First Ever Comp (Franchise) - Need Guidance

V

VWaltzLover

New Member
First, I want to say that I've been lurking this forum for awhile now, but just created an account today because I would love some advice from this community that I can't find elsewhere.

I recently competed in my first ever comp. It was a franchise-only sponsored comp. I have only been taking lessons for about a year but my studio has been encouraging me to compete for the last 8 months. My teacher says I'm "talented". I haven't done it before now because, to be honest, I just can't really afford the comps. I agreed to this one because it was a one-day comp in a nearby town so I didn't have to pay for my instructor's hotel and meals, etc., making it much less expensive than all the other ones.

Overall though, I still paid about $2000 just to dance 35 heats (which was nothing compared to some other people from my studio). Here's my problem. We basically got no results back. The only info I got about how I did in this first comp is that I earned 14 golds, 13 silvers, 6 bronzes and 2 I didn't place in at all. I have absolutely no idea which dances/heats I did well in or which I did poorly in. Plus, 7 of those 35 heats were supposed to be proficiency scores. I haven't seen a single score. All of this bothers me.

Is this normal? In a comp, even a franchise one, isn't the point to know how you compare to other dancers in your level/age group? Otherwise, it feels to me like just a REALLY expensive "show". How is a competition a "competition" with no scores and no rankings whatsoever? I feel really cheated right now. Please give me your opinions/thoughts.
 
ohboyohboyoboyohboy....welcome to df.....I reccomend that you search our archives for threads on franchises for threads on first comps and for threads on results at comps.....your first step is to take this issue to your teacher...with candor...and we have no idea, not knowing the particulars of your particular franchise...they are not all alike...but the previous threads will give you a good over view, and the bottom line is; don't spend what you don't have regardless of how "talented" you are....
 
I've read pretty much every thread I could find about franchises, first comps and franchise comps. The money I spent is kind of secondary to my question I suppose. I basically I knew what I was getting into and went into it with eyes wide open.

My main concern is about not getting any results back from this "comp". THAT was one thing I wasn't expecting. I expected to know how I placed, or didn't place, in which dances. I also expected, competing in prof. grade heats, to actually get a score for those heats. That's the part that feels like a rip-off to me.
 
Quite a while ago I had taken lessons at a franchise and competed at franchise events - everything from one-day showcases to multi-day events. All except one made the results available to the students, but I had to specifically ask for them. And the one event that didn't make the scores available - well, they claimed to be surprised that a student would want to know the scores and tried to tell me that they couldn't release the scores because they had to protect the privacy of the other students I was competing against. Laughable, really. I had to beg my instructor to intervene in order to get the scores, and I did get them eventually. So, start asking sooner rather than later, and be polite but very, very insistent about it.
 
I think Fasc's advice would apply, the part about discussing the issue with your teacher that you feel you didn't get what was promised for your $$$. Obviously you felt you were getting value for what was promised, but don't feel you got that.
 
hmmm...well, if they promise the results you certainly have a right to get them....but, since you are new, let me also advise you about results, whether franchise or not...results can mean many things....so when you do get them don't assume that they are solely reflective of your skill....they may reflect a variety of things....if is best if early on, you find trusted people who can give you perspective on that
 
Thank you Cal. I already have asked about my scores... the night of the event actually. I was told (by my instructors) that the results "should be emailed" directly to the studio sometime after the event. Still waiting. My point is this: What is the point of a competition without results and scores? Isn't it then just a glamorized (and more expensive) showcase? My teacher's big push on the whole thing was how the comp would help me improve my dancing, but how is it supposed to help if I have no idea how I actually did? And why on earth, if I ever do get my results, should it take so long?

fascination mentioned not knowing the particulars about my specific franchise, thus making it harder to answer. I'm happy to give more details in order to gain more insight, insomuch as I can protect those I feel to have had everyone's best interests at heart in the situation.

It basically boils down to this. I feel cheated. I was super excited to actually compete against my peers for the first time. To really find out how my practice and dedication have paid off. But now I feel let down and I'm curious if I'm overreacting and these kinds of things are at least somewhat normal, or if this situation is just completely wrong (as I feel that it probably is).
 
fascination... Ok then, in your experience, is there a competition that DOESN'T have actual results? And if so, in your experience what is the point? I'm asking sincerely because I am new to this world.

My teacher's whole point was that the comp would help me improve my dancing. But without any kind of results, I have to wonder how. I might be rare in that I don't suffer stage fright or anything like that (which he knows) so just the mere act of competing really doesn't help me there much.

I also understand that results can be subjective to some degree. I wasn't expecting to win or anything. I honestly did it just for a base line on how my dancing compares to my peers.
 
