Salsa Exams

T

TheBear_CanDanceToo

It was Jambo and Terence who made me think about this, and I thought it warranted a thread by itself, if only because I'm keen to know more myself.

I'm interested to learn about anyone's experience with regard to examinations in dancing or teaching salsa, in terms of preparation, what you were required to know and how this was defined, and the format of the exam itself.

I'll start the ball rolling with a bit of my own story...
When I first started salsa, once I'd got the bug I started looking for all the salsa I could find and some of it was at a local college where "Salsa" was on their syllabus. The instructors were actually fellow students from one of the classes I attended (Trevor's weekly class), though they'd obviously been dancing longer than I had at the time. Attendance at the college class dwindled away to such a point that the course was merged into Trevor's classes - we had our fees paid there for a few weeks in lieu of the course fees we'd already paid.
I eventually took an exam, but the format of this was simply dancing freestyle whilst being videoed by the instructor, the video was then sent away to the exam board - presumably. I say presumably because I never got to hear whether or not I'd passed, though it was ironic that when I eventually took the exam I'd been dancing loads elsewhere too and my dancing was considerably better than that of my college instructors! :shock:

So - I might actually be qualified in salsa dancing and not know it!! 8)

Trevor/Jambo - tell us about your experiences with UKA???
 
Well, an examiner would come to the venue and there were lots of exams on the same night (Latin, Ballroom, Salsa ect). Lots of waiting around and I got really nervous :roll:.

For Salsa you were tested on
Rhythm
Technique,
Poise
Presentation

and the marks in each of these were either:

Below Average
Average
Good
Very Good
Excellent

The grades were:

Pass
Pass +
Commended
Highly Commended
Honours
Distinction

We were encouraged to do a set routine and for my first exam I did it as a leader so I know how frustrating it is to have to stick to a routine, I guarantee that if I'd have strayed from the routine my partner would have still followed the routine rather than me :lol:. Thankfully I didn't.

I somehow managed to get a Distinction in all of them, but soon learned a piece of paper means diddly squat if you're not actually a good dancer :roll:
 
I got my UKA bronze in salsa . . did it with jambo as my follower . ( jambo already had her medal). we did not have a routine as such but we did have 6 or so moves ,well practiced, we would stick to. in any order. the song went on for ever. and i got a highly commended. at the same night a guy danced with a woman who lead him all the way through. and he got a distinction.. so much for that then . is going through a routine like a robot dancing? if he had got a stranger in the test he would have looked a ... well, not good .. a nice guy as he is.
 
Format for an exam ( in any genre of ballroom )

There are3 levels-- Licentiate-- Members-- Fellowship ( Examiner confered by appointment only )

Time constraints-- Lic-- a minimum of one yr with a recognised school .

Mem.-- 3 yrs

Fellow. -- 5yrs -- A total of 8 yrs

Exam requiremnt-- Lic-- practical-- a freestyle partnership demo. confined to the Bronze level syllabus .

ladies are required to lead-- men are not .

Theory-- a clear understanding of the mans and ladies parts from which syllabus figures will be asked from the bronze level . ( usually 4---6 )

Technique to be examined-- footwork-- foot position-- amount of turn--
rhythm -- points of contact --. precedes and follows .

Members-- similar exam but much more theory, and silver level material( no practical )

Fellowship-- given by 2-3 examiners-- can be on anything within the syllabus and also advanced variations , very high on theory .

A passing grade of 65 % is required . at all levels .

The ballroom genre requires many more technical aspects, as well as the above requirements .
 
Jambo said:
Well, an examiner would come to the venue and there were lots of exams on the same night (Latin, Ballroom, Salsa ect). Lots of waiting around and I got really nervous :roll:.

For Salsa you were tested on
Rhythm
Technique,
Poise
Presentation

and the marks in each of these were either:

Below Average
Average
Good
Very Good
Excellent

The grades were:

Pass
Pass +
Commended
Highly Commended
Honours
Distinction

We were encouraged to do a set routine and for my first exam I did it as a leader so I know how frustrating it is to have to stick to a routine, I guarantee that if I'd have strayed from the routine my partner would have still followed the routine rather than me :lol:. Thankfully I didn't.

I somehow managed to get a Distinction in all of them, but soon learned a piece of paper means diddly squat if you're not actually a good dancer :roll:
Click to expand...

Nice work!

Alas my approach is that exam time (and the waiting around) is social and practice dance time that I am missing out on......................


* no disrespect to those that are into it.
 
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