We Get to Be the Judges!

[tessa]

MacKenzie really looked out of place4 in the tap to me. She didn't seem to be using her arms, was off beat and off center more than a few times but it was a cute number.

[sofiah]

Well at least Maddie didn't get second because we all know that's first runner-up *eye roll*

I think that she should be proud of how she placed considering the competition. Must sting a bit to be beaten by Emma since they're both working professional dancers and Abby wont be able to use that as an excuse.

 

 

I think so too!  She did really well.  I think she was pleasantly surprised to make it this far, her face was one of surprise when she was called after the improv.  Very good considering these girls (her and Kalani) are getting no where near as much training as the others right now.  Plus, this was her first time at TDA... I am sure she'll be back next year. 

 

I think Maddie actually has such a different "style" of dancing from these other girls - who are all about showcasing slow, controlled movements and extensions... and I think that being part of this competition has to have had an effect on her in terms of seeing what others are capable of... and since Maddie is a perfectionist (who definitely does not like to loose) hopefully this will motivate her to get back into training so that she too can showcase these things (as well as what she already does so well... I am in no way claiming she should be like the other girls -- just that she could be a little more well-rounded, as could all of the girls!)

 

Mackenzie seemed very excited just to make it to the top 20! It'll be interesting to see if this gets mentioned at all on the show by Abby.    

[Clemgo3165]

Yeah, it seemed like she was concentrating pretty hard on her feet, staying with the group, and hightailing it to where she needed to be next - all the girls were bigger than her body-wise so she had to hustle to get to into place a couple of times. I'm not a huge Maddie fan, but I love watching her tap. She's great at it and seems to derive a lot of joy from it. 

[NextIteration]

I think Mack and Maddie's solos looked horribly out of step with the trend.  Maybe it's good to stick out, but I'm not sure this is the way to go.

 

I don't like the trend, but it's clear that a beautiful leotard and rhythmic gymnastics er contemporary is the trend and it often doesn't serve one well to swim against the stream.

 

eta: I was pretty bored watching the finale, but it was a joy to see the beautifully trained Denise Wall and Joann Chapman dancers.

Edited July 13, 2015 by NextIteration

[NextIteration]

Will Maddie be in the teen category next year?

 

It looks like it.

[Darknight]

Will Maddie be in the teen category next year?

The shoe will try to downplay her age. She turns 13 in September. No more junior division

[NextIteration]

It depends on if they use the September or the January rule.  She'll sneak in under the Jr division if they use the September 1 rule, which some competitions use because traditionally the dance year starts in September sort of like the school year.  (I know, many states start in August.)

 

eta: Over the last year, some of us "dance moms" have addressed that the world changes when Maddie moves to Teen because the competition gets fiercer.  This is when kids decide if dance is just too much and that they want to have a life, or they double down with their commitment, so the kids that are still in studio dance train longer and harder because they "mean it" since it's hard to train 20 or more hours a week and have much else as far as extracurriculars and maintain good grades.

Edited July 14, 2015 by NextIteration

[Darknight]

What is sad is that Maddie doesn't get to make this choice because of her contract.

Maddie doesn't get a choice because of her mother.

[CruiseDiva]

Wow, that group tap number was so sloppy that it was cringe-worthy!

[brokefromdance]

Fourth is the biggest loser, but you've tried your best. The judges were having an off day that's why Maddie didn't win- Abby Lee miller.

 

 

Abby was "not happy" with Maddie's fourth place and the judging or so I've been told by someone who was there. Her daughter was dancing in another age group but saw Abby's reaction. No surprise there though. 

[Clemgo3165]

Training is the key here though. Even professionals with busy careers are still training, Maddie can't quit now if this is what she wants. She comes off as a very driven young lady so I would hope that a 4th place finish would motivate to improve for next year - and there are plenty of places where she can use improvement beyond music and costuming choices.

[NextIteration]

I've also heard that the senior dancers don't do well either in comps

 

That's not my impression but I've never gone looking through results with a fine eye.  I've seen her Srs get Critics Choice etc at NYCDA.  Her studio seems to produce strong boy dancers too.

[Darknight]

Abby was "not happy" with Maddie's fourth place and the judging or so I've been told by someone who was there. Her daughter was dancing in another age group but saw Abby's reaction. No surprise there though.

Abby needs to shove it. Maddie is lucky she came in fourth against other talented dancers.

[tessa]

Abby has tunnel vision when it comes to Maddie. Although I have seen her correct Maddie on camera a few times it's unlike the constant corrections Kalani received from her dance teacher this week. The show has gone to Abby's head and I do think she's delusional in thinking she's the best and her way of teaching is the only way. To her - Maddie is the best and the judges, with years of experience, just don't see that. I also think that she feels Maddie should be given top scores because of who she is and what she's involved in at this time.

 

We've all seen instances where someone who is well known and at the top of their field hasn't preformed well and a nobody surges ahead and beats them - whether it be dancing, skating, gymnastics ect. Abby can not accept that there are just as talented or more talented dancers out there that aren't under her tutelage.

[NextIteration]

At the age when dancers move from Jrs into and through Teens is where the slow and steady dancers start to shine and sometimes overcome the early stars, you see it again and again.

 

I think that the timing of all this travel and the ill-planned (with regard to a steady schedules and teachers) move to LA has slowed the ALDC girls down at exactly the wrong time.

[cali1981]

Abby was "not happy" with Maddie's fourth place and the judging or so I've been told by someone who was there. Her daughter was dancing in another age group but saw Abby's reaction. No surprise there though. 

I'm shocked, shocked I tell you!   Whenever Maddie doesn't win it's because the judges are inept or just don't understand that Maddie is the best little dancer that ever was.  I'm sure that Abby told Maddie that the results were not fair, the judges were wrong, blah, blah, blah, as opposed to working on what she needs to improve on to do better (a la Alexa with Kalani).  Abby has created a PR monster around Maddie aided and abetted by her unfit mother Melissa and now they, and Maddie, actually believe that it's all indisputable.  Maddie is being victimized by these two horrible child exploiters and, at 12 years old, doesn't yet have the maturity to be able to read through all of the BS.  Maybe if she doesn't win regularly at real competitions, she'll eventually realize that she needs far better training than she's getting at ALDC.  I fear that it won't happen however.  The kid has had her head filled with this hyper inflated image of herself and has had so many opportunities thrown at her so quickly that you have to wonder if she'll ever be able to break out of the fantasy land that she's living in.   

Edited July 16, 2015 by cali1981

[brokefromdance]

So is it true that Abby's seniors didn't do well at TDA? I've also heard that the senior dancers don't do well either in comps, generally. Melissa should see the writing on the wall and leave ALDC. Maddie actually has potential and this show and that studio are ruining it.

 

 

Abby should be grateful considering the circumstances leading up to TDA (lack of training, the poor music/costuming choices, etc.).

 

I don't think Abby had any seniors there, only one teen dancer from what I recall. I'm not sure if there was a top 20 placement. I wonder why there were no seniors there and only the one teen. Either they never qualified or just decided like ourselves and others I know just not to go. As a family dance takes up so much of ours lives during most of the year that we choose to do other things in the summer. My girls do well at dance but they are never going to be among the top 20 dancers at TDA as they have other interests as well and do not plan on pursuing it after high school so we think differently that way. The ones that I do know that went to TDA Vegas or NY are the ones that are more likely to keep dancing after graduation. I don't know if Abby has anyone at the teen and senior level who thinks like us or if that wouldn't be acceptable with her.

Edited July 16, 2015 by brokefromdance

[NextIteration]

Our final studio never went to nationals, not even really the one or two times they were held here.  Our director was more concerned that her students were off at summer ballet intensives.  We had students go to all the prestigious and many of the mid-range intensives.  That was the where the focus was, not silly competitions, especially when the cost is considered.

[brokefromdance]

Exactly! TDA is so expensive when you take into account the cost of hotel & food for 10 nights in Vegas or NYC. Conventions like this are good for getting yourself noticed by the top choreographers so hopefully they'll remember you but they certainly aren't going to ask you where you placed at a competition when you're on an audition. Same with ballet really, intensives are great for building skills but exams really don't matter in the real world. In Canada, or at least where I'm from, the studios are big on Royal Academy of Dance. Everyone does their RAD exams but really for what? Other than making sure you have achieved at least the Intermediate level in order to teach RAD no one is going to ask you if you bothered to get past Advanced 1 on an audition. In ballet or commercial dance it's how you dance and the look they are after that will get you the job, not a medal or exam results. 

[Darknight]

Well next year they're moving to Florida I believe. And the tda is right in my own backyard. It takes 20 min to get to the hotel. But spending two weeks in Manhattan, especially if you don't know your way around is expensive.

Our final studio never went to nationals, not even really the one or two times they were held here. Our director was more concerned that her students were off at summer ballet intensives. We had students go to all the prestigious and many of the mid-range intensives. That was the where the focus was, not silly competitions, especially when the cost is considered.

