Uncontested 3rd Place?

[gracie]

A competitor (Pro-Am) was in several uncontested heats. All but one judge gave them 1 but one judge consistantly gave them 3- Why?

[etp777]

Judge didn't feel they were dancing up to level they shoudl have for that particular level of competition. My understanding is that even for uncontested heat, judges are not bound to automatically give 1's, they still judge it.

[latingal]

I believe a judge can give an uncontested couple or student something other than first place if they feel that they did not dance at the level of the division entered.

[etp777]

too slow!! ;)

[DancingMommy]

This is off subject but searched and couldn't find an answer. A competitor (Pro-Am) was in several uncontested heats. All but one judge gave them 1 but one judge consistantly gave them 3- Why?

Technically speaking, one can get less than first place when dancing uncontested because the judges are supposed to be judging based on skill. But in reality, most of the time in an uncontested, you'll get all firsts because who wants to give someone less than first when they are the only person on the floor? I've BTDT and it's demoralizing to me to get all firsts when we clearly didn't deserve them. Should've been 2nds in my opinion but hey...

[shava]

Sending a message I'd say. Knew one couple who consistenly got scored below, sometimes, well below the # of competitors in their heats. They never practiced enough & it showed. Think the judges were trying to tell them maybe competition wasn't for them...

[etp777]

Agreed, Dancing Mommy. Last time I competed there was some firsts that definitely shouldn't have been in my opinion, but was only one out there so that's what I got.

Least, that's how I felt. Only got video of contested heats though, so I don't really have any proof one way or the other.

[DancingMommy]

I've got video of ours. Wanna see?

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1097987848541&saved

[skwiggy]

judges can mark an uncontested couple lower than first for not representing the character of the dance or for being off time

[Terpsichorean Clod]

I've got video of ours. Wanna see?

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1097987848541&saved
I thought it looked more than satisfactory for the level, but I'm not a judge. :)

And there were mitigating factors like the split floor. Plus, it looked like there were those awful metal bits between the floor panels? ;)

[Terpsichorean Clod]

Sometimes, it's a mistake. When there are multiple events running at the same time, a judge may not realize a couple is uncontested and accidentally mark them against couples in other events.

[DancingMommy]

I thought it looked more than satisfactory for the level, but I'm not a judge. :)

And there were mitigating factors like the split floor. Plus, it looked like there were those awful metal bits between the floor panels? ;)

I expected better of us. And yes the stupid awful metal bits. Are they still using those?

[tanya_the_dancer]

Is it possible that other couples were added to your heat? I did this once when I realized that I was uncontested in all single dances, so I asked the organizers to merge me with a lower age group (now that I am old enough, I can do that :) )

[fascination]

I expected better of us. And yes the stupid awful metal bits. Are they still using those?
I slipped on one at ohio last year:rolleyes:...I just pretended that I meant to look that stupid for that instant

[Terpsichorean Clod]

I expected better of us.
:notworth:
And yes the stupid awful metal bits. Are they still using those?
I've seen some within the last year. There was a "Dangerous Movements" rule proposed. Maybe we could draft a "Dangerous Materials" rule, prohibiting oil, baby powder, and stupid awful metal bits? :razz:

[latingal]

Also, consider the use of the pda's. I am convinced that sometimes they just miss or something.

[Joe]

That adds another level of expense.

[Standarddancer]

I’ve heard for some judges, their pet-peeves are seeing competitors dancing off music, so if the couple is uncontested dancing off music, they could give 2nd to all dances, but never heard uncontested and received 3rd

[DancingMommy]

:notworth:

I've seen some within the last year. There was a "Dangerous Movements" rule proposed. Maybe we could draft a "Dangerous Materials" rule, prohibiting oil, baby powder, and stupid awful metal bits? :razz:

Aw shucks. I concur. No oil, baby powder or stupid awful metal bits.

[Another Elizabeth]

Sometimes, it's a mistake. When there are multiple events running at the same time, a judge may not realize a couple is uncontested and accidentally mark them against couples in other events.

I once pointed this out to a judge who marked a couple second (I was scrutineering) - just asked him to confirm that he had intended to give an uncontested second. I had noticed that the MC had mumbled a bit when she announced that the two couples on the floor were not competing against one another. Another judge overheard me and chewed me out for coming over to ask instead of just accepting the mark, but the judge who had actually given the second place mark was pleased that I asked him and corrected it.

[fascination]

sometimes the coffee hasn't kicked in yet ;)

[robertje06]

Hi Guys, very interesting story. PDA's are more and more accepted nowadays. f.e. in several european countries they use the PDA's.

anyway as a non native i would like to ask what does "uncontested couple" mean????

Is that something like a general look, where you only have 1 couple performing?

thanks for helping out,
Robert

[waltzguy]

what's PDA in this context?

[fascination]

WRT uncontested; I believe we are talking about dancing without any competitors in the same category

WRT pda; I think we are talking about the hand held wireless mode of marking couples

[waltzguy]

ahhh

(obviously "public display of affection" didn't seem to fit the context)

[White Chacha]

WRT uncontested; I believe we are talking about dancing without any competitors in the same category

...

I don't think they have pro-am outside of North America.

[fascination]

right....I think that is why they were curious and were asking...but I could be wrong


just to clarify; the coffee comment was in regard to judges being a bit sleepy in the a.m.

[gracie]

I looked again and this judge did this in several uncontested heats at the same event.

[fascination]

lol...bad day?

[gracie]

I find this really funny. The same judge at the same comp. gave 3, 4, 5, 6 places in a two couple final! High standards?

[reb]

fat fingers . . . ?

[gracie]

Yeah, maybe it was the fat f:nope:inger syndrome