Any Thoughts on the DVIDA Syllabus?

[Ray Sison]

Anyone have any thoughts, opinions, and/or experiences regarding the DVIDA syllabus (in general, or for specific dances)? Personally, it has become a significant part of the foundation for my practices and drills. I have also slipped in a figure here and there into showcase routines, such as the Double Face Loop for East Coast Swing... :)

[suburbaknght]

In general, I love it. It's very well put together, has a good mix of patterns, and the explanations in both the books and DVDs are fantastic. Furthermore, it's very well-supported. On the downside, a lot of it is intentionally dumbed down with little explanation why, and I hate their bronze American foxtrot; I also know some teachers who have big problems with a few of their other dances (American tango and rumba, specifically).

[Ray Sison]

In general, I love it. It's very well put together, has a good mix of patterns, and the explanations in both the books and DVDs are fantastic. Furthermore, it's very well-supported. On the downside, a lot of it is intentionally dumbed down with little explanation why, and I hate their bronze American foxtrot; I also know some teachers who have big problems with a few of their other dances (American tango and rumba, specifically).

Suburbanknight: Thank you for your well-articulated reply. I, too, appreciate that there is DVD support for their syllabus. Though it was not the official syllabus for our studio (an independent school), the DVIDA syllabus on my own became a very important foundation during my formative years as a Bronze and Silver student.:cool:

[Angel HI]

It is well regarded and becoming increasingly more popular. I believe that this is due, in part, to its being readily available. The other chains regard their syllabi as some sort of rare diamond needing Air Guard protection (stupid).

On the downside, I find a lot of it unnecessarily convoluted for the sake of having a unique product (i.e. parts of Ray's post), and some of the instruction in the amer has not been well done (something that I believe is being corrected in later versions).

[suburbaknght]

It is well regarded and becoming increasingly more popular. I believe that this is due, in part, to its being readily available. The other chains regard their syllabi as some sort of rare diamond needing Air Guard protection (stupid).

On the downside, I find a lot of it unnecessarily convoluted for the sake of having a unique product (i.e. parts of Ray's post), and some of the instruction in the amer has not been well done (something that I believe is being corrected in later versions).
They protect it as part of sales. It gives the perception of increased value via rarity. When I taught for a chain, I directed my students to the DVIDA syllabus because it had the most overlap (being specifically written to be compatible with as many other syllabi as possible, it's not that surprising).

[Ray Sison]

Suburban Knight and Angel HI, I thank you both for your insights and experiences with the DVIDA syllabus. Dance Forums is a great resource to be able to learn more about things like this!

Digressing, I like the name of that figure called "Whirlpool" on the DVIDA East Coast Swing syllabus for Bronze. It's Number 15, as see on the syllabus PDF linked below:

http://www.accessdance.com/files/compsites/149/DVIDA_Syllabus_Overview_Combo.pdf

I know, that makes me a shameless dance geek!!!
:banana:

[jwlinson]

It is well regarded and becoming increasingly more popular. I believe that this is due, in part, to its being readily available. The other chains regard their syllabi as some sort of rare diamond needing Air Guard protection (stupid).



One of the other studios in the area is that way with their syllabus. They use a much older Lauré Haile syllabus, and one of their former teachers was actually shocked to learn we had a copy of the same syllabus ("Where did you get that? You're not supposed to have that!") that we studied, since our studio uses the DVIDA syllabus now as well.

[AMeader]

I've been using the DVIDA silver rhythm syllabus for about a year now, and I find that it lends itself well to choreography.

[Leonid Turetsky]

The DVIDA syllabus is a great tool. I like the Bronze Rhythm and Smooth steps very much and I teach them to my students. However there are a few steps that I would rather not do like "whirlpool" and i still use other variations that I add to the mix.

The Silver Rhythm is not that great in my opinion - each step is a whole choreography piece which is great for choreography but for teaching purposes it is not broken down enough in my opinion. But I still take away Silver steps from the different pieces and teach them in my own way.

