What the heck is Gold anyway? Now that we've talked about Bronze and Silver, let's cover the ye olde Gold. I have se-ve-ra-l (yes, four syllables) issues with my previous blog post.
Where I talk about the Wild West of ballroom: VHS to digital
Where I relate the Sam story: Open(er) Choreography
This is based on a blog post from June 11, 2012.
^^^ NOT PAUL GREEN.
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To tell you too much about me, I am a INFJ and Enneagram One and I rank "exceptionally high" in conscientiousness in various personality tests.
In other words, invigilation might be my favori;;te thing.
In the ballroom dance competition world, invigilators observe syllabus events (Bronze, Silver, and Gold) to ensure that competitors are dancing the prescribed steps for that level. As an ordinary example, one can't dance Silver American Waltz figures in a Bronze American Waltz event. For a ridiculous example, if someone is registered for a Bronze ChaCha, they can't be doing Gold Waltz steps. We commonly call it "dancing out of category".
[The opposite is completely acceptable and quite admirable: one can dance Bronze figures in their Gold or even Open routines with no question from the officials.]
In the last few years, the major dance organizations (USADance and NDCA) in the U.S. have refined the American style syllabus to be... well... in existence.
Now, dammit, there's a rulebook with well-defined syllabi and restrictions for each dance and level.
Here is the NDCA's rulebook for figures allowed in each level.
Here is USADance's rulebook for figures allowed in each level.
(I take umbrage at USADance's recent Instagram post that said American style was "fairly permissive". If it was 20 years ago, sure. But while the syllabus isn't 100 years old, the American style mafia has taken care and consideration to make a clearly defined, progressive program over the last 5-8 years.)
Now, similar to reading The Book (the technical manuals for all styles published by the ISTD; "a valuable aide" is my favorite quote about these books), if you don't know how to dance, the rulebooks and manuals won't help you learn how to dance, but it will give you a lot of information about dancing.
If you're dancing in a competition and you know the names of the figures you're doing (please know the names of the figures you're doing if you're dancing in a competition), it's pretty easy to look at the rulebooks and see if they're included on the appropriate level for the event in which you've entered.
If you refer to any of your moves as "that thing we do in the corner", you might want to confirm with SOMEONE WHO KNOWS AND UNDERSTANDS THE RULES if it is allowed in your dancing level. And tell you what it's called.
THIS PERSON MIGHT NOT BE YOUR TEACHER. OR YOUR PARTNER.
There are excellent teachers who do not give a flying fuck about the rules of competition-sanctioning organizations. So again, please know the names of the figures you're doing if you're dancing in a competition.
This might cost you money. But it’s better to spend the money on a private lesson with a rule-knowledgeable professional than to travel to a competition with all those expenses to dance and then get dq’ed (not in a fun Blizzard-eating kind of way*) because you didn’t know you couldn’t do a triple spin in… well, anything.
IF YOU'RE DANCING OPEN (which includes Novice, Pre-Champ, and Championship events for amateurs), NONE OF THIS MATTERS.
EXCEPT NO LIFTS. Because it upsets Len and everyone else.
UNLESS YOU'RE DOING CABARET OR THEATRE ARTS OR SHOWDANCE.
Then you can do lifts.
Go forth and practice. And know the names of the figures you're dancing in a competition.
*and actually you won't DQ'ed, but you'll get a warning, no marks in that dance, and then marked down one place in that dance if you continue to be dumb about it.
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Are you a Bronze dancer looking for the next challenge? Are you a Silver dancer who is wondering what you should know? Are you wondering what you'll be working on?
Here's my three cents on the fine Silver level of ballroom dancing.
This is based on a blog post from June 1, 2012.
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There are events which are hard to judge. Namely, syllabus collegiate and amateur events. [cough, cough]
I love the collegiate scene: youth and enthusiasm are a great combo to witness doing most anything. The problem is most college teams' dance education comes from group classes, which are TERRIFIC, but also generalized and often taught towards the least common denominator.
So, then this happens...
Let's say there are four couples on the floor: Couple 100, Couple 200, Couple 300, and Couple 400. And let's say we rate these couples, COMPLETELY SUBJECTIVELY, on a scale from 0-10 in Technique, Actual Figures, Fun Having, and Partnering.
Couple 100 is doing a pretty good job, dancing recognizable figures, mostly on time some of the time. They are thinking. And not especially connected, but definitely doing the same move across from each other.
Couple 200 is doing a pretty good job, dancing recognizable techniques that are characteristic to each dance, and doing one or two patterns. They are also thinking and are dancing their parts together, but separately, you know?
Couple 300 is doing a pretty good job, clearly having a wonderful time, smiling and laughing and winking and being adorably uninhibited. There was a figure or two that existed, but very little technique and partnering.
Couple 400 is doing a pretty good job, doing a little technique, a few figures, smiling, and they know their partner exists.
Now, I'm no math major, but it seems if we compare all these very different traits' scores, we get this:
Looks like they're all the same, but different.
ISN'T THAT A LIFE LESSON?!
In any case, I know you people go look at the marks on these wacky events, where there's not anything one can consistently judge on, and you come away with "Kate Bratt hates me" because I marked you last in a final. (But you got to the final somehow and I was probably involved in that somehow, so INVALID COMMENT.) But maybe you DANCED OFF-TIME IN THE CHACHA, or maybe your "actual figures" score was lower than the other couples', or maybe you looked really bored or thinky instead of like you were even mildly amused to be participating.
