What Judges Want- Episode 8- Glenn Ball

Speaker 1 Hello and welcome to the final episode of Speaker 2 series 8. I'm sad. But also, we're going to be coming back in a matter of weeks with more judges and maybe some specials in between or attached to season 2. Now this final episode i-i'm sorry there's no mystery judge mystery guest those who say it's me and the reason I've done that I wanted to tell you what I look for and then I wanted to get you every single question. So I do drag on God I could not keep quiet, it's hard when it's just you talking to finish what you're saying but it's well worth it. I get through all of your questions we kind of wrap up everything and thank you so much for supporting. Now, I have a task for you. Share this on your Facebook. I want everyone to listen to all a episodes. Share it, share it, Sharon, let's get going. Speaker 1 Okay, let's do this. So I'm going to go through lots of questions. Literally every question that's been answered in those two threads on Facebook, but first very briefly. I'm going to tell you what I want when I'm judging, I am see a lot. But yet there is still some events that have me judge a bit or maybe there's a different MC and I'm judging the whole weekend. So for my judging is actually pretty different and it's been really fun, kind of idea. S doubling down on this as a judge when I hear the concepts from the other judges, I actually just have it. The the perfect, swing dancer, follower, and leader. In my head, I have exactly what I want for every division as in. It's the same thing for every division. Now, you could, I could sit here and say, Obviously a newcomer, I'm not going to get that or obviously, a novice, I'm not going to get that, but to be honest in All Stars, I'm not going to Get that either. I don't do it in my dancing, but yet, I still have what I could explain to you as the perfect West Coast, Swing dancer, follower and leader in my opinion and that encompasses everything from musicality to leg action, to to everything. But I'm very clear about what I have. So that would be if we start at the feet I think rolling through the feet foot pressure through the feet I talked about balls of the feet a lot. As if you're digging into sand. Now, the first question I get is, well what do you do when it's fast music? Absolutely it's fast. It's tricky to do, but if we can practice it and roll through the feet and push through the balls of our feet, like we're trying to massage our feet into the floor, in, on slow music, then you're still going to get that in fast music for the leaders, that flat-footed look where you're just kind of shuffling around. Just doesn't look good to me, and we'll, Get onto that with costumes later on because I'm a big, believer of proper dance shoes because of exactly that with the leaders kind of shuffling around. So, so that's feet. Obviously still thinking about feet sickled, or parallel feet doesn't look good all the time. This is a dance form. Slight, very slight turnout is what we're looking for and it also helps our knees kind of direct the direction in the Correct way. It's a very slight ton out, especially for the followers. Walking forward that very slight sickle. Just doesn't look good to me in my opinion. I'm going to keep saying that because I want you to know that this is I'm very aware. This is just my opinion. One thing I think and as I say this one's going to be a bit more candid. This one this this podcast I'm going to be a bit more. Yes, it's my opinion but then I'm going to talk about what I think about swinging a lot judging in swing I think what we do in West Coast Swing, is we all teach so much? We create what we believe and then we teach it like that is west coast swing. And unfortunately, isn't I always say this, I teach out of go dance where there's Gary, there's Susan, there's Tommy there's Sarah there's David there's all of these people that teach West Coast Swing and I can't teach my student and tell them that that is West Coast Swing. I have to tell That's the way I do it but there's other ways. And unfortunately, what I feel like in West Coast Swing is a lot of the teachers will teach and say, this is West Coast Swing. This is how you do it. So that is why I'm saying in my opinion because I accept there's many other ways to do these things and actually they look great and sometimes I will mark them well, but it's just, as I say, there is no syllabus in West Coast, Swing. So then moving up to the knees. I like to try and dance to see, dancing on straight. Legs. I like personally to when my dancing is a bit straighter and there's energy through the back of the knees. We have to be careful, not to hyperextend but followers walking forward. I like to see that straight leg on the and of the six that left leg. Push off of a straight left leg. Find a straight leg on the right leg. Keep that straight push through and then my sugar push on a follower is a straight leg on the three. If you choose to bend, it is exactly that. It's a choice. Tibet and I really liked what Gary and Ben said where it's like once the the Champions do that, it's a definite choice. I say to a lot of my followers that go well Brandi does this or so and so does this I say yes but she still feels incredible. Whereas at the lower level you can see when something does not feel incredible anymore or that bend of the leg actually makes you super heavy not just