to 5lisamarie - I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed your showcase and that you did well!!! Cheers to you for putting it on the line. The first showcase is always the most difficult, and many people don't want to work through that vulnerable and scary stage of dancing. You are on your way to becoming a stronger dancer both emotionally and physically! Good luck in the rest of your dancing journey!

I am an AM student and have been for over 6 years. I still get petrified over competitions sometimes but what I have learned with my dance experience, that is performance and competitions, is self confidence. I was for most of my life the only girl on a drum line and so the hardest thing for me to do was be a GIRL! When I started ballroom dancing and the teacher brought up closed position in Tango and Cuban Motion, I thought I would DIE!

I did that first showcase and got video of my entries and I was so surprised to see that the chromosomes are right... I'm a GIRL... I can wiggle and everything

The first showcase I did, I used more lessons than usual. However, where I am, showcases are relatively little things. Around here, I can do a showcase for less than $200 and not use any more of my lessons than usual (it's always up to you the rate at which you use your lessons)and I still have a lot of fun with the competition and the dinner. I think the most expensive showcase I've done ran abut $400 and that included doing a solo routine and both smooth and rhythm scholarships. Compared to the national events, showcases are bargains, as the national events can become cost prohibitive, costing $3k-$5+ per event.

I feel sorry for those who are resentful towards AM. There are scary franchisees out there to be sure, but the whole dance community is so neat! It is unfortunate that there are people who have had bad experiences and can't seem to move past those experiences. Even my 12 year old dances and has ballroom danced for over 6 years (more than half her life) with AM. She loves it and has learned so much about dealing with boys and how she expects to be treated (with the respect!) because of the protective and nurturing environment that AM has provided for her. Yes, it costs money, but so does a few good rounds of golf with a good instructor...and ski lessons...and art class... It's an investment in yourself, one that you will ultimately not regret.

you cant go to a studio and get stuff for free. yes judges get paid too, and its not like going to mcdonalds and getting a big mac. Sometimes more lessons are required. you do get ribbons but whats wrong with making people feel good. maybe you were robbed, and your teacher was not good, but in the end you can just say no. what is learned doing the actual performance is worth lessons, its almost 2 for 1

"what is learned doing the actual performance is worth lessons, its almost 2 for 1"

I couldn't agree more. THE and I mean THE reason I do scholarship is because I learn more out there on the floor during those 9 gruelling dances than I do in year of lessons. I could care less about the placings because it is SO valuable to me to be in that environment. Between the outside view of the video camera and my own floor experience in the moment, it is like the most intense education I can give myself. Not only that, my instructor learns a lot, too, and he is a veteran instructor of over 7 years. He learns something new about himself about floorcraft about what I'll respond to (or not respond to as the case may be . Competitions are performance art, so they are by nature unpredictable but the experience is well worth the investment.

I too am a student and had similar feelings as you. But have participated in showcases since the beginning. And yes, to the studio, it is about sales! But having said that you will learn faster and become a dancer quicker if you participate in the the show cases. Note, I said dancer. There is a big difference between being a dancer and just knowing and being able to execute steps. Just don't get caught up in the hype of it being a competition because it is not. It is a means of structuring lessons and concentrating your learning process. You will get to interact with people of all levels of ability and experience. If you are male, you will learn something about leading and physically communicating with your partner. If female you will learn how to follow. And you cannot be a dancer until as a mail you can lead any woman and as a female follow any man with grace and beauty.

Richard

Yes, yes, lots of people distrust AM, and yes, a showcase costs some money, but everyone at my studio looks forward to them SO much. We eat good food and dance all day. And I feel for me like it's good experience to bravely dance in front of a crowd. You're not going to master any of these dances for years, but you could still put on a good show. Pick YOUR favorite dance, and YOUR favorite song, and HAVE FUN WITH IT is my advice.

dpalincs,

I agree, see you at the next showcase.

Oh, the showcase mill isn't just a problem at AM studios! It's found in many studios, and it can be a disasterous affair for dancing in general. I have seen numerous people with some level of raw talent eventually leave ballroom because an instructor saw them as a temporary fix to their bank account instead of a long term, mutually rewarding relationship. At our studio, it is usually a woman who comes to learn to dance because she wants to LEARN to dance. She has natural talent, and the men enjoy the infusion of fresh talent and enthusiasm. Then comes the instructor who praises her for her talent, and he talks her into s showcase. And yes, she spends a lot of money, but before long, she can only do her choreography. It won't then be much longer before she realizes she can't follow simple figures, and she finds dancing difficult. She realizes she hasn't LEARNED anything. This leads to disappointment and a loss of her initial joy she felt learning to dance. Most eventually leave the studio not to return. It happens to men, too. And all due to greedy, unethical, self-centered, teachers who have a Problem with Immediate Gratification. The PIGs ruin more aspiring learner's dreams than I can stomach. Yah, it makes me angry. Yes, I do showcases with my teacher, but I'm the customer, and I approach her. We work together on the project. I don't allow her to sell me anything I can't afford or I don't want. For this year's Christmas show, we're doing a slow waltz to Away in a Manger as sung by Faith Hill. I already have her working with me on it, by my choice, and we will have something nice to present. I expect the inclusion of most of the figures from 2 silver syllabi, so I can showcase what I have LEARNED, and she fills in the gaps with advanced, open choreography to challenge me in areas where I need improvement. This is my conception of how it should be.

I think you are spot on there, Silver.

I've danced showcases at several different (indy) studios and I enjoyed all but the first immensely as well as the prep work. However, they were / are expensive.

My partner got slammed once though - her instructor kept changing the choreography and then the studio rescheduled the showcase to a day when she had to be out of town. And she had spent a fair amount of money on a dress just for that showcase. She now refuses to dance any showcases there.

Silver, that is an excellent summation of some of the serious weaknesses in pro/am development as well as some good recommendations for maintaining the proper relationship with one's pro.

Your best point is that the student is paying for all of this stuff. Everything - including what the instructor wears for the showcase ( ) - should be the student's choice.

Pro/am is perfectly suitable for those folks who have money to burn and who just are not sufficiently mature in their dancing to make a partnership work.

Very good post. Good luck.

jj