Pro-Am A... ages 16-50 competing together

[samina]

Am I the only one that thinks this is bizarre? I don't understand the reasoning behind it.

Comments, please. Does it matter to anyone?

[mamboqueen]

Saves time and money for the organizer. Is this Hotlanta you're talking about? They also mix bronze/silver along with the age groups. I did it last year and got stuck going up against Syncopationator! Har. IIRC, the finalists were split pretty evenly between younger and older....although younger were better placements. I'd prefer not to compete against someone 25 years younger than me, but I can always choose not to do the comp. Not sure this ever happens in open. Anyone? Would definitely avoid THAT!

[chachachacat]

Yikes! No way!! Completely unfair to the older folks!

[mamboqueen]

I think they call it the Cougars and Kittens Championship :)

[samina]

Well, it's USDSC, not a local comp. I was surprised at the local comp, but more miffed that it's at nationals. Just doesn't seem right...you dance all year long against your peers and then out of the blue, are held to measure against a different and radically younger group.

[samina]

I think they call it the Cougars and Kittens Championship :)

*LOL* Oh dear, that's hysterical. And rather apt, I'd say. ;)

[Larinda McRaven]

Funny this is the exactly what the A's want, noting that the A competitors have almost no competition sometimes...

Guess it depends what side of the fence you are on.

[tanya_the_dancer]

This is strange, I thought a more typical split is 16-45 and 46+

[samina]

Funny this is the exactly what the A's want, noting that the A competitors have almost no competition sometimes...

Guess it depends what side of the fence you are on.
Indeed. I have no trouble seeing the benefit from the A perspective.

As I've stated previously elsewhere, I appreciate having the *option* to compete down to A, and look forward to doing that in the future when I'm full Open and have more mileage under my belt...but I don't appreciate having no say in the matter at the national competition.

[Laura]

According to the USDSC entry form, this year for the Pro/Am Scholarships they offer

A1 (16-35)
A2 (36-50)
B (51+)

The A1 and A2 Scholarships are definitely separate on the entry form, so the only way I could surmize a 16 year old having to compete against a 50 is if there were so few entries that A1 and A2 were combined for an event.

The age groups are pretty normal, it's just that the names of the age groups are different from what is more commonly used. I.e., what we usually call "B" for Scholarships is called "A2" at USDSC as evinced by their entry forms.

[tanya_the_dancer]

Maybe they don't like to call the top category C? Makes it sound too old (like "C" for "Cenior" :) )

[samina]

According to the USDSC entry form, this year for the Pro/Am Scholarships they offer

A1 (16-35)
A2 (36-50)
B (51+)

The A1 and A2 Scholarships are definitely separate on the entry form, so the only way I could surmize a 16 year old having to compete against a 50 is if there were so few entries that A1 and A2 were combined for an event.

The age groups are pretty normal, it's just that the names of the age groups are different from what is more commonly used. I.e., what we usually call "B" for Scholarships is called "A2" at USDSC as evinced by their entry forms.

Yes, I just checked as well...looks like the scholarships and championships follow this breakdown. It is 16-50 in the 10-dance event.

It may be to increase the heat size for more competition, but I still find it jarring.

[Laura]

Oh, I see another detail that Samina left out -- the event she was actually talking about. I'm betting that the 9-dance and 10-dance championships were offered as A1-A2 combined (so "A == 16-50") due to the number of past and projected participants. Also, it just takes a while to run a 9 and 10 dance competition, so the additional age group just wasn't offered do time time constraints. They do that at USA Dance Nationals too -- only Junior II, Youth, and Adult 10-dance are offered as actual 10-dance competitions.

I see that they aren't running the 9 or 10 dances all in the same session though. That's another scheduling thing...but doing a "real" 9 dance or 10 dance competition is really fun it's too bad that there's not enough room in the schedule to run things that way. In a "real" 9-dance or 10-dance comp you start one round in one style, then have a 20 minute break during which time you change and then go out and finish the round in the other style. If there are multiple rounds you have to flip back and forth -- like in your quarter final you'd do standard then latin, the the semi would be latin then standard, then the final would be standard then latin. I think it takes a different type of mental focus and physical stamina to do a 9-dance or 10-dance competition in this manner.

[samina]

(Yep---see post above :))

[samina]

They do that at USA Dance Nationals too -- only Junior II, Youth, and Adult 10-dance are offered as actual 10-dance competitions.
Not sure I'm following you...are you saying that all three age categories are combined for the USA Dance 10-dance event?

[Laura]

I am saying that rather than offering a 10-dance competition in every single available age group (USA Dance has nine different age groups), they only offer it in three different age groups. So if you're 35-and-over and want to be in a real 10-dance competition, you have to dance down into Adult, and if you're a Junior I and want to do it, you have to dance up against the Junior II's.

[samina]

Gotcha. So it's also because the event is time-consuming to run. I can understand that. Still don't like it...but I guess us A2s/Bs will just have to suck it up and deal.

Use it to inspire the best one can do...which is my view on it anyway. But still wanted to ask.

[samina]

doing a "real" 9 dance or 10 dance competition is really fun it's too bad that there's not enough room in the schedule to run things that way. In a "real" 9-dance or 10-dance comp you start one round in one style, then have a 20 minute break during which time you change and then go out and finish the round in the other style. If there are multiple rounds you have to flip back and forth -- like in your quarter final you'd do standard then latin, the the semi would be latin then standard, then the final would be standard then latin. I think it takes a different type of mental focus and physical stamina to do a 9-dance or 10-dance competition in this manner.

No kidding. But that would be very cool...

