GR competition examples....

[elisedance]

I'm starting this topic on the hope that such things already exist - and if not that we can actually create them. 

So who is going to have the first entry?

[QPO]

We have a federation called FATD (Federal Australian Teach of Dance) and in my state run social medalist comps, which requires particpiates only to be social or medalist dancers and they can only wear street wear.

earlier this year I went to an ADS (Australian Dance Society) Comp and all competitors were only allowed to wear streetwear or practice wear.it

the idea was great as it reduces down the cost for competitors and it gives them another opportunity to get on the floor. Unforunately was not well supported by competitors but that have more to do with politics that not wanting to dance.

I beleive the forumula could work realy well for a GR comps

[Lioness]

If the FATD comps are the ones I'm thinking of, we went to them for a while.

They were great in exposing us to competitions, and the whole competitive atmosphere. We had plenty of events to compete in, and plenty of competition.
Only problem was that we weren't getting a whole lot of new competition...it was us and the other school, and that was it. Eventually, serious competitors moved to the larger state comps (still not as daunting as a national comp!) where they could observe higher level dancers and get some serious competition.

If the competition had a larger range of competitors, less politics (that was what made us stop...they just did not like our studio. At all), and was more widely known, then it would be great. It's a really good way to introduce newbies to comps without them feeling overshadowed.

If we had non-political GR comps in the state, we'd support them. They gave me a lot of confidence in myself, and my ability to compete against others. There was an entire stage of my life where I just didn't get nervous before an event at all.

[elisedance]

But thats the whole idea L - if you get serious about competition you very soon outgrow the GR variety and seek more challenges - Voila!  You are a success story for the concept

[QPO]

yes that is it is is meant to be a non overwhelming way to enter the competitative world of ballroom. It is a shame that the person running the FATD comp here does not inlcuded others or work with the other groups to make the competition stronger, it was not just your school it was other schools as well.

I will aks DSA to look into a similar comp perhaps not for 2011 but for 2012

[elisedance]

This post was moved to 'competitions' but really belongs here too as an excellent example of GR competitions:

I am organizing a BRAND NEW EVENT on the Mid-Western Coast of Florida.  The name is Manatee Madness Ballroom Dance Festival.  It will take place on September 17th (Events) & 18th (Congress).  It will be a small Pro/Am , Am/Am, Social Dancer events with fun mixers and Jack & Jill events along with loads of social dancing.  It will be a FUN, Affordable and Unique event.  It is open to EVERYONE who wishes to attend and it is NO COSTUME event.... We would love for everyone to wear their most Festive Florida Finery and will be giving awards for the most unique outfits of the day as well as for the evening dinner dance....

Check back for more information soon at http://www.manateemadness.com

If there are any vendors, dancers or studios interested on being on our mailing list, be sure to let us know!

Good luck with it!  Please do check back and let us know how it worked out.

[QPO]

Indeed I think most comps should be like this one....and have a few less grand ones.....makes the playing field more equal and the opportunities for others to get into the sport

[ttd]

We have had a ballroom event as part of state olympics. So far it happened once, and I haven't been there because a) I don't have an am partner and b) I made other plans. But it can be fairly described as a grass-roots event: held in a gym, local pros as judges, only am couples, most participants were beginner-level adults. Some paired off just for the purpose of the events, not sure if any of these partnerships stayed. Because it is part of state olympics, it limits participation to people living or working in our state, so it excludes some couples which live on the wrong sides of big cities straddling state borders. I think it is scheduled for the next summer state olympics, so I'll report on it when it happens.

[elisedance]

We have had a ballroom event as part of state olympics. So far it happened once, and I haven't been there because a) I don't have an am partner and b) I made other plans. But it can be fairly described as a grass-roots event: held in a gym, local pros as judges, only am couples, most participants were beginner-level adults. Some paired off just for the purpose of the events, not sure if any of these partnerships stayed. Because it is part of state olympics, it limits participation to people living or working in our state, so it excludes some couples which live on the wrong sides of big cities straddling state borders. I think it is scheduled for the next summer state olympics, so I'll report on it when it happens.

Thats exactly what I had in mind - particularly the possibility of pairing up at the event - kudos to the organizers...

[phoenix13]

How does this relate to the collegiate competitions that are held in the US, I wonder.

It would also be nice to hear from someone who is involved in the USADance network of competitions. I know that those tend to be smaller scale and less expensive(for the most part. Nationals are not small.) The smaller USADance comps are also often organized by groups of local volunteers. But I have no idea how this might relate to what's here being called "grass roots" Hmmm...

[elisedance]

How does this relate to the collegiate competitions that are held in the US, I wonder.

It would also be nice to hear from someone who is involved in the USADance network of competitions. I know that those tend to be smaller scale and less expensive(for the most part. Nationals are not small.) The smaller USADance comps are also often organized by groups of local volunteers. But I have no idea how this might relate to what's here being called "grass roots" Hmmm...

Definitely a GS comp of sorts - because its nature tends to bring new people into competetive dance.  My original thought was about adults who go to dance clubs but students who may never have thought about dancing, let alone competition would definitely be GS.

[QPO]

In Australia we are trying to offer what we call festivals or social medalist comps, giving people the chance to try the sport without the expense.

We know it can be expensive but there are lots of other sports that are dearer. Horse related, motorbiking, skiing, golfing

As an event organiser it is tricky we try really hard to keep the costs down but there inherent costs with running an event that some don't appreciate, so when people come to the door and you say it is $30 to get in the are shocked so they obviously don't perceive it to be value that you can be at an event for the whole day.

It is a marketing thing and our governing bodies run on volunteers so it never gets done to the level it should

[phoenix13]

As an event organiser it is tricky we try really hard to keep the costs down but there inherent costs with running an event that some don't appreciate, so when people come to the door and you say it is $30 to get in the are shocked so they obviously don't perceive it to be value that you can be at an event for the whole day.

It is a marketing thing and our governing bodies run on volunteers so it never gets done to the level it should

Very true.  These events aren't free or even inexpensive. Charging entry fees is perfectly reasonable, if you ask me.

I have heard others argue, though, that if you are spectating at a smaller comp, you're likely there to cheer on your friend/family member, as they do similar routines over and over.  If you look at it in that (sad and jaundiced) way, a comp is not exactly a weekend day of pure enjoyment.

[elisedance]

I think you should send them to the theatre to watch a play ... they will be back pretty quickly.

Its odd what people assign 'value' to.  They don't mind paying hundreds of dollars for pop event but they won't pay even minimum wage to a classical musician who has 20 years of training.  Same goes for watching dancing...

[phoenix13]

Funny you should say that.  I came across a story yesterday about Joshua Bell, the world famous violinist.  One day, he played to a sold out concert hall and made in excess of $100,000 for paying a one-hour concert.  The next day, he did an experiment.  Took his $3.5 million violin, set himself up, and played the exact same music on the sidewalk as a street vendor.  He made $33 in one hour. 

People assign value to things.  Who knows how or why?