Medal examinations (dance)

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In the context of ballroom dance, medal examinations are a way for a dancer to mark his or her progress in the art of dance. Typically, the dancer will partner with his or her teacher, especially at lower levels of examination, and an examiner will observe the performance of a number of dance routines. Though usually a student of higher level will lead the dancer, especially when the majority culture is that teacher usually sits in with examiner. In some instances, a dancer might partner with another student of the same level; this usually only happens at higher levels. If both dancers are being examined, there may be two examiners, one focusing solely on each of the two examinees; or the couple may dance twice for one examiner. Though often, a single examiner might judge both dancers simultaneously.

The routines are rarely prescribed; rather, the body in charge of the examinations will prescribe a syllabus of steps from which the routines are formed. The lower levels of examination generally consist mainly of fundamental steps, such as the Closed Change in Waltz, which demonstrate clear understanding of the technique of the dance in question. Higher levels will include harder steps, but will usually also require at least some fundamentals, to demonstrate that the lower levels have been built upon.

Depending upon the level and style of the examination, a student might be asked to demonstrate anywhere from one to six different dances. For example, at Bronze level, a Latin American dance student might be asked to dance Cha-cha-cha, Samba and Rumba, whilst the same student might be asked to dance all five International Latin dances at Gold level. A single dance will take up around 60 to 90 seconds; the entire exam, allowing for short breaks between routines, will be between five and ten minutes, depending on the number of dances. Typically, a studio will have a large number of candidates, all examined on the same day.

Sometimes, when five or six dances are to be judged, the examining body will allow the candidate to split the exam across several examination days (for example, examining Waltz, Foxtrot and Quickstep on one day, and Tango and Viennese Waltz on another, possibly as much as a couple of months later.) Some prefer this; others believe it unacceptable, and prefer to have all the relevant dances performed, back to back, on the one day. Dancers are usually cut short or dance up to a maximum of 1 minutes 30 seconds before the judge will cut the dance. This is to save time with the hundreds of other examinees that day.