have decided to compete...GULP

[suek]

MidWinter Madness in Oakland in March...same sex dance competition. If I don't find a partner, I will compete in the lindy jack and jills. Am looking for a woman lindy lead (WCS lead too if I can find one) so I can enter the pairs competitions.

Will be asking every woman who leads in the Sacramento area if she's interested. Am also looking in the bay area...

This is scary and exciting!

Any support you can give will really really help.

Eek.

Sue

[pygmalion]

Do long distance hugs help? If so, here are a bunch. :D
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Oh yeah. Kisses too. XXXXXXXXXXXX

Good luck.

Jenn

[pygmalion]

Actually, my little competition experience is ballroom, but there are quite few DF members who have competed in swing events. They can probably help.

Also, you may want to browse through the first time competitors thread at the top of the ballroom forum. Lots of ballroom stuff, there, but also some basics on preparing for competitions.

[d nice]

Good luck Sue.

My number one piece of advise is figure out why you are competing and prepare with that in mind.

If it is just for the experience then enjoy every aspect for what it is. If it is for a chance to dance in a same sex environment don't sweat the small stuff. If it is just to have fun, then have fun in every part, the practicing, the choreographing, the competing. If it is the thrill of competition, work hard, practice often, stay focused., you make everything leading up to the competition to be hard work, push yourself, that way when the competition itself is there, you'll be relaxed and confident (well... at least up to a point ;) ).

Again good luck.

[suek]

Good luck Sue.

My number one piece of advise is figure out why you are competing and prepare with that in mind.

If it is just for the experience then enjoy every aspect for what it is. If it is for a chance to dance in a same sex environment don't sweat the small stuff. If it is just to have fun, then have fun in every part, the practicing, the choreographing, the competing. If it is the thrill of competition, work hard, practice often, stay focused., you make everything leading up to the competition to be hard work, push yourself, that way when the competition itself is there, you'll be relaxed and confident (well... at least up to a point ;) ).

Again good luck.

Thanks. I've been thinking about why and it's 1) for the experience (in a smaller venue than the usual lindy comp) and 2) for the fun of it. I think.

More of the truth: part of the motivation, after my one disastrous attempt at competing (in Camp H'wood last summer), is to have the opportunity to get over some of the jitters in a smaller, safer setting.

[pygmalion]

Do you feel comfortable sharing any of what happened last summer, sue? If not, don't sweat it. As I said, I've done only one comp, but it was a pretty small one. About 2800 entries total. And while it was exciting, it was not terrifying or intimidating in any way. A small venue seems like a good place to start.

[SwinginBoo]

You go Suek!! I'll be rooting for you. :D

[pygmalion]

Just out of curiosity, what are the costumes like for swing dance competitions? Different for different dances? Lindy? WCS? Retro? Modern? Is there a convention in terms of what people wear?

btw, sue, just in case, I found a COOL website for retro swing costumes. I'll email you. :D

[Danish Guy]

Same sex dance competition :shock: :shock: :shock:

This is a totally new concept for me.

For me, I can’t see the big difference if it is 100, 1000 or 5000 people watching.
But my mom in the audience would make at difference :oops:

Risking seeing my blunders on national TV would surely freak my nerves.

Have fun all the way Suek. Then you are a winner no matter what place the judges decides.
But I'll cross my fingers and wish you best of luck. :D

Guess I'll try the Jack & Jill thin at the first opportunity I get :?

[suek]

Do you feel comfortable sharing any of what happened last summer, sue? It was at Camp Hollywood, where they have an intergenerational. How lucky I am to be able to compete in an event that requires a 30year age difference! So this kid I never met before asked me to compete with him and I did. Friendly guy, dance style too much on the goofy style for me, but I had neither internal governor nor external mentor to help me with this choice. We danced together a couple times before the comp. The other competitors included many world class dancers, teachers and judges. And I didn't do very well (to put it mildly). If I ever enter a comp with a partner again, I intend to choose wisely and practice much.

Sigh. Live and learn.

[suek]

Just out of curiosity, what are the costumes like for swing dance competitions? What I've seen in lindy competitions (Camp H'wood, Lindy Summit): people wear workout dance wear more than anything in the open events and J&Js. However, in the events where you choreograph to your own choice of music I've seen lots of retro swing costumes.

I have no clue what people will wear at Midwinter Madness...gotta find out.

btw, sue, just in case, I found a COOL website for retro swing costumes. I'll email you. :DOoh, ooh, tell me quick!

