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What are Medal Demonstrations?Medals and demonstrations are a traditional way to pass milestones in many forms of dancing. Dance 4 Life has a unique social dancing focus, and thus medal events are about students 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 must 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?
If You've Received an Invite
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. Medal invites are sent out 6 weeks prior the medal presentation day, so you will have plenty of time.
2 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.
If You've Received a Progress Check Invite
Invites are sent out 6 weeks before the medal presentation day, and 4 weeks before progress checks. If you only receive a progress check invite, it means you are borderline ready to present your medal, i.e. You are very close to have completed learning all the steps, concepts and techniques of your current level. We will need to wait until the progress check to see if you will be ready in time for the medal demonstration day. If you are ready, you will be able to proceed with the medal demonstration day, otherwise, you should be ready to demonstrate at the next event after.
If You Haven't Received an Invite
Invites are sent 6 weeks prior to our medal events and only sent to members who are ready to present a medal demonstration. Make sure to let your instructor know that you have a goal to complete a medal level demonstration. Your instructor can then give you a realistic target of completing that level, then you can work towards that event to ensure you receive an invite for that event!
If you have previously declined to participate in medal events, this may have been noted on your member profile, so please let us know if you would still like to receive invites to participate in medal events.
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. Medal invites are sent out 6 weeks prior the medal presentation day, so you will have plenty of time.
2 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.
If You've Received a Progress Check Invite
Invites are sent out 6 weeks before the medal presentation day, and 4 weeks before progress checks. If you only receive a progress check invite, it means you are borderline ready to present your medal, i.e. You are very close to have completed learning all the steps, concepts and techniques of your current level. We will need to wait until the progress check to see if you will be ready in time for the medal demonstration day. If you are ready, you will be able to proceed with the medal demonstration day, otherwise, you should be ready to demonstrate at the next event after.
If You Haven't Received an Invite
Invites are sent 6 weeks prior to our medal events and only sent to members who are ready to present a medal demonstration. Make sure to let your instructor know that you have a goal to complete a medal level demonstration. Your instructor can then give you a realistic target of completing that level, then you can work towards that event to ensure you receive an invite for that event!
If you have previously declined to participate in medal events, this may have been noted on your member profile, so please let us know if you would still like to receive invites to participate in medal events.