The Winning Edge

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pygmalion

Well-Known Member
This topic has come up, as an undercurrent, in several competitive ballroom topics. So now, I'm giving it a thread of its own.

Exactly what does it take to win a dance competition? Back in the day, when I used to be naive, I thought it took good dancing. Now, after a long time in DF (and observing lots of comps and comp footage) I wonder. Is it good dancing? Or good showmanship? Or good rapport with an audience? Or good grooming? Or good networking connections with the judges? Or youth? Or appropriate costuming? Or a good pedigree? Or lots of other things? I really don't know.

What do you think? If you had to pick the top three characteristics of competitive dance winners, what would you say? Realistically, what are the top three things that you think help people win at a comp today? And, if this were a perfect world, would the list look any different?

(Thanks for the topic suggestion, Chris.)
 
I think it's dancing, showmanship, and grooming.

Grooming gets you noticed, showmanship helps you keep your stuff together when it all goes wrong, but in the end you still have to show some degree of dancing to get marked. I think different people consider these three elements to different degrees.

I was reading a series of "judge's soapbox" articles over on dancesportcomps.com , and one judge mentioned that he/she like to see technically great dancing, but if it's too cold and doesn't "touch" them, then it won't get the marks. That's dancing + showmanship right there.

K. & I had a really really rough day yesterday. I haven't looked at the tape yet so I don't know what it looked like, but it felt like utter and complete crap and my friends tell me that they were worried because we looked like we were really mad at each other. (We were terribly frustrated and p.o.'ed, but it wasn't at each other at all.) So the dancing felt awful, and I at least had really poor showmanship because my friends say you could see on my face how rattled I was, so I wonder if we placed where we did mostly on grooming. It's possible -- we really were the most put-together couple there. But like I said, the dancing was bad...my legs cramped up so I couldn't move, and then I rolled over an ankle and was limping and apparantly everyone noticed.
 
Sorry to hear about the rough day, Laura. :( Not sure what to say that won't sound trite. so I won't say more. Just I'm thinking about you. And I'm sure it'll be better soon. Life's like that. Cyclical. *shrug*



And, since we're talking about winning, I'm wondering about losing, as well. Any thoughts on the things most likely to get you eliminated?
 
I think looking like you're scared to death, combined with bad grooming, is a surefire way to get kicked out in the first cut.

I'm doing much better, thanks, I just walked about a mile and a half and the ankle is fine. I'm soooooo looking forward to tomorrow!! I'm going to go stick another 10 gross of stones on that black dress today, too...figure I might as well score as many brownie points as I can on the grooming since I can't change much else on one day's notice at this point!

Getting back on topic...I have seen breathtaking dancing triumph in spite of sub-par grooming. The couple in question also had a nice air about them, so they had it in the showmanship area too. That's why I think it's a combination of the three.
 
I think looking like you're scared to death
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I agree. It's a very important thing to learn to look like you're extremely confident on the outside even if you aren't on the inside. I definitely think it helps.
 
I've sometimes read comments in "Dance Beat" about a couple (or, more frequently, the man) looking arrogant. That is too much confidence.
 
I certainly wouldn't want to be seen as "condescending" or looking down at other competitiors and thinking I'm better (because frankly, I'm usually too nervous on the inside to even look at other competitors). I think you want a healthy look of "this is a piece of cake," and not much more.
 
To win: I think technique / ability to perform your routines well in a relaxed manner still counts, so does showmanship, connection with the audience and the judges, musicality, confident appearance (which to me comes from feeling good about costuming, makeup, preparedness etc., and includes posture / poise /frame as well), stamina, fun & joy that is visible to the outside

To lose: bad frame, dancing 'out of music', lacking confidence, forgetting steps and looking disturbed about it

Grooming: good point. It doesn't have to be extravagant / over the top: we won quarterfinal comps wearing a practice top and a practice skirt (both black), but being neat and clean, with appropriate hair and makeup and accessories are important.

And one more pet peeve of many judges that I've heard / read about: dirty shoes will cost you. The argument that sticks most is that it doesn't really fit well when you're wearing an expensive outfit with scuffy shoes...
 
Yep, I read about the dirty shoes thing over on dancesportcomps.com . Also, no tape on the heels. I know I do it (I use taped-on suede star-shaped heel protectors) but I really despise the way the heels feel otherwise. I can't get a good forward slide on the floor otherwise when I take heel leads in Foxtrot. I've heard some people have their shoemakers make them custom suede-covered heel tips, and that some people make their own. I should do that. Some companies sell suede-covered replacement tips, but Diamant doesn't have them for the heel shape I like best.

I should go clean my shoes today. I got stepped on a few times (even once or twice by my own partner) yesterday. Can't go out there with scuffed-up shoes tomorrow!
 
Laura, I like those suede heel tips, too! But I wouldn't put them on my comp shoes. Get a piece of suede, (the tricky part,) trace your heel, and glue them on with Barge glue.
 
I've got the suede. It's the glue part that has given me problems. I'll try looking for the Barge glue, thanks!
 
Laura said:
I've got the suede. It's the glue part that has given me problems. I'll try looking for the Barge glue, thanks!
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Laura go to the shoe repair shop and they will most likely have Barge cement.
 
Thank you so much for your advice. There's a really good shoe repair shop near where I live -- they just re-heeled and re-soled my partner's Standard shoes, and they came out great. I'll check with them about the glue, or even about him making the heel tips for me (I've got the right tips, I just need to suede them).
 
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