Looking at dancers

[emeralddancer]

I just realized, I never did look at feet or their heads. it was always the center of their bodies I end up studying. Hm .... never thought about it. amazing what the subconscious does. interesting. Ironically for me I need to see the "posture" and connection and I always found it at the center. col cool ... totally absorbed by this now ....ok I am babbling ... sorry

[MusicChica]

Dora, do you watch the lower back for Standard/Smooth only, or does that also apply to Latin?

For me, in a Rhythm couple I'm not familiar with, I tend to look at the bent-knee action.  Or lack thereof, as seems to be the current trend. *headbashy emoticon*

[TangoDancer]

Interesting. DSV is adamant about her stand about the feet. When coaching or judging, we have different criteria, therefore we watch different things at different times for different reasons. In general, I watch the corps...the carriage of the topline (I don't mean that squared-off comp frame), as it is balanced over the hips and moved from the lower back. However, in technical movement, I definitely watch the feet first. Dancing on and with an proper inside edge is so criticial to control and balance, that I can tell in a few steps whether the rest is going to be right or not.

Within the first 2-3 steps, if the footwork is correct, the inner thighs, hips, etc, should be as well (note that I'm speaking about smooth/standard here). If things are going wrong in the corps (lowwer back) or up, then the feet are goign to have to compensate, thus, they will be wrong as well. Shades of DSV, if you have bad feet/legs, do not expect a good mark from me.

[Sarosh]

i think it really depends on the education of the eye that is viewing and the reason you are viewing.  Each judge has a certain criteria, a standard, by which they make their judgements.  This is why we see such variances with a judging panel at times.  One thing that always hits me right away as a judge or teacher or a passive observer is Posture.  Posture, posture, posture!!!!!  I also look at the three basic centers for any activity.  Depending on the style, finishing lines, volume, musical interpretation, timing!!!!, footwork.  One thing that always attracts me to a dancer is a natural and fluid movement.  Hard and stiff bodies hurt my eyes....

[elisedance]

Hey, would you judge our next comp please

With such a set of factors you must be thorough - but I like particularly how you put dancing itself as the final one.

Of course, it begs the question how can you look at so much - what if you are a judge at blackpool and have to pick 20 from 40 couples on the floor (hypothetically speaking) what then is your main criterion?

[Ginger]

Good dancers are fun to watch, whether they're right or wrong. They stand out on a floor, and your eyeline naturally gravitates toward them. Technique and precision are absolutely worthless if there isn't some kind of charisma present to draw you to it- or away from it's faults.

There was a local couple I've watched and followed from the beginning. The first night I sat down at a studio party, I was worried about something else entirely, preoccupied with drama from the day's events, etc. There were beginners shuffling, people who should have known better flapping and wobbling around, the coaches doing fun tricks and such... but there near the other end of the floor, there was this one couple who didn't really do anything special, but what they did do had not only a precision and control to it, but also the suavete *overlying* it to put it together. Couldn't take my eyes off of them.

Time has passed, and sadly, their goals have changed- instead of working on dancing, they're working on routine, routine, routine, and their dancing as a couple has suffered. He's doing his part, she's doing hers, but they're not 'dancing together'. The precision that each has is crashing and bumping against the other's and they aren't symbiotic at all.

So, not only did I learn how to dance like them... now I also know enough to *not* dance like them at this stage in our training/dancing. Take what's good, do away with the rest, but it's something beyond what the books say that makes a good dancer.

[SwingWaltz]

Body language? Especially when walking on to the floor. Amazing story, pro is able to tell who wins a heat before they start dancing just by looking at the body language of the couples. Ofcourse it's not absolute, but I think a couple who walks on to the floor confidently does attract attention and create a good vibe.

[elisedance]

We were discussing this on another topic but champions hold themselves differently as they know that thier only competition is themselves.  Thats probably what your pro spots...