Finding a
by Kenneth Howard
You have just arrived in a
Sadly though, when a teacher is asked, "What is
your philosophy of dance?" the result is a blank stare. It is almost as if
you asked them, "What is the gravitational constant of the
universe?" They do not seem to realize
that method comes out of theory and theory comes out of philosophy. If the philosophy is non-existent, then the
theory will be inconsistent. If the
theory is inconsistent, then the method will be haphazard at its best.
Whether teachers realize it or not they all make
certain philosophical assumptions that govern the way they teach. These assumptions determine which areas of
theory are taught at each level and when and how they are taught. There are at
least six areas of theoretical dance study.
They are the study of figures, the study of partnership, the study of
movement, the study of character or styling, the study of rhythm, and the study
of improvisation. These areas of dance
theory affect the methodology or technique and what the emphasis will be. All three combine to form an approach to
dance.
Now, there are at least three approaches to dancing.
These approaches are derived from the common evolution of a dance form. All forms of dance, from ballet to ballroom,
share a similar evolution. They first
begin as social activities. Even ballet
began as a social outlet for the royalty of
For example, a teacher that utilizes the competition
approach may take a student who only wants to dance socially, but the teacher
will still teach the social dancer from the context of a competition form. Each approach takes at least two forms. Interestingly, it has been my observation
that teachers from each approach consider their particular approach as being
the highest manifestation of the dancing art.
The Competition Approach
Generally, teachers that use the competition approach
will focus on the study of figures emphasizing the precision of the footwork,
and they will focus on the study of character emphasizing both personal and
generic styling traits.
In the competition approach to ballroom dancing, the
two forms are serious and non-serious. In a serious competition, the
competition is pure. The student
actually competes with other students. There is a clear ranking amongst the
competitors. Someone will win first. Someone will win second and someone will
win third. They may be only a fraction of a point between first and third.
In a non-serious competition, the student competes
against the judges' ideal of perfection. The student competes unopposed. In
these cases, the student need only to score the level
necessary for a first place award in order to win first place. I have actually
seen competitions where you can win first place merely by showing up.
Now out of all the forms of dance. The easiest to
master is the competition form.
This is why many studios specialize in this form. This
may sound surprising since many people assume that com- petition is hard
because it is stressful but in a competition, every aspect of the dance is
controlled.
1. The student knows what the tempo of the song will
be.
2. The student knows how long the song will probably
play.
3. The student knows what movements will be expected.
4. The smart student will pre-choreograph all the
movements in the dance.
5. Every person on the dance floor will know how to
dance and will probably be at a similar level of expertise.
6. The partners will have practiced many hours
together so they will be familiar with their partner's movement styles.
7. The audience that counts in a competition is the
judges and they are educated as to how the dance should look.
The assertion that the competition form is the easiest
to master is not a criticism, but rather an observation. A dance competition has to be controlled so
that it can be as objective as possible. Otherwise, it becomes like many
competitions judged by amateurs, a display of politics, nepotism, and
payoffs. These are competitions
sponsored by nightclubs or local organizations where the judges have little or
no education in the dance they are judging.
The judges choose their friends, relatives, or patrons who contribute
the most to the organization. I have had
students who have entered these subjective competitions who were disqualified
for dancing too well or being too polished.
The Exhibition Approach
The next approach to dancing is the exhibition
approach. Generally, the focus will be
on the study of character or styling with an emphasis on poses and lines. The exhibitionists look very good on stage
and have a lot of personal charisma. I
once knew a man who was a proficient performer and was very popular amongst
ordinary spectators even though he could not dance on time to the music even if
he had a gun to his head.
In exhibition dancing, there are two forms as
well. These two forms are competitive
and non-competitive. Several years ago,
in response to the desire of the dancing public, competitions added an
exhibition form called showcases. The
student performs a choreographed exhibition and the judges will award a
placement based on and a skating score.
These dance routines will have various restrictions placed on the
length, music, and/or content.
In the non-competitive form of exhibition dancing
there are no restrictions.
Unfortunately, I have encountered teachers who take the restrictions in
the competitive exhibition dancing as the absolute gospel. They assert that exhibitions should follow
such restrictions like being only two minutes in length. They say that people will not watch a dance
routine longer than two minutes. They fail to explain why a ballet is more than
two minutes long and why a show like "Bum the Floor" is longer than
two minutes. The truth is that people
are more than willing to watch the dance routines more than two minutes in
length. However, they will not let you
bore them for more than two minutes. I
once saw a six minute bolero performed that told a story and resembled a
ballet. The audience was spellbound.
