Sapna 2017 Reviews

cmu-sahara

Link to rubric: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LM81sodGEz6GJgw6OULemD2AjAMrGn7x7CX0HRKUD8w/edit?usp=sharing

CMU Sahara

Intro Video:
I thought acting wasn’t great. And it seems like the voice isn’t synced to the video? Maybe add some background music.

Intro:
+ Good sync at the very beginning
- I thought choreography was fairly weak. It was fairly simple and slow.

2nd Song (High Heels)
+ Layering with arms is good
- Would be more pronounced with levels to the choreography (front row could go low, etc)

3rd Song
+ Good leveling again.
- Choreo felt basic
- Dancers need to commit to movements. If the move is down, actually go down, don’t just move a little bit and look down
- Choreo might look better in a tighter formation

4th Song (Bhangra)
- Bhangra form needs a lot of work
- In general aim to keep your head up, chest out, and stay fairly low
- Arms are also very flaily

5th Song
+ Good choreography!
- Would have been nice to see couple choreography here

6th Song
+ Strong Sync
- The song lends itself to much faster choreo with more musicality. Think about how you can different parts of the song instead of doing moves on single beats

7th Song
+ Strong choreography - good musicality here
- Make sure each dancer hits the pictures well and pauses when they need to. Some moves seem rushed for some people in this piece
- The moves are very mobile so you can play with formations a lot more in this song

8th Song (Contemp)
- Needs a lot more sync
- Add more levels and layers to the choreo to make it look more interesting. Maybe add a layer on the ground or at the back

9th Song (Malhari)
- Almost everyone needs better extensions here
-  I like the use of lights but it needs better sync to be effective
- Energy really starts to dip here

10th Song
- Roll off could have been better choreo or a different shape (e.g. inside to outside, diagonals, etc)
+ This song conveys the feeling of the character very well

11th Song
- Very weak energy
- Make sure you stick all the pictures and don’t blur moves

12th Song (Bhangra)
- Same comments as previous bhangra. Form is weak, arms are very flatly

13th Song
+ Great Energy
- Choreo was not unique

14th Song
+ Visual has potential. 
- Make sure everyone is hitting all the angles in that tutting section
- Would look better if there were more people involved in the visual

15th Song
+ Great energy
- Choreo is just angles in the beginning. Be more creative
+ I like the slide and the moves after it

16th Song (Kala Chashma)
- Gimmicks like this have a lot of potential if you put a unique spin on it
- This seemed a bit generic
- Energy is really lacking here

17th Song
- Sync is off
- Choreo is very simple

General comments
* Dancers need to work on extensions and energy first
* Try to have more creative transitions and choreography. Think about what is musically unique about the song you’re dancing to and try to bring that out in your choreography.
* Transitions were executed poorly - flat backs should be 90 degrees

delaware-kamaal

Link to Rubric: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kaO04SavqCcPrDxVy9_Sypgd2AEgkZZ4gmjTGebAn2E/edit?usp=sharing

Delaware Kamaal

Intro Video

+ Intro Video is great! Acting is not cheesy, characterization is great. Sets up theme well

First Song/Intro
+ Great roll off
+ Great Sync
+ I like the choreography - good musicality
- The come on come on section could have bigger choreography

2nd Song
 - Choreo was fairly basic
+ good energy
+ good sync

3rd Song
-At the beginning, make sure everyone sticks the two bass hits otherwise it looks sloppy
+ Good character here

4th Song
-Play with layering here to accent the music
-Simple choreo

5th Song (Bhangra)
+Creative transition
-Need wider stance for bhangra
+Form not bad
-More shoulder movement
-Arms are stiff

6h Song
-Basic Choreography 
+Good sync
-Choreo could have been much faster

7th Song (Jhummar)
+Awesome piece!
-Get legs higher

8th Song
+Creative choreography
+ Great formations
-Would look better with levels

9th Song
-Sync
+Good choreography here
-Should use more dancers here for leveling and accenting the choreography + to fill up stage
-Move around more to fill up stage

10th Song
- Needs a little more grace/fluidity in the bhangra
+ HYPE
+ Roll off in beginning looks great
-Make sure you hit all your pictures
+ Good musicality in some parts
-Simple choreo

11th Song (Allah Duhai Hai)
-Sync
-Basic choreography
-Energy starts lacking here


General critiques
* A lot of choreography is straight lines and extensions
* Need more interesting formations
* Choreo needs textures
* Would like to see more partner interaction in jhummar/dhamaal and jugni section
* Bollywood exection needs work. Hit moves full out, high knees etc
* Twist is executed weirdly. It works b/c I know fight club but its very sudden. Would be better if it was gradual
* If you’re going to just walk for a few beats, whatever you do after has to be very strong as it builds suspense

tcnj-saathiya

Link to rubric: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tsJf3QrueAT7vNK2xVqnez9WjKqxET5mo2w_KsyuU4E/edit?usp=sharing

TCNJ Saathiya Judging

Intro Video
-Bad acting
+Introduces the theme well

First Song/Intro
+great visual
+good layering
-stunt not hit at the right time
-Slow choreo in parts
+Spin is awesome
-Would be better if it accented the musicality

2nd Song (Jumpman)
-Not clean
+Song is hype
-Basic choreography

3rd Song
-Weak Bhangra form
-Need wider stance
-Too Stiff
-Bad extensions
-Holding khunde too high

4th Song
-Basic choreography
+Executed well
-Great character

5th Song (South Indian)
+Good choreography
-Needs more sync
-More formations

6th Song
-Going from a full stage to 4 people  makes stage feel very empty
-Try moving around stage or using people in the background to make it feel less empty
+Strong choreography
-Needs to be hit better

7th Song (Contemp)
+Great choreography
+Great execution
-Weak sync
-Choreo seems easy

8th Song 
-Has potential but needs to be longer!

