And, I have noticed quite few people encourage dancers competition in dance class to improve dancers standards. Also, some mentions dance class`s competition is a mini world of show business. So, it is good way to get ready for the future.
Ethic hand book`s page 20, there are typical example of using competition as a way to improve dancers. But, with out ethics.
I just do not believe dancers and organisations can provide some thing wonderful to touch people`s heart or change people`s life, if motivation is wrong from the beginning; competing each other, competing each companies to prove they are better.
Dance supposed be a performing ART! Not performing sport, right?
I was watching TV programme, Got to dance and So you think you can dance, with my colleague.
While we are watching it, my colleague made a comment ` This is just like a gymnastic routine, all the competitors doing some kind of acrobats in every single dance piece`.
His comment struck my mind. And I realised what he said was very true.
However, WHY?
I think, to have acrobat skill and tricks are a one of the ways to survive in dance world in 21st century; auditions and competition.
If, dancers go to auditions, there are so many people in auditions and competitions.
If, dancers wanted to get a job, they need to be seen to be picked by judges.
Therefore, they need to find a way to draw an attention to them.
More attention dancers get, more chance of getting a job to survive.
In that sense, I believe acrobat skill ad tricks are a very useful.
Because acrobat and tricks are usually very extreme and flashy, therefore one of the best way to drawn an attention instantly.
One of the interesting fact I have learned from the process of studying my previous module was
thing call Attention Economy.
For example, if you look at this blog, which word comes in to your eyes first? The word Attention Economy, is not it? It is because purely it stands out, because of the colour is different, it is bigger letter etc.
I have learned this during my research about Google on my previous module.
Attention economics is an approach to the management of information that treats human attentionas a scarce commodity, and applies economic theory to solve various information management problems.
In this perspective Thomas H. Davenport and J. C. Beck define the concept of attention as:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_economyAttention is focused mental engagement on a particular item of information. Items come into our awareness, we attend to a particular item, and then we decide whether to act.(Davenport & Beck 2001, p. 20)
What dancers are trying to at auditions and competitions are exactly the same!
Anyway, as I mentioned I feel like nowadays dance world is becoming very competitive as people encourage it, I guess.
All these dance programmes are COMPETITION. There are always winners and losers.
However, I find this whole things very strange, as supposed be all the dancers are individual and so are the judges!
Judges give comments to dancers as they know every thing. Well, I am sure they do know a lot about dance, but end of the day, these are just their opinions, it should not matter too much, as I see dancers cry after judges comments, because dancers received great comments or because dancers received bad comments.
I feel whole attitude and direction is strange in show business these days.
I believe, it all starts from encourage competitiveness of dancer in class. Students and dancers do their best to dance nicely, but because they want to? or they are dancing because they want to be liked by judges? or director of company? or dance teachers? or some times by parents.
I come at this from a figure skating perspective. There is currently a large and on-going debate in the field about the artistry of skating being lost to the need to develop a solid marking structure that does not allow for biased or subjective and inconsistent judging.
As a result of the need for such a structure the sport has now become closely linked to gymnastics with multiple and growing required elements that see skaters trying to contort their body into certain shapes – for example stretching their leg behind them and upwards, grabbing it with their hand, so that their skate touches their head. The closer to your head you can get your foot, the higher the tariff of the performance and more marks you can be awarded. Subsequently however more and more skating performances are looking the same – with the required moves filling the performance and leaving little opportunity for expression and creative freedom. In my mind there is only so much you can push the body to do at such a young age before it become not only unpleasant to watch but dangerous.
Also, in order to maintain the sort of structure needed for marking an ‘aesthetic sport’ many skaters, judges and coaches report a loss of creativity, artistry and the ablity to keep audiences interested
This is a comment from http://danceadvantage.net/2009/04/30/pros-cons-dance-competition/
I found this it very interesting and I would like to share with every one.
I do agree with the person who commented this.
Dance is becoming like Ice Skate; Artistic Sport?
More dancers desparately want to drawn the attention to them, as more attention they have, they are one step ahead of the other dancers, dance will become more like a sport.
Because of that I do not encourage the competition from young age.
However, I think dance is going to be come more physical, athletic and gymnastic soon.
My dance teacher use to use the word ` Healthy Competition`. Now I think, what is it? What is healthy competition? Is it not just the way of covering down side of competition? Some teachers know competitions are not healthy, but they want to encourage it, so they have created a word like this to make it sound right?
Or am I being too bitter about it?
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