|
 Spirit
of Cooperation
By Anne L. Silveri
The launch of the Federation of Dance Competitions
Fall is a time to start the new dance season with energy and
enthusiasm. For many studio owners it’s also the time to
consider which competitions to attend. Then the dreaded
paperwork starts. But what if your favorite competition
companies are coming to your city on the same weekend?
Historically, applying to multiple competitions has been a
complicated, tedious process. Rather than one set of rules,
each competition can have its own parameters for group sizes,
age requirements, and so on. The process can wreak havoc for
studio owners who had hoped to streamline their competition
season. Well, if you’re one of them, you can relax—your life
is about to get easier.
A new coalition has come to the rescue: the Federation of
Dance Competitions (FDC). The seven-member organization’s
mission is “to enhance the studio director/dance teacher’s
competition experience by normalizing rules, simplifying the
pre- and post-competition experience, as well as consistently
insuring safe and well-run events.” Designed with the studio
owner in mind, the FDC attempts to standardize all the
elements that can differ from company to company, like age
range, time limit, and group size.
“Registration can be a nightmare for teachers who go to four
or five competitions a year, which is the norm in most parts
of the country,” says Gary Pate, FDC’s vice-president and
owner of Starpower. “As a former studio owner, I’ve been on
both sides of the fence and can bring that perspective to the
group.”
Making the registration process easier for studio owners means
freeing them to concentrate on their students’ dancing rather
than paperwork. “Ultimately we want to create the best
possible experience for the performer,” says Steve Wappel,
owner of StarQuest and an FDC member. “Having a more
streamlined application process will trickle down to the
performer.” With better dancing as an end goal, the spirit is
win–win for all.
According to Pate, the FDC is long overdue. The lack of
universal competition guidelines among the industry’s 100-plus
companies has given it a less-than-stellar reputation. “It’s
been 25 years of helter-skelter, so it’s time to implement
some parameters,” says Pate. “The customer has choices, and we
want to be the elite.”
Kent Helton of Nexstar concurs. “Sports and gymnastics have
had this [kind of structure] in place for years. All over the
U.S., [in football] a first down is on the 10-yard line. Why
can’t dance competitions have the same kind of rules?”
Although standardization of rules is a major thrust of FDC, in
no way is the group trying to homogenize the dance competition
field. “We will all keep our unique personalities and have no
plans to discuss trade secrets,” Wappel says.
“We have different business models that have brought us each
our own brand of success, and we intend to keep those
distinct,” Pate says. “This is not a franchise.” The current
FDC roster includes Starpower (Pate and Grace Wakefield),
K.A.R. Productions (Rick Lands), Nexstar (Helton), Rainbow
Connection (Vikki Anthony), StarQuest (Wappel), Applause (Mary
Ann Weisbrod), and PrimeTime Dance and Showbiz (David
Westerfield).
The FDC wants to attract members with staying power who will
uphold the highest ethical and moral business practices. To be
considered for membership, a company needs to have been in
existence for five years and must be able to comply with the
basic standards, such as safety mea sures.
Membership fees go toward a salary for a commissioner, who
will ensure that each member maintains the standards. The
commissioner, to be appointed in the near future, will be an
outside person with vast knowledge in the field but without
affiliations in any member group.
The FDC story began quite casually when Helton suggested that
a few companies get together to plan dates in the major
cities. “It just didn’t make sense to have three companies in
Detroit one weekend with nothing happening the next weekend,”
he says. “I’m a down-to-earth guy—why not communicate this
kind of basic information that will make all of our lives
easier?” The discussions got them talking about more than just
schedules. Soon a meeting was scheduled and competition
history was in the making. “People left their egos back home
and really got to work,” says Helton about that first meeting.
“We had similar problems and complaints, all of which are in
the process of being fixed.”
Wappel claims that Helton’s goodhearted instincts got the ball
rolling. “There was something so unassuming and caring about
[his] approach; [it] established an atmosphere of trust that
has continued to grow,” he says. “He initiated a spirit of
cooperation that has spurred us onward. Helton presented his
ideas so innocently and sincerely that [the coalition] just
took off. He was the right man in the right place and became
the glue that brought us all together.”
Some of the standards for FDC membership have been set, and
most have to do with providing a safe environment. Although
the requirements seem basic, they are not standard in the
industry. Now, at
FDC-affiliated competitions, a marley floor and rosin must be
available, along with a backstage first-aid kit, adequate
dressing rooms, a good sound system (no boom boxes allowed),
and stage managers. Other mandates include a “no water
onstage” rule, a size limit on props, and a closing time prior
to 10:30 p.m. on Sundays. “All of these standards will make it
easier on teachers and put the parents at ease,” says Pate.
“Eventually we hope to have an iPod interface handy as well.”
The judging process is another hot topic. The FDC recommends
that judges be selected from three possible backgrounds:
successful studio owners; independent, well-known teachers;
and experienced performers. Although the judging structure
will differ among members, there is some talk of standardizing
that as well, and Pate envisions a judging clinic in the
future. Discussion about implementing a compulsory category
(in which certain dance
movements would be mandatory) also surfaced. Age-appropriate
costuming and choreography
is another issue on the table, as is the development of a
college scholarship fund. “We want to give back to the field,”
says Helton. “It’s a slow process, but I was amazed at how
willing everyone was to get down to work.”
Pate, Wappel, and Helton all describe the fledgling
organization’s discussions as lively and, at times, funny. “We
have so many of the same stories,” says Wappel. “All this time
I thought certain situations were just happening to me.”
Meetings contain a healthy dose of laughter, especially when
it comes to all the gossip they have heard about each other,
and the camaraderie has made the process both productive and
informative. “We are all competitors, yet we can sit around
this table and have a wonderful conversation,” says Wappel. He
leaves the meetings both drained by the sheer amount of work
to be done, and energized by how much the group can accomplish
with its collective desire to make a better experience for
all.
The FDC members share similar values in their wish to provide
the best experience for performers and teachers. All involved
expect membership to expand as time goes on. The plan is to
start small but strong with a clear vision in place. Wappel
sums up the common thread: “to simply do a better job and
improve performance conditions.” He adds, “We wanted to launch
with the most important issues first. We have a lot of topics
to be discussed as time goes on.”
The FDC is wasting no time in getting off the ground. In only
three meetings the members hashed out standards and
brainstormed about the future. A website is up (www. the
dancersfederation.com), and joint advertising opportunities
and an FDC national event are already in the works. “We see it
as a national of the nationals, a best of the best,” says
Wappel. “So often high-ranking dancers and studios don’t know
how they compare with their peers. Now they will have a
chance.” The FDC national competition is slated for fall of
2008, after the individual members’ nationals have concluded.
A special point system, which will be put in place this coming
year, will determine who gets to attend. The FDC will create a
special award for the top studio as well.
The future looks bright for school owners who take their
students to competitions. The goals the FDC has set for itself
are ambitious but doable, and its can-do members are willing
to take charge and make important changes in the field. Wappel
imagines that in a few years the registration process will be
completely standardized, with an online application that can
be modified via a password, much like state college
applications. Lose a dancer, gain a number—no problem. All can
be adjusted in an easy online process.
“The teacher has enough on her plate; why not make it easier?”
says Pate. “It’s about time we raised the bar for this
industry.”
Send
Page To a Friend
|
