Competitive Dancer vs. Social Dancer

There is an assumption among shag dancers that there is a huge difference in the competitive dancer and the social dancer. The competitive dancer will here be defined as the one who enjoys shag contests and virtually
trains like an athlete to prepare for these events, attends club functions and SOS. Social dancers rely on a few moves learned early on or in group class, attends club functions and SOS. These are generalizations of
course, but basically describe our two groups.

It is possible that these seemingly opposite points on the dance spectrum are not so different after all. There are situations where the social dancer has competition forced on them (kicking and screaming all the way).
There are occasions where dancers are needed in order to sanction a contest. From personal experience, this is both terrifying and exhilarating- mostly terrifying.

You arrive early at a contest and get settled in a good, front-row seat ready to be entertained and dazzled by the experts. Suddenly, the club owner or contest coordinator appears at your table to solicit your help.
It seems another couple is needed to meet the required number of dancers in order to sanction the event. AND it seems there is NO ONE but you to fill this position.

Before you know it, numbers have been drawn, and there you stand in the harsh glow of that spotlight before God and everyone feeling naked and alone in front of the dance world. It is amazing how many thoughts can go through your mind in just a fraction of a minute. How did this happen?! Why did I agree to this?? What am I going to do? My partner is going to kill me! Will I ever live this down? How can all these people be laughing
and having a good time, and I am sweating bullets?!

For those who may never have experienced the sheer terror of being the sole focus of attention of a bar full of patrons, dancers, spectators, and worst of all— judges, well you may try to visualize early civilization,
ancient Rome, a coliseum with hungry lions and a lone Christian to get the idea.

And then the unthinkable happens-the music begins. Who picked this song and why does it seem SOooooo fast? Will my legs and feet ever move? The DJ must be out to get us. How long can a two minute song really last? With the resigned mind-set of a prisoner taking that last walk to the gas chamber we are determined to get through this and then relocate our business and move. The dance starts with a few basics, turns and a pivot. The record is still playing-looks as though we may have to do a together step so the easiest one we know is called. Lo and behold it comes off without a hitch. Then another and a male step or two is followed by something we think looks like a spin and the song starts to fade and the DJ begins to talk again. But......wait.....we have more stuff....the crowd is actually clapping.......we have MORE!!!.....we didn't even get to our showstopper step. But alas, it is over. We did it. We didn't fall or trip or even throw up. WOW. WHAT A RUSH!

After congratulations all around and pats on the back from other competitors the transformation has begun: from social dancer to contest junkie!

On the ride home, the conversation revolves around the competition experience. We received a third place-not bad for zero preparation. Just think what could happen if we practiced and took a few private lessons and
picked our own song (and spent a gazillion dollars on travel, gas, hotel rooms, meals, half/half tickets, clothes, shoes and entry fees!)?! Gone were the butterflies from a few hours ago. Gone was the mouth so dry
you could work up several cotton balls. Gone were the legs so heavy you needed a walker. In that place where once there was fear was now the self assured, confident, "I can do this" competitor. Until of course the next contest.

Fifteen years later that road has taken many turns. There have been ups and downs, cheers and tears (who does that judge think he/she is?), joys and sorrows and equal amounts of hits and misses. We have learned that you are never as BAD as your worst score and never as GOOD as your best result. There is nothing like hitting the road for a 5 hour drive (or attend a contest, full of hope and expectation only to return on that same
drive deflated and disappointed. We have all been there.

The best part of this experience has been the people and friendships that have come our way. Not the type where you meet and greet once, but the lasting kind of relationships where you are involved in the lives of your
friends. Where you call to see how things are going, where you are there to support each other in times of need, where you care and share and not just the good times.

There is a great bond created by going through these experiences together. We enjoy getting together to listen to each others' "war stories" over dinner or breakfast at DON'S in North more) to Myrtle Beach or in each
others' homes. As competitive as these years have been, we find it is more about the dancers than it is about the contest or the outcome. It is about yelling for each other and wishing each other the best.

We all would like to improve our technique and get progressively better but knowing you will be among friends with the same motivations make the ordeal of competition more fun. As a social dancer, it is always exciting to take a workshop and come away with a new step. It helps challenge you as a dancer and keeps the dance new and fresh. And I have never met a shagger who didn't like to show off a new move or teach it to a friend.

So I guess this proves every social dancer has a little competitor buried deep inside and every competitive dancer longs to dance just for fun. It takes all of us with differing views and attitudes to make up our shag
community. Respect for all those views is "key". It takes all of us sharing our talents to keep the dance going for generations to come. It doesn't matter if your talent is not in competition. Your gift may be in making new shaggers feel welcome and encouraging people to give it a try. Your talent may be as an instructor or fund raiser for a local shag club. It is really not about star quality or talents and who has them and who doesn't. We all have something to offer. It is about using them. It is about making our time and friendships count.