IBGPS 2025 Conference

IBGP 2025 Meet-The-Judges Session

Date:  3 August 2025

Time: 4:30pm-5:30pm 

Venue: UCC Theatre

IBGPS Head of Jury & Artistic Advisor: Janek Schergen
IBGPS Conference Convenor: Dr Peter Gn
IBGPS Speakers: Dr Caren Carino, Garry Trinder, Christian Tàtchev, Joanne Michel, Rachael Hunt, Isabelle Nelson , Melissa Quek, Yarra Ileto

TOPICS

1.Nurturing Healthy Competition Mindsets
1.1.Encouraging a Growth-Oriented Approach: Discuss the importance of viewing competitions as opportunities for learning and personal growth rather than solely focusing on winning.
1.2.Balancing Ambition and Well-being: Offer strategies for maintaining a healthy balance between striving for excellence and preserving mental and physical health.

2.Integrating Competitions into the Dance Education Journey
2.1.Competitions as a Milestone in the Training Pathway: Explore how competitions can be integrated into a dancer’s long-term training goals, emphasizing their role as part of the overall educational journey.
2.2.Building Resilience and Adaptability: Discuss how participation in competitions can help develop key life skills such as resilience, adaptability, and emotional intelligence.

3.Supporting Long-Term Development Beyond Competitions
3.1.Transitioning from Competitions to Higher Education and Careers: Provide guidance on how competition experiences can inform and enhance further education and career choices in dance or other fields.
3.2.Leveraging Competition Experience for Broader Success: Explore how the skills and experiences gained from dance competitions can be applied to success in other areas of life, including academic pursuits and non-dance careers.

4.Fostering a Supportive Environment for Young Dancers
4.1.The Role of Parents and Teachers in Healthy Competition: Highlight the importance of supportive guidance from parents and teachers in ensuring competitions are a positive and enriching experience for young dancers.
4.2.Ensuring a Positive Experience for All Ages and Skill Levels: Discuss how to tailor competition participation and expectations to suit the varying developmental stages of students aged 7-21.

5.The Importance of Style, Costume, and Presentation in Ballet Competitions
5.1.Expressing Character and Style through Costume and Makeup: Discuss how the right costume and makeup choices can enhance a dancer’s performance, helping them convey the character and style of their piece more effectively.
5.2.Coaching for Complete Presentation: Offer insights into how vacation coaching can help dancers refine not just their technique but also their overall presentation, including tips on selecting costumes, doing stage makeup, and understanding the stylistic nuances of different ballet variations.
5.3.Creating a Cohesive Performance Aesthetic: Explore how dancers can use vacation coaching periods to work on creating a cohesive performance aesthetic that ties together their technique, style, costume, and makeup, making a stronger impact in competitions.

6.Understanding and Mastering Contemporary Dance Styles in Competitions
6.1.Defining Contemporary Style: Provide an overview of what contemporary dance encompasses, highlighting its key elements such as fluidity, expression, and the integration of diverse movement vocabularies.
6.2.Interpreting Music and Movement in Contemporary Dance: Discuss how contemporary dancers can approach music interpretation and movement creation, focusing on how to convey emotions and concepts effectively in a competitive setting.
6.3.Styling and Presentation for Contemporary Pieces: Offer guidance on selecting appropriate costumes and makeup that complement the contemporary style, enhancing the overall impact of the performance.

Q&A

An opportunity for parents and students to pose questions and receive professional guidance on dance education.