Pros and cons of open bronze

[debmc]

I am starting to learn my open bronze competitive routines and it is alot of fun but does take away lesson time from my closed bronze routines. Since most scholarships/championships in bronze are in closed bronze routines, I was just wondering... is there an advantage to doing open bronze? Or should I wait until silver or gold to do open?

 

[fascination]

if I ever danced open bronze it was simply my closed silver routines...that way I never had to worry that I was doing something extra to what I would benefit from knowing well for things like scholarships, etc... but it seems to me that is is simply a matter of choice, learning good technique in any step is learning something that will benefit you nearly everywhere else as long as you understand the ways in which those things intersect...each pattern is merely a different combination of the same fundamentals...have a chat with your pro about your concerns...he's a good guy, he'll be open to the conversation

 

[GGinrhinestones]

My advantage in doing open bronze is that it made the closed bronze seem absolutely simple by comparison. I gained so much confidence by focusing on the open bronze that I really don't practice closed (routines) at all - we just go out and dance it lead/follow, and I do better in the closed than ever. We still spend a lot of time focusing on basic technique in open, so the only difference is the tricks. It didn't take long before closed bronze got boring, and I made the switch to silver.

The bigger time conflict isn't between open and closed, it is between rhythm and smooth.

 

[Ray Sison]

My advantage in doing open bronze is that it made the closed bronze seem absolutely simple by comparison. I gained so much confidence by focusing on the open bronze that I really don't practice closed (routines) at all - we just go out and dance it lead/follow, and I do better in the closed than ever. We still spend a lot of time focusing on basic technique in open, so the only difference is the tricks. It didn't take long before closed bronze got boring, and I made the switch to silver.

The bigger time conflict isn't between open and closed, it is between rhythm and smooth.

That's fantastic! And this all makes a great deal of sense... :cheers:

 

[Leonid Turetsky]

My advice is to put more focus to the closed Bronze. There you probably get to work more on technique and fundamentals. That is vital in the first years of dancing... But open Bronze can be done for fun and inspiration since you'll be able to do some more advanced moves. So both can be great just make sure you have enough time for both.

 

[debmc]

Thanks for feedback. I think for now I need to continue to focus on the fundamentals, and make that the priority of my lessons and slowly add some open work. I have talked to my pro about it and he does encourage open but the final decision is up to me.