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Competition moves
What sort of moves excite you in a competition (like a national or international competition)? Extreme strength or flexiblilty moves? Signature or new moves? Is there any kind of move you've never seen done, but would like to? What are some of your favorite moves from past competitions?
As for me, I like new and signature moves. I especially enjoy moves that have a balance of strength and flexibility. For instance, I enjoy watching Anastasia Skukhtorova's photos of new moves- for example, this one: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3517993968916&set=a.1987280662040.80543.1844025801&type=1&theater
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5 Replies
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I cannot say that any particular style of move excites me but the execution is what does it. I was just as in awe of Felix's elbow stand back bend and Alethea's slow sultry moves as I was in Becca Butchers drops or Samantha Star's strength. Most of what puts me in awe is entries/exits from moves that I never thought were possible or things that make me go back and watch it 15 times just to figure it out. I remember last year Marlo had a performance where she was wrapped in saran wrap and she did this split grip shoulder mount thing that just totally floored me. I would never have thought an entrance like that was even possible, let alone done with such ease.
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I'm more interested in the performance and musicality than the specific moves. Anybody can get up and dance around with music in the background. It is something else entirely to embody the music with your movement.
Honestly, the most memorable moments in routines, for me, are often moves we would call transitions rather than tricks. Like when Steven Retchless "plucked" the pole in his Pole Art routine last year. And when Kristy Sellars first interacts with the pole in her Syndey Pole Show 2012 routine. Also her badass jump / drop / roll combo in the same routine. I don't remember much else about those routines except that they were cool.
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I totally agree with Kasanya! It's not the brute strength or difficulty of the move, it's executing it so it's part of a bigger picture in the music. I was at the Canadian nationals last year and it was amazing but I ended up feeling like a lot of pieces were "Here. This is my best trick. This is my next best trick. This is my most flexible trick." rather than a performance.
Originality is big too. Sometimes certain moves are in vogue and every single number you will see has the same move, and a similar combo so it's more exciting to see somone dig into older moves that they can execute really well. Same goes for overall theme. I loooved Natasha Wang's tribal piece from Pole Art 2012 because you just don't see people commit that muc to an idea and then execute it flawlessly. Ditto for Steven's Pole Art piece.
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I definitely agree on execution. The way you move through combinations is what makes the dance so unique to you! I also just love seeing those creative new movements built off of a move that maybe everyone recognizes. That's one of the reasons I always try to "create" something new when I choreograph for a competition – even though it usually isn't new, I know it is at least something not seen EVERYWHERE and something that I built while in the moment of my song.
I also thing a big factor about a performance is in the rhythm, the rise and fall, where the dancer speeds up vs. slows it down and extends.
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And how a dancer works within the BEAT of the music itself.
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