Parker & Jessica
 

Dancing with the Stars
 

SYTYCD
 

Ice Dancers

 

Are you REALLY ready to compete?

So you think you can dance?  Well, OK.  But that's just one element of your overall competition performance.  Music selection, costuming, hair, and floorcraft are also a large part of the mix.

We interviewed dozens of professionals - Event Directors, Champion Dancers, Dance Coaches, Fashion Consultants, Make-up Artists, Television Producers, Theatre Performers, and Figure Skating Champions.  They all agree - presentation makes a critical difference in the outcome of a competition.

Because Ice Dancing and Ballroom Dancing have been showcased on TV and at major entertainment venues for years, the performers for those genres place extremely high importance on costuming, make-up and performance strategy.  The stakes for them are very high.  Most have advisors and consultants who work closely with them to craft a complete image.  It shows. 

By contrast, Swing has not yet reached the same level of prestige and exposure with the national media.  As a result, many dancers tend to be more casual in their overall approach to competition, perhaps focusing more of their efforts on choreography than on outfits.  But it appears that fans want more.

The USA Swing Net conducted a National Poll among the thousands of dancers who visit this website each month.  We asked them to identify the one element of Swing dance competition that they felt needed the most improvement.  Comments poured in from a wide range of observers.  We listened to it all - from the spectator level to noted instructors and judges who are highly sought after for their advice.  The category that topped the list: COMPETITORS' OUTFITS.

There is a universal feeling that competitive dancers don't make enough effort to select outfits that are visually dramatic.  The over-use of black material in outfits has been a thorny issue.  Some feel it conveys a relaxed mood that exemplifies West Coast Swing.  Others feel it is plain boring compared with the more creative outfits seen on TV shows like "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Dancing with the Stars".  Bottom line - a majority of WC Swing dancers who participated in our survey felt that costuming is the weakest link in this dance.

Below we address a number of issues relating to competition strategy to help provide valuable insights to dancers in all divisions.  Please note that this information is offered in a positive light.  It is based upon the points of view of a wide variety of professionals.  Some comments are specific, some generalized.  Some things are absolutes, others a matter of personal preference.  We offer it merely as perspective.

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SONG SELECTION
Before you even think about choreography and outfits, you have to pick a song that will entertain the audience, fit your dance style, match your talent level, and impress the judges.  As judges Simon Cowell from "American Idol" and Len Goodman from "Dancing with the Stars" have said many times, "Song selection is EVERYTHING".  It can raise the ceiling on your dancing or limit your potential. 

Look back at those couples who have been repeat Champions at top competitions.  Why have they won so many times over so many years?  Well, in addition to having exceptional talent, their song selection has been consistently outstanding. They just know how to pick GREAT MUSIC.

Before you select a song for a dance routine, first ask yourself these questions: "Will it thrill the audience?"  "Does it have energy, mood, unique rhythms, interesting breaks, and refreshing transitions?"  "Does it have a great beat and great lyrics?"  "Does it fit your personal dance style and skill level?"  "Does it have unquestionable entertainment value?"  Most of all, "Can you WIN with it?"  If you can answer "yes" to most of these questions, you probably have a great song.  If not, keep looking. 

Over the years there have been many couples who have had enormous dance talent but lacked the right kind of song to put their dancing over the top.  To change outcomes you often have to change your approach.   Soliciting outside advice from music, dance and choreographic professionals who have that special ability to select great music can be a wise strategy.  Ask a few judges for their advice, too.

Many couples have consulted for years with premier Swing choreographers who will not only recommend a great song for them but also help choreograph their routine.  Even top Pros sound each other out for song ideas.  Again, song selection can make you or break you.  So, the next time you plan to compete, check your ego at the door and get outside advice from as many sources as you can to be sure that you choose great music that can help you WIN.  It's one of the best strategic decisions you'll ever make.

OUTFITS
When it comes to costume design for major competitions, just remember the results from the National Dancer Poll and take a hint from hundreds of your fellow dancers who voted across the country: Improve Your Outfits.  Outfits say a lot about you so the next time you compete, get lots of input from experienced sources about the sensibility of your costume.  Advice is free.  Seek it out.  A BAD outfit can compromise good dancing.  An ORDINARY outfit can limit the impact your dancing has on the audience.  A GREAT outfit can dazzle the crowd and help make your dancing look that much more spectacular.

What are the two biggest complaints about Swing outfits based on the National Poll and informal conversations? Too much BLACK - not enough COLOR!  As compared with their Ballroom and Ice Dancing cousins, Swing competition outfits fall far short when it comes to visual impact and creativity. 

A decade ago, outfits were flashier and many more women wore stylish skirts and dresses.  Outfits seemed to convey a greater sense of "entertainment" back then.  In recent years, however, skirts and dresses have given way to slacks and black has become the default color for West Coast Swing.  Well, a large segment of the Swing community has spoken and they're asking for change.  So, the next time you compete, think about adding some color and imagination to your outfits to energize your fans in the stands.  Swing is an entertaining dance - you're outfits should be entertaining, too!

