 11:37 AM
Info and tips on competitions here (http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5992) and here (http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3839).

TiggsTours
22nd-August-2006, 11:50 AM
I can understand why people might compete, but for me personally it takes all the fun out of dancing. The only reasons I might do it are:


More space on the dancefloor
Breaks up an otherwise long and boring day
Someone I care about really wanting to do it with me, but then I'd be doing it just for them

Bop
22nd-August-2006, 12:01 PM
Thanks Baruch - and well done on your first competition.

straycat
22nd-August-2006, 12:22 PM
Fun for me, all the way. I love showing off, sure, but my kick is in social dancing - the communication aspects of partner dance. In a competition, I lose that.

It probably doesn't help that my own goals in dance - what I want to be able to do, where I want to go with my dancing - do not seem coincide with most people's views on it - and hence don't generally coincide with competition criteria. In a nutshell, I think I'd have to change my dancing considerably to do well in competitions, and I don't want to do that :)

Donna
22nd-August-2006, 12:53 PM
Well I guess I can't add anything else as DJ has said it all here:


I guess some pros are:
You have an incentive to practice dancing, which should help develop your technique - you can find out your flaws and hopefully fix them.
You can develop a good set of moves and ideas - because you're thinking about dancing.
You can also develop by watching other couples dance.
Winning is good

The only reason I love competing is that it rapidly improves your dancing. At least you have a reason to focus on it harder. I think if I didn't compete, I'd get quite lazy with it and just stay at the same level.

Sometimes competing can take out the fun, but that all depends on how seriously you take it. I take my dancing very seriously and I'm very keen on learning new styles. If I don't get it right, I end up kicking myself and those who are passionate about any kind of sport and take it seriously whether you are a competitor or not, will react the same way.

All dance partners will find they have arguments over their dancing too. It's quite normal... isn't it? :confused: It's usually disagreements on how certain moves should be done and what moves we should be doing depending on what category you are entering. If the move you're doing still doesn't work for you, but you insist on carrying on with it UNTIL you get it right, then that's where the stress levels rise and you flip out on each other. If you're getting good results in comps, you'll just look back and think it was worth it, plus, after comps it's good to chill out and have fun with your dancing, otherwise you might be put off - for good.:sad:

TheTramp
23rd-August-2006, 01:38 AM
I can understand why people might compete, but for me personally it takes all the fun out of dancing.

Depends on why you're doing it. Almost all the competitions I've done, I've done for fun. No practice. Turn up on the day. Enjoy.....

Bop
23rd-August-2006, 10:00 AM
Depends on why you're doing it. Almost all the competitions I've done, I've done for fun. No practice. Turn up on the day. Enjoy.....

That's what we intend to do - I think the only prep will be to think about what we wear and which moves are allowed or not.

For us its about being part of the day rather than purely spectating, and hopefully we'll enjoy some good dances along the way.

Bop

mikeyr
23rd-August-2006, 12:28 PM
Well I guess I can't add anything else as DJ has said it all here:



The only reason I love competing is that it rapidly improves your dancing. At least you have a reason to focus on it harder. I think if I didn't compete, I'd get quite lazy with it and just stay at the same level.

Sometimes competing can take out the fun, but that all depends on how seriously you take it. I take my dancing very seriously and I'm very keen on learning new styles. If I don't get it right, I end up kicking myself and those who are passionate about any kind of sport and take it seriously whether you are a competitor or not, will react the same way.

All dance partners will find they have arguments over their dancing too. It's quite normal... isn't it? :confused: It's usually disagreements on how certain moves should be done and what moves we should be doing depending on what category you are entering. If the move you're doing still doesn't work for you, but you insist on carrying on with it UNTIL you get it right, then that's where the stress levels rise and you flip out on each other. If you're getting good results in comps, you'll just look back and think it was worth it, plus, after comps it's good to chill out and have fun with your dancing, otherwise you might be put off - for good.:sad:

:yeah:

I have found that classes & workshops are not going where I want to go my dancing. Competition now gives me the excuse to get into the studio and work on stuff that I cant do in Club nights. It has also let me bring bits of
other dance styles into MJ in a controlled environment.

Improvement comes on different levels, Competition, if you are a more serious type(like me) forces you to examine your dancing much more closely, for me that means lots to work on...............................Ooh and I am a show off:clap: :clap: