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What are Medal Demonstrations?Medal demonstrations are a fun way to celebrate your dancing progression as you pass milestones in your dancing! Dance 4 Life has a unique social dancing focus, and thus medal events are about presenting an improvized social dance demonstration using lead and follow skills. These are the same skills we aim to develop for you to use at dance nights and elsewhere!
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How Does the Demonstration Work?
To earn a medal, students demonstrate 2 or more dances in one of the Dance 4 Life genres. Candidates will lead or follow the steps and techniques of the medal level as per the D4L syllabus.
- The medal can be presented as Student/student, or Teacher/student.
- Each dance will be 1 to 2 minutes.
- Crystal level medals consist of 2 dances, while Bronze has 3, Silver has 4, and Gold/Star have 5.
- Dances should be improvized and demonstrate party-style social lead/follow
What Skills need to be Demonstrated?
- Dance patterns with correct foot positions and correct timing.
- Lead & follow skills (based on each level) (e.g. Frame, Visual cues, correct footwork & timing)
- Also, in Bronze & above, refined footwork and leg actions.
- Also, in Silver & above, refined upper body action
What Happens after the Demonstration?
- You will receive a certificate & medal trophy
- You will also get constructive written feedback to help you as you move to the next level
Medals are overseen by head instructors RJ & Ali. Medals can seem intimidating, but Dance 4 Life Medal events are conducted in a very supportive environment with other students, medal candidates and instructors.
Why Do a Medal Demonstration?Working towards a medal demonstration helps to focus and consolidate your dance learning. Social dancing is a skill, and Dance 4 Life uses a medal-based syllabus to continuously develop good quality social dancing. Just like with any type of dancing, there are many levels that can be achieved. Medal levels and presentations allow you to track your own progress and allows us to recognize students who continue to improve their social dancing ability.
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Is it Compulsory?
Participation isn’t compulsory, but if you’ve been invited, it means we think you’re ready for the medal to formally recognize your progress! Working through the medal levels and demonstrating your dancing is part of the Dance 4 Life learning process. When the mind sets a goal, it focuses harder on improvement and details to ensure it achieves that goal! It can be challenging, but also fun and rewarding!
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MEDAL GENRES & LEVELS
- Students can achieve their medals in the 4 main dance genres of (1) Street Latin, (2) Brazilian, (3) Ballroom Latin and (4) Social/Modern Ballroom.
- There are 5 main levels (Crystal, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Star) with 3 tiers in each level.
- The completion of the third and final tier is known as an "Elite" medal.
- More dance styles are required to be presented as students present for higher levels.
Medal Levels
- Foundations (Crystal) - Foundations 1 & Foundations 2
- Bronze - Bronze 1, Bronze 2 & Bronze 3 Elite
- Silver - Silver 1, Silver 2 & Silver 3 Elite
- Gold - Gold 1, Gold 2 & Gold 3 Elite
- Star - Star 1, Star 2, Star 3 Elite
Medal Dances Order by Genre & Level
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Street Latin
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Brazilian Latin
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Ballroom Latin
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Social & Modern Ballroom
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Due to the additional styles and increased number of dances, the Silver and Gold medals can be divided into "Component" medals of 2-3 dances at a time. For example, a 5-dance Gold medal can be completed in 2 components, the first of which 2 dances are presented, and the second of which the final 3 dances are presented.
HOW DO I PREPARE FOR THE MEDAL DEMONSTRATION?
1. SET YOUR STUDENT GOALS
Dance 4 Life checks in with student goals in private lessons 4 times each year. During this session, you will be asked about which genres you want to focus on and what level you are looking to achieve. If you are specifically looking to work towards a medal and level, make sure you bring this up with your instructor! Student goal sessions are usually held anywhere between 3-6 months prior to an actual medal day. Your instructor can give you a realistic target date of being prepared for a medal. You can then work towards that date to ensure you receive an invite for the medal day! You can bring up medal goals at any time and don't need to wait until a student goal session.
2. INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE
Invitations are emailed to potential medal candidates 6 weeks before the medal day. Invites are sent out to those who have specifically set medal goals, but also to those who have progressed to a level that would allow them to earn their next medal. When we invite you to do a medal demonstration, it means that you already know all the steps of your current level (or nearly all of them). This means that you just need to continue attending your private lessons to continue refining your medal step patterns in the lead-up to the medal presentation day. If you've previously declined to participate in medal events, this may have been noted on your student profile, and you may not receive future invites regardless of your progression. In this case, please let us know if you want to be again considered for medal progression.
3. PROGRESS CHECKS & REHEARSALS
2 to 3 weeks before the medal, we'll have progress checks, where you'll simulate your medal demonstration either in your private lesson, or at a scheduled rehearsal. This gives us a final chance to give you feedback on where to put your focus on for the medal day.
4. FINAL PREPARATION
The final 2 weeks between progress checks is spent on implementing the progress check feedback, and doing multiple run-throughs to ensure that you are well prepared for the medal!
Dance 4 Life checks in with student goals in private lessons 4 times each year. During this session, you will be asked about which genres you want to focus on and what level you are looking to achieve. If you are specifically looking to work towards a medal and level, make sure you bring this up with your instructor! Student goal sessions are usually held anywhere between 3-6 months prior to an actual medal day. Your instructor can give you a realistic target date of being prepared for a medal. You can then work towards that date to ensure you receive an invite for the medal day! You can bring up medal goals at any time and don't need to wait until a student goal session.
2. INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE
Invitations are emailed to potential medal candidates 6 weeks before the medal day. Invites are sent out to those who have specifically set medal goals, but also to those who have progressed to a level that would allow them to earn their next medal. When we invite you to do a medal demonstration, it means that you already know all the steps of your current level (or nearly all of them). This means that you just need to continue attending your private lessons to continue refining your medal step patterns in the lead-up to the medal presentation day. If you've previously declined to participate in medal events, this may have been noted on your student profile, and you may not receive future invites regardless of your progression. In this case, please let us know if you want to be again considered for medal progression.
3. PROGRESS CHECKS & REHEARSALS
2 to 3 weeks before the medal, we'll have progress checks, where you'll simulate your medal demonstration either in your private lesson, or at a scheduled rehearsal. This gives us a final chance to give you feedback on where to put your focus on for the medal day.
4. FINAL PREPARATION
The final 2 weeks between progress checks is spent on implementing the progress check feedback, and doing multiple run-throughs to ensure that you are well prepared for the medal!