The syllabus featured on Ballroomdancers.com has been around for over 15 years, and even pre-dates the website itself. It is constantly being revised and refined under the direction of many of today's top U.S. teachers. It was written to be an educational tool, not as a means to make money, and the structure and direction of the syllabus reflect that.
All patterns have been carefully selected and placed in an order that is academically rational, contributing to a natural progression of learning. Figures are primarily component-based, allowing for maximum flexibility of interpretation. Emphasis is placed on understanding how the components fit together, so that the student can learn to arrange his own combinations (which is the cornerstone of American style and social dancing), rather than being force-fed extended amalgamations.
Most syllabi abandon components halfway through bronze, in favor of long combinations of someone's random choreography. And while figures should obviously increase in difficulty and complexity as you rise through the levels, we have worked hard to make sure that the increase in difficulty in the higher levels is not based on the length of the combination. Even in Gold, we try to stick as much as possible to shorter components that can be mixed and matched and arranged as desired.
The ultimate goal of the syllabus is to teach a student the movements and the concepts that lead to a good, practical working knowledge to survive in whatever environment they set their sights on. For example, by the time a student finishes the bronze level, he should be able to successfully navigate a social dance floor with complete control and ability to maneuver, with enough variety to impress and entertain, and with the types of movements that suit the situation. To this end I think that most bronze American style syllabi succeed to varying degrees, but I also believe that ours does it best.
Where I think almost all other syllabi fail miserably is in the advanced levels (gold & advanced silver). By the time a student completes gold, he should own all of the concepts and patterns that lead to the next logical step, the "open" level. We've tried to create silver and gold components that are the building blocks of open gold competitive choreography, so that the jump from gold to open is seamless. I've never seen another syllabus that even comes close to doing this.
Over the course of the next year you will see the remainder of the syllabus fill in on the website, and you will be able to judge for yourself. In spite of the upcoming premium membership for viewing videos, the written syllabus material will always be free to the public, right up through the gold level. Beginning later this year we will also refine the technical charts, to include specific techniques such as footwork, rise & fall, sway and so forth. Let us know what you think when it's complete!
Regards,
Jonathan Atkinson
www.ballroomdancers.com