connected. It Sony's leaders, I think, when you hit your positions, I call them windows. When you hit a slingshot, when you hit kind of, I don't know, a behind-the-back, whip into a phrase change. I want to see a nice dance, you position and nine times out of ten or maybe eight times out of 10 that is at one straight leg or two straight legs and your weight into one side. That's what we kind of forget in west coast. Swing that it's a dance form. And unless we're choosing again, there's that. That word choice to do something different or quirky or specifically to bent legs or specifically hip-hop. Then unfortunately, I want to see you look like a dancer. And I want to say this, I might have said it already. This isn't what I think I do. This is what I look for the perfect West Coast. Swing dancer is what I'm striving for. So when I see videos or pictures and I've got two bent legs and I don't look like a dancer. Gosh, annoys me. So So so much in my own dancing. Then hips, I think our belt buckles are kind of lower Center is where we connect from. So even though I say hips, I don't want us to just stick out our bums. I want us to kind of take a whole spine away from each other to connect. I like to prepare the foot the ball of the foot on the six and then take our centers away from each other on the end. So we're reversing into the connection. As I say, this is very, very specific, very, very complicated for a lower level dancer, but I've seen people do this in lower levels, so that's why I don't go out to a newcomer or a novice and say, okay, I'm just looking for timing. No, I'm looking for the perfect swing dancer and then I have to subtract all I'm looking for or purely. Just look round the floor for the person that happens to be doing most of it or any of it. And that's no. Spect to newcomers. Believe me, I've judged it events where the advanced, no one in the advanced dancers are doing a connecting, how I would like them to, in my opinion. So that's that's the connection on the 6th and I like to think of a fixed point or I should say I like to see a fixed point in the middle of the two bodies. I'd like to think that in the middle of the middle of the middle. And then just before that one happens, the leader goes away from the center and the follower goes away from the center as Out to create an extra Crescendo talking of that. Crescendo, I love, I can't remember who it was. That told me this, when I first came in to swing looking for connection on the for, and I look for that, I look for the couple's to be looking for connection on the for doesn't have to be fully connected kind of a six, or a five out of ten. Then the crescendo goes to a 6, or a 7 or an 8 out of 10 now, can I see that? Yes. Is it easy to see? Not necessarily but that's team work for me. If you're both looking to connect before, you really need to Crescendo, that's what I'm looking for. That to me comes under teamwork, when people say, well, what's teamwork? And hey, I can be looking for connection and the person that I'm dancing with isn't, that's not a problem. I don't give up. I just constantly put myself in a body to receive her weight before she goes for it. I see it constantly when the leaders not Ready for the white and or vice versa, the the followers not quite ready for in the leader tries to connect, and they go, well, what does he want? And actually, he's just trying to connect. So that's into the connection. Now, body movement. This is a huge one. Actually, probably the most valuable one to me pulse in the body. This is a dance form. I really, really want to remind you when I'm judging, it's a dance form, Post in the body. What do I mean? If you ever listen, or if you ever is this kind of specific, a music producer plays. You his brand new song or your friend plays, you a song, they love and they sit there. They will Groove to the song. I'm doing it as I speak, they will Groove. They will have something in their body. That's wants you to enjoy that song and like hear what they're hearing, why in West Coast Swing. Well, I know why we don't Groove. We don't have a pulse in Body. And the reason why? Is, because we're so scared of messing everything up that our teachers have told us and whenever I do critiques, especially the lower level. I did one in San Antonio, this year, and a guy came out and he Groove like hell and he danced. And he, he didn't really do much worse. Go swing but he grooved, and at the end I said to him. This is one of the biggest issues for me as a teacher because you've just come out and danced your socks off. But your West Coast Swing, really Lee. I mean, you weren't you're going back on the wrong leg, the timing was off and this is so tricky as a teacher, because I do not want to force you to lose that to improve your West Coast Swing, because that's what I believe we all do as teachers. And I find myself doing it. After a couple of weeks, I might have accidentally gone way too technical with a student and I danced with them and I think, oh, no, I've scared them into, like, oh, well, I can't do this or I can't do that. So then I'll always do a lesson again where it's like, let's just Dance. Let's just get that Groove. Now the thing to remember with this is we can Groove even to an acoustic, mellow, instrumental, whatever song. I don't necessarily need to see it looking like we're doing hip-hop but I still want to see a connection to