Swingdancefan

Henry and Evan talk about how they communicate, and more.

Maybe in natural conversation. But people talk differently in competition.

Spoken like someone who hasn't experienced a speech and debate tournament. Two weeks ago, we started at 3 pm Thursday, had four debate rounds, plus two hours of "just for fun" debate, started at 7 the next morning with 7 hours of Congress, then another round of debate and two of speech events, back at it on Saturday morning at 8 for four more rounds of debate and six of speech. Awards started at 11 pm. Not only do you need all the speaking and analysis skills, some of the speech events can be very physical, and you're running all over campus to get to your various competition rooms. One of my team members was all-conference center on the football team and is an Academic All-American in speech and debate; another was cross country captain. They'll both tell you that speech is harder.

Was I the only debate geek who noticed the closeup on Evan doing the classic pen spin this week? Yes? Okay, carry on.

It's a debate term, too.

I don't get it either, and if they try it when I'm judging, they get marked down. I think the underlying cause is that they want to get as much information out as they can in the time allowed, so their opponents can't rebut every point they make. If a point goes unrebutted, you win that part of the argument. Topic: we were so hoping these two would do the lecture detour tonight. As debaters, they are used to listening to the details, and they would have rocked that task.

Coming out of lurkdom just because I coach high school speech and debate. The speed-talking is called spreading and I hate it. In a competition that's all about communication, this isn't communication. Its especially prevalent in policy debate, and it's why we say policy debaters have no souls. Also, in policy debate, everything leads to nuclear war. They sound so zealous because, even though they are prepared to debate either side of the topic, the side they're debating this round is obviously the one they really believe in! Someone in an episode thread expected them to sound more intellectual because they're debaters. If you get them on a case topicl they totally will. You should hear my kids discuss Catalan independence right now.

Luka and Jenalyn had some mad tricks. BUT. where was the dance? Luka waved his arms a few times, but the only reason he was on that stage was to be Jenalyn's forklift. DNA, despite the mishap, danced. They had a beautiful melding of a variety of dance styles. They were cheated. REAL cabaret, by recent national Dancesport champs, so you can see what it should look like.