With the new ADFP rules due do be implemented in January 2012. Just for a bit of fun, if you had the chance, what rule would you bring to the world of Freestyle and why?

Ruth
xxxxx

I would put a restriction on the amount of acrobatic moves used in a spot as alot of spots now are all acrobatics as much as I love to watch them I think a restriction on how many moves in one spot for example only 3 flexi/acrbatic moves and the rest pure dancing xx

Angie x

aww ruth theres loads id add but im glad theres a prem slow which is a good thing I understand why the tan ban is on but think is just to cover the promotors backs as the venues are getting trashed which is right its going mad, and they shouldnt have to pay premiums to repaint venues ect ! but as far as banning or limiting flexi moves thats been mentioned thats silly as i think its part of it and if the kids have worked hard enough to do flexi moves then they should have them in after all they worked hard to master them .. I think not all can do such moves but thats what makes each dancer different and spots would be boring without them..

^^i agree angie,
theres far to much gym in dance now..its a joke,i mean do you see ballet doin street or gymnastics doin disco...wheres the disco gone !!
things can be far better judged and fairly if everyone done the same thing....
dont think im saying this because of jealousy because my daughter can do the gym moves and bend like a rubber...i saying because i believe it take away the disco world..
we could go on about this as we have for many a years but still nothing will be done...
mel xxx

Not that it would ever happen, but I would quite like for during practising times - ie at the start of a comp, promoters to say only under 12's or over 12's on the floor, just for 1 or 2 songs each.
It must be quite scary for the younger ones practising on crowded dance floors with dancers much bigger than them doing kicks and jumps, with their legs just inches away from the little ones' heads. (I know I'm wary of other dancers if I have to venture onto the floor to rescue one of my under 6 dancers xx

I agree with the gymnastics moves but for me it would be independant judges everytime. We've already had the discussion between us mums at dance and have named the disco kid final 6 before they've even danced in every section- would love to bring some adjudicators in that don't know these dancers and see what the results would be then

Tracy

I know it'd be impossible but a price limit on costumes!!!! Could buy a second car for the price of some suits and people feel the pressure to keep up :/ - who doesn't want to give their own child the best chance possible ???

Hi
i agree about the gymnastic moves and one of the comps we go to allows the kids a song to warm up just before their section ie starters only on the floor after all the first rounds of beginners and so on
I make all of Stephs costumes so restricting the price of them doesn't affect me however I would like to see restrictions on the cut of some - sometimes the girls, especially some of the older ones are virtually indecent with the costumes looking like thongs after their first few moves lol
wendy

I dont mean ban the gymnastics moves just limit them as some routines have virtualy no dancing in whatsoever.

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH ANGIE,

1)LOVE watching some GYMNASTIC moves but when its every move, its not dancing and for a child that is not as bending and flexible as others its so not far, it puts so much pressure on a child to become all bendy.

2) INDEPENDANT JUDGING all the way.

3) NO CHARGE FOR A CHILD AT A COMP OR NO CHARGE FOR SPECTATOR, get the cost down, plus the dancers very rarely get a seat.

Love Ju xx

I agree with Tracy, Angie and Ju - INDEPENDENT JUDGES every time.

Also buying a ticket should guarantee a seat, in July I paid £70 for 2 tickets but had to sit on the floor - seriously not acceptable.

Dancers may not need seats therefore suggest they should only pay half price! I know - dream on!!!!!! xxx

hi i think you should not have to pay for the dancer or the surporter one of the two as it gets so expensive and these poor mums who have two kids dancing.Also about gymnastic moves i think a good spot has everything in it from jumps to walkover to flexi moves to dance moves some kids are stronger on flexi moves where some are on jumps and i think to many jumps is the same as to many flexi moves.Think its whatever there stronger on to show off there skill and its down to the judge all judges like diffrent things thats why you get diffrent results at diffrent comps.
lorna xx

I would put a limit on the number of dancers allowed on the floor in one round . It would give the judges a better chance of being able to see all dancers and the kids more chance to dance. I know it would mean that the comps were longer but surely it's better value for money for everyone to be able to have time to actually show what they have been training for and it would be safer!
X

independant judges and visual marking
deffo think this is really fair
loving new prem slow fantastic, gives all the kids
better chance
x

