Hug a Judge
Mr Hug by Joe Van Wetering www.joevw.com
So this weekend I had the distinct pleasure of judging my first dance competition. I would never Judge and tell, so no names here. Having been to and participated in many competitions over my 29 years, I walked into the experience with a sense of confidence and enthusiasm that proved almost tragic. First, let me preface this by saying that the management, crew and the other judges were an absolute dream team, cream of the crop, the venue superb and the talent amazing. So, what was the problem? Fellow competition goers let me tell you this...Stopping in on a dance competition for a few hours or working with your kids as they make their way through the weekend is a breeze compared to the judging experience. Entertain me for a bit...imagine this...8-10 hour days, watching the same 8-10 studios, the same 30-50 kids. I love dancers, I love watching dance, but watching the same dancers over and over again, while ensuring you fulfill your obligation of delivering detailed feedback on each act while they dance, is truly a loaded assignment. These judges are the iron man triathaletes of the dance competition scene. So, next time, before you judge the judge, sit in their chair for a day and see how long you last. My hat is duly tipped. Next weekend, hug a judge, trust me they deserve it! Read on for my recap...
I saw some really amazing choreography and some wonderfully talented dancers. I judged with two veterans both of whom are legendary comp team directors in their own right and the event ran ahead of schedule (a very professional and well organized operation). It was mother's day weekend so it was nice to be around so many moms with their kids. As I was sitting in the lobby during one of the short breaks I saw a mother and daughter at the media table looking at photos together. The mother had a huge hand drawn "card" somehow attached to her purse (it was really more of a sign card) that said something to the effect of "Ummmmmm.....Best Mom Ever....get out of the way....stop", albeit nonsensical and perhaps a little gutsy, I chuckled to myself before heading back into the theater (we were entering round 3 and prob the 70th act of the day, I wont lie, I got a bit delirious). One of the more memorable moments on Sunday involving the whole mom day bonanza happened right at the judge's table. One of the younger small groups performed a darling "lyrical" number where the lil dancers stepped forward at the end and lip synched to their recorded voices talking about what they wanted to be when they grew up.......it was a touching moment and I will admit I got a little choked up in the spirit of the day. The judge next to me actually cried and we all had a good laugh about how much more things like that affect women once they have children. It was a nice moment and I think partially instigated by day 3 judges table cabin fever.
The MC for the event was an absolute maniac and I am told off-season he does some work at a theme park. Whatever it is that fuels that guy, I will buy 10 cases, he was a non-stop family friendly fun machine and did keep us well entertained in between numbers with clever song choices and requests. During the breaks the other judges and I had some time to talk shop, eat candy and reflect on the happenings of the day off the record. As a new studio owner and industry insider, I really appreciated and gained a lot from that time.
I saw so many great things at the event. It really reminded me why I love dance, how happy I am to be a part of the industry and really got me excited for the opening of my studio in the fall. While, I will most likely be keeping my judging calendar to a minimum in the future, I do want to touch on the few things I saw this weekend that I feel obligated to address here on this blog.
Here are some of the things I saw that were less than super:
Breath: One of my biggest pet peeves is when a dancer holds tension in the face, back, shoulders and/or chest. This is always exacerbated when the dancer also is not using his or her breath while moving through the work. Think about it, we are dancers, we are living organisms, and living things breathe. If we do not, we are lifeless and nobody likes to watch a lifeless dancer. Your dancer's movement should be enhanced and supported by their breath.
Kissy Face Wink Wink: Kissy Face is just not ok at any age in 2009. This is not the bygone era of Baby June or Betty Boop. Ask yourself, when was the last time in real life you saw someone make kissy face and you thought to yourself "gee that is really appealing, classy and cute". Kissy Face is fake and weird, your kids will start doing it when it is inappropriate and they wont even realize it. It will become like a weird tick. I saw it way too much this weekend. Winking is for sleazy guys at the gym.
Heel Stretches: What do heel stretches communicate? Whether communicating an abstract or narrative concept, each element of the dance should serve a purpose and have an intention. What purpose does a heel stretch serve? This seems like a dated convention. If you are doing a heel stretch in a historical/cultural context (i.e.: the can can and I believe it appears in some folk forms) then fine. For me, it distracts from the dance work and it gives your dancers a false sense of accomplishment in artistry. Give me a good reason or excuse for the excessive use of heel stretches and I will get over it lol.
Rhinestone chokers: Ok teachers. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but people do not wear chokers in 2009, yes I know most of us were heavily influenced by the 90's fashion styling's of 90210, but really, when was the last time you saw someone classy wear a choker? Do an image search on Google.......I dare you. Not cute guys. What could be worse than a choker? A sparkly choker worn completely out of context. I saw a piece this weekend with zombie vampires in torn clothes, but alas, they had their rhinestone chokers on to add just a touch of class to their lifeless, brain eating character costumes. The piece was totally entertaining, and the dancers nailed it, but I was very distracted thinking to myself, what is up the zombie chokers? Stop the madness people. I don't care how good your kids are, chokers make your dancers' necks look short and if they have even the slightest case of shoulder earrings, the choker really accentuates the negative.
Conceptual Nightmares: While I saw some great conceptual pieces this weekend, I also saw some stuff that really missed the mark and at times left me speechless. My suggestion to make sure your work does not fall into this category.....Develop a circle of people who know and understand dance and use the feedback from those you trust. Self-reflection can be hard for anyone. If you are worried about finding people locally, develop a network online; places like Our Message Board can be a great resource for this kind of support. With a tiny bit of digital video knowledge you can easily and securely share your work with colleagues on the other side of the country. Please make sure that you have your piece worked out conceptually before you set it on your kids (this means really study lyrics, consider costume choices and be sure you are conscious of the message you are sending with the tone you set for the piece). Make sure that you and your "circle" agree that what the work is communicating is without question what you intend, it is appropriate for the venue/kids and that there is not too much room for misinterpretation (especially when you are dancing to/about anything conceptually "heavy".....war, politics, love, loss, religion, etc)
Well there you have it. My experience in a nutshell, I am glad that I had the opportunity to judge, and I think that if you have an offer to taste the Kool aid you should. Just be prepared for a seriously concentrated dose of the good, the bad and the ugly. Definitely not for the faint hearted.
What have your experiences been like? Have you Judged? Been Judged? Would you step up to the plate?
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Teacher, Parent, Studio, Competitions & Conventions, Performance (all tags)