Oh No! The Standardization Debate Back

Aug 9, 2010

By Jennifer Toles

In "Dance Doctor" fashion, I decided to poll my local dance community to learn what they'd be interested in reading about on the ILS website in hopes that my contribution would prove relevant for them… so here goes…

I would love your take on if there is a need to standardize Basic Teaching for Steppin. It's being taught all over the country differently. Different Terms, Different Styles, Different Techniques If I'm an Intermediate in Cleveland, should I be able to travel to Miami, Atlanta or LA, go to a class and slide right in as an Intermediate?

Well, well, well… the ole "should we standardize Steppin'?" question. I've tried to stay out of this debate because I see the validity of both sides. With the ISA running full steam ahead with codifying the dance, building a foundation, offering training and certification the question almost becomes moot. If you want a standardized version of the dance - you'll be able to get one. If you don't, well there are plenty of avenues for you too. But alas, I'll offer an opinion anyway.

Should the basics of Chicago Style Steppin' be standardized?

From a student/instructor point of view: It'd be nice.

It'd be nice if we could all agree…8 steps. If we could all agree….6 beats. If we could all agree…basic pattern, right turn, left turn, half turn. If we could all agree…dance history, music appreciation, lead & follow, quality of movement, tension, resistance, momentum. If we could all agree…lane etiquette, social dance etiquette. If we could all agree on what it means to be a beginner and what they should be fluent in to move to intermediate…likewise up the ranks. It would be nice. It would be nice for students traveling to different cities, hoping to stop in on a class to be able to build on their previous knowledge instead of being knocked back down for not knowing a particular set of preferences. It would be nice for instructors traveling to different cities, hoping to offer expertise at a particular level - to be able to do so because we've all agreed what it means to be this level or that level. Everyone's expectations could be managed "neatly". It would be nice for all stakeholders to have a common understanding on which to build further understanding. It would be nice.

Though as nice as it would be… I'm not so convinced of its happening. I haven't observed the larger community desiring to agree much less being able to agree. And where there is no desire, I see little possibility of occurrence. Each one contends that their way is "right" and the other guy's way is "wrong". Not that there's nothing to be said about the quality of education spanning the country - let's just assume all things being equal for argument's sake. It's starting to feel like religion around here - more about "preference" and control than truth and understanding. Not a good look.

Now from one of those "creative types" perspective - I don't much mind the disconnect. On some levels I rather enjoy it… I appreciate that as an african american vernacular dance (wikipedia it) the perspective on what this dance is, what it means, how it should be conveyed varies among its constituents (based on generation, up bringing, geographical location or….) If the dance is to continue to be a representation of the people who partake in it, standardization may serve to impedes individual expression and we're back to "my way is the right way and your way is wrong". I don't need that much control over a thing. Your way can be as "right" as my way so long as we're both representing "self". The majority of us practice this dance on a purely social level so it's about expressing good music and connecting with good people. The dance is just our means of doing both and its all good in my book.

The other argument I often hear - that without standardization "others" will take this dance from "us" and make it their own - has never rung true with me. How can you "take" what lives in my heart and call it your own? Dance lives in my heart and no one or no thing can "take" that away, I don't care what you call it.

So there you have it… my take on standardizing the dance. Do it or don't. I am interested though, in hearing your take as well. Please, chime in…