[8/9/2010 SteppersUSA Daily News]
Real Contests
By Markie Bee
National Chicago Style Steppers Day
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Five days to go! Do I need to say more?
I've been talking about this for quite a while with friends and acquaintances about steppers contests and I've alluded to it for some time in this column. When it comes down to it all of these contests (as far as the comparison can be made) are not real contests.
The contest is a way for promoters to make some money... period. A real contest has a sanctioning authority. Chicago style stepping has not en masse, recognized a sanctioning authority.
A real contest would be governed by a set of rules set down from that sanctioning authority which would be based on accepted competition guidelines used by other dance competitions where the promotions is a completely separate department within the association (or an outside contractor) and is divorced from the governing body.
This all leads to the question why won't Chicago style stepping embrace a more widely recognized path toward real certification which would be the only legitimate path toward real competitions judged by professionals?
In a real competition (contest) if you miss any part of a basic move, points get deducted. If a competitor dances off beat, points get deducted. If a competitor doesn't smile at all times while doing their routine, points get deducted. If there is a variation from format in any shape or form the competitor gets disqualified. How much of that really happens when we have a contest?

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Continued


The fact is our contests accomplish a couple of things. They provide entertainment to the audiences, they give the participants an opportunity to compete (at some level) to achieve a cash reward and (some sort of) bragging rights. Oh yea... the promoter or the club or bar makes some money to boot.
When it comes down to it with our currently accepted norm absolutely nothing will change because it's all about the Benjamin's. The current crop of instructors won't consider certification because apparently they make enough money (or just don't have the vision to see they could make a hundred times more by legitimating their lot through certification).
Why settle for the shells when you can have the whole nut? Compare a stepping instructors income with a certified hand dance instructors... They have legitimacy, dance studios, and enough money to pay for everything as any legitimate business does. Many have mailing list's with tens of thousands students and former students... they're real educators. What do we have?
The people who claim they want a contest that will produce clearly defined winners in clearly defined categories with rules that don't roll with the changing financial needs of a promoter should be clamoring for these kinds of changes but they don't because it would also mean a quantum shift in the current power structure within the community they themselves are an integral part of. Ego's and wallets forbid it.
There has to be a separation between the fun part of Chicago style stepping and the business part of this industry, but to achieve what the people want they must accept something they don't want to let go of. There is the claim the integrity of the dance would suffer. Let me share a tidbit with you...
The integrity of the dance will be hurt if you DON'T embrace an outside governing body. You have had the opportunity to become a driving force behind a group like the ISA (which does embrace the charter of the Swing Dance Council) but for the most part you've tried to talk about more home grown alternatives instead. (Sometimes you have to look outside for solutions).
Let's face it, in a real sanctioned contest there should be real concern if ANY steppers would be able to get past the first round or two. The fact is there is a whole lot of raw talent in our community but... when they are put on the level playing field with classically trained dancers who have the same core talents but have honed their skills with real instructors (and complete instruction) they won't be able to compete. (Steppers are taught how to count but not how to dance).
So in the end do we actually want a real contest? Right now, today we don't have a choice but what about tomorrow? If you like how things are today, just leave well enough alone but if you want a real contest are you ready to let go of so many things you take for granted today?
The J.E.P. Productions Hotter than July steppers contest is now on sale and can be ordered online here. Or Right Here!

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