The Dance Mom Thread

[cabanafrau]

Sometimes I think it's harder to place higher than you think you should have, really messes with their heads when they know they didn't nail it, yet get rewarded for something they wouldn't settle for in rehearsal.

 

[missypie]

My DH goes nuts at competitions. He HATES things that are judged subjectively. He wants to see a winner and a loser!!

I agree that sometimes you have no idea what the judges are thinking when awards are announced and don't even get me started about competitions where EVERYONE gets a gold or higher!

I am trying to teach my girls that as long as they did the best they could in that moment that is all anyone could ask, regardless of the final judging. But it is still hard on them when they don't place where they think they should have.

At Stage One, instead of sliver,gold, platimum, they do third place, second place and first place-almost everyone gets a first place. They announce them in order, worst to best. Still, what is meaningful is to get the Top Points awards. We saw some great dances but we saw some pretty bad dances,too...falls, girls forgetting parts, etc. There were only a couple of second places given and the rest 1st, so that means that quite a few of those really bad dances got a first place.

 

[missypie]

By the way, a few pages back we had a discussion about non-liturgical companies dancing to Christian music. I guess we're really in the Bible Belt, because at Stage One, I think every Lyrical was to a Contemporary Christian song!

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

Morning fellow dance moms!

Congrats to the teams who competed this weekend!

We had a small optional convention this weekend (Dance Masters of America). We couldn't go Sat because our next competition is in 2 weeks, and they didn't want the dancers to miss the Saturday rehearsals. So we went on Sunday (separate classes, not follow up from Sat). It was OK. The girls really had fun with the Jazz and Musical Theater class, but the Modern class was not very good. There was a competition portion as well, but we didn't stay. They were charging $10/person to watch the competition and this is on top of the convention/observer fees! So our carpool (4 moms and 5 dancers in a 15-pax van!) opted out of the competition.

I am still wrapping my head around the subjectivity of scoring routines! I was a swimmer in my youth, so hair and make up were a nonissue (although Avon's waterprrof mascara would stand up to the pool and not come off until removed with make up remover!) and whoever hit the wall first won. The one thing I really hate seeing is the judges rewarding clearly inappropriate routines (8-10yos making overtly sexual moves). As long as judges score those routines well, teachers/choreographers will continue create them.

Right before they announced the awards at one of our competitions last year, the announcer said, "These awards are based on what these judges saw from these dancers on this stage ,today. If any one of those factors was changed, the outcome would have been different." I really liked that, and it is totally true.

missypie, you and I were having that discussion. That is interesting what you saw at Stage One. Our Praise companies do not compete; they only perform mostly in assisted living facilities and local churches!

Well, we have our next competition (Encore) in 2 weeks. And one of the girls in DD1's company officially quit last week (the dancer will be missed; the mother and her tendency to create drama even when none exists will not!) So DD1's company will be respacing 2 of their dances; fortunately this girl was not in hip hop company, just tap and jazz. That girl was also in a trio, and they are trying to spin up another dancer for the trio right now! DD1's duo is finished and they are cleaning it now. DD1 is dancing 5 dances (jazz, tap, hip hop, trio and duo), DD2 is dancing 2 dances (jazz and tap), and DH is going to his first competition. I'm not sure how he will react.

 

[taximomfor4]

Thanks for letting me know! I think I fixed it. New to youtube!I am off to watch your DD now!

Thanks! I watched, and loved it. Illuminations really makes me teary eyed and I LOVE watching pretty dancing!

I am attaching the link to my 9yo dancing her new dance. She's just learned it for this year's show. It's not a group dance, but the choreography was adjusted a bit so that a group could do it, and take turns being in front. My dd is the littlest one, on the far right, front row. She has a host of special needs, but works her tail off at dancing.http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7281046219425836256

 

[missypie]

these judges[/U] saw from these dancers on this stage ,today. If any one of those factors was changed, the outcome would have been different." I really liked that, and it is totally true.

It is true. That's what I tell girls who are beating themselves up for messing up a move...."there's a chance that none of the judges were even LOOKING at you at that precise moment." (Of course, there's also the chance that ALL of them were looking at her! )

I would make a terrible judge. When the girls listened to their taped critiques from the last competiton, a judge talked about the weak dancer we were trying to hide in the back of the tap routine. I didn't know who it was and all the girls were hoping it wasn't them. Yesterday, DH saw the tap routine for the first time and said, "Boy, [girl's name] is really the weak link. She's too
big to try to hide in the back." He noticed right away what I hadn't noticed at all!!! (Maybe I'm just a true mom and think all of our girls are fantastic! )

 

[undercovermom]

OMG ...

i am posting this from my cell phone so please forgive the sloppiness.

dd's high school team competed in the EDA event in myrtle beach this weeekend. they structure it as two separate competitions, the dance classic o saturday and the nationals on sunday. you can compete either day or both days. most teams compete both days. more teams come sunday than saturday.