[Ray Sison]

The DVIDA syllabus is a great tool. I like the Bronze Rhythm and Smooth steps very much and I teach them to my students. However there are a few steps that I would rather not do like "whirlpool" and i still use other variations that I add to the mix.

The Silver Rhythm is not that great in my opinion - each step is a whole choreography piece which is great for choreography but for teaching purposes it is not broken down enough in my opinion. But I still take away Silver steps from the different pieces and teach them in my own way.

I've been using the DVIDA silver rhythm syllabus for about a year now, and I find that it lends itself well to choreography.

Leonid and AMeader: Thanks for the feedback! And Leonid, you have a point about the Whirlpool! Its name sounds better than the actual pattern!

[Angel HI]

The Silver Rhythm is not that great in my opinion - each step is a whole choreography piece which is great for choreography but for teaching purposes it is not broken down enough in my opinion.Exactly the point when I posted... On the downside, I find a lot of it unnecessarily convoluted for the sake of having a unique product.... Though, I find a lot of this in the bronze, as well. Not necessarily long choreo, but unnecessary elements/steps that simply are not geared toward teaching.

[Josh]

I find that to be the case with every american style syllabus I have seen (have not seen the chains' though).

The advantage (if you can call it that) is that each figure is almost a complete amalgamation in and of itself, and is good short term for the student to have a complete start-to-finish figure to dance. Said another way, when dancing a figure, they rarely have to think, "where do I start from, and how do I finish it"?

The downside, as Angel said, is that this makes the elements indistinguishable from one another, and so "crossover breaks" equals 18 (or so) steps in rumba, instead of the actual 3 steps a crossover break really is. The student is thinking in much larger chunks than he or she needs to, and does not easily learn how to piece those smaller indistinguishable elements together in more interesting and different ways.

[Ray Sison]

I find that to be the case with every american style syllabus I have seen (have not seen the chains' though).

The advantage (if you can call it that) is that each figure is almost a complete amalgamation in and of itself, and is good short term for the student to have a complete start-to-finish figure to dance. Said another way, when dancing a figure, they rarely have to think, "where do I start from, and how do I finish it"?

The downside, as Angel said, is that this makes the elements indistinguishable from one another, and so "crossover breaks" equals 18 (or so) steps in rumba, instead of the actual 3 steps a crossover break really is. The student is thinking in much larger chunks than he or she needs to, and does not easily learn how to piece those smaller indistinguishable elements together in more interesting and different ways.

Josh: Indeed! Case in point, the "Crossover Flick to Side Break"--#15 in the Bronze Cha Cha part of the DVIDA syllabus... :cool:

[Angel HI]

The downside, as Angel said, is that this makes the elements indistinguishable from one another, and so "crossover breaks" equals 18 (or so) steps in rumba, instead of the actual 3 steps a crossover break really is. The student is thinking in much larger chunks than he or she needs to, and does not easily learn how to piece those smaller indistinguishable elements together in more interesting and different ways.Thanks for the addendum. Could not agree more.

[Ray Sison]

Thanks for the addendum. Could not agree more.

I second that!

[Peaches]

Stay away from the DVIDA AT syllabus... ;)

[DanceMentor]

I don't love everything about it. I do hope they will keep developing it, and improving it. For example, I wish they would always make the first step of each dance the basic (ex. rumba). Schools can still have a "social foundation" that is "pre-syllabus" if they wish.

My biggest issue in American is the diversity of syllabi. How do we decide which is best to follow, and what is the national standard for competition? And how do we decide what would be the best or most likely material we should use for a given level. It varies considerably what is taught and what is used at comps. It's not clear enough.

[Purr]

I like the silver smooth syllabus, but the silver rhythm syllabus, not so much.

[DanceMentor]

I like the silver smooth syllabus, but the silver rhythm syllabus, not so much.

Now that I think about that point, I agree! :)
The smooth is quite good. It blends solid basics with some interesting variety.