Out of curiosity, how long ago was the competition? While I personally wouldn't see a problem with asking "hey teech, hear anything about those emailed results?", it may be possible that the comp is just being a bit sluggish about getting them out.
 
VWaltzLover said:
Thank you Cal. I already have asked about my scores... the night of the event actually. I was told (by my instructors) that the results "should be emailed" directly to the studio sometime after the event. Still waiting. My point is this: What is the point of a competition without results and scores? Isn't it then just a glamorized (and more expensive) showcase? My teacher's big push on the whole thing was how the comp would help me improve my dancing, but how is it supposed to help if I have no idea how I actually did? And why on earth, if I ever do get my results, should it take so long?
Click to expand...
well, in fairness your progress isn't a result of getting the results...it was a result of working toward the comp...regardless of what the results were...as to why it would take so long, I have no idea as I have never compeated at a franchise comp....but I will ask around

vwl said:
fascination mentioned not knowing the particulars about my specific franchise, thus making it harder to answer. I'm happy to give more details in order to gain more insight, insomuch as I can protect those I feel to have had everyone's best interests at heart in the situation.
Click to expand...
please don't give any identifying info....thanks so much...

vwl said:
It basically boils down to this. I feel cheated. I was super excited to actually compete against my peers for the first time. To really find out how my practice and dedication have paid off. But now I feel let down and I'm curious if I'm overreacting and these kinds of things are at least somewhat normal, or if this situation is just completely wrong (as I feel that it probably is).
Click to expand...
overreacting is common and normal for new and not so newcomers....and while the results probably aren't as important as you think, you should be able to get them and have an understanding of what they mean...particularly from your pro
 
VWaltzLover said:
fascination... Ok then, in your experience, is there a competition that DOESN'T have actual results? And if so, in your experience what is the point? I'm asking sincerely because I am new to this world.

My teacher's whole point was that the comp would help me improve my dancing. But without any kind of results, I have to wonder how. I might be rare in that I don't suffer stage fright or anything like that (which he knows) so just the mere act of competing really doesn't help me there much.

I also understand that results can be subjective to some degree. I wasn't expecting to win or anything. I honestly did it just for a base line on how my dancing compares to my peers.
Click to expand...
when one is working toward a goal, it can by virtue of there being a deadline, motive a student....and yes, I think you should get your results promptly and if you weren't going to get them at the comp someone should have made you aware of those things in advance... IMV, that is not good communication....as long as you don't take the results too seriously, I understand your point about wanting to see how you fare compared to your peers...it is hard to get a true picture of that with only one comp though....and, as you progress you will know how much you are progressing from month to month without a comp and you will also be able to see with your eyes and know with your brain whether or not another student's dancing is near to yours in level...I would just also note that you can be making tons of progress and still have how you mark at a comp not reflect that...that is all...but it does seem that you should have had a better clue of how this was all going to go down ahead of the comp...but that is the thing about competing--you live and you learn---not just about how to dance, but about how to handle comps
 
Even within a franchise, practices can be different between regions, which just means that I'm concurring with everybody else who said, "you should feel more than free to ask your instructor about it". You should be able to get your actual results per dance. I also agree that the primary benefit of competition comes from the preparation. I wish it were otherwise, but I admit that I practice more when there is a deadline on the horizon and the lessons are also run differently pre-comp. There are many interesting threads about why people do or do not compete, what they get out of it if they do, and what people get out of other approaches to dancing.

I'll add that slightly less than $60 per heat is not a bad price from what I've seen (some studios/teachers charge per style, some per heat). There's also a very long thread on the cost of pro-am competitions on here.
 
I danced like a stork at my first franchise comp (another franchise) and can remember nothing particular about my dancing ability except for spinning my foxtrot out of bounds. "The judges can't see you there," my instructor told me. I was uncomfortable at the ballroom and felt like an outsider but had no great expectations as far as results. I was mystified by the whole judging process and got a slew of first place badges to display on my plaque. I survived my stage fright. Despite dancing out of bounds I stayed on my feet and didn't step on anyone's toes. It was a learning experience and showed my instructor how better I dance at the studio. At future comps I learned the lesson that a comp is one long Party stretched over a few days. The instructors are the party organizers and at my franchise studio bend over backwards to show their students a good time. I went solo to a comp with my teacher at a franchise studio and still enjoyed dancing like a stork (again). I like the atmosphere and enjoy watching the good dancers strut their stuff. The right attitude is important. If I went to the comp looking to score better than everyone else (I personally am not the competitive type) then I would be more interested in why some dancers are judged better than others. I think a lot depends on having a good smile and better yet, buying off the judges with steep bribes.
 
um...I think that it is probably really unfounded to go so far as to imply bribes...and if you don't have evidence I wouldn't accuse...that being said...judges do remember people they've coached....shrug
 
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