Dancing in Showcases

[Spitfire]

I'm sure many of you have performed in showcases at your studio so do any of you just dance in these or in competitions as well? How about Jack and Jills?

Since I'm just a social dancer I have not participated in any of these, but one of the instructors has been begging me to do a Cha-Cha with her in one; the next one being this Saturday. I keep declining though, but certainly enjoy it as a compliment. :wink:

[Chris Stratton]

Since I'm just a social dancer I have not participated in any of these, but one of the instructors has been begging me to do a Cha-Cha with her in one; the next one being this Saturday. I keep declining though, but certainly enjoy it as a compliment. :wink:

Subtract the cost of participation from the apparent compliment to determine the true compliment.

[Laura]

I've done showcases, Jack & Jills, and 'regular' competitions. I've also been on a formation team. They are all lots of fun, each in their own way.

I don't want to sound too cynical here, but asking you to be in a showcase might also be about money...find how how much it costs to participate before you get to feeling too flattered. I've heard of people paying a LOT of money (like over $1000) to be in a studio showcase.

[Spitfire]

I'm not sure what the cost is at the studio, but I do understand it to be fairly small. I think it's around fifty dollars; does that sound like a lot? It's more then I would want to pay, but I would have guessed it to be more.

The instructor in question is one I dance with a lot at the parties and we are a great fit as far as Cha-Cha goes, but showcase is just not my thing.

[Chris Stratton]

The actual showcase itself doesn't sound expensive - much less that you would end up paying in the lessons to prepare for it.

But if it's not your thing... then don't do it!

[Spitfire]

The actual showcase itself doesn't sound expensive - much less that you would end up paying in the lessons to prepare for it.

But if it's not your thing... then don't do it!

Believe me Chris I won't...

And there would have been no lessons involved; she wants to dance just as we do at the parties.

The rate for lessons here is around sixty five dollars and I'll bet by some standards this is cheap.

[dancin_feet]

The showcases I do are probably different to what you are talking about Spitfire. We work on a set routine for 5-6 months and then present it at the studio ball which is held twice a year. Costs well over $1000 for all the lessons, but I love the idea of putting together a routine, perfecting it and then performing, so for me it is worth it.

The equivalent of what it sounds like you are talking about are spotlights or demonstrations. At our studio these cost nothing and are generally impromptu at the studio socials and parties. I did one a few weeks ago in WCS (my current showcase dance) because it's not a style that is generally taught at our studio and everybody at the party wanted to see what it looked like.

Our competitions are probably different as well as they are only in house, and judged with relation to the number of lessons you have had. These are free as well (included in the private lesson cost, so I guess you could say that you pay for it anyway) and at the student's discretion as to whether they want to compete or not. It's basically just a bit of fun. I have seen some beginners win ribbons because they may have only had 5 lessons or so, as compared to someone at gold level with over 200 lessons. Anyone can win, not just the top level dancers. I have even managed to swing a couple of ribbons myself! :D

Basically I think if you are interested, give it a shot. If you find that it is not something you want to do, don't be pressured into doing it again. It's your dollar after all. Compliments are compliments, but when they lead to you spending more, you have to be sure that it is worth your time and money.

[Nammerz]

I'm in the same situation myself. I consider myself just a social dancer but am always begged to do things like showcases and spotlight dances. I think it'd cost about $80 to sign up for one, and I don't really think it's worth it because I'd have to use lessons to prepare for it also.

I'm not familiar with "Jack and Jills" though, what are they?

[Spitfire]

The equivalent of what it sounds like you are talking about are spotlights or demonstrations.

Yes, this is exactly what they are and nothing more. They are not meant as any kind of competition. It is just a demonstration by teachers and their students or students with other students or anyone who wants to participate in one.

The next one is this Saturday and admission for attendance is free and open dancing follows for the remainder of the evening when it's completed.

[dancin_feet]

If it's free and you have the time, give it a go and see if it's something you like. No cost to you and you'll probably learn a lot about yourself as a dancer in the process. If you don't like it, you haven't lost anything by trying.

[Spitfire]

I'm not familiar with "Jack and Jills" though, what are they?

These are like informal competitions. I'm not sure if they are done with all types of social dancing or just swing which is where I see it done here.

And I don't know if the method is standard, but the way Jack and Jills are done by the WCS club here is that all entrants will put their name on a slip of paper and put it into a container; one for men the other for women. One of the judges or someone will draw the names from each and pair the participants according to that and those couples will dance in the presence of the judges. This is done of course for the different levels - beginning, intermediate and advanced.

[Spitfire]

If it's free and you have the time, give it a go and see if it's something you like. No cost to you and you'll probably learn a lot about yourself as a dancer in the process. If you don't like it, you haven't lost anything by trying.

No, what I meant is that the admission for those who want to come and watch is free. And no, I'm happy with things the way they are with my dancing. 8) No need on my part for dancing as demonstration or sport.

[dancin_feet]

If it's free and you have the time, give it a go and see if it's something you like. No cost to you and you'll probably learn a lot about yourself as a dancer in the process. If you don't like it, you haven't lost anything by trying.

No, what I meant is that the admission for those who want to come and watch is free. And no, I'm happy with things the way they are with my dancing. 8) No need on my part for dancing as demonstration or sport.

Oh bugger!! Then if you have no interest, don't let the compliments entice you. It can be hard, I was gently encouraged to take part in stuff I wasn't sure of when I started, but I have since gotten more realistic about it. I'm still one of the "more involved" students at the studio, but because I actually enjoy what I am doing, not because I have been talked into it.

[IndyDancer]

Our studio showcase is more like a judged recital. We have an adjudicator who will provide feedback and scores on the freestyles, solos and formations.

We have done 3 of these, because we like getting feedback from the adjudicator and I think it is a good experience for us to start dancing in front of an audience. We are going to our first competition next month, so that will be very interesting to see how much it freaks me out! The showcases already make me pretty nervous... :(

[Laura]

Our studio showcase is really a show. We rent a 500-seat theater and have professional sound, lighting, hair, and make-up. We do two shows and both of them always sell out. It's really quite exciting, and draws in people beyond the local community of ballroom dancers.

[twnkltoz]

The two studios whose showcases I've participated in charge $5 a dance, plus admission. Usually, if you do so many dances, you get one free, or free admission or something. $50 for one dance, admission included or not, is steep in my opinion.