Going from Pro-Am to Am-Am

[elisedance]

Interesting persepective - its somewhat different for the woman of course.  I had never heard of a pro-am having to be compared to pros - but I suppose thats in the territory for the man.  The female pro-am is (I believe) generally presumed to be way less able than a pro so the comparision is not made (but maybe thats just my experience). 

For pro-am scholarship, the couple is judged as a team. It used to be just for the open ones, but now I think it's true for all scholarship events. So am guy ends up compared to pro guys, in a way. Or rather, because the couple is judged as a whole, it is easier for a pro guy to make the couple look better, because he leads better.

Yes - in theory.  But the judges have independent minds and I get the impression they cut the AM male something of a break (and I agree they should, for the reason you give above) else they could almost never win.

[Blue Tango]

Hello BT.  How did it go at the comp?  I was on the saturday night so didn't get to see you dance.

It was great!  My DP got the compulsory nerves but she steadied up quite nicely.  She's reading over my shoulder and complaining that I'm making her sound like a horse.     I think our performance bodes well for the future.  In the latin adult we actually didn't place last in the field and in the senior 1 we were third of three but they beat us in the adult too.  At least we got to beat some younger whipper snappers.  In the standard there were actually semis.  Eleven couples on the floor at the same time was nervous making and nine couples in the senior1.  Whoooff!  Didn't get recalled but felt we were actually dancing towards the end.  I'm feeling I haven't brought my skills up to where I used to be but by La Classique I will be there.

We would have gone to see all you great dancers on Sat night but the drive and the nerves and having to compare our skills to yours was perhaps too much for us.    

BT

[elisedance]

Hello BT.  How did it go at the comp?  I was on the saturday night so didn't get to see you dance.

It was great!  My DP got the compulsory nerves but she steadied up quite nicely.  She's reading over my shoulder and complaining that I'm making her sound like a horse.     I think our performance bodes well for the future.  In the latin adult we actually didn't place last in the field and in the senior 1 we were third of three but they beat us in the adult too.  At least we got to beat some younger whipper snappers.  In the standard there were actually semis.  Eleven couples on the floor at the same time was nervous making and nine couples in the senior1.  Whoooff!  Didn't get recalled but felt we were actually dancing towards the end.  I'm feeling I haven't brought my skills up to where I used to be but by La Classique I will be there.

We would have gone to see all you great dancers on Sat night but the drive and the nerves and having to compare our skills to yours was perhaps too much for us.    

BT

Sounds like you had fun.  Is your DP on here?  We have had some good discussions on nerves - in particular for the follower - since its been a chronic problem for me too.  Maybe what worked for me will help her...

[phoenix13]

That's an interesting question.  If men dancing pro-am get spoiled by dancing with highly skilled lady pros, then surely it's same for the ladies dancing with skilled pros, probably even more so. Speaking as a follower, it feels so much better to follow someone who is highly skilled, who will insist on leading every little thing (and who will tell me if I didn't follow it), and who would also allow me to pour everything I am capable of into my dancing. That would make me a very demanding partner, because I would be expecting same high-quality lead.

Sure, I can dance at a social, knowing that I am holding back, and dealing with ambiguous leads the best I can, and I can smile and say all the right encouraging things, but that's just social dancing. I don't want to be in a long-term competitive partnership like this.

This.  I can imagine that the transitioning would be challenging at best.

[elisedance]

well, I did it - and it was well worth it because dancing is for me much more than moving gracefully accross the floor.  It was terrific to have a person on my side, exclusively so and to have a practise partner where we could work on dancing together.  The benefits of a relationship based on a mutual goal over one based - however small as the factor may be - on cash were a 'deal breaker' for me.  Did my dancing improve as much? Nope, its improving way faster now (back in pro-am) but it was all together more satisfying.

[phoenix13]

Yes.  I guess it depends on what your goals are.  And, in some cases (not necessarily yours. Just saying) budget can also be a factor.

[elisedance]

Yes.  I guess it depends on what your goals are.  And, in some cases (not necessarily yours. Just saying) budget can also be a factor.

well it didn't hurt!  Although I got less from a lesson (less than 50% that is), you save a LOT in competition and practise costs.

[phoenix13]

Especially at comps that charge less per heat for ams.

[elisedance]

Especially at comps that charge less per heat for ams.

which is every comp where the pro-am fee is not public

[phoenix13]

Which is most comps and likely to stay that way.*shrug*

[elisedance]

they will - unless the ams boycot but they don't seem to care...