there was a blackout saturday and we thought the competition was in trouble...but the theater has a generator. we took 1st in lyrical, 1st in hip hop and3rd in small jazz and in large jazz.

sunday...2nd in lyrical and everyone says we were robbed. small jazz didnt place but large jazz took 2nd.

and hip hop OMG. about 15 seconds into the dance the music simply stopped. the girls looked bewildered and exasperated for a few seconds. then the captains started counting beats and the girls danced without music.

the team sitting in the front row started counting beats. and the audience stood and cheered.

it was unbelievable. it was incredibly emotional.


it didnt matter how they placed. everyone knew our girls were the winners

 

[undercovermom]

but in any event they were allowed to dance hip hop again. they placed 3rd.

 

[UMTerp]

I am still wrapping my head around the subjectivity of scoring routines! I was a swimmer in my youth, so hair and make up were a nonissue (although Avon's waterprrof mascara would stand up to the pool and not come off until removed with make up remover!) and whoever hit the wall first won. The one thing I really hate seeing is the judges rewarding clearly inappropriate routines (8-10yos making overtly sexual moves). As long as judges score those routines well, teachers/choreographers will continue create them.

I totally agree with this! We saw some completely inappropriate routines and MUSIC for the young girls this past Saturday! Really graphic lyrics. I would never let my DD dance to that in that kind of costume. What is wrong with these parents? BTW, DD also swims so at least she gets to experience winning by hitting the wall first too.

UMTerp

 

[undercovermom]

our high school team has competed in front of several different dance organizations they've been very successful in some competitions and not as successful in others. when you listen to the tapes and hear conflicting crititques you learn to take everything with a grain of salt.

 

[AZMickeyfans]

Ok I need to catch up on here. I'll do that in a sec. Came on to post that I was headed to the DIS boards ladies only trip at the end of the month. Should be like 40 or so going and has been planned since Jan.

Dd had a production rehearsal scheduled for that weekend. No big deal, dh can take her right? Well, they changed that to a mandatory competition hair/makeup day where all the moms and daughters need to be present. Its the Friday night I'm supposed to be arriving at Fantasmic special seating!!! I told dh he is going to have to go. that went over REAL well. Actually he'll go but I'm not sure if I'll get any of the info home. This wouldnt be that big of a deal normally except we are at a new studio so I want to know everything that we need to in order to be prepared.

I'm going to request a private consultation on the matter. Hopefully the director will understand that I will not be in town. Dh can bring dd anyway and they said she can be used as the model. I'm sure she will have no problem doing that.

I just dont feel like altering my plans. We just got the change tonight but for the last 3 months its been on the calendar as a production rehearsal so I dont feel so bad. If I would have known I wouldnt have booked and paid for the seats! I've always been very careful to schedule everything around dance. We never miss for vacations but I didnt know the MOMS would be required!!!

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

I'm sorry, but I had to chuckle about your poor DH having to go to the hair and make-up meeting! They had some nerve, setting it up to conflict with a Disney trip! I'm sure someone else will clue you in --oh, and have DH take pictures, so you have an idea of what's expected. Might be nice to have, anyway.

Along the same lines, I have a funny story from last year. To set the scene, we have recital weekend--dress rehearsal, then 2 performances of the same recital. I had 3 kids in 10 numbers (small recital--~35 numbers total), so DH was supposed to handle DS(then)1 for the weekend, while I did hair backstage (that's my "job"). Anyway, Sat. morning rolls around, and DH gets a kidney stone! He's curled up in the fetal position, writhing in pain, and I'm like, "Get up! You can't do this to me! It's RECITAL DAY!!!" Long story short, DMIL took him to the ER while I schlepped 4 kids atound backstage. They did make it to the second half of the show, and MIL stayed to see the first half the next day. I spent the weekend telling everyone what an attention...hog... my DH was, trying to interfere with recital weekend!

 

[AZMickeyfans]

I'm sorry, but I had to chuckle about your poor DH having to go to the hair and make-up meeting! They had some nerve, setting it up to conflict with a Disney trip! I'm sure someone else will clue you in --oh, and have DH take pictures, so you have an idea of what's expected. Might be nice to have, anyway.

Along the same lines, I have a funny story from last year. To set the scene, we have recital weekend--dress rehearsal, then 2 performances of the same recital. I had 3 kids in 10 numbers (small recital--~35 numbers total), so DH was supposed to handle DS(then)1 for the weekend, while I did hair backstage (that's my "job"). Anyway, Sat. morning rolls around, and DH gets a kidney stone! He's curled up in the fetal position, writhing in pain, and I'm like, "Get up! You can't do this to me! It's RECITAL DAY!!!" Long story short, DMIL took him to the ER while I schlepped 4 kids atound backstage. They did make it to the second half of the show, and MIL stayed to see the first half the next day. I spent the weekend telling everyone what an attention...hog... my DH was, trying to interfere with recital weekend!

