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competitive dancers "better" than social dancers ?
Posted by smooth_jokes
4/26/2004  5:40:00 PM
I'm not sure but I've had this weird inferiority complex probably brought about by the competitive dancing world where it appears that because I prefer social dancing (and thus don't have a set dance partner per se), my dancing is not as good (or may never be as good) as competitive dancers. Or so I get the impression whether on the social floor where more "serious" dancers tend to cluster with their own.

So do you agree: are competitive dancers "better" dancers than social dancers?
Re: competitive dancers "better" than social dance
Posted by Laura
4/26/2004  6:28:00 PM
As someone who has been competing in regular Amateur as well as Pro/Am events for the past 6 1/2 years let me say this say this: competitive dancers tend to be a lot more snooty about their dancing powress than social dancers.

Don't let it get to you, okay! You are doing what you love your own way for your own reasons, and you don't need to go comparing or justifying yourself.
Re: competitive dancers "better" than social dance
Posted by bjp22tango
4/26/2004  6:31:00 PM
Here is my opinion about Competitive vs. Social dancing.

Both are difficult to master in different ways, and both are better depending on the circumstances.

Competitive dancing requires that you perform the best technique in each dance to show that dance in its best form as determined by a standard that everyone is judged against. It requires that you dance with one partner to perfect the techniques noted. Competitive dancing is "larger" than social dancing also because it is "performance" dance, showing your ability to move with control in travelling dances and being able to interesting movements in stationary dances.

Social dancing requires that you be able to lead or follow any dancer you come in contact with, who can know more, less, or the same amount of dance info as you, and may have less, more, or the same mobility as yourself.
Social dance usually does not allow for large, quick moves as most social dance floors are small to tiny and can be packed with other dancers who may or may not know rules of travel on the dance floor. Social dance is not usually a "performance" dance, although when danced well, will garner comments from observers. Social dance is less about dancing to a "standard" and more about making the 3 or so minutes between the couple the most enjoyable it can be.

The skills needed for social dancing are almost diametrically apposed to those needed for Competition dancing.

A couple poking along on the dance floor in a competition would be judged at a low level.
A couple plowing through other dancers in order to dance large lines would be quickly ostrasized in a social atmosphere.

Keep in mind that the competitive form of dancing is a "sport". How is an NBA game different from a pickup basketball game in a neighborhood. Both are different, but each form of the game is "better" in its own format.
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