Insight Into Competition Judges
Being a Competition Judge for over 9 years was great! Except for the long days spent traveling, I loved every minute of it. Even though I voluntarily "hung up my microphone," I must admit I do miss the experience. I greatly miss the opportunity of seeing young dancers perform. I now must replace the occasion with cherished memories of smiling faces and sparkling eyes as they gazed at the judge's table. I miss the chance to meet and speak with dance teachers and company directors from across the USA and Canada. Many new and wonderful friendships were formed and many old relationships were rekindled during that time.
Competitions, if used properly, are truly a valuable learning experience for everyone involved. As a judge you get to see "what's out there" in different regions of the country. As a teacher your work is showcased, reviewed and critiqued by a panel of professionals, thus giving you additional ways to improve your skills. As a student you are able to expand your personal dance goals by understanding and appreciating the comments from the judges.
Judging is not an easy venue. It drains you both mentally and physically. The travel opportunity is considered to be a perk, but flying into Minneapolis in the middle of a February snow storm, does major damage to your newly manicured nails. The days are long. On the average we would work anywhere from 10 to16 hours with very little down time. Concentration is a must. You are rightly expected to be alert and focused at all times. Every entry deserves your full undivided attention. Compensation does not allow you to retire from your full time job. Even at 4 pm when your blood sugar count is low, the bowl that was filled with Sweet Tarts earlier is now empty and the Junior Lyrical Category is about to begin...I always managed to find something to make me smile. Even after sitting for 6 or 7 hours straight and enduring leg cramps, swollen ankles, two short 10 minute breaks and a gobbled down lunch...I always looked forward to returning to the microphone to encourage and help the dancers on stage. Even with all this on my plate, I never tired of seeing students perform. On the contrary it was most exhilarating for me!
Being able to keep up with the hectic pace of the day was a real challenge. In the 15 to 20 seconds between numbers, you were expected to erase all thoughts of the previous performance, change the tape in your recorder, get the next score sheet in front of you, have your eyes on the stage, microphone in hand and take a deep breath to joyfully greet the next performer. The action was non-stop and so must be your brain. You could judge Soloists ages 6 and under and go right into the next category of Senior Large Group Production. No time to change gears...you were expected to be ready at all times. And with experience and endurance we were able to meet the task at hand.
Oddly enough, even though we sat the entire time, I always considered myself to be teaching....but only with words. Instead of students watching my feet, this time they would hopefully learn through my remarks. Many times the table would sway as one of us or another would actually be moving our feet, along with our comments, in hopes that the dancers would absorb through words and "hidden actions" what we wanted them to be doing.
Being fair was always my prime interest. Although my comments and critiques were not always positive, they were always honest and impartial. I wanted the dancers to be great, but when they were not, I had an obligation to them to explain how I reached my score. I wanted the teacher and student to benefit and learn from my observations. And, I think they did.
Critiquing performers in an adjudicated event or in a placement event was really no different. I think both types of competitions have their place on your calendar. Some competitions are geared for the recreational dancer as compared to the highly competitive dancer...and this is so good. What a great place to start. Then there are those comps that really are very challenging for all levels. Choose what works best for you as a teacher and certainly keep your students in mind at all times. There is a place for everyone to feel good about themselves and that is of prime importance.
Judges are expected to abide and completely follow the protocol set forth by the competition organizer. It is our obligation to him and the contestants to assure that we will be impartial in our job. Perhaps you think of judges as snobs...who never speak to anyone. That is so not true! It irked me when we had to walk thru the venue in our own little cluster and not speak to anyone! Chatting with fellow teachers was my favorite part of the weekend. It was hard to be silent...but it was a must. But, after the comp was over we were free to visit and chat, what a wonderful relief that was. We now had the opportunity, if asked, to personally back up and explain our critiques on a one to one basis. We now could hug the dancers and give the teachers a well deserved pat on the back. We could relax and be human! It was a fantastic time!
Have you ever wondered why one accepts the challenge of becoming a judge? Why we give up our free time with family and friends on the weekends to spend hours sitting at a table watching dance routine after routine? Why we do it time and time again? The answer is simple...we all share the same passion. A passion for the art and love of dance and to make sure it continues to grow in the minds, hearts and bodies of students everywhere. A passion to pass on our knowledge to other teachers, because we are ardent for perfection in the art of dance instruction and proper technique. A passion for encouraging students to do their best and to keep on striving to achieve their personal goal. A passion for being a Friend.
As I sit back now and reminisce about my judging experiences, I realize that I was not alone in my enthusiasm. Every judge I was fortunate enough to work with had something important to say and beneficial to offer. Although we perhaps looked through different rose colored glasses, we all shared the same fervor for the judging encounter. Judges are not the ogres that dance teachers make them out to be. They are really a teacher's best friend. Remember, the majority of judges are dance teachers too and have had their share of students being on the other side of the footlights. Judges are there for you and your students, not for themselves.
Do you have a story to share about a judge who really helped to make a positive difference for one of your dancers? I hope so and I welcome you to share it with me and other teachers as well. Let's chat on line. Write to me at danceun@aol.com.. I'll be waiting to hear from you. Until next time...Thanx for chatting!