COMPETITION SCENE How does the USA standard compare?

StyleStation | Oct 19, 2009 | 2

So You Think You Can Dance has been providing a full blown display of how well competition dancers are faring once they hit the semi-professional realm. Competition Dancers Dominate SYTYCD, a recent article that Lindsay Dreyer wrote, highlights competition dancer Channing Cooke and speaks highly of this. Through industry magazines and websites such as Dancer Universe we hear of success stories about those very dancers making it in the professional arena. Going on to successfully book commercial jobs, Broadway shows, choreograph and so on. There is no doubt about it, comp dancers out there are doing their thing !
I adjudicate regularly in the United States, primarily for BravO! National Dance and Talent Competition. This exposes me to a wide variety of talent across the country. BravO! is a member of the Federation of Dance Competitions.  I was recently in Perth, Australia adjudicating their Spring competitions. I adjudicated the West Coast Dance Festival.
The staff were lovely to me and the comradeship amongst the competitors was outstandingly notable. Here are a few generalized differences about competitions in Australia from America:

AMERICA
Competitions are usually run in a regional format whereby the competition company heads to each major city for a weekend during school season. National finals for each competition company are usually held in the summer break after recital season.
Having three judges is the standard.
Depending on the competition company, the critique is usually provided verbally.
Judges only usually provide public feedback to competitors and teachers during awards ceremonies. These are generally held at the end of each coupled age category; Petite and Junior, Teen and Senior. These awards cover all genres, individual age categories and solo, duet or group routines that were competed under Petite and Junior or Teen and Senior. Award ceremonies usually announce the top 10 soloists for each of these age groups.
Points are usually out of 100, which are made up of multiple components such as technique, stage presentation, costume, choreography etc.
Lyrical has become the most popular category for soloists over the past couple of years.
Vocal sections are primarily vocals.
Catalogue costumes are rife.
Usually a studio will select one hair style that is worn for all routines.
Lighting is generally standard and at the discretion of the competition company for all routines.
Audiences clap for all competitors but certainly cheer wildly for their own studio.
Every performer wins a trophy or medallion at most competitions. Special awards and trophies are won by Title Winners who win the most points for their age division.
Usually there is Junior Day and Senior Day for regional competitions.
Main difference is the GO FOR IT ATTITUDE in America. Dancers are coming to competition with fierce jumps, dazzling amounts of turns and extensions that seem elastic! The downfall is that not all studios prioritize enough correct ballet training. Therefore I sometimes see attempts to go for it with bad technique.

AUSTRALIA
There are only a few competitions per year in any city but these are major annual events and last for about one to one and a half weeks at a time. These are held in the school term break periods.
Having one judge is the standard.
The judge usually dictates to a scribe during each routine and the critique is written out. The competitor receives this critique at the end of the session.
Each individual age group is divided up into sections for every dance genre and for solo, duet and trio, troupe. The judge speaks publically after every section and announces his / her rankings. Usually 1st, 2nd, 3rd place are presented. Honourable mentions are also granted for large sections at the discretion of the adjudicator.
Points are usually out of 100 and one mark is given.
Instead of the lyrical category, they have neo-classical which is lyrical movement to ballad type music without lyrics.
Modern is called Contemporary.
Not much hip hop. It is just coming in slowly.
National dance is recognized and has its own category in each age group. Any nationality can be danced.
Instead of Musical Theatre sections, they have Song and Dance, Song and Tap.
All costumes are hand-made with glorious attention to detail.
Grooming is impeccable and they change hairstyles for almost every dance to suit the costume and theme of piece.
Full use of stage lighting is available and used for troupe routines.
Audiences are very polite and graciously applaud at the end of each performance.
Perpetual trophies are won in many categories. These have the names of past winners engraved on them and are held by the winner for one year only. They are returned at the time of competition the following year.
Aggregate trophies are won by individuals and groups who tally the most points in each age division by the end of competition.
Novice categories are available for performers who have not placed in an Open section before in that age division. This separates the standard in each age division for more fair competition.
All sessions carry a variety of sections from little ones to older students.
Main difference is that Aussie dancers tend to play it safe. TECHNICALLY the dancers are wonderful. Ballet is studied as a pre-requisite everywhere and it shows. Now go for it! More turns, higher jumps, longer extensions. You can do it! You already have the gorgeous technique in place.

While I was in Perth I taught master classes at the end of competition and also interviewed four of the competitors.
Harry Targett won the Junior Dancer of the Festival award. He is 11 years old and studies acrobatics, jazz and tap. His ambition is to dance on cruise ships one day. He says Have a go people! to anyone out there wishing to try competitive dance.
Courtney Gladhill is 16 years of age. She has been studying acrobatics and jazz for most of her life. Courtney says At the West Coast Dance Festival you make friends. It is a friendly comp. Plus you are exposed to styles of all schools so that you can see and learn as much as possible. Courtney would love to be in a musical, singing & dancing one day. She also would like to make it into the cast of the Moulin Rouge.
Latisha Sparks is 14 years of age and has been studying all facets of dance for ten years. Latisha believes that competing builds her up as a more mature dancer. She says, It is a challenge sometimes. Especially if I am performing my weakest point and some people are better. Latisha aspires to dance in a ballet company and then perhaps become a dance teacher when she is older. She is well on her way! Latisha has been accepted into and commences full time study at the elite Victorian College of the Arts in a few months.
Beau Sargeant is 15 years of age and has been training in acrobatics and all genres of dance for seven years. He says that he enters competitions because he loves them. I enjoy being on stage and the people are great. Beau has a dream to join Cirque Du Soleil.
Amazing talent! I look forward to seeing their names up in lights one day in the near future.

If I have taught you or judged you at competition, please say hi !
I'd love to hear about YOU. Where you are located, if you are a student, teacher, director, parent of a student, supporter of the arts ..... I'd love to hear from you and what you are working on.
You can blog me here, email me at danceruniverse@mystylestation.com, follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/stylestation or join my Facebook group, STYLE STATION. http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=83493543989&ref=ts

If you train hard, you'll not only be hard, you'll be hard to beat. Herschel Walker

Keep striving,
Martine

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Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Modern, Broadway, Ballroom, Teacher, Enthusiast, Parent, Retailer, Studio, Competitions & Conventions, Performance, Summer Study, Australia (all tags)