THE TOWN HALL DANCING COMPETITION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23647, 3 November 1938, Page 15

THE TOWN HALL DANCING COMPETITION

TO THE EDITOB u S t r ;~l notlce a moaning letter signed by Mr J. Connor in your issue of the I Ist inst. regarding the Town Hall dancing competition. This sort of thing is encountered in connection with any competition in which the winner cannot be found in a " first past the post" manner. In all such competitions, I am sure, the participants are prepared to abide by the decision of a fair, unbiased and competent judge, but we find.in such contests as—to instance a few—boxing, wrestling, dancing, singing etc.—there are always those who uu ai u H? eir , own contrary opinion although they have nowhere near the necessary knowledge to make a correct judgment; often a case of a little knowledge, and sometimes no knowlege, being a dangerous thing. . ■/£' ?u such com Petitions some one with the necessary knowledge must do the judging and it is only fair and sporting that that person's judgment should be accepted, even though it ™ ay d j sa g re e ~ with one's own opinJSE* Fr Mr Conn °r had judged this contest I am sure he would have deI ?i red J 1 1?, Judgment to be accepted alI though there would have been a large number who disagreed with him. The | whole point is that, if the judge has the necessary knowledge to give an opinion, that opinion will be accepted b y_all reasonable people. ■■ -. ium^iJ 8 - no su ggestion that Miss S°T3rl Id ,4 s competent, but there is himself in competitions of any kind as he gives himself away in a few •'2!!i£ 7 le ? £l stat ? s that he is "not f fil y d f luded by a judge's decision."— I am, etc., Sport TO THE EDITOR , Sir,—Mr Seelye remarks that it tha ,t J am able to state that Miss McDonald did not know how £i U , d /?L th K correct me thod of, dancers executing basic movements, especially stJw,L a t llgnments - t » This was not my statement. I mentioned only correct ttel2V n ' d ? tated that was « h lhl the - judge trl PPed upon her job, vXJSS w i? nin g couple d& not have correct alignment. I might ask Mr Seelye why it. seems strlnge that I was able to state that Mi ss McDonald did not judge on correct alignments as I have made a special study of alignments under capable, orthodox teach* Mn'rwJi A al * ea J dy J knew tha * Miss . 2h£?f n o ld J tudled under. Miss Joseand P_ erha P s if Miss. Bradley had witnessed her pupil's judging on Saturday last she may have months to " take another eighteen, I challenged Miss McDonald to state on what points, the winning couples gained their placings .and would like to know orr whose authority Mr Seelye supplies the answer that the two winning couples obtained their points in knowing correct alignment. The fact that his name was not connected with the competition, and he seems to know so much, seems stranger to me than my knowledge was to him. Mr Seelye also states that "to the public a dancing couple may look very charming executing their steps, but how many know their correct alignments. ' Perhaps not many, but I do, and I repeat my statement that this was one thing the winning couple did not have.—l am, etc., J. Connor.