let's call it the metronome or the beat. I want to see that connection to the song and enjoyment even just in starter step cool. So that does that make sense? So it makes perfect sense. So that's what I think when it comes down to like more Rhythm and musicality in the body. Now when it comes to other musicality definitely phrase changing is extremely important, to me, both from a leader and a follower. I think I can I can really see when the followers aren't aware of phrase changing. I always say like at that end of the pattern and it's sorry at the end of the phrase. The followers just has like ready for the phrase changes the leaders because us leaders is hard to believe but we do get those phrase changes wrong and the good girls I can see fix. I can see add-on or I can see subtract two step just so they can make it there and they're ready to receive that position. Oh that phrase change. I want to see crescendos into phrase changes. I want to see speedups this This is massively when I'm judging All-Stars, the, the speed up into the phrase, change the five, and six and seven, and eight to show me, you're prepared to show me. You've thought about it now. I will like username with this. Someone like Kyle doesn't necessarily do that where he will speed up into it, but he's a freaking genius. He's like just phenomenal at and his knowledge and his Language or I should say his vocabulary of being able to hit those phrase changes within something. He doesn't need to prepare cuz he is a genius with it whereas the rest of us need to prepare and need to set these up and I can tell when the girls aren't ready to receive that you know, or put themselves in a good position. So then kind of going on to other musicality and this comes down to a lot of the followers hit Eating your syncopations, hitting your wording, your vocabulary, your syllables, within the sentence. Let's say but not messing up your partner. And as I say, this is more of a followers thing. I might have said girls a second ago, obviously followers thing, I see this, I actually call it the kind of DJ musicality, where a lot of the DJ's love music so much and I'm not going to name names, but And they're so into the song, when you dance with them, they hit everything and now that's great on a social floor, but in a competition setting, you don't need to be hitting everything you need to. Listen, sometimes now, don't get me wrong, you need to shy, call it show off all of your Basics, never have a dull moment kind of goes to the nine. Second thing that Hugo and Stacy was saying about the judges only get to see you 49 seconds, but there's never a dull moment. Not even just a normal anchor you need to perform like it's the best thing you've ever done on your two walks forward, don't waste them. Do sexy two walks or groovy two walks, but you don't have to be hitting tap tap tap tap tap, you know, every two seconds that looks like you're partnering the music rather than partnering your partner. There has to be some some, what's the word I'm looking for? Some respect to it, some thought to it, some Asians to it. So that's musicality. The perfect dancer will do all of the above when it comes to musicality. Now just some things like that. Where the hands connected a high hand is a definite No-No. My perfect. Swing dancer has a low hand. This comes from, I guess a lot of the leaders, but I really do see followers reconnect with their leader. Hi, they'll offer the hand and it will be high. You can give some weighted NE stew that hand, tiny bit of weight, A Terminus to lower the hand to look relaxed. Cool. Then also things like looking tense in the Just Breath, just try and breathe on that anchor. Try and not look too tense now. There's been questions about smiling. There's been questions about spare hands. This is the obnoxious one with the spare hand. There is no spare hand. It's part of your dance. It shouldn't be perceived as a spare hand that Is how I feel that spare hand. I don't want to look awkward. I want it to look like, it's got this home base. That is a comfortable home base. Like it's constantly moving that that comes down to the performance where you wouldn't do an anchor without a performing spare hand because it's a waste of looking incredible. If you watch the really really good Champions they never ever ever miss an opportunity to show off. Even if it's just on a three and four of a side pass. So you should always be trying to show off. That's using your spare hat. Now smiling. I don't care if you smile or not. I just want you to think about. This is a performance, whether it's like, engaging with your partner, whether it's just taking a smile to the front to the crowd to even if it's not in a spotlight. Every so often, I just don't want you to look bored. I don't want you to look scared. I don't want. Look like you've given up, I see that constantly especially when you I can see you're not in a mood with your partner. That's when you I can see the give up face the focus in face. That's what I'm I'm not expecting in any Division. I want you to look happy and to to believe in your dance. So I think that probably some, well there's actually a couple of things. I kind of I guess specific for each Roll that I maybe should have put in earlier on. So once we've connected through the the centers and sorry to jump around, I just feel I would be annoyed myself. If I don't say this the