Hi Three. I'll point out that nothing you said in your last message addresses any of the points I raised in response to my quote of your idea. Terence2 also says more bluntly some of the topics I raised in passing: the cost of judges, the venue deposit, etc.

I confess: I dance for social pleasure, and only once have entered a competition. However, I do have a background that includes participation in another type of competitive event that on the surface would seem to have numerous similarities to hosting a dance competition (actually, there is even some overlap in the venues used). I know a *little* about what has to occur before hand to make an event successful. From the content of your posts, I am *guessing* that you don't have the benefit of such knowledge, so I'd like to make a suggestion: why don't you *volunteer* to help organize an existing competition in your area? I think you'll find out there's a lot more to it than you currently seem to think, and I'm not just talking about cost in dollars.

Once you have first-hand knowledge of the tasks that must be accomplished, and the realities faced, you might be in a much better position to see a solution that will work (or maybe at least ameliorate the problem). Or -- get two or three of your friends to volunteer with you: I suspect you'll need as much energy and creative thinking as you can muster in your quest. And hey, by volunteering, you might even be able to keep down the cost of that one event.

Let us know how it works out for you!

my family and friends never went to see me dance at a comp. due to the cost. naturally they do not want to see so Russian couple that not only have they never heard of before but they cannot even begin to pronounce their name dance, they are my friend they wanted to see me. but spend twenty dollars to do so and all they get to do is sit there. even had get food in the hotel. so lower the cost and bring in a sandwich cart as a competitor i would kill for that.

"Ralph. The main question is being avoided. Why will the organizers of a competition not advertise. "

Hi Three. I begin to see what's happening here. As I read your initial post, your 2nd sentence above is definitely NOT what I would have called the main point. Your initial posted seemed to focus entirely on the idea of organizing a competition with cut-rate ticket costs, with the difference being made up by greater concession stand sales. I will be so bold, based on how I read other comments here, as to say that is how at least some others here also read your words. In fact, I will point out that nowhere in your first post does the idea or word "advertising" even appear.

If your 2nd sentence above is indeed your main point, I am not sure I should encourage digression by responding to your "Part 11" post. But I will say that in my other sport, while there was no official "banning," there could be consequences for certain behaviors, which might include informal blacklists. Since I'm not active in that sport anymore, I don't wish to stir up a potential hornet's nest by giving details which may or may not still apply.

Concerning the idea of organizing your own competition, I will revert to the vocabulary as I have it from my other sport: I was NOT suggesting you organize what I would term an "unsanctioned" competition, outside the purview of the IDSF. Maybe I'm being naive here, but it seems likely you or your "group" (whatever that might be) could organize an IDSF competition, and use whatever admission or general advertising policies you please. The point of my suggesting "doing it yourself" is that -- AS I UNDERSTOOD YOUR POINT TO BE -- you seemed very naive about what went into the planning and implementation of an event of this type, as well as the costs and when those costs would fall due.

And, regardless of whether I am on or off the mark with the last idea in the above paragraph, I believe the suggestion to still be a valid one: why don't you volunteer at some competition, gain an understanding of what must happen when, and then talk about how to organize a competition, your own or otherwise?

Only if you have an understanding of why things are a certain way, and of the forces behind them, will you be in a position to find a solution. I seriously doubt the organizers of any competition are jacking up prices for the fun of it, nor that they don't wish they could improve public attendance at their event. If solutions to these issues were simple or obvious, they would probably have acted on them already. So - what's stopping them?

Until you have an understanding of THAT, all you are doing here is cursing the darkness. What I'm suggesting would at least hold out the hope you instead might one day light a single candle (or maybe more than one).

"I have no idea which country you live in. But can you quote from any source were a competition has been advertised in such a way that makes the general public aware that a Ballroom Dancing Competition is pending."

Hi Three. I live in a fairly rural part of the USA. I know of a small private university in the area that holds a dance competition which has obtained advanced coverage in local media. So, to answer your question, yes, it happens.

