Simply, why do I know of and hear about competitions that everyone I know cannot stand, will never attend again, and yet they are still filling up every event, making tons of money.

Some of them are so unethical and basically liars and cheaters (that I KNOW from judging for them - and never ever wanting to ever judge for them again), and then good ones, who really are honest, try to do it the right way, do not want to bleed studio parents financially dry, give out honest scores, and even want to give back to the community are struggling to get studios to attend.

Why?!!

Because those horrible competitions tell the people attending what they want to hear.. your child is amazing, even if they are not. They have the flashy clothes and lighting. It is horrible, and definitely not fair. We should start upping those commendable competitions on DDN so everyone knows their names and maybe they can grow more.

Agreed! The competitions who are fake do well because everyone leaves feeling like they are a winner. They politic so that the overalls are spread around to the studios they want back. They keep their big studios happy because they are the money and it's ok for them to lose the smaller studios.

The competitions who do give out honest scores aren't all the rage right now because GOD FORBID someone should get a silver. Heck even a gold is scandalous! I mean, gold is the new bronze. Luckily there are studios out there that appreciate places that are honest and are doing a good thing. Unfortunately, there are not enough!

I teach at a fairly new studio, this is our 4th year open. Our first 2 years open, we only had a 2 or 3 dances and we competed at 3 competitions each year. We were so irritated about the levels these places give nowadays... silver, high silver, gold, high gold, platinum.. we just joke about hoping to get the sapphire, or maybe the ruby place.. maybe even the diamond someday. What happened to the honest placement of dances, why do they have to have all these places with complicated scoring. So silly.. and annoying

I agree and appreciate the honesty. I want my kids to a.) know when they need to work more - and if they deserve a silver...then PLEASE give them a silver, and b.) If they've worked really hard and FINALLY deserve a platinum, then give them the platinum.

Kids are into themselves enough as it is. They don't always listen to our corrections and advice. I want to go to a competition that is going to validate everything that I've said all year. I'm not worried about marketing the number of Platinums I've won...I'm worried about keeping a solid reputation of getting my kids to work hard.

For example - last year I had 2 solos that received golds at the first comp of the year. We worked on every note the judges gave us and we received golds at the next comp. We continued to work hard at each correction, and I got more stringent as time went on, getting them to work harder and harder. By the time we got to Nationals I told both of them...'You've worked so hard to get better and better all year. You deserve to get a Platinum this time...its in you and I know you can do it. Go out there and get it!'

To my pleasant surprise, they both nailed Platinums at Nationals! It filled up my heart instantly. I knew that they both understood what work ethic it took to get to that point, and boy did they appreciate that Platinum award. That's the way things always should work.

Don't give my kids medals they don't deserve yet...you aren't doing me any favors, and if anything I won't come back to your competition because of it...

I don't compete but I can see why some schools would go to comps that are substandard. If parents think their kids are top scoring dancers they might encourage other parents to enroll their child at their high scoring school. I've seen parents who have switched schools so their child can finally win a trophy(?!)
It works for some of the schools who want to showcase winners and add to their numbers. It doesn't make any sense to me.

Thats very sad to hear. In Australia there are no dance competition like that. They wouldn't stay in busniness, no one would be willing to pay the sorts of fee's they charge in the USA.

Competitions here don't make money, they cover costs and thats it. Due to that they are run by people who really care about the kids and the performing arts.

We don't get the scores we get feedback sheets. There maybe 30 people in a division and only three people will get a place. 1 of each 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Most kids go away with nothing and they don't get upset because thats not why they compete.

I just wanted to chim in and say that I don't mind that competitions make money. They are offering a service and deserve to make money; just like a dance school. They are able to charge the prices that they do, because there is obviously someone willing to pay. The price, to me, doesn't mean that the organization isn't focused on the children. (There are more important things that allow that to occur.)

I have decided to not teach at competition schools for this very reason. It's such a diluted message that is sent to the competitors. I think some parents switch to certain schools, not for the trophy itself, but rather they *think* that these competitions are a true estimate of quality. If you know nothing about the competitive dance world, winning seven gold trophies sounds like you must train your dancers really well! Even all platinums doesn't necessarily make this true.

So, I think some schools attend these types of competition for image reasons. I think it does also please a certain "must win attitude" customer. I can certainly see why they are still in business; despite the fact that it's very sad!

You are right on that being a winning dancer at competitions does not make you a good dancer. It makes you a good dancer at WHAT you have been given to do at competitions.

Having been involved in competitions since the 60's, in all aspects, I have seen less artistry and more stuff that I never see in any other dance venue.

Who invented the crotch in second battlement? I am sure a teacher who could not train dancers to do a proper second or took a modern move and did that wrong, too.

I have seen amazing kids, as young as 6, pulling off beautiful, multiple pirouettes, leaps and more, but when you see them in workshops, they cannot dance. They are like trained pets. They can only do certain things well, and usually to one side.

One of my students, who is now in a college dance program, told me one time that at a workshop of a national competition, she saw the Miss Dance winner in workshop. She said that the girl struggled with learning combinations from other teachers.

I attribute that to teaching the poor girl only things that would win at competitions and not training the whole dancer.

I hired Keith (Tyce) Diorio to teach a workshop at my school. I always arrange a question and answer session with the teacher after the classes with the students and their parents.

He was a phenomenal dancer, at a young age, but with smart and excellent teachers, who did wonderfully in competitions. He trained with many teachers outside of his school, too and becamse well-rounded as a dancer.

One of the parents asked him if it was important that the kids be gold winners (this is before all the other colors were out there) to be a good dancer.

He said that he had friends who never won higher than a bronze in their solos (again, this is when they still gave those out) who became professionals because competitions are not a true evaluation of the skills of a well-rounded dancer. He said that he knew of title winners who went nowhere, too.

Bob Rizzo, another person whom I have taken class with and hired, said that they do not even want to see anything about what you did in competitions on your resumé. They will judge you solely by what they see the day of the audition.

So, all of those titles and medals mean nothing, if your teachers teach you ONLY to win and not to be a dancer who can handle any style.

And yes, they SHOULD make money but it would be nice if competitions all gave back. I know that I did and even with my dance school, we made sure charitable events were always a part of what we did. All people should.

DancerTonite- THANK YOU!

If any owners of competitions are reading this listen again!

"Don't give my kids medals they don't deserve yet...you aren't doing me any favors,and if anything I won't come back to your competition because of it...

DID YOU HEAR THAT!

Thanks JLL for being honest! Will you share what competitions you feel aren't honest? Just thought I would ask!

I prefer not to speak publicly, just in case (as one competition tried to sue me and another website for telling the truth) so if you want to know, pm me.

JLL wrote:


Who invented the crotch in second battlement? I am sure a teacher who could not train dancers to do a proper second or took a modern move and did that wrong, too.
.

Haha, i wonder that also? I;m not going to lie and say I have never used it, but I definately tell my students that this is a "stylized" 2nd position developee. We had a guest artist come in from NY he called it "crotchment" prnounced like battement but with "crotch" as the 1st syllable..hahahaha. Anyway, back to the matter at hand I completely agree. What happened to bronze, silver, and gold. Nowadays if my kids get a gold at a competition where the actually give out silvers...i.e Cathy Roe, Bravo. I feel forced to explain to people that they were giving away alot of sivers and bronzes, this is why I'm proud of the gold. As opposed to getting a gold at Onstage America, or Starbound (ugh) where that's the LOWEST they give away!