Competitions

Sometimes, the Best is Right at Home

By Uzo Wamuo

Even when I was new to the world of ballroom, I began to develop biases as to how competitions should be run, mainly by observing the visuals as well as the volunteers. For example, Ballroom Blast was a great way to prepare for an official competition. The music was diverse and modern, while the participants were welcoming and enthusiastic when it was their time to shine. Also, the volunteers were very positive and seeing them happy made me energetic for the full day of dance. On the opposite side of the spectrum, some other competitions I’ve attended have been very underdeveloped: they were poorly organized, lacked spectators, and the excitement was at an all-time low. However, there was one competition that was beyond what I initially expected it to be. The winner was clearly Dance Fest.

What made Dance Fest better than the others was not only the fact that it was hosted right here in Minnesota, but that it was very interactive, enjoyable, and overall a great way to spend the weekend. Throughout that whole weekend, I saw many competitors dance their heart out to try to win a place in the finals, and I also found myself enjoying (and sometimes winning!) a large number of events myself. Furthermore, Saturday night was filled with the screams and cheers of the crowds rooting for their favorite couples as teams competed against each other in the forever favorite Team Match segment of the weekend. Finally, the volunteers were so involved and enthusiastic that it even increased my own excitement for the rest of the week. By far, Dance Fest is one of my favorite competitions to be a part of.

Many people may think that a collegiate level competition is not up on par with an official, professional-level competition. However, I would have to disagree with that statement. When analyzing Dance Fest, it can be close to the same level of style, enjoyment, and professionalism that a reputable pro-am competition can offer. First, the coordinators of Dance Fest are very diligent in making sure that all competitors are pleased throughout the weekend. They even made it easy for competitors to figure out if they got a call back or not (thank you for multiple monitors). It was obvious that the coordinators put their heart and soul into the competition. In fact, because of that, it improved the overall mood of the spectators and the competitors as well.

In the end, I know that every year a competition can only improve, or I at least hope. However, the fact that Dance Fest left a strong positive image in my mind proves that sometimes the best things are right where you are: at home. If reading this far did not provide you enough information on what I am excited for this spring, I cannot wait for the first weekend of March! I have already got my costume cleaned and pressed and I am ready to greet the new crowd and competitors for this year’s Dance Fest.