Which should I enter?

[Izzy20]

I have another question. (So happy I found this board) What I can afford for this next competition would be 6 dances. I can either enter the three rhythm dances in two levels or do 3 rhythm and 3 smooth single dances in the newcommer category. What would you guys do?

I dance pro-am so that's all I can afford at this stage. Please don't turn this into a debate that am-am is cheaper. I know it is. It's just not possible right now for me.

Thanks in advance for you replies.

[spatten]

IMO, you would get more out of doing different dances - particulcarly if you are early on in the competition experience. Figure out if you like dancing Rythm or Smooth in competition more or both equally.

I'm not sure which comp you are going to, and how the field will play out. I would consider dancing all Rythm if you were concerned about your placements and wanted heats to warm up - or if you were pretty confident about which was your prefered focus.

Either way, good luck on the floor.

[madmaximus]

Personally, I'd go with the one that gives me the MOST time on the competition floor; and possibly the most competition to dance with.





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[NielsenE]

I'd say it depends more on your lesson/practice rate than on anything else at that number.

Are you taking lessons/practicing frequently enough to feel confident and prepared in six routines? Competition is wonderful for really helping you push your dancing to another realm of understand due to its focusing effect. However you lose that if your spread too thin.

I can't give any metrics for how many hours of lesson/practice is needed to decide between the two cases since its a personal decision you have to make.

[fascination]

I would decide based upon my affection for each style...

[WorksForShoes]

For your very first comp, too, there are some logistics to consider that won't really come into play later. If you are female, do you have access to two different costumes? (Not as big of a deal for a gent, as you could just remove your tie and switch from smooth to rhythm.) Do you have shoes for each? Are you comfortable with the changing room layout and the timing between your events to allow you enough time to change in comfort? This is typically not an issue since comps, even single-day ones, typically run all of smooth then all of rhythm, so you would have hours, but I did just do a comp where I had 20 minutes to change, and that involved running back up to a hotel room to do so.

For our first comp, I found the logistics of how I wanted to get ready in a "public" changing room to be more than I really wanted to think about multiple times, as I had my hands full just finding the on-deck area. So I was glad to do 6 heats of waltz tango foxtrot, 2 levels. YMMV.

[chita229]

thinking back to my first comp...where I did two levels of my 5 rhythm dances...totally go for the double level. logistics-wise its the smarter because of costumes/how many days you have to commit to the comp. I think its pretty normal to have am smooth and am rhythm on different days....or latin and standard whatever. Plus if you screw up on the first one...you got a second go round. I totally screwed up on my first heat in chacha (first heat ever in fact) I almost fell down! My pro totally caught me! I was glad to have a second stab at it and did great during my second chacha heat....good luck!!!

[chita229]

Oh and btw I LOVE your av of belle and the beast - too cute

[Rugby]

Does your pro have any idea how many competitors you will be up against in each level or style ? Look at the results of the past two years and you may be able to find out what the trend is. Go into the level or style where you will have competition rather than going out, paying all that money, just to be uncontested. Will you go into 3 rhythm at newcomer and have competition but at the next level be on your own. If that is the case than it may be better to do 3 rhythm and 3 smooth at newcomer where the chances are there will be more entries.
I'm not saying that competing when uncontested isn't valuable, but when money is an issue you need to go where you get the most bang for your buck.

[Izzy20]

I'm going to talk to him. I think I'm leaning towards doing both smooth and rhythm so that I can get a taste of both. Not sure though.

Thank you all for your replies!

Anybody else want to let me know their opinions?

Oh and thanks about the picture. I looove beauty and the beast so I thought a picture of them dancing would be perfect.

[and123]

I agree that if you're not sure if you prefer one or the other, you should dance both Rhythm and Smooth, assuming you feel relatively comfortable with each.

The schedule says Smooth is in the morning, and Rhythm is in the afternoon. Plenty of time to change. Heck, years ago when I did this comp, a few of us decided to change between dances within the same style. Depends on how many heats there are between events, of course. We ducked into a nearby janitor's closet and did the change-a-roo while someone else kept watch :cool:.

Again, this was years ago, but they let us change levels at the comp when we were uncontested so there would be competition.

[danceronice]

What does your pro think?

I would say if you haven't competed much, do both, just to get the feel for each. UNLESS you have only done a little bit of one, and don't feel nearly as comfortable as with the other. In which case go with the one you're comfortable doing.

[Chiron]

I have another question. (So happy I found this board) What I can afford for this next competition would be 6 dances. I can either enter the three rhythm dances in two levels or do 3 rhythm and 3 smooth single dances in the newcommer category. What would you guys do?

Hmm that's a tough one. If you aren't used to performing it may be nice to get more than one shot at the dance you are doing (because of my personal performance background I always feel a little weird doing a performance again, but I think I'm the only one in my studio that feels this way). You will typically perform better your second time around and feel happier about that dance at the end of the day. It is nice to see what competition is out of newcomer. However, it is also nice to get a chance to try both smooth and rhythm. I love competing in latin and standard for different reasons. Each style brings out a different aspect of my performance personality and really love letting boths sides out to play.

[Easy]

I say poor all of your energy into one session. It might take the first three for you to get warmed and mentally ready enough for the next three. Plus instead of changing and getting prepared for 2 different events, you could compete in one and watch and learn from the other...when you're watching, you'll wish you had done that division as well, but you'll always want to dance in the ones in which you're not involved :)

Compete in one and clap for the other :)

[Izzy20]

Has anybody who've competed at dancing a la carte know how many entries the newcommer single dances usually have?

[Izzy20]

Hmm that's a tough one. If you aren't used to performing it may be nice to get more than one shot at the dance you are doing (because of my personal performance background I always feel a little weird doing a performance again, but I think I'm the only one in my studio that feels this way). You will typically perform better your second time around and feel happier about that dance at the end of the day. It is nice to see what competition is out of newcomer. However, it is also nice to get a chance to try both smooth and rhythm. I love competing in latin and standard for different reasons. Each style brings out a different aspect of my performance personality and really love letting boths sides out to play.

I did theater for about 8 years. I know what you mean about feeling weird doing something twice. I thought doing theater would help me. It does with stage fright (i don't get too nervous) but a lot of my musical theater background i've had to unlearn lol.

[Easy]

Has anybody who've competed at dancing a la carte know how many entries the newcommer single dances usually have?

A lot of comps. will allow 3 levels of dance and 2 age divisions. If you stay only in newcomer, you would most likely do 2 of each dancing your age and one under, if you're an adult. Trying the next 2 levels above newcomer would add 4 more of each dance. Then there's the closed division vs open division, though I'm not aware of any newcomer open divisions. Hope this helps :)

[Izzy20]

I don't know if I used the right term or not but what i meant was anyone who has been to dancing a la carte and knows about how many people enter the newcommer single dances.

Sorry if I was unclear. Doing research for school so my mind is a lil foggy.

I have to get back to my research :car:

[Easy]

Newcomer is always so hard to predict...it's newcomer. You never know who's going to show up. Usually there is a fair amount, and with the renewed popularity of ballroom, expect anywhere from 3 to 12 other couples.