[Final Thread Title TBD…] PNP’s saga continues at the 2026 Manhattan Dance Championships (subtitle: The Best Blue Dress Ever)

[ProgressNotPerfection]

When I have a "meh" day on the floor, I like to compare it to both my floor and my ceiling. I'll say things like, "I think that was about 65% of our best quality. At the same time, I think we would have been delighted with it 2 years ago."

Helps me acknowledge both the slow march of progress, as well as the fact/possibility that the team needs to find a better strategy to rise to the occasion when it matters.

Ooo I like that! Very useful perspective.

 

[ProgressNotPerfection]

Also, about all this judge/placement stuff…I suppose that in a perfect world, in order to counteract things like random judging panel changes & unconscious biases, the ideal solution would be to dance so flawlessly in every heat, every time, at all times, that every judge will have to place you first, no matter what.

But that’s an unrealistic expectation for anyone, even a professional. I mean, it’s good to have goals, but….

 

[MaggiWrites]

Also, about all this judge/placement stuff…I suppose that in a perfect world, in order to counteract things like random judging panel changes & unconscious biases, the ideal solution would be to dance so flawlessly in every heat, every time, at all times, that every judge will have to place you first, no matter what.

But that’s an unrealistic expectation for anyone, even a professional. I mean, it’s good to have goals, but….

And there will still be disagreement. In figure skating, Skater A can perform flawlessly, get a standing ovation, the judges will for once all agree and give top marks, and Skater B's fans will STILL foam at the mouth and call for an investigation into "fixed judging" because their favourite skater wuz robbed!!!!! In ballroom, all you can do is dance what you know is your best, hope enough judges noticed and rewarded you, but still go home happy if they didn't because you're satisfied with yourself.

 

[Quickandslow]

Sidenote for everyone that gets into analyzing their results-throwing them into a ChatGPT or other AI is a great way to track across multiple competitions, competitors, judges, and any other factor that you desire…

 

[raindance]

One other random possibility to factor into the impossible analysis of marks - any judges who had seen you earlier in the day might not recognize or remember you hours later in a different dress (or even if you had been in the same dress for that matter). Or maybe they recognize you but don't recall how well you danced. They see so many dancers, I don't think they can remember every couple over the course of the day. But, who knows.

 

[joy]

Therein lies madness.

In WCS, someone made an app that takes all your results across all events and tells you the bias for or against you each judge has. I think you pay 3 bucks or something, my friends used it but I haven't yet.

 

[Warren J. Dew]

Also, about all this judge/placement stuff…I suppose that in a perfect world, in order to counteract things like random judging panel changes & unconscious biases, the ideal solution would be to dance so flawlessly in every heat, every time, at all times, that every judge will have to place you first, no matter what.

But that’s an unrealistic expectation for anyone, even a professional. I mean, it’s good to have goals, but….

I have the impression that both Bizokas & Demidova and Cocchi & Zagoyruchenko followed something approximating that strategy, though some find things more interesting when there is more styling diversity at the top.

 

[Mengu]

Also, about all this judge/placement stuff…I suppose that in a perfect world, in order to counteract things like random judging panel changes & unconscious biases, the ideal solution would be to dance so flawlessly in every heat, every time, at all times, that every judge will have to place you first, no matter what.

But that’s an unrealistic expectation for anyone, even a professional. I mean, it’s good to have goals, but….

Champion's mindset, it's not unrealistic... It's what you should do. You don't practice until you get it right, you practice until you can't get it wrong. Consistency is a pretty reliable way to smooth out the variables of a judging panel, competition circumstances, and all the uncontrollables. However, all judges giving you first is only going to happen if the field is lopsided. When the field is close, that's just not going to happen. If it happens that all judges are placing you first frequently, you need to change fields.