Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Competing...Why? Where? Pros and Cons

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Posts
    472
    Rep Power
    9

    Competing...Why? Where? Pros and Cons

    Just wondering how many people on here have taken part in dance competitions (mainly, but not exclusively MJ) and what their motivations were for taking part? Did you do it to improve your dancing or have your ego stroked or both? Also, given that MJ isn't as standardised as ballroom (a good thing in this case, IMHO because you can't be marked down for displaying something as trivial as a misplaced heel raise or ronde) what criteria do the judges use when marking competitions?

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Sunny KSA :/
    Posts
    3,383
    Rep Power
    10

    Re: Competing...Why? Where? Pros and Cons

    Quote Originally Posted by Terpsichorea View Post
    Just wondering how many people on here have taken part in dance competitions (mainly, but not exclusively MJ) and what their motivations were for taking part? Did you do it to improve your dancing or have your ego stroked or both?
    my initial motivation came from wanting to do something to develop my own dancing – I had been only doing social dancing and teaching for about 12 months or so – with little to no access to workshops and specialised teachers – and felt that I was stagnating.

    I asked a friend with whom I enjoyed dancing with and had spend hours talking about dance with if they would be interested in doing the Major Mid year comp with me and lucky for me he said yes! Our original intention was to do a showcase but once we started working together we decided to go the freestyle path as that was less daunting.

    It was great working with QuietFlame – training gave us both a safe place to experiment with all sorts of things style, moves, lead and follow wise, it also gave us someone who would push us to try different things as we had different strengths and there was the all time favourite of just making stuff up *giggle*

    The goal going into the comp wasn’t to win it was to get through a round and have people saying they liked what we were doing as we weren’t sure how our style would stand up against the standard Sydney styles. Well we achieved our goal and more – as we made it not only through a heat but won our division and also won best dressed.

    Currently competing for the same reasons – although this time I managed to just sort of acquire a dance partner CJ – however goals are slightly different due to difficulties of getting together to train – so now it’s a case of dancing better than I did at the last comp which has been managed so far – thinking soon it might be time to upgrade it to getting through a heat

    I do have one other very practical goal when I enter a comp – Don’t fall over!


    Quote Originally Posted by Terpsichorea View Post
    Also, given that MJ isn't as standardised as ballroom (a good thing in this case, IMHO because you can't be marked down for displaying something as trivial as a misplaced heel raise or ronde) what criteria do the judges use when marking competitions?
    that is a whole other kettle of fish which it’s far to early in the morning for me to face

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Posts
    472
    Rep Power
    9

    Re: Competing...Why? Where? Pros and Cons

    Quote Originally Posted by Yliander View Post

    It was great working with QuietFlame – training gave us both a safe place to experiment with all sorts of things style, moves, lead and follow wise, it also gave us someone who would push us to try different things as we had different strengths and there was the all time favourite of just making stuff up *giggle*
    I think I'd see that as the major benefit of competing - the fact that you could do some really intensive and creative practice with someone and develop your dancing. The actual competing part... I've only every competed creatively in music, and that was very very daunting. I never really enjoyed it, because I knew that nerves would stop me performing at my best, because I'd be worried about screwing up.

  4. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Sunny KSA :/
    Posts
    3,383
    Rep Power
    10

    Re: Competing...Why? Where? Pros and Cons

    Quote Originally Posted by Terpsichorea View Post
    I think I'd see that as the major benefit of competing - the fact that you could do some really intensive and creative practice with someone and develop your dancing. The actual competing part... I've only every competed creatively in music, and that was very very daunting. I never really enjoyed it, because I knew that nerves would stop me performing at my best, because I'd be worried about screwing up.
    the actual competing part has become more fun as I have gotten more used it.

    I still get nervous - but have learnt to just focus on my partner and remember to breath - have stopped getting nauseous just before competing – and always aim to be as organised as possible so that I have the least number of unknowns to deal with on the day. Also try to give myself a quiet couple of minutes just before my rounds

    As Comps are a time when I get to see lots of friends I don't often get to see, find that excitment tends to help stop me focusing and fretting to much on the competition time.

    I’ve come a long way from the first time I performed at an event – where my poor dance partner literally had to hang on to me to stop me running away

  5. #5
    Lovely Moderator ducasi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Glasgow
    Posts
    10,015
    Rep Power
    14

    Re: Competing...Why? Where? Pros and Cons

    I did the Ceroc Scotland competition last year, and will do it again this year.

    There are two motivations...
    1. Gives you extra motivation to work on and improve your dancing.
    2. Have some fun on the day.


    Ego-stroking really doesn't come in to it – at least, not so-far. But if I get through to the second round this time my ego should feel less deflated.
    Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story

  6. #6
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Gold Coast, Austra
    Posts
    2,345
    Rep Power
    11

    Re: Competing...Why? Where? Pros and Cons

    Quote Originally Posted by Terpsichorea View Post
    Just wondering how many people on here have taken part in dance competitions (mainly, but not exclusively MJ) and what their motivations were for taking part? Did you do it to improve your dancing or have your ego stroked or both? Also, given that MJ isn't as standardised as ballroom (a good thing in this case, IMHO because you can't be marked down for displaying something as trivial as a misplaced heel raise or ronde) what criteria do the judges use when marking competitions?
    I have done a lot of comps, coz going to a class can get samey, a new challenge and something to work towards is fun

  7. #7
    Registered User Lynn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Belfast
    Posts
    8,925
    Rep Power
    15

    Re: Competing...Why? Where? Pros and Cons

    Quote Originally Posted by Yliander View Post
    I do have one other very practical goal when I enter a comp – Don’t fall over!
    That was my goal, during the one and only comp I did!

    I was only going to watch, and took part to feel more part of the event. I hadn't been dancing very long, and it was just for a personal sense of achievement as I had no classes or dancing in NI at the time. I was petrified and as a result was almost frozen with fear - fortunately I had a partner who made it fun and it was a great day.

  8. #8
    Senior Member rubyred's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    3,588
    Rep Power
    9

    Re: Competing...Why? Where? Pros and Cons

    Quote Originally Posted by Yliander View Post
    my initial motivation came from wanting to do something to develop my own dancing ...
    I do have one other very practical goal when I enter a comp – Don’t fall over!

    Quote Originally Posted by ducasi View Post

    Gives you extra motivation to work on and improve your dancing.
    1. Have some fun on the day.
    Quote Originally Posted by Martin View Post
    I have done a lot of comps, coz going to a class can get samey, a new challenge and something to work towards is fun
    I like the buzz, the adrenalin, I have fun and it helps me to keep on trying to improve my dancing. When it starts not being a fun time anymore then that will be the time for me to stop. I am now aiming to do my medals in ballroom so that's something else to work towards.

  9. #9
    Registered User Baruch's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Pontllanfraith
    Posts
    2,261
    Rep Power
    11

    Re: Competing...Why? Where? Pros and Cons

    It's a challenge, it motivates me to work on improving my dancing and I like the buzz I get from competing.

    I've only done local (ish) competitions so far, but plan on doing some UK national ones when my wife (and dance partner) recovers from her current bout of M.E.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. First Move - LeRoc v Ceroc
    By Gus in forum Intermediate Corner
    Replies: 93
    Last Post: 11th-July-2007, 02:21 PM
  2. Taxi! Pro's and Con's
    By StokeBloke in forum Let's talk about dance
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 1st-March-2007, 12:46 PM
  3. Replies: 6
    Last Post: 11th-May-2004, 11:14 AM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •