What makes great competition choreography?

[pygmalion]

For those of you who compete or watch dance competitions, what do you think? What makes great competition choreography? Showy figures? Clean lines? Precise technique? Some intangibles? What things do you consider when designing comp choregraphy?

[jenibelle]

I've never competed but I am obsessed with watching salsa DVDs. The very best performance has a little "something special" added to it, that is a unique, original idea, something that makes people say "oh wow! that's really cool!" An example of this would be Victor and Gaby from mexico's performance (salsa), I am sure many of you have seen it, but they throw in a quebradita dance, a cowboy/folk dance native to their country, mixed in with their salsa performance. That and their awesome outfits made me think that Wow these guys are number one.
:D
Jeni

[DancingMommy]

Showy figures? Clean lines? Precise technique? Some intangibles? What things do you consider when designing comp choregraphy?

The first thing that impresses me when I see competitive choreography is the couple's presence on the floor. Do they command my attention from the start? Are they connected to each other AND to the music.

Musicality is my #2. If they can make their routines fit the music, I am more impressed than by a couple who just dances thier routinese with no thought for the breaks in the music, etc.

Precise technique and CLEAN basics are more important for me than a bunch of showy "moves". I'd rather see a clean rumba basic (ala the Sukachovs) than some crazy choreography that in no way represents the character of the dance... Risky chorepgrpahy is only good if you can pull it off CONSISTENTLY.

I can't say that these things are necessarily in order of prefernce, since I'd say I judge them all at one time.

[Adwiz]

I like to see how they have used the music to tell a story (assuming that this choreography is for a show dance and not competition to an unknown song).

For example, I saw a wonderful Waltz recently that impressed me to pieces because it was to the song "Are You a Mirage?" and it used the song beautifully. It opened with the man from the center of the floor looking away from the woman. Then she danced to him, they danced together, and at the end she moved out of his grasp as if she really had been a mirage the whole time. While they danced, the choreography always had a key element at critical parts in the lyrics so that the dance illustrated the song. I've seen similar treatments in Latin dances, but never so dramatically done to a Standard tune.

[dolceamore]

i think that the way you execute your dance moves, the passion used in your dancing, and the expression on your face. if you see pros dancing, its not ALL about their technique(alot of it is), but if you look at their faces and the way they keep their posture and the passion they have for what they are doing. it looks GREAT. i mean... its so awesome how couples can hate eachother but once they get on that competition floor, it looks like they are madly in love with eachother and like they are happy as can be. i love that. but technique IS very important in dancing... i hate going to comps and seeing people dancing and turning on a bent leg (i dance INTERNATIONAL , and you arent supposed to do that!!!) its sloppy for that kind of dance. but i love seeing the passion and the heat on the floor. what do you think?