Hi i defo agree with not paying for dancers at a comp its such an expensive hobby to start with, But for me it would have to be about bans i do agree with bans but think the length of time some kids are off the floor is ridiculous,My daughter has been off the floor for 12 months through no fault of her own due to bans she is 13 for gods sake and a child no wounder so many people are leaving the freestyle world.Nicolax

Mines would be for a refreshers on slow dance. Oh my god it's so fast these days the kids myt as well go on and do there solo routines, and the girls on the floor that do proper slow dance don't get recalls its a joke, that would a rule for me STOP ALL FAST MOVES IN SLOW. Slow is ment to be slow and soft and elegant not fast and dumpy xxxxxxx

I agree with a limit on gym moves i watched a girls spot the other week & their was no dancing at all in it their sould be elements . Independant judges all the way but i know thats never going to happen (lol) . Well dont get me started on the cost iv got two other children so things are tight just a thought .


love Emma xxxxx

Gymnastic moves will stop when judges place dancers with less of them above those that have lots. Think limiting them with specific rules would cause problems.
Agree that bans can be too long, although luckily never been in that position, as my daughter would be broken hearted and would have to find something else to do to fill the void so more likely to leave freestyle.

I think it would be fair if the parents point of views were taken on board instead of just being dismissed as they often are, in fact always are at are the adfp meetings.
No wonder so many very talented children leave the world of freestyle behind, when the adfp impose so many ridiculous rules, including the latest and most ridiculous of all that a dancer can no longer even attend a comp when on a ban. I`ve heard it all now. the whole system is a JOKE and just wouldn`t happen in any other form of dancing, and lets face it Freestyle leads nowhere, it is merely a very expensive HOBBY with a bunch of silly so and so`s imposing these ridiculous rules on eveyone. They need to take a very long look at themselves and get a grip on reality. It is only children you are hurting at the end of the day.!!!!

Lisa m wrote -freestyle leads no where ?
I strongly disagree ,I know of lots of dancers who started very successfull dance carears as freestyle dancers and we see many on tv in talent contests ,music videos and more. I wouldn't be so quick to slate it luv.

Change the whole structure of the Freestyle World.
Where to begin,,,,,
1) Independent Judging.
2) As with other types of competitive dance, for example Highland, pupils should not have to go en masse to a comp. It should be up to the parent to decide which comps they wish to go to, and as with Highland, the parent returns an entry form directly to the person holding the comp.
Their teacher simply lets her school know where she will be judging and her pupils can go to comps elsewhere.
This allows whoever is running the comp to know exactly how many dancers are attending and in which groups they will be competing in. It stops dancers only competing in their own 'circuit' and makes the competition more varied.
3)There should be a charge for each dancer to compete in each dance, with a small nominal fee for non-dancers to attend.
For example, a charge for entering solo, a charge for slow, and so on.
4) I know the freestyle world is accustomed to getting a trophy for every place in a final but do we really need all these trophys? In Highland, you get a medal and a trophy is given out to the overall winner in each group, over all the dances.
This cuts down on costs, which would help point 3) and it saves room in your house, which can get over-run with trophies.
5) The rule for under 8s is no make up and to look as natural as possible. The ADFP are too weak to come out and say 'no tan.' Since when has looking like an oompaloompa looked 'natural'.
I would even go as far as baning Fake Tan all together.
I've heard people say that they need it to make their costumes look good, but the girls are there to dance not make their costumes look good.
I know this sounds negative, but I love disco and want it to become even more fabulous.

And another thing!
What is the point of girls working so hard to lose lives when it's completely discretionary and their teacher can move them up at any point anyway.
A lot of schools insist that their pupils go down a grade when they go up an age group, while others don't. It's a joke.
Either you go down a group or you don't.
ADFP rules are too wishy washy and open to interpretation.

:)

indiegirl this isnt highland dancing its freestyle?

tottaly agree with the gymnastics stuff and the prem slow is a fab idea!

Independant judges and visual marking