Comments on: Certification & Contests:

By: Give Credit where Credit is Due! | Belly Dance News & Events - Gilded Serpent

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:28:39 +0000

[...] Certifications & Contests: Are They Meaningful? by Miles Copeland Its as if the contest win were a diploma, her ticket to [...]

By: hallah moustafa

hallah moustafa — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:14:25 +0000

hi f rom cairo!!! i do have to comment on the part of miles’article that says that the winners of these competitions are not professional dancers. there have been quite a few winners of bd/universe that are talented pros. i have judged forthe bd/ universe competions and think that the contestants and judges are totally qualified. love, hallah moustafa

By: Are You Breaking the Law? | Belly Dance News & Events

Are You Breaking the Law? | Belly Dance News & Events — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:33:00 +0000

[...] Certifications& Contests: Are They Meaningful? by Miles Copeland Its as if the contest win were a diploma, her ticket to [...]

By: Shaia Fahrid

Shaia Fahrid — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:23:37 +0000

Miles, I have to admit that I was so distracted by grammatical, syntax, spelling, and punctuation errors that I barely grasped your point! Please, have someone proof your writing…like me! I am not trying to be mean, it’s just a pet peeve. That off my chest, I can now go back and reread what you wrote.

By: Challenging Hypocracy | Belly Dance News & Events

Challenging Hypocracy | Belly Dance News & Events — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 04:18:32 +0000

[...] you chose to include us in your negative and most hypocritical article published in the Gilded Serpent, we feel we must respond, although in reality dignifying a response to ego and hypocrisy is seldom [...]

By: Michael’s Photos of the Award Winners of the Belly Dancer of the Year 2009 Pageant | Belly Dance News & Events

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:57:49 +0000

[...] Certifications& Contests: Are They Meaningful? by Miles Copeland Its as if the contest win were a diploma, her ticket to [...]

By: At Home WithFifi Abdou | Belly Dance News & Events

At Home WithFifi Abdou | Belly Dance News & Events — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:16:01 +0000

[...] Certifications & Contests: Are They Meaningful? by Miles CopelandIts as if the contest win were a diploma, her ticket to [...]

By: Deirdre

Deirdre — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:27:04 +0000

To Miles’ last post: I must agree, good critique is hard to find. I have traveled far and wide to get good feedback, and treasure those teachers who can provide it. I have also found competitions to be an excellent source of feedback – the notes from the judges don’t pull nearly as many punches. Perhaps because they’re not delivered in person?

But when something or someone is subjected to inaccurate or misleading critique (i.e. BDUC), or inaccurately conflated with those that do deserve critique (as yet unnamed groups), it is entirely reasonable to speak up against the criticism.

Since you have not yet “answered the critique” of your article, the discussion of critique and taking offense reads more like an eloquent effort at avoiding the direct questions.

I don’t know, maybe it’s best to not be more specific..? But in that case, why not avoid all specifics? Why not just say “If you want to be in BDSS, don’t do x, y and z?” Why attack non BDSS means of gaining exposure?

Is it just that negative press is still good press?

By: Miles Copeland

Miles Copeland — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:06:44 +0000

My many years in the Music Business made me pretty immune to criticism as throughout the years, no matter what band/group/singer/enterprise one was promoting/working with there was a well established critique environment via the many music business magazines that delivered a regular stream of both good, bad or indifferent reviews. One learned to take the good with the bad.  Often the reviews were useful pointers to what you were doing right, just as often the appeared to be a momentary whim of some reviewer who thought it was more clever or discerning to be critical rather than complementary.  Some of the reviewers could be merciless in their critique and they thought nothing of it when they were. It was good to develop a thick skin. This critique environment exists in all of the arts, certainly in sports and quite definitely in Politics. It goes with the territory of being in the public eye. From the reviewers standpoint the old adage of “if you cant stand the heat, get out of the kitchen” is the rule.
     I have been surprised that in the world of bellydance there is precious little critique, and when there is it always causes what I consider to be gross over reaction.  I do not include the BDSS nor me in this because we did get harsh critique from the beginning as some people made negative assumptions and since I was not “of the bellydance community” I was fair game for abuse. I know Gilded serpent has on occasion published an article that has caused offense to one party or another, perhaps inadvertently. In any other art such critique would be taken in stride. In fact such critique would be expected. In bellydance it is most likely to result in the “offended party” cancelling advertising. What’s more, in bellydance it seems getting offended is quite easy. I know the bellydance magazines tread carefully for this very reason. You are not likely to see any remotely negative critique of any dancer or event who advertises. Unlike almost all other arts publications, there is a definite link between advertising and content. Gilded Serpent is an exception which is why I read it before any other publication.
     Meanwhile I have to say that the negative critique the BDSS got in the beginning did not hurt us in the slightest, in fact it helped. We became the most talked thing on the bellydance internet because we did NOT get offended, we answered the critique. If this art is ever to really be take seriously it will have to grow up and accept critique just like every other entertainment art form and the dancers will have to learn that critique is part of the game. If you think you are good enough to dance in public and get paid for it, you had better be willing to have a few shots taken at you. If you put on an event and run it badly, you should get called out on it. That will encourage everyone to do better and learn from mistakes.
     I would say more than anyone out there the BDSS has had the benefit of critique as we were safe for people to critique so we got plenty. The same is not true of other bellydance shows and they suffer for it. Without critique an art lives in a vacume. In a vacume an art will never be taken seriously.
Miles Copeland
[posted from Miles by editor]

By: Vince

Vince — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 01:19:21 +0000

Why does someone have to put down another very credible and reputable event to make themselves feel more important or knowledgeable? The people that produce these competitions are established and reputable and have nothing but the highest regard for the dance. They know what it is like to be a dancer.

Why do you name only BDUC? You dismiss the reputable and well established BDUC competition. At the same time you sponsored the Junior Category at the 2009 BDUC and renewed your sponsorship for 2010. You actively recruit its competitors and winners for your tour. The first leg of the Superstar tour featured BDUC winners and runners-up – Dondi, Jayna, Ranya, Etc. Even your biggest star, Jillina, was a BDUC First Runner-up and Peoples Choice winner before she was a Belly Dance Super Star.

You state that Dancers are the worst Judges. What makes you a makes a better judge? You have been involved in the dance for a few years. The Producers and Judges of the BDUC have been performing, teaching and working with dancers of all levels daily for their whole lives.

IMO, as far as competition judging, the BDUC People’s Choice award is the greatest honor and recognizes the most entertaining dancer, where the Judges’ awards tend to honor the best technical dancer. A winner of both is true super-star.

Winning a reputable, established competition is a big step for a dancer who chooses to make a career of the Dance. The BDUC hosts some of the finest dancer from all over the world. These women have worked hard for years to learn the Dance technique, choreograph, music, passion that it take just to compete. Most are already working professionals and you dismiss them as amateurs. It is an insult to all those who compete.

There are many fly-by-night competitions (IBDC Las Vegas, anyone?) And there are many who will take advantage of that desire with competition “come-ons”. It strikes me that much of what you offer is the come-on without the cash prizes. You even started the BDSS with a competition. I understand you want to develop talent, but you also want to own her by controlling her career. I see now another reason for the high turn over at BDSS – it’s not just the lousy transportation and accomadations