OMG! Seriously I would have been the same with DH. NOT TODAY! A kidney stone of all things!!!


So yes, mine is very funny! I am always with my calendar comparing and asking questions "Is it ok if we have a family vacation THIS weekend?" things like that several months to a year out. I told her about our 2 week WDW trip over a year out and I keep reminding her every month!!!

Its kinda funny if it was with the whole family I would cancel and go another weekend but a LADIES ONLY TRIP!!!! Come on! I wanna go!

So we will see what happens

Pictures would be a great idea though thanks for the mentioning that.

 

[UMTerp]

That stinks that they changed the requirements for the rehersal!!! Maybe take it one step further and have DH videotape the session so you can hear all of the instructions first-hand? I don't know if he would feel comfortable doing that?

Hope you have a great time on your trip!

UMTerp

 

[missypie]

Yesterday afternoon at about 3pm, our competition team director got an email from the mom of one of the really strong dancers, saying her DD had been injured at school and won't be able to dance for several months. With a competition in less than 2 weeks, director goes into panic mode, trying to figure out how to reset the dances without her, when she can have extra rehearsals, etc.

Girl and her mom show up at rehearsal-girl has her foot in a boot and is on crutches. Director starts asking questions, girl says it's fractured, she can't dance at all, she tripped over something. Finally the director asks, "is this real?" Girl and mom say "April Fool!"

Director storms out of room; comes back in a few minutes almost in tears, telling them to NEVER fake an injury and that she has spend hours trying to reset the dances, etc.

The girl and her mom said they thought she'd figure out it was an April Fool's joke. They said they were sorry. The mom left.

Do you think that is in any way funny??? I can see if the mom hadn't emailed, and the girl had just shown up on crutches-they could have seen the dirctor's reaction then immediately have said "April Fool." The girl has been in company for 10 years....shouldn't they have known the director would be resetting the dances? And why SHOULD the director have figured out it was a joke? Maybe if they said she broke her right philange or something, but there was nothing silly to tip off the director.

I think the director has a right to be angry. Or am I just without a sense of humor, too?

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

at the dad stories! As soon as I find out the schedule for both competitions and recital dates, I lock him in. He travels frequently, and if I don't put the dance activities on HIS schedule, he may schedule a trip then. Recital is the worst since he normally travels both the week before and the week after. Last year, he was supposed to be in Vegas for both weeks, and I made him come home the weekend in between. Fortunately, since we are so close to Vegas, airfare was cheap, and the gov't decided it was more cost effective to let him come home for the weekend than to remain in place!

I have a work conflict that pops up every recital weekend. My first year, my boss suggested that I let Jeff deal with recital so I could make the meeting. I looked at him like he was crazy, then asked my fighter pilot boss if he thought it was a good idea to have my fighter pilot husband deal with hair, make up and costume changes. I also noted that dads are not allowed in the changing room since privacy is limited to non-existant. My boss saw my point, and I now have a permanent pass on that meeting!

As far as the April Fools joke, I agree that they took it too far. I will say the best April Fools jokes are threaded with realistic scenarios, and this one was, but from what you described it went too far. We also have a competition in 2 weeks, and our director would not have found it funny either.

 

[UMTerp]

No, I don't think the April Fools "joke" was funny. Too bad for the director who had to stress over it!

UMTerp

 

[AZMickeyfans]

That April Fools joke might have been funny if she showed up in crutches and like 15 seconds later ripped off the boot and said April Fools! But not the way she did it. That was terrible.

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

Well, we got the official word about the girl in DD1's company quitting late last week. So with 2 weeks to go until a competition, they are having to respace 2 dances: tap and jazz. For DD1, the changes are minimal in tap, but not in jazz. Her part has changed about 80% in the jazz routine. She's a little freaked out about it, but I just remind her that the reason her teacher chose DD1 to deal with the big changes is because she knew DD1 could handle it. Needless to say, there has been lots of extra practice around my house lately!

They have a performance tomorrow night, then a LONG day of rehearsals on Sat getting ready for next weekend's competition. Too much fun!

 

[cabanafrau]

DD, our crew & partners in crime & I are all back from NUVO this past weekend. Anybody else just dragged out exhausted after these weekends?

2 of our companies kind of got slammed in the awards, but the overall judging was very, very tough. I've never seen so many high silvers handed out -- one of our companies even got one & that's not going to sit well w/ our director. For the first time I really found the competition extremely tedious & didn't think I could keep my eyes open until the end. What is the deal w/ the furniture props this season??? I was so tired I was actually thinking of hunting down some of those sofas & chaises.

DD's group was very happy not to have to face that judging panel, as itchy as they are to take the stage this season.

Good luck to all who have competitions upcoming, too. Don't forget to fill the rest of us in on your successes.