leaders have to go somewhere to give directional intend. This is a huge one, don't just pop that bum back and the followers come forward. Why? Because they know they walk on the right foot on the one. I want to lead, I'm going to mention Kyle again, our, he sponsored this podcast, if he he's He moves back like an inch two inches, but he's moving somewhere. He is not just like pretending for fashion, that his bum goes back into that hitch. Like, I want to see the leaders move away from that Center Point somewhere that creates the followers direction to move forward. So that's very important leaders. Your now watch people and maybe me, occasionally, where it's just the pop of the bum out and I I wish I could name names for you to go and watch. Don't you dare tell me to in the comments of this? And then, let's think what else is there? Oh yeah, All Stars. This is the biggest question I get or the most common question. I get from Advanced dancers or All-Stars. How do I get into Champions or how do I become someone in the inner Community? Let's say, or in this dance form and champions say as well. Who I make finals or bring something different. So all of the above is my most of it is my vanilla incredible West Coast, Swing dancer. If I just wanted to create a robot right? And then I would go okay this is my robot this is my blank canvas. I've got 10 of these in front of me this is an analogy I've never thought about but I'm going with I would give robot one some ballet. I Give robot to some pop in. I would give robot 3, the ability to do high kicks. Robot for something else. Okay, of run out, that's then at the end of the analogy, but do you see where I'm going like, have you and if you haven't got you, which is possibly the people that have not done any other Dance Training or something like that. Then there is a problem and that doesn't mean you can't find You. But you cannot just focus on West Coast Swing, because guess what? You are just going to look like the robot I've created and that everyone else is creating a little bit of Bend Mo a little bit of Robert, a little bit of Kyle that doesn't create a Speaker 2 superstar or someone that people want to dance. Like so this is my advice create you once ordering you create in your perfect West Coast, Swing dancer. So what can you bring to the The table Europeans do this very well, especially the French they bring stuff from other dancing to marinate their swing and to create their perfect West Coast Swing product. Oh, and before I move on and I promise, I'm moving on to the questions West Coast. Swing is three different songs which means it's three different styles dance in different styles, the slow one. I want to see you dance differently. If I'm judging you and I can't see a difference in your movement from song to song. Hey you're not the perfect West Coast Swing person in my head I really pride myself on. Okay this is blues I'm going to try and dance blues. Oh this is acoustic. I'm going to try and dance. And this is what I'm going to finish on and this is important before I go on to quickfire questions and I'm going to get through all your questions in a matter of minutes dance, your dance do not dance. The dance, your partner is dancing and I know I'm jumping all over the place. I knew this would happen because I didn't make any notes, but I want you to dance, your best dance dip and it's really, it's that that's down to competition for me where Being judged a loan until the final. So if you do teamwork, let's say, teamwork, is you dancing his dance? You are not going to make it through. You need to watch Tatiana dancing, a Pro-Am Jack and Jill. She dances phenomenal. She does not dance, the leaders dance, she dances the dance. How many times do I say, in dance, she dances the dance that he thinks he's leading? Listen to that. I-i'm, not a great follow. But if I Speaker 1 Dance Speaker 2 with a beginner lead. I'm going to look like a superstar dance with them because I'm going to do everything I've just spoken about. I'm not going to suddenly go, oh my God. What's he doing? What's he doing? I'm going to put myself in the position. He thinks he's putting me in, not the one he is and vice versa is a leader. If you're coming forward on the one, if you're yanking me on the for, I'm not going to let it affect me and go to safety mode. I in a competitive sense I have to overcompensate and really try and tend it feeling incredible. So to practice that dance, all your Basics over and over and over by yourself. But perform them. Don't just go through the motions because I believe me, the person next to you is we going super confident? Even though he's she or he is holding onto someone's hand, that they're not necessarily feeling. Okay? I might add on to that because in like three seconds time, I'm going to think of something else because I should have written notes. How awful is this? Let's go on to your questions. So in no particular Speaker 1 order has the way you've judged changed over time Speaker 2 massively, because the more I develop and I'm going to keep using this analogy. I know it's boring, the more I develop my perfect robot. The more specific is what I want my perspective of what I want is so specific. I can see it quicker and quicker. And to be honest, let's let you into a little secret. This is a massive reason why I did this podcast is cuz I don't believe that every single west