Bronze and Silver Medals
- Thread starter teotjunk
- Start date
Flyingkamakiri
Member
First off, not quite sure what you mean by learning the Bronze and Silver Medals. Medals are something you EARN if you do well competing in Bronze and Silver Syllabus Events. However, if you meant if it was possible to learn both Bronze and Silver Syllabus for Latin and Ballroom, then it's not like you can't. It would just take some time and practice
Okay. Let me be more clear about what I meant. I meant the Bronze and Silver Syllabus. I have just finished a course on the Bronze Syllabus so I know the steps but I have yet to master the finer technical details like the swaying of the hips, heel lead etc so I am now thinking should I concentrate on just mastering the final details for the bronze syllabus or can I do both the bronze and sliver course simultaneously or would I be biting of more than I can chew?
teotjunk
TinyDancer109
Well-Known Member
I don't know how many people here have had the same experience, but i did not move on to silver until i completely mastered the level of technique you should be proficient in at the end of bronze. This took be about 2 year doing about 2-4 40 min lessons/week (with competitions thrown in).
Of course, i was studying rhythm and smooth, not latin and standard... not sure if that changes things... are you studying american or international style of dance?
anyway, not sure about standard style but... silver smooth is VERY different from bronze smooth and i would highly recommend completing bronze's technical goals before moving on. Rhythm won't make as much of a difference, but remember that the more difficult syllabus steps are designed for more technical dancers, which means that if you learn them too soon, they may not look so good so don't expect to look like fred astaire.
Hope that helps... has anybody who is dancing international had the same experience/opinions?
Of course, i was studying rhythm and smooth, not latin and standard... not sure if that changes things... are you studying american or international style of dance?
anyway, not sure about standard style but... silver smooth is VERY different from bronze smooth and i would highly recommend completing bronze's technical goals before moving on. Rhythm won't make as much of a difference, but remember that the more difficult syllabus steps are designed for more technical dancers, which means that if you learn them too soon, they may not look so good so don't expect to look like fred astaire.
Hope that helps... has anybody who is dancing international had the same experience/opinions?
suburbaknght
Well-Known Member
I'd strongly recommend improving your bronze before going on to silver. Both patterns and technique of silver, in any style, are dependent on complete competency and comfort in bronze. I'm not saying bronze needs to be perfect, but you want to have it at least a 95% before moving on.
Now this doesn't mean you can't do any silver work for now. It's often been my experience that a more challenging advanced step helps me to learn a basic step that I've been having trouble with. You may want to consider doing a performance or showcase piece in one of your dances and ask your instructor to include some silver steps in there. This is a great way to lay the foundation for more advanced dancing and give you some fun with steps above your level while keeping them in a workable context.
Now this doesn't mean you can't do any silver work for now. It's often been my experience that a more challenging advanced step helps me to learn a basic step that I've been having trouble with. You may want to consider doing a performance or showcase piece in one of your dances and ask your instructor to include some silver steps in there. This is a great way to lay the foundation for more advanced dancing and give you some fun with steps above your level while keeping them in a workable context.
Chris Stratton
New Member
Medals are distinct from competition. The idea is that you dance for a guest examiner.
Around here its extremely rare for anyone to do them. Its just not an idea that's proven very attractive compared to directly applying dance progress to social or competitive dancing, and to organizing improvement efforts around what will make those applications better.
If you want to pass an exam you have to learn the required material in required form (there may be options, but still mostly requirement). But to dance you need to know some suitable material and how to apply it flexibly with others on the floor. The later also ends up a lot cheaper, because a lot more dance progress can be made when there is less material to use up lesson time.
Around here its extremely rare for anyone to do them. Its just not an idea that's proven very attractive compared to directly applying dance progress to social or competitive dancing, and to organizing improvement efforts around what will make those applications better.
If you want to pass an exam you have to learn the required material in required form (there may be options, but still mostly requirement). But to dance you need to know some suitable material and how to apply it flexibly with others on the floor. The later also ends up a lot cheaper, because a lot more dance progress can be made when there is less material to use up lesson time.
Medal Exams for proficiency in a style/level of dance. They are completely unrelated to competitions.
I know of someone who went straight to the Silver exams and did just fine.
I thought they were a good idea if someone was planning to go the professional route. They are a good primer for all the exams you need to take as a pro, should you go that route.
Josh
Active Member
While you should most certainly expand your horizons and not be limited in your ambitions, I would encourage you to continue working on your bronze syllabus material, even if you begin to experiment with silver material. You mentioned heel leads, for example, as being finer technical details--footwork, however, is better thought of as being fundamental and a basic requirement for proper execution. Not easy, but fundamental.
You will never "master" a level before moving on, because mastery is only achieved through a constant revisiting of basics while simultaneously growing your skills through exploration of the non-basics.
suburbaknght
Well-Known Member
I like this, Josh. I'm going to have to quote you.
Chris Stratton
New Member
Realistically speaking, advancing as a competitor is a more common route to becoming a good pro, though developing understanding of the formal technique along the way would be good.
Consider for a minute who is going to spend more money picking up the things they don't tend to personaly use, a bronze dancer who needs to be taught it all, or a champ dancer who can read the description, recognize the familiar pieces it is made of, and go dance it?
Once someone can learn like that the professional exams can have some merit, especially if there are aspects of technique that were overlooked during dance development, for the clarity of delivery, and the need to know both parts.
But the problem with multi-year abstract student programs is that few stick with them to the finish. That's why I think its better to serve the dancing essentials first. And if someone is of a mind to really do the formal technique, why not prep directly for the lowest teacher exam?
Chris Stratton
New Member
Realize I'm maybe coming across as too negative on this. What I really mean us to be wary of expensive projects of unproven relevance to applied dancing. As with so many things in dancing, the existence (or lack) of happy graduates in your area can be a good guide.
TinyDancer109
Well-Known Member
i really think this is something your coach should give you some advice in... he/she knows your dancing (current and potential) best