Colors, materials, accents, hair, body coverage - they're all important items.  Here's some tips that were offered on the subject of physical presentation:

• Wearing too much black is generally not a good idea.  Black outfits lack flavor and, in most cases, will not enhance the look of your dancing.  Some counter that the use of black creates cleaner lines but, in fact, its use makes it more difficult for the audience and judges to distinguish the individual body parts of each dancer when they overlap or when dancers are doing intricate moves - especially when BOTH partners wear slacks that are black.  Contrast between partners is important.  It allows the judges to more properly reward them for the difficulty and artistry associated with complex movements. 
   

• Gold, brown, beige, and white do not serve the dancer well.  They blend too much with the wood tones of the floor you're dancing on.  Remember, the floor is your "dance canvas" - especially when the audience is elevated.  Bright, bold colors like red, purple, blue, and green are far better choices if you want your dancing to stand out.  Black material lessens the impact.  White material washes you out and does not contrast well with light skin.  Choose colors, shades or combinations of colors that will provide strong visual impact and add more excitement to your dancing.
   

• Stage backdrops are also a significant issue.  If the draping is black and you're wearing black slacks, you're legwork is simply not going to stand out.  If the draping is blue or red, you probably don't want to wear outfits with those hues and get lost against it. If there are people in the background, solid colors work better than multi-colored patterns that will likely camouflage you.  Remember, the contrast between you and the background is just as important as the contrast between you and your partner.  Do your research on the venue to see what kind of environment you'll be performing in and adjust your wardrobe accordingly.
   

• For ladies, the hair is best pulled back so that smiles, eyes and jaw lines are highlighted.  There's nothing as bad as a "mop top" to obscure a lady's smiling face as she's spinning around.  The lady is the focus of this dance - her face should stand out in every way to engage the audience.  While long, flowing hair that whips around on a turn may look attractive or sexy for some, it can also distract from the quality and precision of your dancing.  Ladies, if the momentum of your hair continues after the you hit a critical break, your timing will look slightly off and that can cost you points. 
  
  While some "hair flow" may look good, it's probably best to take a hint from our Ballroom counterparts who usually pin their hair back and spray / grease it down for control.  The ONLY thing the judges want to see is a lady's BODY dancing - not her hair.  Keep it under control as much as possible within the framework of what your choreography calls for.  Hair strategy is important.
   

• As long as it's tasteful, add some reflective accents to your outfits to pick up the light in the room.  That especially applies to ladies.  You're the focus of the dance.  "Light up" the floor with your costume!
   

• Ladies, if you don't have a flat tummy, don't bare it with open two-piece outfits.  Nothing is more distracting than advertising your tummy folds while you're dancing.  Remember, you're the ONLY female on the floor and the entire audience is looking at every aspect of your body during the three minutes you dance.  No one is trying to be insensitive here - it just doesn't look good and it distracts from your dancing.
  
  Not everyone is blessed with a figure like Christina Aguilera.  Be happy with who you are, but also be sensible enough to choose an outfit that works well with your body type.  Look in the mirror.  The tummy you see is the same one the audience and the judges see.  If it's great, show it off; if it's not, cover it.  You won't impress anyone.
   

• Eliminate distractions like excessive jewelry, loose-hanging material, gaudy belts, watches, tattoos.  Show off your dancing, not your accessories.  You want a clean, sophisticated, uncluttered look.
   

• Get opinions!  Before you make a FINAL decision on a competition outfit, discuss your fashion strategy with respected Pros, Judges or Apparel Experts.  Their advice is free - and worthwhile.  You can even do something as simple as showing a few photographs from past dance competitions to a fashion specialist or boutique owner at your local mall.  They can give you really valuable recommendations on costuming based on your body style, age, coloring, choice of music - and the stage background in the photo that you present to them. 

FLOORCRAFT
Tennis racquets, golf clubs and baseball bats have "sweet spots".  So do dance floors.  There's an ideal "impact zone" for all of them.  When you compete, imagine an 10' x 20' rectangular box near the center of the dance floor and try to dance your entire routine within that zone.  Carefully manage the distance from you to the audience and judges in order to generate maximum visibility.  Remember, the farther you are from the judges, the more you diminish the intimacy and impact of your performance.  Get close enough to send a bold shock wave of energy right at them so your choreography can knock their socks off.  Don't be timid and dance in the "back of the class".  Your job is to entertain them - up close and personal.

If your routine is not mostly centered, if it travels too much, if it begins or ends in a far corner or drifts to the sides of the dance floor, its impact on the largest audience block directly in front of you becomes diluted.  When you stray too far away from the "sweet spot" and when you force the audience to follow you around a large dance floor too much, you lose the steady "radiating effect" that a centered performance brings.  Remember, the audience will only "bounce back" as much energy as you "send out" to them.  If you're too far away, the energy you send - and receive back - will be significantly diminished. 
 

SUMMARY
While ALL the above strategies are important, let's face it - extraordinary dance skill and great choreography will usually trump ordinary music or mediocre outfits.  Dancing is mostly about skill and execution.  But the minute differences that separate the rankings of the Top Five dancers in major competitions are often those very things that our professional contributors have outlined out in this article.  It's those "little things" that can give you an edge over other competitors who may not be as savvy or meticulous as you when it comes to preparation.

When you decide to compete, consider all these points and try solicit advice from as many outside experts as you can.  Success and winning is based on knowledge, preparation, strategy, and intelligence.  The more secrets you know and the more you apply them, the more you improve your chances for victory in any dance competition.