Simply Ballroom Competition Class 2008
What is a Competition Class?
There are so many TV shows and movies featuring ballroom dancing lately (Dancing With The Stars, Shall We Dance, etc.) that there has been a renewed interest in ballroom dancing. Many people have expressed interest in performing or competing like they see on TV!
Usually, if a student wants to compete, they must find an amateur partner to train with or find a professional teacher who will partner with them. Students typically take several months worth of private lessons to learn routines in each of the dances they wish to compete in. If the instructor is your partner, you must pay for their time if you wish to practice with them beyond the lessons (assuming they are available). This can get expensive (not to mention frustrating)!
For this reason, Simply Ballroom is introducing a new concept: the Competition Team. This will be a group class that meets twice a week to learn routines for regional competitions. There is no need to have your own partner since the entire team will learn the same routines (at different levels) and everyone will dance with each other. For instance, you may dance a cha cha with one partner and a waltz with another. That way, if there are uneven numbers of men and women, it won’t matter as we will “share” partners so all can compete!
The format of a group class is also great from a financial perspective. Group classes are only a fraction of the cost of private lessons. You will spend less than a quarter of what you would have to spend to learn the same amount of material via private instruction. Plus with a group class, you will have plenty of practice partners to work with and sharpen your skills!
What about different skill levels within the group?
The Competition Class will be based on the DVIDA (Dance Vision International Dancers Assn.) syllabus. We will divide the class into three levels based on dance experience.
The Newcomer/Novice level is for those who have generally a year or less of dance experience. This group will learn routines based on the first five patterns of the syllabus.
The next level is Associate Bronze. This level is for those who have a solid understanding of the basics, but are still somewhat new. This group will learn routines using figures 6-10 of the syllabus.
The highest level in our class will be Full Bronze. This level is suitable for those who are more advanced and need a challenge! This group will learn routines that include all 15 figures in each dance.
It is permissible to dance in more than one category. For instance, if you are at a beginner level in Waltz, but proficient in Swing, you can enter each dance in a different level. You may also dance the same dance in two different levels as long as they are “back to back”. An example would be if a gentleman dances a Newcomer cha cha with one partner, he may also dance an Associate Bronze cha cha with another partner.
What if I already know Silver material?
We will not focus on Silver material in this Competition Class. The first competition we will participate in will be Virginia State. The dance standard there is extremely high since it is a major competition with competitors from all over the nation and the world. If you are new to competing (no matter what your social skill level may be), it is highly advised that you enter the lowest permissible level.
Competing is a different ballgame than social dancing. In social dancing, it is fun to entertain your partner with a variety of patterns. In a competition, however, judges are scoring you based on technique and form, not the amount patterns you do. The people who score well usually do fewer patterns, but demonstrate good, solid technique.
Elements like rise and fall in Waltz, Cuban motion in Cha Cha and Rumba, proper hip and leg action in swing, etc. are what the judges look for. This is what we intend to work on in the Competition Class. Even “advanced” dancers will benefit from cleaning up their technique. The technique you learn in Bronze will dramatically improve your Silver and up!
Depending on the makeup of the class and the partner situation, it is possible for some of the more advanced dancers to do some entries in “Open” category, where a few Silver moves will be allowed. However, the main focus of the class will be on improving technique and style within the Bronze syllabus.
How is the class structured?
There are 51 classes in the session, which runs from January 15 – July 15, 2008. We will learn routines and technique for six dances: Foxtrot, Waltz, Tango, Cha cha, Rumba, and Swing. We will have approximately 8-9 lessons per dance.
We will divide the class into three levels (Newcomer, Associate Bronze and Full Bronze) and each level will work on steps appropriate for them. Veronica Braun and several teaching assistants will be there to teach routines and supervise practice for each group.
What are the dates and times for the class?
The class will meet twice a week, Tuesdays from 7:15 – 8:10pm, and Saturdays from 1:00 – 1:55pm. There will be no class on March 22 or July 5 due to Easter and July 4 holidays.
What competition(s) will we be entering?
Our first competition will be Virginia State. It is held July 17-20, 2008. You do not have to attend all four days, only the days/times when your entries are held. The exact schedule for 2008 will be available soon. The 2007 information is available online if you would like to get an idea of schedules, pricing, etc.
What is the tuition?
Tuition for the class is $65/month per person (one month = 8 classes). This breaks down to less than $9.00 per class. This is an exceptional value considering what it would cost to learn the same amount of material in private lessons.
In order to have a successful and unified team, it is important for each member to make a commitment to the group. This means attending class on a regular basis. For this reason, we require tuition to be paid up front monthly rather than by the class. Unfortunately, this type of class does not work on a drop in basis.
Tuition is for the classes only. There are additional costs for attending the competition. Typically, you must purchase a ticket for each session you attend, as well as entry fees for the dances you do. As soon as 2008 information is published we will distribute the schedule and pricing. The competition prices are set by the organizer, not Simply Ballroom.
What if I cannot make all classes?
We recognize that individual schedules sometimes conflict with practice times. You may have to miss a class or two. However, all members who join the team must commit to attending class as regularly as possible. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to make up missed material with other class members or by private lessons if necessary. Unfortunately, we cannot give refunds for missed classes.
What if I have a regular partner I want to dance with?
All members of the team must be willing to dance with each other. You will be able to dance some dances with your regular partner (assuming you are both at the same level). If you only want to dance with one partner, you should NOT join the Competition Class as this is not fair to other class members. This is a team effort!
We hope this helps answer some of your questions about our Competition Class! We will have a “team meeting” (date and TBA) after the New Year to discuss any other concerns or answer questions not covered here. Please let Veronica know if you are interested in receiving further information!