Smiling

W

WaltzElf

New Member
Simple question – do you think it’s necessary in competition?


Given that it’s quite possible to capture the feeling or emotion of any dance without smiling, I tend to work at performing without the smile, as I find it often becomes a forced performance element if you rely on it.
 
At the IDSF Latin Worlds a few years back when we sucked pretty bad, we were doing the re-dance where 6 out of 40 couples would be called back into the 48. I knew we pretty much had no chance of making it in the 48, so I wasn't all that excited. My dad said "The most important thing to do is smile and show your teeth". I didn't believe him at all but didn't want to get my knat kicked for not doing what he told me to do, so the whole round I had a huge smile on my face, more as a joke towards him than to improve my chances. And what do you know, the recalls for the 48 were up and my number was on there. Don't know how we made it, but I guess when the judges are looking around for their last recall, having only a few seconds, they will rather recall a couple who has 2 huge smiles on their faces rather than someone who looks like they're blank or like they're trying too hard.
 
Australia’s best ballroom and 10 dance couple at the moment – Michael Glickman and Milana Dietch (not counting the professionals) never smile through any of the routines – even Cha, Jive, Quickstep.

This isn’t to say they don’t characterise the dances, because they do. Their Quickstep is happy and bright, for instance, but there’s an intensity to their faces and interaction with one another that is mesmerising in its own way.

Those two are the two I idolise amongst the amateur ranks. Now if I could just figure out how to build that intensity myself. :p
 
I like the smile to come from a natural place of joy and happiness, it wells up from the music and the pleasure of movement.

Because I'm a person who smiles a lot while competing, I find that someone who looks blank or like they're angry or scowling to be a bit of a turn off on the competition floor.
 
I like a bit of anger in both my Tango and Paso. Passion yes, with a hint of anger with some music. A smile there can be predatory, but never happy, in my opinion.

The smile in the waltz should be painful and bittersweet. Man or woman, it's the dance of Romeo & Juliet style love. It's the dance that should hurt.
 
You could probably answer that questions yourself. The next comp you go to think about who you are drawn to... For me it is always the couple who looks like they are truly enjoying themselves, have audience eye contact, seem completely at ease with themselves, smiling!

For me smiling is actually a nervous habit. The more nervous I become as a natural relx the more I smile, so not an issue!
 
Nik said:
My dad said "The most important thing to do is smile and show your teeth". I didn't believe him at all but didn't want to get my knat kicked for not doing what he told me to do, so the whole round I had a huge smile on my face, more as a joke towards him than to improve my chances.
Click to expand...

As far as I can observe, I have never seen your father smiling during danincg. Do you agree?
 
[FONT=&quot]The “rules” – such as they are, are very different for men and women when it comes to facial expressions, too, don’t forget. [/FONT]
 
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