social dance competition

[ballroomlady]

I think it is an attempt to implement a Social Dance Competition. I spoke with member of the USA Dance National Committee at the "Nationals" and she talked about how this was a goal of USA Dance for the upcoming year.

The above was originally posted by Ball and Change in another thread. Moving to this forum, hoping to find out what others may know about this USA Dance goal. Anybody?

And I am left to wonder if a dancer participates in a social dance competition, does that mean they are a competitive dancer and no longer a social dancer? And what would the criteria be for eligibility to particpate in a social dance competition?

 

[Stagekat]

Why does the term "Social Dance Competition" seem like quite the Oxymoron?

I would think you could be both a Social dancer and a Competitive one...because the style of dancing varies by location/event. But that's just my opinion of course.

 

[ballroomlady]

Why does the term "Social Dance Competition" seem like quite the Oxymoron?

I would think you could be both a Social dancer and a Competitive one...because the style of dancing varies by location/event. But that's just my opinion of course.

I have to agree on all points...hence my questions about USA Dance supposed goal to implement a Social Dance Competition - doesn't quite make sense.

 

[Laura]

Interesting. I am a member of the 2009 Organizing Committee for Nationals, if I hear anything more about this I will let you know. At this point I know there will be activities for social dancers, like last year when they had workshops and the like, but I don't have any details.

 

[and123]

I register as a social dancer because the membership fee is cheaper
*ducks and runs*

 

[nucat78]

Why does the term "Social Dance Competition" seem like quite the Oxymoron?

I would think you could be both a Social dancer and a Competitive one...because the style of dancing varies by location/event. But that's just my opinion of course.

I'd speculate that things would be a bit more relaxed on form, e.g. how many social tangos are done with the lady's fingers perfectly straight under the man's right bicep, etc.

Or maybe it'll just be for people who don't compete in the "majors" so to speak, i.e cheap entry fees, no pro-am?

 

[BasicsFirst]

That's exactly what it means around here. Social or "closed" studio competitions are ones where "competitors" (just to start another debate) are not allowed to enter. From the am/am world, that's anyone who carries an amateur card.

 

[tanya_the_dancer]

It sounds like an oxymoron to me.

 

[BasicsFirst]

Yes on paper perhaps. Now that I've thought longer however, it's also a way to get non-competitive dancers to consider competing by trying it out; but by trying it out against others who are also just 'trying it out' and without being thrown in amongst dancers that have been at it a while i.e. a few months ago we witnessed a Pre-Bronze couple actually WIN in Bronze. Now that alone bumped them out of Pre-Bronze, but they most certainly overstayed their welcome at such an 'introductory' level.

 

[Indiana_Jay]

... it's also a way to get non-competitive dancers to consider competing by trying it out; but by trying it out against others who are also just 'trying it out' and without being thrown in amongst dancers that have been at it a while...

Isn't that the purpose of the newcomer proficiency categories that some competitions (including some USA Dance competitions) include?

 

[delamusica]

Really, the only way to make sure that it was a social dance on the floor (ie, non-choreographed) would be to run a ballroom jack-and-jill. Register by levels, and compete "socially" with a random partner.

Fun . . . but gender balance could create problems.

 

[Laura]

My ballroom club had a social dance party on Saturday, the first one we've ever hosted in our 20-some-odd-year history. We usually throw 4 competitions a year, but we felt like trying something else. Anyway, in the course of the evening we ran a few Jack-and-Jill events: Swing, Waltz, and Cha Cha. There were enough ladies and gentlemen present that everyone who wanted to participate could, although at the last second I had to draft a guy to even out the numbers for the Cha Cha. We had semi-finals in all the events, and the top three couples in each event got t-shirts. It was fun, I love ballroom Jack & Jill events!

 

[standardgirl]

I have only recently heard of the term "hobby dancers competitions" for ballroom and latin in Switzerland. I imagine that this would be a simliar concept to what ppl are talking about in this thread. It's easier (or at least, seems this way) to administer social competitions here as the otherwise "competitive" dancers have their "dance licenses" which means that they won't be allowed at the social competitions. But since the entire point system under USA Dance is pretty much a honor system, I imagine it being much more difficult to monitor this and to draw a proper line btwn competitive vs. non-competitive/social couples.

 

[Indiana_Jay]

But since the entire point system under USA Dance is pretty much a honor system, I imagine it being much more difficult to monitor this and to draw a proper line btwn competitive vs. non-competitive/social couples.

... unless they'd bar anyone who holds an athlete membership in USA Dance, since such a membership is required for "normal" competitions. Membership rosters are pretty easy for competition organizers to check.

Good to see you on the board again SG!

 

[hustleNflow]

As everyone else has already said, this whole concept seems...oxymoronic. And silly. And hard to implement. And unlikely to be popular enough to generate any sort of strength. The picture I get in my head from this? A very unorganized "dance contest" that is so often immortalized in teen movies like Grease, where a bunch of couples are baja-ing around on the dance floor with no real rules and getting tapped out by judges. But hey, it could work...maybe...