The Judging Criteria In Ballroom Dancing

Judging ballroom dancing is difficult business and you need experience to be able to do it well. True, there are a few set parameters on which the couples are rated but in any competition, the relativity factor is very important. Every couple has to also be judged in comparison to the others and this is the tough part.

Let's look at the rateable factors. These are Timing, Posture, Hold, Line, Poise, Presentation, Togetherness and Power and each competition could just have a few more on the list.

Timing is so important. You blow that and you're out. This is why couples practice so much so they can be sure of getting the timing right in their sleep. You just have to be in perfect time to the music.

Posture is equally important. That grace, that elegance just will not be present without perfect posture. If you maintain perfect posture throughout you can also be sure of perfect balance and confidence, both so essential to dancing. Posture requires a lot of practice but what you have in the end is perfection. So you can see just how vital it is to ballroom dancing.

Hold is how your body parts are held, not just yours but both yours and your partner's, during any dance movement. So your arms, legs, feet and body need to be in the right position at the right time. It also has to be in perfect symmetry with your partner's. If you don't follow this, you are said to be breaking your hold and this could lose you quite a few points.

What is also important is Line which is the position of the body right from your head down to your toes. You have to make sure that your line is perfect. It does not matter if it is straight or curved, the lime should be graceful, elegant and right.

Poise of course is what sets you apart as you glide around the room. This certain something that needs to come from within is what makes for smooth dancing. It is the way the body moves upwards and outwards, the way a woman's body moves perfectly into the man's waiting arm, balancing, connecting and making it a graceful movement.

Of course, in today's world, presentation is so important. It is necessary to sell yourselves to those watching, especially the judges. You need to do more than just dance correctly and gracefully. You need to let the expressions show on your face as well. You need to smile, to involve the viewers. This is the packaging that sets today's dancing apart.

Togetherness in ballroom dancing is a given. You and your partner have to move as one. The leading and the following have to be done without any seeming effort and there has to be a total synchronizing of every move.

All judges have their own unique style of judging and different ideas on what is good and what isn't. Some may place a lot of emphasis on presentation while another on technique. These are individual preferences that one cannot really gauge. Of course, this could mean that two judges look very differently at the same couple dancing. However, when it comes to the rateable factors, one hopes that being more tangible, there will be a greater concurrence among the judges.

'Dancing' pros fake it till their stars make it

On “Dancing with the Stars,” the celebrities change each season, but most of their moves remain the same. Of course, that's to be expected in a competition centered around a familiar staple of ballroom standards. Those samba steps and whirling waltzes are strictly by the book.

5Top: Fancy footwork! Top ‘Dancing’ pros

Though he’s never waltzed a celebrity to a win on “Dancing with the Stars,” Ukrainian Latin champ Maksim Chmerkovskiy tops the professional heap. That’s partly due to his taskmaster-like approach to whipping the stars into shape, which allowed him to take both boxing progeny Laila Ali and former Spice Girl Mel B to the finals, and partly due to role as ballroom eye candy. Shallow? Sure! But in a competition that’s as much about form-fitting sparkling pants and tear-away shirts as it is about the perfect paso doble, Chmerkovskiy never disappoints.

Did anyone really stand a chance vs. Kristi?

Another season of “Dancing with the Stars” is over and Kristi Yamaguchi stands victorious. Her expected first-place finish marks the first win for a woman since the show’s premiere year and capped off a season of overachievement from the world figure skating champion. In fact, on finale night, host Tom Bergeron said Kristi raked in more points than any celeb in the show’s history.

The good, bad and cheesy: 'Dancing' hits 100

Tuesday night, the typical "Dancing With the Stars" results show gets a temporary makeover as the program celebrates its 100th episode. Famous faces from seasons past are set to take the floor in the two-hour extravaganza, including season four winner Apolo Anton Ohno and round five's almost-victors, Mel B and pro partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy. Also-rans such as Jerry Springer and Wayne Newton will grace the floor, too, but here's hoping it's in a strictly non-dancing capacity.

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Summer school needn't be a bummer

dozen afternoon electives based on grade levels and interests. Weeklong courses with names such as “Check Mate” or “Dancing with the Stars,” for example, will offer a chance to learn the basics of chess or ballroom dancing. If they're entering