Have you had a Win?

[QPO]

My partner and I went to a Local Dance Competition this week-end for the 1st time and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was jammed packed with young and older competitors. We have both never been in a competition, as he is trying to get over a back injury I went into a spectator event with someone else and did a cha cha cha and got a 3rd prize, I was so excited. My partner is so proud he has my ribbon on display. So the next event is in June, we will practice together and try again. Has anyone else had success?

[danceronice]

Define success? Or wins?

I'm more proud of getting a fifth at Manhattan Dancesport Challenge last year in my first-ever championship than I am of the firsts I collected at a small local competition. Those were nice to get, but half of them are from uncontested heats and the others had at most two other people in them. In terms of placings, they don't mean a huge amount, but in terms of how my dancing had improved since the same competition a year before, I'd say I was successful. Heck, on the video I see improvement between that competition and Ohio, which had been only three months prior, which makes me very happy.

Don't get me wrong, I love winning. I'm disappointed if I don't. But if I dance well and don't win, I'm still satisfied. If I dance poorly and win by default (no competition) I'm kind of peeved anyway.

[fascination]

ditto...It depends upon the comp...I win locally alot and while I am very grateful and glad...I feel alot better about it when it is a bigger comp and when I feel the dancing merited it...when that happens, I feel great

[fire_dancer]

My favorite win was in an Open Rhythm scholarship, my partner and I looked at the field and realized that we'd be up against the couple who won the Silver scholarship, and a couple who was dancing Gold.

We promptly decided there was no way we were winning, and went out there to have fun. We danced, laughed, had no pressure on the dance floor, and my partner even threw in a dip at the end of the last song.

And we won the whole thing. :)

[Laura]

I haven't won a first place in ages. On the other hand, my dancing has changed a LOT for the better since then, so I can't really complain!

[Gumby]

I've had wins when I danced like crap and last place finishes when I nailed my choreography. All in all I'd rather dance well and place 93rd than win and be disappointed in my dancing.

[biggestbox]

In dance I've had a number of wins, but was always fighting for it. In other sports, I've entered competitions as the number 1 seed and was expected to win the tournament. I hate the feeling. Your competitors can let loose and do everything they can to beat you, while you think "try not to screw up" (a dangerous thought to have). It is difficult to perform at your best. I even remember winning tournaments at 80% power, it didn't feel like an accomplishment.

[elisedance]

To me 'winning' is roughly defined as 'improving on previous competitions'. This is a mix of self- and outside judgement. And it all gets even more complicated by the number of couples and their level. Thus, we did tied for second in one comp with 5 couples and then came in 7th out of 13 in the next one.

Must admit though that the former felt a lot better even though I think we danced pretty well in both. On the whole though we seem to do well when we dance well and badly when we don't.

[BallandChange]

Well, let me open my post stating that winning is always satisfying and it is one of my goals every time I step out on the competitive dance floor. Now, having said that then let me say that the degree of satisfaction derived from winning is dependent on the caliber of your competition. To win against lower caliber dancers may not be as satisfying as being called back and/or placing in a group of higher caliber dancers. A good competition for me is when my partner and I brought to the competition floor about 70% to 90% of the best that we have danced in the studio. If I felt that we had accomplished that then I feel that we had a good competition, from there it is out of my control. There is so much that can happen during a competition that I don’t bother to overly concern myself with winning. Even a bad couple can have a good moment for that brief moment that they have the judge’s attention and on the other hand a good couple can have a bad moment when having the judge’s attention. Some judges have a different pecking order for the qualities that they suing to score the competitors. I compete to challenge myself and strive to be better and better. Some of the other reason I compete is that I love the ambiance and atmosphere of a ballroom competition. I enjoy the opportunity to dance on a large open floor where my partner and I can dance “big” and not be inhibited the limitations usually experienced on a social dance floor. I enjoy being around other people that enjoy competitive dancing like I do. Anyway, I hope you can appreciate that competitive ballroom dancing can be about more than winning.

[QPO]

My definition of a "win" was in relation to having success in general. Obviously the nuance in Language in Australia is different. we say "Are you winning?" meaning all going well? Anyone that is prepared to put them self forward in front of others to judge their dancing or whatever is already a winner, as it take courage to stand in front of strangers. My hat off to anyone who does. :-)

To me 'winning' is roughly defined as 'improving on previous competitions'. This is a mix of self- and outside judgement. And it all gets even more complicated by the number of couples and their level. Thus, we did tied for second in one comp with 5 couples and then came in 7th out of 13 in the next one.

Must admit though that the former felt a lot better even though I think we danced pretty well in both. On the whole though we seem to do well when we dance well and badly when we don't.

[tanya_the_dancer]

I like to win, but I especially like it when I do well in a strong group. I think it is better to be 4th out of 16 than 1st out of 2. I like to see improvement in my dancing, too. I am really pleased when I watch my video and something looks better than it did before.

[quixotedlm]

gotta throw in my hat into the ring. don't have a partner, but a friend randomly asked if i'd compete with her in a local competition. the overall event/competitions were all ballroom, but there was a lone salsa category (perhaps to appease to popular crowd? hmm..) so we went, we danced, we won. sweet :)

[Corne]

yeah, i have had a win. like was said, was sweet to be 1st in 13 couples.

[WaltzElf]

To me a win is advancement, however it occurs.

I’ve just advanced to Level 3/ Open Amateur by virtue of being good enough to impress a partner of that standard. So I’m winning in dance on a big scale right now.

[elisedance]

To me a win is advancement, however it occurs.

I’ve just advanced to Level 3/ Open Amateur by virtue of being good enough to impress a partner of that standard. So I’m winning in dance on a big scale right now.

WE: can you please explain what these levels are and in which country?

[WaltzElf]

WE: can you please explain what these levels are and in which country?


In brief - In Australia there are five levels of amateur competition. Level 1 is beginner, level 5 is the highest. (there are individual and pro am competitions too, but this is the main event).

Additional there is "opens level", which anyone level 3 and above can compete in, and this is the biggest trophy at any comp to win.

To go up a level you need 5 points. 1 point for winning a little comp, 2 points for a more important one, and 5 points for any of the three major national championships in Australia.


So yeah, dancing level 3 and above is basically the point where you stop wishing you were at the top, and actually are at the top.

[Joe]

No new steps! ;)

[elisedance]

Thanks WF - I think we could learn from that. In Ontario you compete at your level (bronze, silver, gold until you win three times in comps with at least (I hope I have this right!) 6 couples. They you have to move up. You can also move up by yourself. Thus, if there happens to be a superstar coming through your efforts amount to nothing as you get no credit for advancement for second or third place. The result is that some couples stay at a level for many years regularly getting in the top three but not advancing. Of course that means that upcoming couples can get trapped behind a logjam... OTOH, once you do advance you should be qualified for the next level I suppose.

[syncopationator]

I've had several wins, but like most competitors on this forum I place much more value on making a final out of a strong semi or quarter versus winning in a straight final with 5 couples.

[elisedance]

I think we all feel the same, at least when we are being objective.

But subjectively? Lets face it, there's just nothing like standing in the 1st place spot even if there were only 3 couples. Its special.