Standard vs. Alternative Openings?

[Chris Stratton]

Is it a good idea to open a competition dance with a very standard characteristic group, or better to do something unusual? Does it depend on the situation? The couple's effective ranking within the field? Where you end up on the floor?

By something typical, I mean starting a waltz with a natural turn into some sort of spin turn, starting a foxtrot with a feather into some sort of reverse or fallaway, etc.

If using a less traditoinal opening, is it still important to "announce" the nature of the dance in the first few bars with things that have characteristic feel and timing before delving into alternatives?

 

[LionHeart]

I've come to the conclusion judges like what they recognize. Standard is a contest of who makes the least mistakes. If there is a group that you know that feels good or think that it looks good be sure it is technically correct or judges will keep the mistake in mind when ranking couples.

 

[Warren J. Dew]

If you and everyone starts the waltz with a natural, then you are probably fighting for "personal space" as everyone lines up on the floor. Why not go to a lesser crowded place and start with something that no one else is around doing.

This is true if the space stays less crowded.

I've found, though, that at least in Standard, starting diagonal center when others are starting diagonal wall and vice versa often results in criss crossing others' paths every few bars, requiring a lot of attention to collision avoidance. Sometimes it's better to go with the flow.

 

[LionHeart]

I've tried to use a line in the opening bars of a Waltz. In a crowded floor I thought it worked well...my thought at the time was contrast is what brings out a couple...and while everyone was busy doing their natural the hope was that we would be noticed. I found that audiences liked it. Not so sure about the judges. If you're going to do something unusual, it better be technically correct. Judges have spent much of their time observing good dancing and whatever move you do, they have probably seen it done much better.
My advice is to keep it simple and perfect your basics if you want to place well in a competition.
If you want to further your dance reportoire then it is probably OK to do unusual groupings and eventually (after a few years), it will fall into place after coaches get done with you and your understanding of the figures improves.

 

[Another Elizabeth]

I like to start with something a little unusual, but I agree that it had better be good if you do. In particular, I think you can sometimes draw the judges' eyes by starting in an unusual position and/or alignment. If they see you lining up with the man facing into the corner in a foxtrot, for example, they're going to think "what on earth are they going to do with that?" and watch your start. But, as Warren says, you also have to think about what all the other couples are going to be doing and be sure that you're not setting yourself up for disaster. Do it into the corner at the start of the short wall, not the long wall.

 

[Joe]

As Warren says, if everyone starts with a Feather somewhere along the floor, you've got a bunch of couples all diving for the center of the floor.

 

[Chris Stratton]

True, there can be some problems if everyone does the same thing.

But is there some advantage in starting with a feather, or a feather finish or hover to feather finish, compared to a launching into a bounce fallaway, or going into a natural turn, or...

Perhaps I could ask it a different way: are there desireable characteristics of an opening figure? Or is anything that you can execute well suitable?

 

[Another Elizabeth]

Perhaps I could ask it a different way: are there desireable characteristics of an opening figure? Or is anything that you can execute well suitable?

In standard, I think there are only a few considerations that you need to worry about in selecting an opening figure. Most have been discussed above already (where on the floor are you starting, and are you going to collide with everyone on the second or third bar?) The one that hasn't is that it has to be a figure that you can do from a "standing start" - one that doesn't rely on having "built up" some swing and momentum going into it. Starting with a tumble turn would be tricky, for example. But I've seen couples start dead center in the floor with a group of lines in tango to good effect.

So I would say that subject to floorcraft considerations, anything you can execute well is suitable. But you won't be able to execute some figures well as starting figures, because they rely on momentum from the previous figure.

 

[Chris Stratton]

In the swing dances, almost anything needs what is effectively a prep step, regardless if it's built into our usual concept of the figure or must be added on for this purpose. I think it would be pretty easy to do a hover against LOD and back into a tumble, just as many will do this into a feather finish. But would that plan really open a "foxtrot" ?

Is it desireable to start into a measure of classic rhythm - SQQ rather than something that is a variation like S&QQ, SQ&Q, QQQQ, or whatever?

 

[madmaximus]

Is it a good idea to open a competition dance with a very standard characteristic group, or better to do something unusual? Does it depend on the situation? The couple's effective ranking within the field? Where you end up on the floor?

By something typical, I mean starting a waltz with a natural turn into some sort of spin turn, starting a foxtrot with a feather into some sort of reverse or fallaway, etc.

If using a less traditoinal opening, is it still important to "announce" the nature of the dance in the first few bars with things that have characteristic feel and timing before delving into alternatives?

Presuming--for the sake of discussion--that any opening figure you use will be done well. I would start with something that attracts the eye--something that compels the audience (and ostensibly the judges) to keep looking. Which predicates, of course, catching their eye before starting to dance.

In my competitions past I would make sure to do something unusual AND attractive during eliminations. In the semi-finals I would do something that was strong/powerful. I would do this particularly if I was lower in the comparative rankings of the other dancers. If I were high up in the rankings compared to the field, I might go with something simpler depending on how I felt about my chances in the finals.

Also, if familiar with the music being played, I would try to pull out a figure that could match the song. If the song was new to me, I would try a two measure figure that on impulse *might* fit (ie best educated guess) and go from there.

BUT, in the finals I would start with standard figures--because at that point, it is easier to be seen and judges are looking for reasons to dislike(or score lower) than to mark for a first place or win. The logic being the couple with the least offensive mistakes gets the trophy. I would try to show that I understand the technique, but also that I was not a slave to it. So the first 2-4 figures would be chosen especially to demonstrate expression, light and shade, and strong phrasing appropriate for the dance.

maximus

 

[etchuck]

My own opinion... I don't compete, I used to, I don't want to compete.

But if we're talking competition or performance, here's my 10,000 Turkish lira.

I'd start with something unusual. Side-by-side combination or something (okay, if we're talking standard, I don't know what you'd do, but if it's smooth...).

With just about any dance or interview or speech, the opening impression is the most important and sets the tone for the rest. (This is even true for social dancing too.) You have no more than 4 measures to really impress an audience from the very beginning; if we're talking interviews and speeches, it's scientifically documented you have no more than 10 seconds on first contact to make-or-break your chances.