2021 competition opportunities

ProgressNotPerfection said:
  • Would I like to place well? Of course!
  • Do I expect to place well? Absolutely not!!! I will be very surprised if I even make it to any quarterfinals, much less any semifinals.
  • Do I expect to get absolutely creamed and come home in shame? Well, yes to the absolutely creamed part, just being realistic. But I won't come home in shame, as long as my pro and I are happy with the way I danced. WE will know if I should be proud of my performance, regardless of the scores.
  • Will I learn some lessons that might be easier/less painful to learn at a smaller comp? No doubt.
  • If I place 23rd out of 24 entries (for example), will I cry and tear out my hair and quit taking dance lessons? Nope. Will I think my dancing sucks and that I lack talent? Nope. Will I think my teacher sucks and that he lacks talent? Nope. Will my enjoyment of learning to dance be lessened? Nope.
I'm very excited!!!!
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I LOVE this attitude and mindset. Have a wonderful time and enjoy the experience. I can learn so much from this mindset. Thank you for sharing it.
 
ProgressNotPerfection said:
Do I expect to get absolutely creamed and come home in shame? Well, yes to the absolutely creamed part, just being realistic.
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You will NOT get "creamed". Part of Pro's job is to select levels where you can shine, and I think he's done that. You might not win, but you will look like you belong in the competition.

And even if you come in 23 of 24, you'll have at least beaten someone.
 
Greybeard said:
And even if you come in 23 of 24, you'll have at least beaten someone.
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And even if I come in 24th out of 24, I’ll still be able to wear a t-shirt saying “I competed at Ohio Star Ball!”

Q: What do you call a person who graduates from medical school at the very bottom of their class?
A: A doctor.

Q: What do you call a person who places last at a ballroom comp?
A: A dancer.
 
At least one year at Ohio, every participant got a commemorative item (sort of like a plaque, with some dancers on it) that had something like "participation is the first step towards winning." They want to keep everyone coming back, not just the people that make the finals. Though that phrasing did feel a bit off somehow as a recipient.
 
raindance said:
What level, and what age group? (And what country? I'm guessing USA in my post below.)

I used to do am/am, and USA dance events on the east or west coast (NQEs or Nationals) had more latin competitors in the older adult age groups (30 or 40 or 50 years old or older, etc) than anywhere else (e.g Midwest, South, or non-USA Dance events) about 5 or more years ago. But the latin events for older adults were often still smaller than other styles even on the coasts, even at nationals. Small straight finals, etc. I did syllabus, but the pattern seemed to hold to some extent even through open levels.

In the younger adult age group (over 18 but not by much) sometimes the heats were bigger, depending on the comp.

It's been a few years since I've competed, so I don't know if things have changed. But I sort of doubt the change would have been an influx of older am/am adults competing in latin.

Depending on your goals, it isn't a bad thing to be uncontested or lightly contested. You can still go out on the floor and do your events, get some video, go over it with your pro to evaluate and set new goals, etc.

But if you and your husband want more couples to compete against, maybe start by spectating at local comps where there are am/am couples in your age bracket and current level, see what they're dancing, and see if you two are interested in trying the style(s) that are well contested in your local area.
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Thank you @raindance! Age group is older 40s. We did our very first comp today in Silver and was happy even though it was a bit of a rough start. We did find our groove in the last few heats. We do live in the East Coast. I'm just trying to figure out where the Am/Am couples are or what competitions they are joining. Quite hard to find these couples in our age group! But I'll take your advice and try to go as spectators to other comps and see which ones have Am/Am couples.
 
sukiphoebe said:
Thank you @raindance! Age group is older 40s. We did our very first comp today in Silver and was happy even though it was a bit of a rough start. We did find our groove in the last few heats. We do live in the East Coast. I'm just trying to figure out where the Am/Am couples are or what competitions they are joining. Quite hard to find these couples in our age group! But I'll take your advice and try to go as spectators to other comps and see which ones have Am/Am couples.
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Something else you can try is getting to know the other am/am couples you do run into at comps, and ask them. Hopefully on the east coast you'll be able to find some others like you.
 
raindance said:
At least one year at Ohio, every participant got a commemorative item (sort of like a plaque, with some dancers on it) that had something like "participation is the first step towards winning." They want to keep everyone coming back, not just the people that make the finals. Though that phrasing did feel a bit off somehow as a recipient.
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Ouch! o_O Translation: “you did not win.”
That’s even worse than the Little League Participation Trophy, where every player gets first place so it becomes meaningless.

This reminds me of something Pro2 said in one of our first lessons together.

Him: “that was very, very good.”
PnP, challenging: “do you mean that?”
Him, defiant: “yes, I really effing mean it! If I didn’t think it was good, I’d have said - ”
PnP: “ - you’d say that was a good effort.”
Him: “no, I wouldn’t say anything. Because if effort was good, result should be good, right? And I don’t like ‘nice try’.”
PnP, laughing: “there is no ‘try.’ There is only ‘do’.”
Him, serious: “but of course, trying is necessary. Unless you try, you cannot achieve anything.”

Which, now that I think about, is another way of saying “participation is the first step towards winning.”
 
ProgressNotPerfection said:
Ouch! o_O Translation: “you did not win.”
That’s even worse than the Little League Participation Trophy, where every player gets first place so it becomes meaningless.
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It was given to all at registration. So it was "you will not win." And for most people, they are correct, LOL. In every heat of 24 or whatever, most do not win. Though I did win some heats (not the ones with 24 entrants, though).
 
raindance said:
It was given to all at registration. So it was "you will not win." And for most people, they are correct, LOL. In every heat of 24 or whatever, most do not win. Though I did win some heats (not the ones with 24 entrants, though).
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Honestly, I didn’t take it as you will not win, although it is mostly true . I’m not big on participation awards, but i did love one I received at Ohio…it had Galina Detkina and Mikhail Zharinov in a signature move from one of their winning show dances. It’s a really nice memory, actually. And the big red ruby from the 40th. Just some nice memories. Not bad for an old broad to have.
 
ProgressNotPerfection said:
Ouch! o_O Translation: “you did not win.”
…
Him, serious: “but of course, trying is necessary. Unless you try, you cannot achieve anything.”

Which, now that I think about, is another way of saying “participation is the first step towards winning.”
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This is so true…reach for the stars, and even if you don’t get there, you may still reach the moon, right?
 
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