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Reply With QuoteIt would be so awkward to carry in my pocket though!Originally Posted by Trouble
i would do quite a lot for that ......
i would do quite a lot for that ......Imagine what they'd do for a giant-size Toblerone
It would be so awkward to carry in my pocket though!i would do quite a lot for that ......
Already done! And not just by me
Re: Absence of Grades in Ceroc/MJ: Should there be more structure?
I think we should have Line Monitors, chosen for their ability to do a move in class without ending up half-way across the room.
They would wear special hats, and would be either at the front or back of a row, and everyone else would have to keep in line with them.
And everone in the queue should also wear special hats, to make it easier for the teacher to count them.
And all the leaders (if the followers are moving) should have large numbers across their tummies (or perhaps on their sporrans), so that it's easier for the followers to work out who to go to next.
And how about a system of reputation points,
just like on this forum?
Preserve the bowliverse!
Could you imagine the petted lips of a dancer given a grading less than that he or she felt was deserved, or a high graded dancer deciding to show off to what he or she thought was a lesser dancer, only to find that the dancer wasn't bothered with a grading system.
Reminds me of a time, years ago, when I took on a fight with a brown belt (I was a black) and got hammered 'cause she couldn't be bothered to upgrade to black and I didn't know she'd been brown for seven years to my black for a few months. I've never underestimated anyone since and still blush when I tell the story.
If it's based on the Oz or Jango system, it doesn't work that way. You get assessed at each stage, and it's a pass / fail thing. Obviously, if you fail you can re-take, and if you pass you can move on to the next stage. Seems fairly straightforward,
Sounds exactly like what happens now anyway, so there'd be no change there. And I can't imagine people* being sad enough to wave their cards around or whatever.
Anyone who thinks there isn't already a "grading system" at work in MJ social dances is a very poor observer.
* OK, most people.
I'm wondering what a grading system would do for me. How would it make me a better dancer?
I also wonder what the grading system would grade on. Does the fact that I can't do a double spin mean that I would fail?
It seems to me that the only purpose of a grading system is to tell poor dancers just how bad they truly are. I don't really want to know thanks.
Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story
Er, well, ahem...........
Oh, Gods - absolutely!!!Anyone who thinks there isn't already a "grading system" at work in MJ social dances is a very poor observer
My brother-in-law was a Black belt with one Judo federation, and, for a short while, a white belt with another. Anybody remebr the diversity of scores in Strictly Come Dancing?
Would it mean that when a teacher tries to teach an advanced class they might actualy have advanced dancers in the class and not half the class who barely can do the basics?? It would be a god send for anyone trying to teach or learn a workshop/class whoich required a modicum of expertise. How many discussion have there been on this forum about people attending classes way beyond their level and holding evryone else back. I've only had the pleasure of teaching graded classes in NZ and it was excellentAble to teach at exactly the right level and the dancers in the advanced class were awesome .... best fun and scariest workshop I've ever taken.
It's feedback, from an objective professional. It'd help you improve your weak points and maximise your strong points.
The Blue Card in Australia has criteria as follows:
Obviously, these criteria are targetted as Aussie style dancing - dips, drops and spins - but it shouldn't be impossible to come up with a similar set of UK-oriented criteria.1. You should have the musical beat, timing and rhythm and also be fluent in step Ceroc footwork.
2. Good hand/finger/arm tension and the ability of guys to lead and ladies to follow the lead.
3. Balanced double spins and the transfer of weight after the spin.
4. Guys leading and girls following the more difficult intermediate moves.
5. The feeling of security, stability and good positioning in dips and drops.
6. Good posture (straight backs and head and shoulders back) and using leg strength (rather than back strength) in dips and drops (guys in particular) and not twisting the lady's back to get her into position.
7. Ladies taking their own weight and holding their bodies rigid/bent when necessary in dips and drops.
8. Competency in dancing the I/A Routine taught in class with I/A teacher.
Well, your original question was "how will this make me a better dancer?".It seems to me that the only purpose of a grading system is to tell poor dancers just how bad they truly are. I don't really want to know thanks.
And in my experience, if you want to improve as a dancer, you need to go through the pain of criticism. You won't improve by having people telling you nice things all the time.
pandys right Have been 'graded' twice'Already done! And not just by me
Once by Andy in his teacher training course who thought I would make a good teacher. so good he asked me to set up a rocsters and the second time by some comp judges who gave me first place.
Could grade Andy but he wouldn't like it.
Ooooh, please, tell us more?and the second time by some comp judges who gave me first place.
Is it objective feedback or is it just a "pass/fail thing"?
Does the ability to do all the things you listed make you a good dancer? Or just one that has studied and knows what makes the grade?
Once I've passed my "Blue Card", how does it help me?
I like the feedback concept, but grading people I don't think is necessary, and is too inflexible as you can be excellent in 9 out of 10 things tested, but fail on one.
Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story
IMHO this would result in freestyles full of young fit, muscular men in tight vests doing lifts and drops - it sounds like the place for me ...
Last edited by Andy McGregor; 3rd-July-2007 at 08:37 AM.
Depends how it's implemented.
In Jango, I believe it's a pass / fail thing - Amir assesses you and lets you know. Which is kind of scary when you think about it
The Aussie system (judging from the assessment form) has a "marks out of 5" thing for each category - I dunno what the pass mark is, however. So that system does have some "relative strengths" thing - plus, I believe the teachers doing the assessment give you informal feedback based on a dance with you (again, yes, pretty scary), although I could be wrong on that one.
Well, that depends on the exam, doesn't it? But you could say exactly the same about any exam, anywhere.
You can join the Cool Blue Card Crowd
(Actually, I dunno - ask someone from Australia...)
I don't know enough about the pass mark, or the exam itself, to comment on the Oz situation. But I'd assume that it judges key essential skills for that style of dancing - for example, if you can't do a drop properly, it's not a good idea to go on and do classes which emphasize drop technique.
It lets you know you've reached a certain standard, as opposed to basing your self-opinion on luvvies and ego. It lets instructors teach you more advanced material knowing that you have mastered the basics upon which that material is based. It lets you choose the most appropriate workshops at an event where several are on offer. Plus, as David says, there are things you will learn from the testing process itself.
BADGES, GRADES, CARDS, what are we .... dancers or football players...
i think its fine as it is. Social, fun and nothing serious. if you wanna get serious, competitions are there for you, thats all you need.
IMHO, your only as good as your partner anyway, whether your leading or following.... I do completely believe that you are only as good as the person you dance with tho
They are too corrupt. 50p and half a curly whirly and they would turn a blind eye to the fact that you stepped back on the wrong foot.
maybe we should give people a badge for being able to move up and down the rows correctly.. i find that locally people find this harder than dancingI think we should have Line Monitors, chosen for their ability to do a move in class without ending up half-way across the room.
They would wear special hats, and would be either at the front or back of a row, and everyone else would have to keep in line with them.
And everone in the queue should also wear special hats, to make it easier for the teacher to count them.
And all the leaders (if the followers are moving) should have large numbers across their tummies (or perhaps on their sporrans), so that it's easier for the followers to work out who to go to next.
just like on this forum?
Preserve the bowliverse!
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