I Judge People

I judge people.

Regularly.

No, I am not a psychologist nor am I in the legal profession. 🚫👩‍⚖️

Well, actually, I judge their movement.

Over the past few months I’ve turned down more opportunities to judge competitions than I’ve accepted. 🙅‍♂️

Why❓

Because I am evolving as a person, professional and as a creative. As the industry evolves I need to upgrade my skills and knowledge. I want to reassess my place as a Creative Professional AND as an Entrepreneur. But mostly, to take another look at my roles and responsibilities as a leader.

There is the technical side and the factual side that helps us to formulate objective opinions. But there is also another side, the human side. 🧠❤️

Being exposed to various dance genres, I am privileged to have access to various ways of determining how I would place and score performances.

Here are some general criteria that judges of dance competitions may use:

⏩Technique: Judges evaluate dancers' technical skills, such as precision, control, flexibility, strength, and execution of specific moves relevant to the dance style.

⏩Musicality: This criterion assesses how well dancers interpret and synchronise their movements with the music, including rhythm, timing, accents, and musical expression. 🎵🎶

⏩Choreography: Judges consider the creativity, originality, and complexity of the choreography, including formations, transitions, levels, and spatial awareness.

⏩Performance and Expression: Dancers are evaluated on their ability to convey emotions, tell a story, or connect with the audience through facial expressions, body language, and overall stage presence.

⏩Showmanship: This focuses on dancers' energy, charisma, confidence, stage projection, and their ability to engage and entertain the audience.

⏩Style and Authenticity: Judges look for dancers who embody and stay true to the specific style or genre of dance, demonstrating knowledge of its history, cultural context, and unique characteristics.

⏩Synchronization and Unity: In group dances, judges assess how well dancers perform in sync, maintain uniformity, and work cohesively as a team. 🤝👥

⏩Difficulty and Execution: Judges consider the level of difficulty and risk in the choreography, as well as how well dancers execute it with precision and accuracy.

Different competitions and organisations may prioritize these criteria differently. It is important to note that some organisations may have additional criteria specific to their dance style or genre.

Dance performances can range from 1 minute to 6 minutes at some events. The judges must assess and analyze all the criteria within moments. Being a dance judge is not an easy task, just like in other sports such as gymnastics and figure skating. ⏱️🏅

In the context of business and entrepreneurship, Artistic Adjudicators are highly skilled and trained. 🤝💼

Artistic adjudicators possess unique skills that go beyond dance competitions. Their ability to make split-second decisions accurately and confidently can be applied to various business and entrepreneurial situations. 💡

Here are some key skills they possess:

☑️Quick and accurate decision-making: Adjudicators are trained to assess performances and make prompt decisions based on criteria. This skill translates to the business world, where timely decisions can be crucial for success.

☑️Knowledge and fact-based decision-making: Adjudicators back their decisions with knowledge and facts, just like in business, where informed decisions are grounded in research and data.

☑️Regular practice of decision-making: Adjudicators make numerous decisions regularly, honing their ability to analyze situations and make effective choices. This skill is highly valuable in fast-paced and dynamic business environments.

☑️Attention to detail and holistic perspective: Adjudicators have a keen eye for detail while considering the overall performance. This ability to separate important details from immaterial ones, while keeping the bigger picture in mind, is vital for entrepreneurs navigating complex situations. 🔍

☑️Seeing the forest from the trees: Adjudicators understand the importance of viewing individual elements within the context of the entire performance. Similarly, in business, they excel at recognizing the interconnectedness of different factors and making decisions aligned with the overall strategy. They can separate the woods from the trees but also have an overview of the entire forest. 🌳🌲

From a human perspective: 🌟

You hold the fate of dancers in your hands. 🤲

You possess the raw ability to build their future or shatter their dreams. 💔💫

Your influence extends far beyond their self-worth & public image—it infiltrates their very essence. Every minute they perform in front of you, they've poured countless hours, immeasurable effort, & their hard-earned money into that fleeting moment. ⏳💸

It’s an incredible opportunity. Can you truly grasp the magnitude of that power? Can you ignore the weight that comes with it? ⚖️

For a brief period, you become the god of their future, the architect of their path. And when you pick up that pen, iPad, or computer, you hold the sacred DUTY of the office.

Don't shy away from the title of judge; embrace it! It's a rare privilege, a skill that only a select few possess.

Don’t take it lightly.

By Quintus Jansen

#dancejudge #ethics #dancepro #danceprofessional #judge 🩰💃🕺🔍📝🌟