coast swing judge knows exactly what they want. So then they're swayed by Flash and trash. Let's say I, you know, you know what I mean. So then it's easy if I don't know specifically what I want. When I see something really different or flashy, and the crowd, go crazy. It's easy to get sidetracked or brainwashed, so that Is I think one of our main problems in West Coast, Swing is, is the judges not being not necessarily knowing what they think they want. And that will probably cover some questions coming up. So I hope that answered that. Do you think judges go back and compare sheets? Well, Hugo and Stacy do Susan and I do do I think we do it with each other? Definitely not. I think that is something that would make this a lot better if we would all get into a room. And talk about it because then I could say to one of the judges that put so-and-so in first, that had terrible technique. Okay, like, explain to me why that was more valuable and more of a priority to you. And I'm not saying tell me why, you did this. What I'm saying is I want to know because guess what they could they could say. Well, do you know what? No one else is 12 on straight. Legs was good enough to battle that in crate, incredible creativity, and flashy, move there. It. Does that make sense? Makes perfect sense. Do I like judging? I love judging obviously the events where there's many, many Heats. It's tricky to stay motivated. Let's say throughout all of them, but I enjoy judging, I enjoy judging followers more than leaders because I genuinely feel because I teach more followers. I have a very specific thing of what I expect is actually funny. Because obviously, I am a leader but followers, I can I can break it down Within In three or four seconds and in a starter step, if you're not taking your Center away from your leader, I've heard many teachers say to ask judges for feedback, like even just going up and asking at the event, obviously, but can a private is the best way, but is this advice really meant for like novice Jack and just definitely ask for feedback. I would say though hundred percent ask for feedback but don't expect a specifics because, as I just say, we've judged Millions, well, Tens of people that day. I'm always amazed. I have students come up to me. Go. So, and so said this, at the end, I go, when did you ask him? And they go on the Sunday night and they had competed on the Friday and they get some feedback. And sometimes, I guess it's right, but other times, I feel like it's generic, one thing. I will, I will say to people, oh, I don't remember you, but I will for absolutely free. If you send me a video, I'll give you a quick note, a quick voice note, because I think that is another Teachers are the judges will not agree with this? I think that's fair because I've judged you. You know, you've paid for that contest. I think it's fair, and as I say other judges will be fuming with me saying this, but if I can't remember you specifically, I kind of owe you that that I want to be able to give you at least one thing to take away, okay? I Vern, who's left lots of questions throughout this series? Thank you, dude. Since since shoes to affect things like footwork, exactly. What's the point of dressing up? Lead or follow interesting question. When was the last time we dressed up to dance to Usher a Pit Bull or other pop artists? Do we do it to go to the club. Very interesting question. I like this question now I have a very strong opinion on this and it might be different to what you expect. I see. I swing dancing is a swing dance for me. Let where's it come from share. I mean, Lindy Hop. And all of those those sort of dancers, the umbrella and I want to Show respect to that dance. Yes, we've moved on, but we've still come from a swing dance. So, I don't think the it's that weird to expect us to dress up for this dance to wear a button-up shirt to wear slacks or like the jeans, the straight leg jeans, the skinny jeans. Just don't work for it for me. So, as a judge, I'm pretty harsh and I will Use that very quickly as a decide. Okay, that's a shame. He's got sneakers on like I'm Fray go Ambassador Glenn Dash dance for a 10% discount. I will not unless I haven't had time to go and change. We're fuegos to competing because their sneakers, I will wear dance shoes. Now, I'm from a hip-hop background. My hip, my swing might be better if I danced in sneakers but it's still against my belief of what West Coast Swing is. As I say, it's just my belief. Chief. I have been around swing for about 20 years, so even though, I've only been competing it for like five or six years, maybe I just have an older School approach which is or an older School view, which is strange, I guess moving on because otherwise I could talk about that for ages. I personally like dressing up, but in my own way I've heard this point but up before in the podcast I would like to reach an answer that balances. That is easy for a person to Dancing. Yeah. So I think I kind of just answered that. I personally think Every I like dressing up, respecting the origin of the dance. Whoo, why is fashion? Trust being rewarded? I think I covered that. Jesse, I do I think people judges don't necessarily know what they want. So then they're easily swayed by the crowd. Why is arm lie to be real being rewarded? Wow, I feel some bitterness here again. I think it I think it's not as easy to necessarily see Yeah, I