Also, many amateur events aren't sanctioned by any organization and therefore are NO HOLDS BARRED: no costume rules, broad proficiency categories, no invigilating for dancing out of category, everyone is trying to dance as much as possible. In other words, there is A LOT of different things happening in each heat.
In any case, it's very difficult to mark TIMING at some events. Or FOOTWORK. Or STAYING IN CATEGORY, because no one is doing enough of those things consistently enough to have it be a judging factor.
In any case, you should dance your ass off in the way that feels right at the time.
But more on that in the next post...
More posts you should probably read:
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At a recent ballroom event, I was hired to write, what I shall call, “sheets of encouragement”: a few comments about participants’ dance skills and presentation that had positive and helpful feedback. Key word: positive.
WHILE I MEANT EVERY WORD I WROTE in those critiques, in “my spare time” during the event (which could be a competitive speed writing event for the judges, since we often had to write four different couples' feedback in around one minute's time), I also wrote my own “sheets of complaint”: observations on participants’ dancing that seemed to be universal, from newcomer to open levels, and honest. Key word: honest.
If you'd like to read on, gird your loins. And get out your dance dictionaries.
Now, at Newcomer levels, I'm really glad that you're dancing and you're really damn brave for getting on the floor. Seriously. BIG PROPS. I'm not even really mad if you dance off-time. So, bask in the glory of newbie-hood and soak up the endearing smiles of all the dance veterans who remember SO CLEARLY their first performance and are excited for you on the start of your own dance journey.
But then.
There is Bronze.
What is Bronze (or Bronze is "What?" if you're a long-time reader), but learning about foot positions (forward, side, back, etc.) and floor positions (LOD, DW, DC, etc.) and partner positions (closed, open, promenade, etc) and literally dancing to the beat of the music.
As in, you should know what those basic concepts are and how to demonstrate them.
For bonus points, one would start learning about body positions (side leading, CBMP, the like) and tricky foot positions (SIDE AND SLIGHTLY FORWARD, MY FRIENDS) and new partner positions (shadow, counter promenade, etc.) and maybe show off some of those skills as well.
But in Silver...
Can you dance Silver without understanding those previously mentioned concepts? Sure. Just like basketball players can participate in DWTS...
While I generally categorize Silver as "How?, at a certain point, if you're not doing many of the concepts or techniques mentioned, you're making your dancing (and your partner's dancing) infinitely harder than it could be. Technique isn't just the icing on the cake, it's the damn cake.
So, on with the "sheets of complaint":
Cha Cha and Rumba
Your Cuban motion is confused.
Even though I love saying "bend, straighten, settle" to explain it, that's not all there is.
I also hear "one leg bent and the other is straight" from other teachers.
Also, not the full picture.
Common mistakes that are visible at all levels in your Cuban motion-
Hopefully you're not doing all three of these things, but please God, get to two straight legs on each step. Don't know what I'm talking about? Get thee to a professional.
Swing
Oh Swing.
There's plenty of cowboy swing.
(Knees going two different directions on one "triple step". Or knees that are clearly trying to avoid your partner's knees.)
Also, note it is called "American Rhythm Swing". That rhythm is supposed to show up in a body action, not just through the rhythm you're pounding out with your feet. And it's not "International Latin Jive" where there's a fun hippity-skippity leg action (THAT IS A TECHNICAL TERM, OF COURSE) on that chassé. At a loss of how to get that groovy body action? Get thee to a professional.
All Around Rhythm
I'm not even going to get into Bolero and Mambo, because LORD HELP US.
But
All Around Smooth
Yes, all of them first.
Because these notes are short, but important, and apply to all the dances.
(In no particular order:)
When you are going into open positions (aka, not closed dance frame), your upper arm should not be touching your rib cage. Let there be light... under your armpit. In other words, don't drop your elbows.
If you are not using CBMP or left side lead in your continuity style figures (aka, your Silver Waltz and Foxtrot steps; aka, not closing your feet in your boxes and twinkles), you are doing a horrible job.
If your footwork is bad, then you are probably not using your supporting leg [GASP] correctly.
You're "shaping" with only your arms and maybe your rib cage (aka, your hips and legs have done nothing; aka, you're "breaking your side"). Stop it.
Promenade position (PP) is wack. You lose your offsetness to your partner (aka, you get onset; YES, I KNOW THESE "TECHNICAL TERMS" ARE TERRIBLE), your head is too far forward, and your shoulders are jacked. And promenade is the second position you learn! WORK ON IT.
Stop looking down. Just. Stop it.
You're blowing the rise on 1 (Waltz or Foxtrot or Viennese) and then you're up up up up up. And it's making me hold my breath for you and you're also lacking literal depth in your dancing.
Ladies, you're changing your entire posture and poise from closed position to open positions. This is too much to explain in writing and you'll get your mind blown if someone explains it to you well in person. (Get thee to a professional.)
Viennese
Stay low. Get down. You still must lower on the end of 3, my peeps.
Tango
Cortés, man. Leads, step diagonally back and rotate a little to your right. A LITTLE. Stop swinging open to the left and knocking your partner over.
AND FOR THE LOVE, GO TO PROMENADE ON OPEN FANS. Your weird step-point nonsense drives most of the judges crazy.
(Plus, these two are great. ^^^^^)
The end.
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