The Harlem Spoon: Little Big Weekend Lindy Hop Contest
Friday 13th May, 2016, Harlem, 314 Marrickville Rd, Marrickville.
Real prizes, real lindy hop.
One contest, one category, one winner.
ENTRIES HAVE NOW CLOSED
The contest has real prizes for the winners, and real judges who know good lindy hop when they see it. And most important of all, the judging takes into account the Audience Approval Rating. This means the winners must have solid lindy hop, but also be solidly entertaining. Bring your tricks, but make sure you pay proper respect to the band and the music.
Music
Music is the heart of the Little Big Weekend, and we do this contest right, with an experienced, knowledgeable DJ for the heats, and a live band for the finals. Andrew Dickeson's Blue Rhythm Band will provide solid, swinging inspiration for the finalists. Four solid beats to the bar and no cheating.
Style? Like Basie did in the swing era. It will make you swing out.
Speed? Reasonable. We want to see good lindy hop. What does 'reasonable' mean? Around 140-180bpm. But this is a live band, and that means we're not going to be 100% accurate on bpms. Bands > DJs.
Entering
This contest is open to everyone and anyone. That means you too, noober dancer.
- Entry is open 9am 4th April - 5pm 1st May (in both waves of registration).
- To enter you must register with your partner on the Little Big Weekend Registration page.
- Entries are only confirmed upon payment.
- Entry fee is $40 per couple.
- All entrants must attend the competitors' meeting before the contest. Late attendees will be scratched and forfeit their entry fee.
ENTRIES HAVE NOW CLOSED
Being the audience
Lindy hop and jazz are all about call and response. The contest audience has a serious job: work with the competitors, respond when they call. If you see something you like, let the dancers know. If you want something, ask for it. If you hear a great solo from a musician, see a great solo from a dancer, let them know.
Be there to be entertained. The band is good, the dancing will be good, and you have a part to play. Give your Audience Approval Rating to the dancers who touch your lindy hopping heart, and make you wish you were up there dancing too.
Format
All entrants must attend the competitors' meeting before the contest begins.
Heats
There will be 2-3 rounds of heats, depending on the number of entrants. There will be no more than 6 couples per heat. Each heat will be judged by the panel of judges, and danced to DJed music.
Each heat will involve:
- Short all-skate (where all dancers are on the floor at once);
- Two jam-style shines at a moderate tempo (where each couple takes a phrase or two in the jam to 'shine');
- Two jam-style shines at a higher tempo (where each couple takes a phrase or two in the jam to 'shine');
- All-skate to end (where all dancers are on the floor at once).
Finals
There will be one final round with no more than 6 couples participating. This final will be judged by the panel of judges, and by Audience Approval Rating. The final will be danced to the live band.
The final will involve:
- Short all-skate (where all dancers are on the floor at once);
- Two jam-style shines at a moderate tempo (where each couple takes a phrase or two in the jam to 'shine');
- Two jam-style shines at a higher tempo (where each couple takes a phrase or two in the jam to 'shine');
- All-skate to end (where all dancers are on the floor at once).
Judging Criteria
Our special guest judges for the Harlem Spoon lindy hop contest are Jenny Deurell, Rikard Ekstrand, and Ramona Staffeld. All three have extensive competition and judging experience, and are strong believers in the values we're looking for in competitors. They are also kind and nice people, and they'll be rooting for YOU, competitors. All of you.
- Improvise.
Extended choreographed sequences will lose points and earn disapproval. eg If your entire shine is choreographed, you will not win.
- Show us you can hear the music.
Respect the band, respect the music. Enter and leave on the phrase, swing your timing, syncopate, be in time, bring the jazz.
- Dance with your partner.
Show us you can lead or follow, use call and response, work with your partner in a creative way.
- Make it lindy hop.
Include legit lindy hop content - eg swing outs, texas tommy, break steps, etc etc.
- Impress and entertain the audience.
Your Audience Approval rating will be measured on the night, being part of the judging. Make it worth a dancer's time to sit and watch instead of dancing.
- Bring the Stink.
Inspire and excite the audience. Do your best creative work. Take creative risks. Respect the history of lindy hop, celebrate its future: do old stuff, but bring new stuff too.