don't know why specific things are being rewarded. I do think not all the judges. Necessarily have a clear idea of what they expect. Now, one thing I would like to say from dancing with all these different incredible. People around the world is, they don't all connect the same. So I love awaited connection, you Speaker 1 can probably tell that by things I've said, but then you dance with someone from a different state or a different country. And they don't necessarily want Speaker 2 that. So they'll be judging differently. It's kind of what I say this is a single person's opinion and I'm not expecting the judges next to me to judge the same. But one thing I do think is we all have a similar outcome with the way swing looks. So like I like speak to Susan about oh, she'll tell me. Speaker 1 So and so feels like this but yet. So and so Speaker 2 feels like this talking about leaders but yet it all still looks. Let's say right for want of a better word. So that's what I want you to know that. We're judges all still want it to look like Swing Swing, or still looks very similar in the characteristics. So, if what you're doing is completely different to me, or what I want is a judge, but it still looks, right? I would still mark it. Well, even if I can see that, it's not as weighted as I would like in. Swing robot. So that's one thing to think about the all around the world, it still looks very similar. Swing doesn't vary that much in the look okay, defining swing content to me as I say it's the look of Swing, That's That Swing content. For me, I Speaker 1 believe that really all Speaker 2 we've got to base wing content and is recognizable moves. That's What I've I've kind of based it on is like oh if I see something that looks like a whip resembles, a sugarpuss resembles a side pass, I'm happy Speaker 1 to class it as swing content. Obviously, if it's Speaker 2 adding a triple Speaker 1 step within that Rhythm, I Speaker 2 didn't mention triple steps at the beginning, I do not care about triple steps, maybe that's a good reason why I didn't mention it. Triple steps on your anchor. If you're doing everything that we spoke about above I don't need to see a triple to That Andrew power, what the different perceptions of quality of movement? I feel like the definition change depending on the judge will definitely? Yeah, I mean that's kind of the point of this, that everyone's definition, depending on the judges background quality of movement mines that pulse in the body and that foot pressure will create good quality and movement if you're shuffling around, it's not going to be good quality of movement. If the follows aren't shifting weight on the and in between the 1 and 2 and the quality of, Of movement looks stunted or staccato. Speaker 1 So that's my definition. But the point of these podcast isn't to Speaker 2 create one quality of movement, saying that every judge says, is just to give you an insight into these minor minor case study of judges and in season 2 will be interviewing more judges and having more opinions thrown into the pot. I'm not sure how to phrase this question in the best way. This is Kaylee, can we address how the judge is spread their? Yes, no alternate between Heats this is Interesting. So, in Hip Hop, I used to I set up a organization and it used the brakes, a judge's. Bring back 10 from two or five from each, right? So that means five dances from each heat. Now, the reason they say 10 from two or five from each, it's to give the judges and idea that this is five from each, but that would be completely unfair. So, I think the raw score way of doing it is the fairest then going back afterwards. And if you happen to Have two dancers at 60 62, then there's an issue you have to try and do it from memory, but yes, we definitely shouldn't be doing six yeses from the first heat and six years is from the second heat. So yes. And then I see underneath Steven has said, using tablets, it kind of helps this, so that's, that's my opinion. We definitely shouldn't be bringing back even numbers. This podcast is going on time wise, but I want to get through these questions. So I'll make sure I tell you. This is Speaker 1 To be a long one Speaker 2 for judges that believe strongly in specific criteria for each level. Why don't we post them very true? I mean absolutely, I agree when I do country, comps, bar comps my suggestion and it's become a thing is the judges to tell the dancers what they're looking for, in a brief video beforehand. I agree, I've received conflict in guidance on keeping the leg straight. When Pros perform it hardly looks like the even straighten the leg, is this the set? Well, yeah, I kind of went through this learn It with your leg straight because that is the normal. Let's call it my opinion of normal swing, then we can choose to break the rules. Do you judge a jack-and-jill differently than strictly swing personally? No, because of my to swing robots. But I have heard judges say they expect a bit more togetherness and teamwork and organization in strictly, but personally, I don't, Speaker 1 I listen to all the episodes. This is Lila with the Speaker 2 varying opinions between judges. What actions can a dancer take to get Corrections? So, they can be better next time. Speaker 1 Interesting, I always tell my students, Speaker 2 don't worry about what the judges think. They're stupid. People are stupid clipboards