DANCEXTREME JUDGES ASSOC. - DX CONNECT
Issue # 1 – NOV. 2012
- Nov
DX Connect
For MN Dance Team
Coaches & Officials
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Welcome to DX Connect
A PUBLICATION DESIGNED TO CONNECT MN DANCE COACHES, DANCERS & JUDGES
DanceXtreme is pleased to debut the DX
CONNECT; a publication designed to
connect Minnesota Dance Team coaches,
dancers and judges.
The DX CONNECT will offer tips, share facts,
and answer questions. Each issue will
showcase a dancer, coach and judge so you
can connect with them. Our goal is to
bridge the gap between the three. We are
all in this for the same reason. We love
Minnesota high school dance team.
Official’s Uniform
All DX Judges Association members proudly wear the
official uniform of DX while adjudicating. Look for the
DX logo.
Enjoy the first issue of DX CONNECT!
Speak Up
DX officials are ready to adjudicate your meet. Let your
voice be heard. You have a choice. Ask for DX officials
to judge the meet you plan to attend. It’s up to you.
The Perfect Mix
Both Associations provide well-trained officials. It is in
the team’s best interest to be adjudicated by both DX
and JAM.
IN THIS ISSUE
PAGE 2 …

Connect with Totino-Grace Coach
– Kristen Gagnon

A Perfect Routine
PAGE 3 …

Educating The Officials
PAGE 4 …

Connect with Brainerd Dancer
– Grace Gilbertson

Sportsmanship Initiative

Important Stuff

Did You Know?
PAGE 5 …


Connect with DXJA Official
– Sara Nystuen
Photo Contest
DX CONNECT
| Issue # 1 – NOV. 2012
2
•Coach Connection
Kristen Gagnon – Totino Grace HS
This season marks the 20th year that Kristen
Gagnon will hold the position as Varsity
Head Coach of the Totino-Grace High School
Dance Team.
It all began back in 1990, when Kristen tried
out and made the E’gals Dance Team. Her
senior year she was voted captain and
choreographer for the team.
No stranger to State, she personally brings
home two State Champion medals as a
dancer and later while coaching, along with
her Assistants, her teams qualified for the
State Championship eleven (11) times.
Kristen’s long time involvement with MADT
helped develop Dance Team in Minnesota.
She spent six years as the Vice-President, a
three-time Coach of the Year recipient and
eventually
honored with
MADT’s highest
honor in 2003, a
MADT Hall of
Fame inductee.
Along with
coaching, Kristen
stays active in
Dance Team
development as
an Activity
Advisory
Committee Member for Class AA MSHSL
Dance Team.
She has three beautiful boys; Connor (14),
Kyle (10) and Caden (7), and enjoys
watching them play hockey, baseball,
football and swimming. She and her
husband Scott also enjoy playing golf
together with the boys as a family.
Somehow she finds time to volunteer for
the boy’s hockey association as team
manager and on the fundraising committee,
work on home improvement projects and
sneak away to spend time on Leech Lake at
her cabin with family and friends.
DX Judges Association congratulates
Kristen on her amazing 20 years and looks
forward to another 20. Who knows? Maybe
she’ll coach her grandkids one day.
judges. [e.g. The music explodes –
half the team drops down to a
squat – the others do amazing toe
touches.]
A Perfect Routine
by Lisa Saline
Questions To Ask
1.
Often times, coaches wonder what skills
and combinations should be put into an
award winning routine. The key to a great
routine is the overall performance put forth
on the floor. Here is a general checklist to
help you achieve a perfect routine.
Choreography
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Keep the routine moving.
Incorporate ten (10) or more
formations to keep it interesting.
Creative transitions. Take a simple
move, such as a chaine turn, and
travel to a new formation.
Execution is key. If deciding
whether or not to put in the triple
pirouettes that you sometimes hit
or the double pirouettes that you
most definitely hit, go with the
double. Its better to be clean,
sharp, and execute moves with
proper technique than to throw in
a more difficult move just
because.
Use your space. Choreograph
moves side-to-side, front to back,
and floor to standing.
Be unpredictable. Don’t get
caught up in repetition or utilizing
the same beat. Surprise us.
Sometimes the simplest move can
have the biggest effect on the
2.
3.
4.
5.
Can everyone do the move
correctly every time? If no, take it
out until they can. You can always
add more difficulty when it’s
polished.
Does the choreography keep the
audience excited? If no, then
change it. Sometimes the simplest
moves are the most fun to watch.
Is the music entertaining and fun?
If no, then find something that is.
Bring in parents, students, or fans
and get their opinion on the
song(s).
Have I utilized my space? If no,
then draw it out on paper and
make sure you cover all areas.
Are the transitions evolving
rather than predictable? If no,
then change them so they are.
Dancing is art. Dancing comes from the
heart. Captivate the audience. Leave them
wanted more.
FACT
Officials are to judge what they see on the
floor at that moment in time and award
points to the score sheet criteria.
MYTH
Officials come with preconceived notions of
who will do well based on past performances.
DANCEXTREME JUDGES ASSOC. - DX CONNECT
Issue # 1 – NOV. 2012
- Nov
DX TRAINING
Supplies
DX officials are provided with all items they need
for meets: tote bags, folders, note pads, and more.
Educating The Officials
Training
New DX officials are required to attend 12
hours of training before they can officially
judge for the DX Judges Association.
Shorthand
Undivided Attention
Because of DX’s unique shorthand system, officials
are able to focus on each and every performance.
Their eyes never leave the floor and when the
routine is finished, they have a complete recap of
what they saw.
ABOUT DX JUDGES ASSOCIATION
It all begins with mastering the DX Judge
Certification Program’s shorthand. Back in
1987, DX’s President Lisa Saline developed
unique symbols for specific skills and
moves. Her goal was to provide a tool for
judges so they could give full attention to
the dancers on the floor. The symbols allow
judges a way to document a
performance without having
their eyes leave the
performance.
Application
750%
The DX Judges Association began in 2009-10 with
seven members. Four years later, DXJA is fifty-three
(53) members strong.
GET INVOLVED
www.DXevents.com/judging
FACEBOOK
www.facebook.com/DXJudgesAssociation
Once mastered,
DXJA members are
taught how to first
apply the shorthand
to a tally sheet
and then
determine a
score based on
their notes.
Requirements
Routines from other states that are similar
in style to Minnesota Dance Team are then
used in a practical exam. Judges watch, take
notes, complete their tally sheets and then
determine a score.
DX CONNECT
| Issue # 1 – NOV. 2012
4
DXJA members must pass the MSHSL online
exam and fulfill League requirements
before being assigned to judge any MSHSL
Dance Team Meet.
Got What It Takes?
DXJA is always looking for qualified
individuals who would make great officials.
If you know of a former coach, graduated
dancer or are planning on retiring soon,
consider joining the DanceXtreme Judges
Association (DXJA).
Get Involved Now
Practice
You know the old saying, “Practice makes
perfect.” It’s definitely true in this case.
New DX officials are required to trial judge
using the unique DX program before they
are scheduled for a meet. Superior judges
and the DXJA Scheduler carefully monitor
and review their scoring immediately
following their trial judging experience. If
this has been accomplished to the
satisfaction of DX Core 5 members, then the
official will be scheduled for future meets.
Some are asked to repeat the process.
Requirements
DXJA members were also taught MSHSL
rules, guidelines, and score sheet criteria. All


JFK Dream Team Jazz member
Plans to study medicine at the
University of Minnesota
How has Grace contributed to the team?
She has set the “barre” high for other
dancers.
Anything else we should know about her?
Grace is a fun, talented, individual who leads
our team by example and works well by
example along with her fellow senior
teammates, who work equally as hard.
Basically, they have a healthy competition.
Shoot the DXJA Scheduler, Crystal Rozales,
a quick email letting her know you (or
someone you know) is interested. She can
get you started on the wonderful road to
officiating dance in Minnesota.
Grace is admired by young dancers from the
BHS dance team as well as JFK. As an
instructor, she traveled to several states
this past summer teaching camp and assists
at a studio in Brainerd.
[email protected]
She recently competed in Miss Dance Team
Minnesota where she finished fourth overall
with an amazing performance.
•Dancer Connection
Grace Gilbertson – Brainerd HS
by Cindy Clough
FUN FACTS




10 years of eXperience
5th year on BHS Dance Team
Captain & Choreographer
Just For Kix instructor
DX Sportsmanship
Initiative
Future goals for Grace include attending the
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities where
she’ll be studying medicine and hopes to
make the U of M National Champion Dance
Team.
Congratulations to Grace. DX wishes you all
the best in your future dance endeavors.
DX CONNECT
| Issue # 1 – NOV. 2012
5
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Login to MSHSL website
www.mshsl.org
Click on Administration
Enter your login ID and
password
The “Rating Officials” link is
located under Activity
Information heading.
Contact your AD if you need
your login ID and
password.
Important Stuff
DX strongly encourages you to
give the highest ratings
possible unless something
specifically demonstrates a
lower score. Note that the
criteria established for Dance
Officials is NOT what is listed on
the actual rating questionnaire.
DID YOU KNOW that officials also rate you?
That’s right. Following all meets, all officials
turn in ratings on the schools. DX officials
are instructed to give the schools the
highest ratings possible unless something
stood out that would lower a score such as
poor sportsmanship.
Did You Know?
DX has been a long-time supporter of good
sportsmanship amongst teams. Minnesota
Dance Teams typically do an eXcellent job
with this but we’d like to take it one step
further this season. DX hopes you’ll join us
on our new mission to empower your
captains and display good sportsmanship to
your fans and fellow dancers.
At the start of the competition, DX
encourages captains to meet in the center
of the competition floor following the
national anthem for a quick hand-shake and
good luck wishes with fellow dancers and
DX officials. The competition will
immediately follow.
IMPORTANT STUFF - Your opinion counts.
It’s true. All dance team coaches competing
at MSHSL meets have an important
responsibility to rate the officials who
adjudicate your performances. It’s quick
and easy to do.
DX JUDGES ASSOCIATION
SCHEDULER - Crystal Rozales
[email protected]
WEBSITE
www.DXevents.com/judging
DX HEADQUARTERS
(763) 792-8989
FACEBOOK
DX JUDGES ASSOCIATION (MSHSL)
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/DXJUDGESASSOCIATION
DX CONNECT
| Issue # 1 – NOV. 2012
6
•J
udg
e Connection
Sara Nystuen – DX Official
Sara has been involved in many aspects of dance
continuously since she was 15, professionally over the last
24 years. Sara has worked as a dancer, choreographer,
teacher, coach and judge.
places such as Disney World, New York, Spain,
After a brief time as a competitive pom squad member at
the high school and collegiate levels, Sara continue on as a
jazz and musical theatre dancer and choreographer in
Nashville, Los Angeles, and of course, the Twin Cities.
After retiring from performing at the age of 30,
Sara has been in leadership positions for various
organizations that teach and promote dance, including a four year stint on the MADT Board of Directors, as well as an inaugural member of the DX
Core Group Development Team.
In addition, Sara has started up and coached three high school teams and one all star organization which all
earned state, regional, and/or national placements in their first years of existence. Her coaching didn’t go unnoticed. She was nominated several times for the Class A Minnesota State Dance Team Coach of the Year and
earned the UDA Regional Leadership Award for dance coaches in
2008.
CONNECT WITH SARA
FACEBOOK - Sara Nystuen
[email protected]
EMAIL
[email protected]
Sara’s judging experience expands the globe. She has officiated at
competitions world-wide but her passion has always been right here
in Minnesota for MSHSL Dance Team. DX is lucky to have her
continue on as one of the Core Development Team Members and as
a veteran Superior Judge.
In her spare time, she currently is enrolled at the University of Minnesota where she’ll earn a
Doctorate Degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Sara loves to cook, travel and spend time with her
significant other, Mr. Val Royzenfeld.
DX JUDGES ASSOCIATION
SCHEDULER - Crystal Rozales
[email protected]
WEBSITE
www.DXevents.com/judging
DX HEADQUARTERS
(763) 792-8989
FACEBOOK
DX JUDGES ASSOCIATION (MSHSL)
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/DXJUDGESASSOCIATION
Photo Contest
“ Show Your Spirit “
DEADLINE – Dec. 10, 2012
SEND PIX PLUS – coach name(s), school ,
number of coaches & dancers, cell #
EMAIL TO – [email protected]
WINNER RECEIVES – featured in Dec. and
frisbees for all