Competition Dancing?

Competition Dancers on Oahu
by Francis Kamiya, Kaimuki

Let us explore competition dancing, just to demonstrate some interesting points. At most competitions, the circumstances in which you dance are very controlled so as to be fair — you know the dance you’re doing, who you’re dancing with (your partner), the level at which the others are dancing (your class or difficulty level), the time you’re on the floor (a single heat is usually only a few minutes long), the steps to do (the syllabus), and the music is a certain tempo (set by the rules).

"For centuries people have kept an appointment with Christmas. Christmas means fellowship, feasting, giving and receiving, a time of good cheer and carries over into the New Year."

  

Spectators are usually other dancers, who appreciate the hard work involved, and judges, who are looking for specific, pre-defined things to put into your score. So you’re doing a controlled thing (dancing) in a controlled environment (at a competition) for pre-defined reasons (where do you rate on the scoring sheet?) for an audience who knows something about what you’re doing.

If you are a regular and like competition dancing, you’ll want to know there are two "flavors" — amateur and pro-am. Amateur only means the participants don’t make living by teaching dancing. An amateur dancing with a teacher is pro-am. Amateur couples are scored by their performance and, in a pro-am competition, the amateur is supposed to be the one being judged.
 

"Sh-Boom, (Life Could Be A Dream) by the Chordettes.

Some competitions result in only one winner, and at some competitions some folks don’t place or win anything. Other, less "serious" competitions may award everyone a first place, because you’re judged alone (and not against the field of other dancers in your category. It can get a little complicated and there are literally thousands of rules.

So let's face it. It ain't da reel teeng!

Pub's Side Note: We don't have to hold it against anyone who wants to be a competition or exhibition dancer. That should be their privilige. But then there is the Golden Rule. "
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."