that's, that's a Speaker 1 quote, from a from a student, but work out. Your favorite teacher, your coach and work with them. Choose three things. Before every competition that you want to achieve straight legs, hitting the phrase change, dancing, your your arm, that's not connected. David and then you can judge that when you come back to your teacher the following week or the following lesson, do not base it on the yes. No or maybe he's from the judges because you could dance again the next day with those exact same judges and it'd be a different result, you could dance with a different panel and it'd be a different result in a different spot of the dance floor, and it be a different result. So you need to decide what you want to improve on and that I promise you will. Do you better in the competition in the long run? Anyway, Automatic know, like a judge watches, an individual power for 5 or 10 seconds, kind of all of these things above. Oh, one thing, guys, don't put your hand behind your back on spins. I don't know why annoys me so much. Don't put your hair behind your back on your spins. If you're doing a one hand, I mean, a one foot spin and you tuck your left hand behind your back. It's something that I do not like and I promise you, I would say majority judges have these things and it's just unfortunate if you do them to me. It's despair. Arm thing. This isn't like a wall store, a ballroom, or a formal dance. I don't need to tuck my hand behind my back unless it's choreography. And then followers would be stealing stuff just before the phrase change an automatic. Know if I see an All-Star couple do that in a spotlight. If the follow a steals something just before the phrase change to stop the leader set up. It's an automatic. No okay. Wendy, one of my students here in Austin. I'm very curious if having physical hindrance in upper Those have not been able to do some of the more acrobatic move. Does it affects someone long run? I would say no, you just need to work out your version of it. So if a leader tries to lead you in it, you need your get out. Something that doesn't look like an abort. It looks like, hey, this is what I know you wanted and then I believe it. What if judges final decision between who gets what is the judges final decision? I think it's feeling now, that is a pathetic answer, but I will watch two couples. That. And at this happens, a lot as followers and intermediate and advanced you look around. You're like gosh all six of these. All ten of these are really similar. You're like holy like these are all just say me. You just have to go on feel. Who makes you feel good when you're watching now? That could be smiling. Like I know that sounds sounds silly but it could be just like enjoyment. It could be the pulse in your body. So it just comes down to a feeling in the end which I know is a bit namby-pamby answering How many injuries did Pros have millions? If you're not injured at you probably haven't competed enough and I'm talking routines. I mean, if you're a pro and you don't have an injury or you don't have a reoccurring, something that happens. I'll my big toe always hurt. So my. So and so I'm amazed amazed how much just compensate for your partner account in prelims? I get the compensation idea, but dance, your dance. I think you should be able to dance, an incredible dance holding onto a broomstick, both leaders and followers. So if you suddenly change your dancing because you don't feel, you're getting yanked on, you need to learn to handle that. Yank, you need to learn to handle that and that soft lead and still make it look, incredible. Film yourself, doing your sugar push left side, tucked on right side as a line, dance and make it. Look incredible. How do you adjust your judging? Hey, Brittany for Body types. Personally. This is interesting. This is something I have even come to learn from this podcast. It's never even crossed my mind as a judge. I promise you, if I look at a taller girl, it doesn't even cross my mind. Oh, she's lucky. Because she's got better lines or a smaller go. Oh, they're lucky. Because their center of gravity is lower. I'm judging on this robot and I'm expecting, everyone can do this. I mean, look at Emily. My partner. We've had to work with her and she's had to work on this because she's so small, but she's still trying to fulfill her belief of Swing within that. She doesn't just go, oh well I can't do it. So I'm going to do this. She still gets her butt back. She still gets connected so it doesn't bother me. I don't look at Emily different. How I would look at Mackenzie from what I expect from them. I just accept that they have to do it in different ways. Okay. Does the crowd reaction? Affect people different placements. Yes, I think so because you want in spotlights people to bring the audience in. So if the crowd react and it's probably because they bought the audience in and been actually kind of added to this, where it's like the crowd I react in that way because they've had a good dance. So yes. And no, does it affect it? Yes. But if they were silent, it probably means that it wasn't a good dance. Anyway, if you're judging two couples one, couple has a dress. Average lead an average follow follow. Does your judging lean towards the average couple or the mixed pair so it said sorry I didn't read that that. Well if you are judging two couples one, couple has an average lead and