QUALITY NOT QUANTITY

I have said numerous times over the years, "Quality not quantity." When I first began judging over 20 years ago, I wrote it on score sheets. I preached it to my students and to dancers at competition. I STILL preach it today. It's not about what you attempt to do, but rather what you execute correctly.

Some people have this preconceived idea that a competition piece scores well because of the amount of technical elements and tricks that are in the choreography...Wrong!  There are many facets to the overall score. The costuming and overall appearance subconsciously has an effect on the outcome of the score, as well as the dancer's confidence, energy level, and connection. The technical success during a piece is vital to the score. In addition, the way in which the dancers transition, and the overall execution of the piece have a large impact.  How clean a routine is has a huge effect of the score!  Sometimes, parents and dancers find it easier to blame the teacher and/or choreographer for not putting enough elements in the routine. They may blame not placing at competition on that, rather than looking at the totality of the piece and the dancers themselves. When this happens, the pressure to add more and more can create an entirely new problem. The problem: pressuring the teacher to add more to the dance, and pressuring the teacher to teach things for which the dancers are not technically ready.  If an outside choreographer is used, this can create unnecessary pressure for them to put in skills or a style in which a dancers aren't ready. You cannot successfully get from A to D without mastering A, B, and C first. (I will post on this subject another day!) Too many elements can be put in the number, and/or they may be elements the dancer just isn't ready to do in a performance. The routine can then score poorly because of elements that are not executed properly. Please remember that sometimes less is more.

On the subject of technical elements that dancers are not yet proficient; often times skills are placed in choreography to "give them something to work on". In my opinion, this way of thinking is backwards. I believe that a dancer should work hard, and that elements should be given to them to perform as a reward for mastering technique. Choreography shouldn't be used as a trial and error time to put pressure on the dancers to see if they can get new technical skill in time for performance. By operating this way, you are gambling. What if the dancers don't successfully master the skills in time? If they aren't ready to perform an element, then the choreography must be changed. Changing a set piece opens a big can of worms. The number doesn't look the same, dancers have to stress about new parts, formations can be different, and the list goes on and on. Reward dancers by adding the technical elements to choreography AFTER they are mastered. If you want something in a piece next year, work on it this year so they are ready.  Other forms of competition parallel this.  For example, a coach would never instruct a basketball player to try things in a game that they can't even do in practice, such as dunking or 360 degree spin moves.  The results of doing that in a game would be a disaster and make the player look very foolish in front of the spectators and their own team mates. The same goes for dance. 

As you prepare to go into the competition season, take a good look at your dancers. Are they still falling out of their turns or extensions? If so, take it out! Now! Give them time to work on perfecting the piece so they will not be worried about last minute changes. You can't be scored on something you didn't do, however, points are taken away for something you attempt but don't do correctly. Work hard to master skills THEN those skills can be used in next year's choreography.

Dance hard. Dance smart.

Meredith
thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.blogspot.com

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