Competing

The first time I ever competed during any dance event was at the Boston Tea Party in 2007 and I had no idea about what I had gotten myself into. The only reason why I entered into the Novice Jack and Jill competition was because in order to get RPI to pay for us (Brooks Prumo, Diana Shiroma and myself) to go to the event was to compete at it. And even though I didn’t do so well in that competition I have competed several other times and have learned a lot from it.

The first thing that I have learned is that there is a difference when you are just social dancing and compared to when you compete. Second that depending on who is judging and what level you are competing in that different thins will be looked for. Some judges look for clean well executed dancing, others musicality, some showmanship or even moves. Most of the time it is a combination of these varying to different degrees depending on which level you are competing in also. The third lesson learned which is one I am still working on is that if and when you decide to compete smile and act like you are having fun. I have been told that my facial expressions when I compete show what is going on, when I am really enjoying the dance and think I am doing well I have this huge smile/ grin on my yet if anything goes wrong that apparently also shows.

I have only competed a total of five times in the time I have been dancing a couple of the times I have made the finals and once even placed 2nd yet I am still not sure why exactly I do compete. The last competition I was at there was one question which kept bothering me which was: What level I should be in? And to answer this question I kept asking people where they thought I should be. What people told me was that I should move up (which is what I did in the end) but one thing that most everyone asked me was if I wanted to place or dance with people I liked. This question always threw me a little each time it was asked. I realized that for many people who decide to compete that the decision is really just that simple for them. Do I want to walk away with an award or do I want to dance with certain people? Yet for me the answer wasn’t that simple. I am sure that when everyone competes that they want to win an award or walk away with some sort of recognition and I myself cannot deny that especially after spending a lot of times in competitive sports. There are also some people who place themselves in a certain level because they believe that they are that good and belong there. Finally after being asked for the 3rd time I realized that I want to compete against people of my own skill level to improve my dancing and asked the people who I was talking with, who have either seen me dance before or have danced with me to let me know where they thought I belonged based on my skill level.

In my own opinion people should not compete in any level which they do not truly belong in. Earning it by placing in other competitions or by having your peers and perhaps one of the judges access your skill level are two ways at which to accomplish this. Placing yourself in a higher level then you belong I feel is being rude to those who truly do belong there. Lindy Hop is a partnered dance and this does not change when you are competing as you are ultimately judged not by how well you yourself can dance but by how well your partner and you can work together.

Do you compete? If so why? If not how come? Any tips for those who do compete?