I wish we did this. Nationals are a waste of time. And there's no such thing as a national when you have more than one. Starpower has like 6. Hall of Fame has 4. So there's no real winner.

[NextIteration]

Emma also came in 3rd for Outstanding Dancer at NYCDA.  I haven't found the final winner listings for TDA yet for either Vegas or NYC.

[NextIteration]

Yeah, I think it's a bit of a racket a la Toddlers and Tiaras.

 

The pure competitions are a racket, but it's fun for the girls to go to the regionals and perform and be adjudicated, see where they stand in the community of dancers and if they've improved their own scores as soloists.

[sofiah]

The pure competitions are a racket, but it's fun for the girls to go to the regionals and perform and be adjudicated, see where they stand in the community of dancers and if they've improved their own scores as soloists.

Yeah, I've seen a lot of the girls refer to TDA week as "dance olympics"... they are taking a bunch of amazing classes, learning from a bunch of amazing dancers, working with successful choreographers, etc.  I think the number of dancers who go there expecting to win is small.  The rest are there for the experience.

[NextIteration]

Yeah, I've seen a lot of the girls refer to TDA week as "dance olympics"... they are taking a bunch of amazing classes, learning from a bunch of amazing dancers, working with successful choreographers, etc.  I think the number of dancers who go there expecting to win is small.  The rest are there for the experience.

 

BreakTheFloor just copied what West Coast Dance Explosion and New York Dace Alliance have been doing much longer.  I'm glad they did, but they were not the first.  Tremaine and other organizations did it as well.

[NextIteration]

Lemons, I've been racking my brain this whole time to come up with an example of a "YouTube" dancer (most of these early clips were pilfered from the Hall of Fame site as they were the first competition to put up videos of some winners) that you can see then and now.

 

I give you Dusty Button, then and now.

Edited August 12, 2015 by NextIteration

[Lemons]

Lemons, I've been racking my brain this whole time to come up with an example of a "YouTube" dancer (most of these early clips were pilfered from the Hall of Fame site as they were the first competition to put up videos of some winners) that you can see then and now.

 

I give you Dusty Button, then and now.

 

That is an interesting one!  You can see the difference from youtube videos today and almost 10  years ago.  She was actually performing a dance routine, not just flexing and stretching.  Based on her movement style you could tell she would be better at ballet than musical theatre/hip hop/contemporary.  Good for her for making the move at 16 to a top ballet school and making it to a top ballet company.

[NextIteration]

She was actually performing a dance routine, not just flexing and stretching.

 

I gotta say I totally agree with this - what we saw in the TDA final solos showed zero musicality, performance quality or diversity of style for the most part.  I'm not a fan of the new trend.

Edited August 14, 2015 by NextIteration

[Lemons]

I gotta say I totally agree with this - what we saw in the TDA final solos showed zero musicality, performance quality or diversity of style for the most part.  I'm not a fan of the new trend.

 

There was a point in the group dance of ADL when I thought, wow, Kalani has some great flexibility in that area.  She was dancing, not posing.  You can show flexibility through dancing, it doesn't have to be so in your face like they do with these pre-teens.

[DoctorWhovian]

Lemons, I've been racking my brain this whole time to come up with an example of a "YouTube" dancer (most of these early clips were pilfered from the Hall of Fame site as they were the first competition to put up videos of some winners) that you can see then and now.

 

I give you Dusty Button, then and now.

 

Ugh, terrible. Where are all the flips and tricks and cartwheels in a circle? Totally not up to ALDC quality! /sarcasm. 

[NextIteration]

Here is an example of Fosse done very, very well in a production number.  This is one of the best studios in the country and the strongest in the market that we competed in.  They also won Studio of the Year at The Dance Awards Vegas 2016.  No surprise there.

Edited July 9, 2016 by NextIteration

[Diane Mars]

20 hours ago, NextIteration said:

Here is an example of Fosse done very, very well in a production number.  This is one of the best studios in the country and the strongest in the market that we competed in.  They also won Studio of the Year at The Dance Awards Vegas 2016.  No surprise there.

Yes, BUT... They're not kids nor teenagers anymore....

[NextIteration]

Quote

Yes, BUT... They're not kids nor teenagers anymore....

That number is a Jr/Teen/Sr production number, so I'm a little confused what you mean?

[Diane Mars]

I don't know the "formula" for mixing ages, but a lot of the dancers here seems really older than the Elite COmpetition Team...

But nevermind and.... I liked the dance :)

[NextIteration]

Gotcha :)