But you may be missing the point. No amount of advertising or media coverage can "make" the general public aware of much of anything. All such media can do is put the information out there. People will read/watch/listen to things that catch their interest; they'll only retain things they read/watch/listen to if they value the information for future use. If the public doesn't CARE about ballroom competitions, a media blitz will be ultimately unproductive: your own comment about using Breast Cancer as a stalking horse/cause celebre is an indication at least part of you already knows this: if you can't get them to come for the dancing, get them to come for pink ribbons and a warm fuzzy feeling. Such an approach might work once or twice, but it doesn't address the underlying problem. MAYBE if people attend (instead of just buying tickets for the tax deduction), their interest might be caught -- maybe not. It's nice to think it would, but the public is not likely to have any greater appreciation of what they're seeing than they would a display of, say, fencing, or figure skating.

I would suggest if you want to get the public to come to an event, you first have to get them interested in dance, and then get them interested in competitions. And I mean in both the long- and short-term.

There IS an increased interest in dance, due in part to movies and TV (e.g., "Dancing with the Stars"). Personally, I've always thought that the latter has always missed a bet by not including a serious two-minute instructional segment in the show (I do remember a "comic" segment featuring a guy dressing in drag to learn Waltz, which, IMHO, flopped both as comedy and as instruction). Maybe DWTS has started doing more, it's been a while since I've bothered to watch it.

However I DO teach some beginning Community Education Dance programs, and while overall enrollment is small, a significant number of students enroll because of DWTS. So - the interest can be kindled.

If you want to try use a cause as a stalking horse to boost attendance, I'd say great, go ahead (I might suggest a cause related to a healthy heart rather than breast cancer, because the connection to the sport would be stronger). BUT - I'd also try something like throwing in a few free lessons or instructional demonstrations throughout the course of the evening. Anybody/everybody gets to watch the demonstrations, where somebody teaches how to a box and UAT in the waltz at 7:30, or the Tango basic and La Puerta at 8:00. They get raffle tickets with their admission tickets (free, or maybe for an extra buck), and every half hour, hour, or whatever, a free lesson is offered for 20 couples -- chosen right then by random draw of the raffle tickets. The lesson is given right then and there, in front of anybody else who wants to watch. The suspense of who gets called for the raffle tickets helps keep people there throughout the "show." You wouldn't want lessons/demonstrations to conflict with competition sections -- but maybe have the tango lesson just before tango competitions begin. As a long-term approach, maybe a local studio(s) can be persuaded to offer discounts on lessons to those who retain their admission tickets.... of course, some care should be used with this last idea, as some studios might abuse the situation (maybe a Community Education program instead? ).

Do something like that -- getting some people DOING (and having their peers watch), help everybody appreciate what they SEE the competitors doing, giving them something for FREE that whets their appetite for more -- IMHO, that's the only way you'll get any lasting result, any lasting increase in the general public interest in dance.

JMHO, for what it's worth.

Can anybody quote how many millions watch and vote on Dancing with the Stars in the US. The interest is there to be exploited. Your leading Dance Society. Look up their records and see out of the thousands of dollars gathered in. How much is spent on advertising dancing. Every cent gathered in should be spent and not horded. At the end of the year there bank balance should read zero. Every last cent should be spent on benifiting dancing.
A few years ago now a professional friend of mine was at loggerheads with the controlling body. He told me that they were sitting on a six figure bank balance and in that year had only spent $2000.00 on promoting dancing. It hadn't stopped them from sending two of the committee to Blackpool though. Thats just exactly how it was related to me.

An estimated 20 Million people watch Donny Osmond and Kim Johnson win the US. Dancing With The Stars last night..

I wonder how many would watch if it were the Hiltons ??

Terence. Hardly a fair question. There were more than Donny and Kym on the program each I would say contributed to the success of the program and not just the winning pair.
Incidently. For those who dont know. Kym opens on Broadway in the immediate future.