[pygmalion]

If I ever enter a comp with a partner again, I intend to choose wisely and practice much.

Sigh. Live and learn.

Yup. Live and learn. I'm sure you'll do well at this next comp, because now you know better what to expect. That's another advantage of being in DF. You can ask people who've gone before.

[suek]

So the l-o-o-o-n-g day of swing dancing at the Spotlight is over (for me; they're still at it). I went to 6.5 classes (there were 10 time slots, 2 classes per) and then took a nap/bath break and went back to the dance. And competed in the jack and jills! I can't believe it. Didn't place, but had fun (after the jitters wore off). And now I never have to do that for the first time again.

Cool.

And today I learned how to slide.

I know I know I'm mixing topics. I'm tired.

Forgive me.

[pygmalion]

Glad you had fun sue! With the jack and jills under your belt, you're getting ready for your upcoming comp! Yay! I think it's probably like public speaking or anything else -- the more you do it, the more you can channel the jitters in your favor. You'll still feel them, but you'll have those butterflies flying in formation before you know it. :D

Slides? Hmm. I'm curious about them. I saw a couple references to circular slides and shoes for slides on a swing board. Maybe I'll start a thread about them one day.

Have a good night's (morning's :lol: :lol: ) sleep, sweetie. Hugs.

Jenn

[Swing Kitten]

Last night was my first J & J as well... I found it ironic that I signed up mostly to even out the lead:follow ratio but but as it turned out a number of those leads ended up judging so in the end we ended up with one follow too many :shrug:

And it's finally happened to me... I don't like my dancing-- I like to dance... don't get me wrong. I guess I'm just becoming to realize more and more of what I don't know and what I can't do yet. I never thought of myself as the world's best dancer in the first place and now I know that my dancing is not where I would like it to be.

[pygmalion]

So it was a good experience. Sobering, but good. Those reality checks are rarely pleasant. Hang in, cutie pie. :)

[Swing Kitten]

yeah, I'll be fine and all... of course it's frustrating to know that I'll have little time to actually work on my dancing... especially when school starts again! :shrug:

[pygmalion]

Ask your teacher for dance drills. Mine gives me one to two minute drills that I can practice anytime. It helps a lot, because you can practice when you're busy. Some of them, you can even practice in the car or sitting at a desk.

[Swing Kitten]

lol ...I guess I'll have to find a teacher ;)


anyway... ... this is Suek's thread-- go Sue!!

[pygmalion]

Yup. It's sue's thread, but we're all in the same boat when it comes to competing. So hang in, SK.

It looks like sue s on the right track -- got the nerves under control (I think), and practicing in Jack and Jills. I think she'll be fine. :D what do you think, suek?

[suek]

Oh no it's not just my thread...let's share. I'm so glad I'm not doing this alone.

Thanks my dears.

[Sagitta]

Great to hear that you're making the plunge into the competition world Sue!! I am glad that you got a little competition experience under your belt with the J&Js at Spotlight! :)

Last night was my first J & J as well...
Was it your first competition too, or just your first J&J?

And it's finally happened to me... I don't like my dancing-- I like to dance... don't get me wrong. I guess I'm just becoming to realize more and more of what I don't know and what I can't do yet. I never thought of myself as the world's best dancer in the first place and now I know that my dancing is not where I would like it to be.

A lot of people never fully realize exactly what they know, what they can't do yet, and you do!! :)

[Swing Kitten]

Was it your first competition too, or just your first J&J?


yes... on both counts... I'm not looking to compete. I'm a social dancer... I do it for the fun... I don't mind working at it but I don't want to make it work-- know what I mean? This J&J was very informal and friendly.

[SwinginBoo]

Last night was my first J & J as well... I found it ironic that I signed up mostly to even out the lead:follow ratio but but as it turned out a number of those leads ended up judging so in the end we ended up with one follow too many :shrug:

And it's finally happened to me... I don't like my dancing-- I like to dance... don't get me wrong. I guess I'm just becoming to realize more and more of what I don't know and what I can't do yet. I never thought of myself as the world's best dancer in the first place and now I know that my dancing is not where I would like it to be.

Oh Swing Kitten! I had no idea! Yay, go you! I can completely understand what you are saying in your second paragraph. You become more aware of your level of dance when you are competing against others. Don't get down, there is only one way and it's up from here! You're great! :D