9th Song (Bhangra)
-Very sudden
-Same comments about form as previous bhangra song
+Good formations here

10th Song
+ Good sync
-Simple choreo
-Spread out formation more in the first half
+Add leveling or a rolloff to make it seem more interesting

11th Song (Finale)
-Very simple
-needs better layering
-make sure people are fully down when they are meant to be


General Critiques
* You have good sync - now focus on more complex choreography with better musicality
* Layering was also fairly weak. The layers you did have were executed poorly because dancers weren’t at the same level
* Definitely strong very strong pieces in here - opening and contemporary choreography were great

ut-punjabbawockeez

Link to rubric: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xWb9mkUXcXBw92cvdnMYEjk6eZhO-ekCLKYbUkcvWeI/edit?usp=sharing

UT Punjabbawockeez

First Song/Intro
+Unique!
+ Great choreography that is executed well

2nd Song (Bhangra)
- Form needs work
- Look up more
- Lifts aren’t executed right
- Too flaily at times
- Dhamaal footwork should be 90 degree legs
- Get lower
+ Jugni was very creative. Should have been extended

3rd Song (Caroline)
-Stick your moves
-Weak musicality in most of it, but it gets better towards the end
+ Good footwork

4th Song (Gimmick)
+ Entertaining and hype

5th Song (Pistah)
+ Good execution here
- Choreo is a bit repetitive 
+ I liked the dancer interaction
-Needs more formations

6th Song (Popping/Isolation piece)
+ AMAZING visual, super cool and great musicality
+ Tutting segment was also creative - a suggestion here is to use layering
+ I wish this part was longer

7th Song
-Didnt like transaction into this - bhangra footwork was bad
+Shoes are awesome
-Choreo here is basic - use your body more for pictures and when you hit
+ Gimmick is entertaining

8th Song (Bhangra)
+ Lights are very creative
- Bhangra form is off. Aim to be lower, have a wider base and be less stiff
-Khunde aren’t synced

9th Song (Waves)
+Very creative
+Good musicality
+Cool transition

10th Song
- Choreo was very small
- People seem tired
- Really need a wider base here

11th Song
+ Good musicality
-Need to pop harder here. Work on your foundations and do popping drills to execute this style well
-Focus on being in the pocket - hit the move at exactly the right time
+Cool head isos

12th Song
+ Unique choreo
- Choreo is not dynamic enough - bend your back and turn to the side/around + add levels

13th Song (Bhangra)
-Form issues again
+ Good choreography
+ Good energy


General Critiques
* There’s a lot of potential here
*  I would really recommend you guys focus on your fundamentals for the styles you are doing.
* For hip hop, do popping and isolation drills to teach you how to hit and body control
* For bhangra work with your bhangra team to make sure everyone has good form. Mostly this is just getting lower/having a wider base, and keeping your chest and head up

vt-junoon

Link to rubric: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13BuMHryPCrpyZKWxcUjWETjCL3Se7kk8e-ZQ147luUs/edit#gid=573634897

VT Junoon Judging

Intro Video
+ I like the lack of dialogue in the beginning
+ Acting was good
+ Great camera work

1st Song/Intro
+Great choreography
+Strong sync
-Choreo could use more musicality

2nd Song
-Many toes weren’t pointed
-A lot of the guys didn’t have straight legs
-Choreo felt slow, especially after the song picks up
+Good rolloffs
+Good transition

3rd Song
+Love how this song was introduced
-Extensions could be better
-Simple choreo
+ Really liked the energy in the rats segment

4th Song
+ Great use of clouds
+ Great energy
+ Good musicality in choreography
- Would like to see more movement

5th Song
+ Good character in this song
+ Great choreography! It’s slow but difficult enough + creativity

6th Song
+ Great transition into this song
+ Great energy here
+ Creative choreography
- Would like to see bigger moves and a different formation on the drop
- Extensions should be better

7th Song
- Stunt out of place
- Choreo too stick-ish
+ Good energy
- Needs better sync

8th Song
+ Really good acting in this scene
- Wider jugni
+ Good formations!
- A few people have good form but most people do not
- Form is very stick-ish, be more fluid

9th Song
+ Great choreography
+ Great layering
- Needs better sync
+ Conveys the message very well, super creative mix

10th Song (Kabira)
- Needs to be cleaner
+ I really like these pictures
+ I love the dialogue with music
_ Would have liked one more formation change in this song

11th Song
* There’s not a lot of choreography here, but it’s very effective at setting up the scene and feeling
+ I like the rolloff

12th Song
+ Good levels here
- Need better extension
+ Generally good formations
- Would like to see a formation change directly on the drop
- Choreo could use more musicality

13th Song
- Choreo is small
- Messy
- People are tired
+ Ending sign was creative
+ Great formations


General Critiques
* I was a huge fan of this set. The theme was executed very well
* In general, it felt like a very complete performance.
* To really get it to the next level, focus on training your dancers. The choreography is decent but isn’t being executed as well as it should be. Try hitting some drills at every practice for extensions and quick hits/snaps.
* I really liked how you had dialogue inside the songs. It’s risky if the dialogue sounds cheesy, but it worked very well for you