average follow. And the other couple has a really good follow, and a really weak lead. Does your judging lead, interesting question. So I mean, it's very specific that question, and I would say the, the if Lead or whichever one was really weak is so weak. It's not going to look good anyway that I would put I wouldn't put them in last maybe where he or she would have got without a good follow but I'm not gonna I'm not going to reward that other person that much there's only so far. You can pull someone up unless you're incredible because that does happen. Do judges see Regional or event type variation, how much follows are permitted? Yeah, well actually, I don't know. No, I just think we see variation in it. In what's rewarded? I love the follower suggesting constantly. Now notice I say suggesting because if they hijack, that's different, but I want to see the followers suggest I want to see the followers stay Speaker 2 away from the lead or a tiny bit longer. The amount of times followers say to me, hey, I was pulled the whole dance and I go cuz you are ready to be pulled you gave him your anchor looking straight at him like this perfect follow. I want to see you suggest up. So personally I'm the wrong person to ask for regional because I don't know where I am in the country half the time it's always really funny. When people say to me all I do terrible on the west coast I'm like we in the west coast. Now what's so I've got no idea on the region of stuff but no I just think different teachers or different judges want different things. I like to think of this dance now is like, yes, 60% I'm leading 40 percent. You can suggest I've still but Much of the belief lead and follow and then every so often, I want the follower to suggest so much. It goes like, 55, 60 percent of what they're suggesting, what role does the number of songs play on the judging process? Very interesting point. God, I'm going on. I'm so sorry. I believe, if we wanted the fairest contest, we shouldn't play three, contrasting songs until finals. We should do three of the same songs because if I'm judging 30 people on the floor, And I get the first song to look at 10 people. The second song to look at 10 people. The third song to look at ten people, I'm judging them to different genres. Now, yes, that would be boring to hear all day long. So I'm not saying we do that, but if we wanted the fairest way of judging, that's what I think, would be the fairest, and no one ever mentions that which is funny to me, but yeah, so it does have a huge if I'm judging you via Blues on that. Third song is kind of unfair. Interesting to hear more about dress code. I've kind of been through that dress nicely in my opinion as a judge respect for the dance. I don't want to see ripped jeans or sneakers because it just doesn't it doesn't work out for your dancing, but it also doesn't really help your look of the of your respect that was badly. Written badly word is because I was reading the next question. If this judge could Implement a change to make for the better experience. Okay. Songs. Would kind of be it, to be honest. I kind of went through. That is there? Particular genre of music you prefer to judge competitors on. Well, I like judging kind of what we just saying, I like judging on different genres because I want you to put a different hat on, for the different genres by think it would be fair if I got to see every dancer to each genre? Does each judge have a different standard of quality movement? And I think you've asked that one or maybe I took a picture twice. I'm told, judges only consider the student in a Pro-Am event. Yes, that is 100% true as I'm shaking my head. Of course, I need to see What I like in swing from the leader that's leading this amateur or vice versa. So yes we're judging the am but we'll letting the pro effect that am for one of a better explanation. So it's impossible to judge, just judge one part of a picture, if the rest of the picture is incredible or not, very good. If that makes sense. Does a competitor's age factor in? Nope. Exactly the same as the the sizes and the different body types. No, I've never thought about age once. Do I believe that maybe other judges do without getting too controversial? Possibly, I think it comes down to that element of flashy and trashy and fun, and not really knowing what you're looking for. So then someone I call it confident wiggling. Can brainwash you a bit where James, when a leader or a follower dancers in a prelim, but the numbers are not even and they dance twice. Do they get judged twice? Good question. I think it's They don't get judged twice. No, they shouldn't get judged twice, but obviously if a judge hasn't quite decided, then it's potential that they will get looked at. Again, I believe. Is that unfair, I'll let you decide I'm very uncontroversial. As you can tell, Susan, warned me to not say anything that would get me in trouble. Is it okay to ever just feed us feedback? Yes, 100%. Okay, we got one more question. I'm going to keep this short is there. Any point. Sorry as a certain pervert have you enjoyed compared to similar to be protocol that was from Mike that was just an enjoyment one. It wasn't a question. I just wanted to boost my ego Speaker 1 and that concludes episode Speaker 2 8 series 1. Thank you. Once again, guys, I hope you enjoyed this series. Join the Facebook group and I will see you very soon.