The exhibition form of dance is slightly harder than
the competition form because of the audience; Audience appeal is the one aspect of
an exhibition that cannot be controlled.
The people who watch exhibitions may not be educated in the nuances of
dance. They only know what they
like. If the couple is entertaining then
they have appeal. There have been times
at competitions where more proficient dancers are less popular than
entertaining dancers. I have seen judges
booed at competitions when the audience’s favorite couple failed to win.
The Social Approach
The final approach to dancing is the social
approach. This approach is based on the
assumption that the vast majority of students are not interested in competing
or performing. They are only interested
in surviving in a social context. The
focus here is usually on the study of partnership, since leading the lady is
vital to success in a social context;
the study of movement, since efficient movement amplifies good
partnership; and the study of
improvisation, since the dancer must be ready for anything to happen on the
dance floor, from untrained dancers ignoring dance etiquette to drunks
staggering on the floor.
The two forms of this approach are the scientific and
the non-scientific. In the scientific
form of social dancing, the dancer attempts to learn the most efficient and
effective way to perform the movement.
The laws of Physics and .principles of kinesiology are studied and
incorporated into the dancing.
Practitioners of the non-scientific form do not concern themselves when
such things as posture, balance, or ease of movement.
The scientific social form of dance is the most
difficult form to master for several reasons.
1. The tempo of the music is not known in
advance. The tempo of the song may
change suddenly, especially with a live band.
2. The duration of the song is unknown. It may last for several minutes.
3. The movements will not be standardized. A lady may not be familiar I with the moves
the man performs.
4. The partners may not know each other very
well. They may have never danced
together before.
5. The dance cannot be pre-choreographed.
6. The other dancers on the floor may not be very
skilled so the couple is forced to improvise to avoid collisions.
7. The audience watching the dancers perform may not
be well-trained but will know that they like.
Proficient practitioners of the scientific social form
of ballroom and social dance put on a show with every song. They are the jazz
musicians of the dance world.
Improvisation is central to their performances.
What Does
it all Mean?
Now, you may ask, "What does all this have to do
with me as a dancer looking for a studio?" Knowing these three approaches
to the art of ballroom dancing will help you the student
understand how your teacher is working.
Something the teacher may not know himself. If your school emphasizes competitions and
uses a methodology that prepares their students for competition, then the
school's philosophy uses the competition approach. Likewise, if the school emphasizes showcases,
the instructors take time out of their weekly parties to dance exhibitions, or
they focus on teaching you how to show off on the dance floor then they are
most likely using the exhibition approach.
If the teacher prepares you for survival in night clubs or focuses on
partnership and improvisation over styling, then they probably use the social
approach to teaching.
If you are considering dance lessons, then this
knowledge of the various philosophical approaches will help you find a good
school and not waste a lot of money on lessons that are not helpful. If you want to compete, then find a
competition school. If you like to perform
then look for an exhibition school or if you are primarily interested in
learning to dance socially then by all means find a social school.
Once you have decided your destination. That is, what approach suits your needs, then
call the prospective school and ask then about their philosophy of dance. Don't be surprised if they don't know. If you cannot receive a satisfactory answer,
then visit and look for yourself. If you
see advertisements for competitions then they probably use the competition
approach. If they talk about their
showcases, then they probably emphasize the exhibition form. If you hear the students and staff talk about
outside dances or if the teachers show you how to lead or follow and also teach
you how to improvise on the dance floor then they probably utilize the social
approach.
If you don't want to visit the local studios because
you are afraid they will treat you in the same way as a used-car salesman,
dragging you into a closed office and pressuring you into buying a lot of
lessons, then try attending some local dance club event like a USABDA dance; at these dances you
can get acquainted with local teachers and students, but be careful that the
dance only promotes a favored studio;
one that happens to be where their board members take lessons. Those
schools may not be suited to you. Always
be watching and listening to others.
When you see someone who dances in a way you like, then ask them where
they take their lessons.
Once you find a prospective studio, then
only enroll on a small program at first.
This will accomplish two things.
In the first place, it doesn't commit you to a large investment in a
place that may not meet your needs. In
the second place, it forces the teacher to treat you nicer, since he has to
sell you again in a month or so.
Understanding how a school's philosophy influences how
dance is taught will help you discern whether the taxi you hire to carry you to
your destination can achieve the results you desire. It will help you to receive the instruction
you desire and it will also help the industry avoid bad publicity from students
who were not happy with their trip.
Kenneth Howard is
the owner of the “A & I Butterfly Ballroom and