[Another Elizabeth]

Maybe they don't like to call the top category C? Makes it sound too old (like "C" for "Cenior" :) )

I seem to recall a tongue-in-cheek discussion of the categories here on dance-forums a long time ago that suggested that the age categories were

A - Alive
B - Breathing
C - Comatose
D - Dead

Later added were

E - Embalmed
F - Freeze Dried


(Hoping to avoid flames - let me add that I have great respect for the pro-am competitors, and I may do it myself one day. But it still struck me funny. :) )

[samina]

I seem to recall a tongue-in-cheek discussion of the categories here on dance-forums a long time ago that suggested that the age categories were

A - Alive
B - Breathing
C - Comatose
D - Dead

Later added were

E - Embalmed
F - Freeze Dried


(Hoping to avoid flames - let me add that I have great respect for the pro-am competitors, and I may do it myself one day. But it still struck me funny. :) )

*grin*

And tanya, I enjoyed your pun, btw. :)

[tanya_the_dancer]

I seem to recall a tongue-in-cheek discussion of the categories here on dance-forums a long time ago that suggested that the age categories were

A - Alive
B - Breathing
C - Comatose
D - Dead

Later added were

E - Embalmed
F - Freeze Dried


(Hoping to avoid flames - let me add that I have great respect for the pro-am competitors, and I may do it myself one day. But it still struck me funny. :) )

Well, I personally don't compete in USA dance events since I don't have an amateur partner, but still it strikes me as odd that they call 35+ category "senior I". At 35, I am not sure if I want to be called "senior". Btw, totally OT, but I got a junk e-mail the other day telling me that I am never too young to join AARP (and I don't have to be retired, either). I felt like sending it back to them with a piece of my mind.

[danceronice]

Well, I personally don't compete in USA dance events since I don't have an amateur partner, but still it strikes me as odd that they call 35+ category "senior I". At 35, I am not sure if I want to be called "senior". Btw, totally OT, but I got a junk e-mail the other day telling me that I am never too young to join AARP (and I don't have to be retired, either). I felt like sending it back to them with a piece of my mind.

IAWTC. I would prefer be called an "A2" or "B" rather than a "Senior"! (Okay, so in general I have a couple years yet for A2, except the way they split it at Yankee, but still.)

[fascination]

Well, it's USDSC, not a local comp. I was surprised at the local comp, but more miffed that it's at nationals. Just doesn't seem right...you dance all year long against your peers and then out of the blue, are held to measure against a different and radically younger group.
well...dunno...look, if it's worth winning you have to be the best...that's why it's usdsc.....

[samina]

well...dunno...look, if it's worth winning you have to be the best...that's why it's usdsc.....
Certainly, that's the most productive attitude to take.

[fascination]

will also give you a panic attack ;)

[samina]

:)

Well...it's such a familiar sensation for me, having spent most of the year over my head and out of my league and trying to forge performance enuf to hold my head up and not embarrass pro.

[syncopationator]

Saves time and money for the organizer. Is this Hotlanta you're talking about? They also mix bronze/silver along with the age groups. I did it last year and got stuck going up against Syncopationator! Har. IIRC, the finalists were split pretty evenly between younger and older....although younger were better placements. I'd prefer not to compete against someone 25 years younger than me, but I can always choose not to do the comp. Not sure this ever happens in open. Anyone? Would definitely avoid THAT!

Hotlanta does this in the closed scholarship, but they also have separate championships in each age division so you should do both events and see where you stand not just in your group, but overall.

As I recall, it was a 7 couple final last year (out of a quarterfinal) and only 3 of us were As. Also, I was 5th last year so I definitely got by butt kicked by two Bs. not gonna happen this year though:nope:

[syncopationator]

Well, it's USDSC, not a local comp. I was surprised at the local comp, but more miffed that it's at nationals. Just doesn't seem right...you dance all year long against your peers and then out of the blue, are held to measure against a different and radically younger group.

its just for 10 dance right? it just makes it more interesting since there are not that many 10 dancers. we could have 3 2-3 couple finals or one 7 couple final. it makes it a more interesting event.

[syncopationator]

:)

Well...it's such a familiar sensation for me, having spent most of the year over my head and out of my league and trying to forge performance enuf to hold my head up and not embarrass pro.

I think you'll have no problem placing ahead of me in standard. In latin, you better watch out!

[samina]

its just for 10 dance right? it just makes it more interesting since there are not that many 10 dancers. we could have 3 2-3 couple finals or one 7 couple final. it makes it a more interesting event.

Can't argue with that at all.

Anyway, it is what it is and we'll do our best, and there ya go. Tequila to celebrate after, no matter how the chips fall.

Course, some of the competitors may not be old enuf to drink...

*snort* ;)

[samina]

I think you'll have no problem placing ahead of me in standard. In latin, you better watch out!

In latin, I'm the crab at the bottom of the barrel trying to gain any foothold
I can! :)

Although it's coming along...by next year we should have some fun duking it out on the comp floor. :D

[latingal]

Tequila to celebrate after, no matter how the chips fall.

Course, some of the competitors may not be old enuf to drink...

*snort* ;)

*hhrrrrppphh*! Dang shouldn't drink diet coke while reading.... *grin*

I won't be havin' that problem....

[tangotime]

Maybe they don't like to call the top category C? Makes it sound too old (like "C" for "Cenior" :) )




I resemble that remark !! ( or is it Senor ? ) :rolleyes:

[hustleNflow]

I think they call it the Cougars and Kittens Championship :)

HA! Touche, mamboqueen, touche. :applause: