SMD acceptance into UBC

[Temurzai]

Im basing it off of conversation. As the person I spoke with is not you and is in fact someone on SMD, I will not go and say a name or explain further. Its unnecessary. I'm not here bashing Navi either, I like Navi I feel for her, she has great passion and is a great person and I genuinely feel bad that she won't be able to perform for her city, but this is silly.

If anyone on SMD would like to counter what I said, feel free, I'd prefer and I'm sure SMD would prefer to contact me in private, but then again yall went public already so we can have the convo here if you would like. This thread was getting annoying and I know an attack on a committee when I see one.

Its STILL time to party! 8)

 

[Dippy]

Why should I "deal with it?"

Because you got rejected.....KABOOOM. Anyways, the committee doesn't owe you any further explanations move on with your life and just apply to other places. Your team not being selected is taking away from this SICK lineup, good job committee for changing the East Coast lineup, I'm so sick of seeing the SAME teams selected at every show.

Its STILL time to party! 8)

Homie it's ALWAYS time to party. 8) 8)

 

[Temurzai]

Its STILL time to party! 8)

Homie it's ALWAYS time to party. 8) 8)
[/quote]

you comin or wat! swing thru after elite, im still tryina convince sukh haha

 

[Avneet]

Tons of teams get rejected from competitions and it's their right to demand transparency.

Is it?? Sometimes I think Comps shouldn't give any reasons at all and just a generic "Thank you for the application. We are sorry to inform you..." It's almost unprofessional to give your reasons as to why the team didn't get in if you weren't asked for your feedback. But if a team does approach the committee after being rejected and they give you a reason, even if it seems bogus to you, deal with it. They don't owe teams anything, especially when applying teams have nothing invested in that competition.

In the case of SMD... You quantified the team line up based on the feedback they gave you (30% are non traditional, 60% are "seasoned" teams) so you're pointing out that there are teams that were accepted based on the same qualifications that led to your rejection. I think they are following exactly what they told you- they went in a more traditional direction so based on "BTF standards" and your analysis, majority of the teams are in fact "traditional" (70%)... and they also wanted to give a *chance* to teams that don't get to compete as often - which i think is commendable and provides variety to NE competitions. They did that too: based on your breakdown 40% competed 0-1 times in the past year, was it? They didn't say their entire show will be completely revolved around new and upcoming traditional teams. I don't know how much more transparent they need to be. Beyond that, if they did do it with some sort of quota in mind, who they choose to fill the "traditional" spots and "non traditional" spots, and how many seasoned teams they want vs new teams, is all based on their subjective opinion and it is their right to pick the teams they would like to compete at their show, and to continue to argue their selection even after they gave you their reasons is like saying your team deserved one of those "seasoned, non traditional" spots over one of the teams that did get in, and that's not right.

Not arguing that competitions are not subject to their own opinions- They have every right to. However, I do believe that any organization, even a simple and basic Bhangra competition, has certain obligations to provide a basis for their decisions, especially if they seem to be inconsistent.

Of course you can argue the opposite way and point out that 70% are "traditional" and 40% are "new" teams. All the assumptions you make are valid and could very well be true. But why should a team be satisfied with a generic response? Why should I "deal with it?" If you apply that philosophy to any organizational decisions of society , then where would we really be....

I am not responding to argue with you because I know it's very tough to be turned away from something you had your heart set on. But I do think a little change in perspective can help a lot of teams deal with situations like this in the future- its been a common trend lately with comps like Elite, Pioneer, etc.

Unless an organization still claims some sort of "rule" over you and has demands and expectations of you AFTER they have rejected you from some sort of application process within their organization, they simply owe you nothing because there is nothing they took from u or further need from you. And at that point you can't expect anything from them either. They have zero obligations. That's the hard truth.

In terms of an organized competition, I say they should initially give a generic rejection notice because it is simple and professional and there is nothing subjective or offensive about it. BUT if approached for more answers I think an even more professional organization will give you some sort of response. In UBC and SMDs case they did do that so you got more than a generic response. And in my earlier post I spun it in a way that their response to you completely fit the line up they decided on. After their initial response, for a team to demand even more answers is their own right I suppose, but the organization equally has the right to give you NO further explanation, especially when the first one seems valid.

A bhangra competition is not an organization ruling over society. It is a business, an entertainment factor... so I still stand by the notion that if they didnt feel you were fit for their show, just deal with it, even if you dont agree with it. We can't take these things so seriously, especially when once you get over the initial disappointment of not getting into the competition, there is nothing more that organization can do to harm you or challenge you. The only thing you can do is take it with grace and move on doing what you love because chances are high you will get into a number of other competitions. This is life- u win some and u lose some.

(Yes I am very much like Richard from Texas in "Eat Pray Love"... I do usually speak in "bumper sticker" )

 

[campy614]

Good luck to all teams.

PS, I kinda have to agree with Navi on this one-not exactly for what she said, but for another reason. A show's nothing without a crowd-a statement that we all know and many organizers can attest to. SMD sold 120-something tickets for BAB, and they were only one of the however-many teams in the lineup. I forgot how expensive the tickets were, but that's a lot of money that went back to Virsa and the BAB committee. It kinda makes sense to invite a range of local teams so you get a crowd (and a diverse one, at that).

Boston always invites their usual local teams (roughly 1/3 of the entire lineup), who ALWAYS bring a crowd and sell out that 2763 seat theater each and every year (THAT'S A HUGE CROWD, BTW). The recipe always works. They invite the teams that stick to the theme of the competition, but invite a certain amount of local teams knowing that they will bring crowds that ABSOLUTELY WILL sell out the show.

Many of the SMD girls live in Queens, or have friends/relatives in the area and call Queens their home. They're a decently traditional team (and therefore fit the theme of the competition), and will guarantee a crowd so the organization will bring a profit. From where I stand, it would just make perfect sense from all angles to invite them (that and the number 13 creeps me out-there's 13 teams in the lineup). There's only two teams that have their roots in Queens in this competition. Given that the York College Auditorium is pretty big, and there's a big lineup-I would have invited another local team.

Also, another question for US competition organizers. Is there a rulebook that says only one all-girls team allowed? Or one all-girls team is "enough"? Toronto comps have a whole section in their comps celebrating girls doing bhangra*, and yet I don't think I've ever seen a lineup in the US with more than one all-girls team at a time. There are 13 teams in this lineup, and only one all-girls team.

I mean, I guess qui sera sera. But this is my thought (partly on UBC, but the paragraph above this pertains to all comps in the US).

*So, a lot of people view this in the negative sense that this restricts girls-teams competing with other girls-teams. Usually the organizers would say that this levels out the playing field. Without looking at it from either point, an all-girls section guarantees that the lineup with be around 1/3 all-girls teams and display diversity to a crowd. Also in TDot-as I'm sure all of you are aware-if it isn't traditional, then it won't fly (or place, for that matter). SMD placed second @ Bhangra Masti 2009, and potentially could have placed at TBYF 2009... and this was all before SMD's style change to from pretty-darn-modern to a more traditional style.

 

[MundeNyDe]

Tu saliya chup karr... yeah the white guy is (always) right...

Good luck to all teams.

PS, I kinda have to agree with Navi on this one-not exactly for what she said, but for another reason. A show's nothing without a crowd-a statement that we all know and many organizers can attest to. SMD sold 120-something tickets for BAB, and they were only one of the however-many teams in the lineup. I forgot how expensive the tickets were, but that's a lot of money that went back to Virsa and the BAB committee. It kinda makes sense to invite a range of local teams so you get a crowd (and a diverse one, at that).

Boston always invites their usual local teams (roughly 1/3 of the entire lineup), who ALWAYS bring a crowd and sell out that 2763 seat theater each and every year (THAT'S A HUGE CROWD, BTW). The recipe always works. They invite the teams that stick to the theme of the competition, but invite a certain amount of local teams knowing that they will bring crowds that ABSOLUTELY WILL sell out the show.

Many of the SMD girls live in Queens, or have friends/relatives in the area and call Queens their home. They're a decently traditional team (and therefore fit the theme of the competition), and will guarantee a crowd so the organization will bring a profit. From where I stand, it would just make perfect sense from all angles to invite them (that and the number 13 creeps me out-there's 13 teams in the lineup). There's only two teams that have their roots in Queens in this competition. Given that the York College Auditorium is pretty big, and there's a big lineup-I would have invited another local team.

Also, another question for US competition organizers. Is there a rulebook that says only one all-girls team allowed? Or one all-girls team is "enough"? Toronto comps have a whole section in their comps celebrating girls doing bhangra*, and yet I don't think I've ever seen a lineup in the US with more than one all-girls team at a time. There are 13 teams in this lineup, and only one all-girls team.

I mean, I guess qui sera sera. But this is my thought (partly on UBC, but the paragraph above this pertains to all comps in the US).

*So, a lot of people view this in the negative sense that this restricts girls-teams competing with other girls-teams. Usually the organizers would say that this levels out the playing field. Without looking at it from either point, an all-girls section guarantees that the lineup with be around 1/3 all-girls teams and display diversity to a crowd. Also in TDot-as I'm sure all of you are aware-if it isn't traditional, then it won't fly (or place, for that matter). SMD placed second @ Bhangra Masti 2009, and potentially could have placed at TBYF 2009... and this was all before SMD's style change to from pretty-darn-modern to a more traditional style.

 

[mafzal]

lol bunch of cry babies. Yall didn't get in? So What! Demanding transparency so everyone can know why you didnt get in. This isnt the first time a deserving team has been shafted from a comp. If they didn't wanna accept you, the choice is theirs. Honestly this just seems like a way for you girls to complain.

Just b/c it happens to others doesn't make it okay. Also yes it is a way for them to complain - good for them. Again props for speaking out expressing what they feel. if other teams have been in a similar situation and chosen to "just deal with" then that was their choice. smd's choice was to talk about it openly and it's not hurting anyone

 

[PartyJatt]

lol bunch of cry babies. Yall didn't get in? So What! Demanding transparency so everyone can know why you didnt get in. This isnt the first time a deserving team has been shafted from a comp. If they didn't wanna accept you, the choice is theirs. Honestly this just seems like a way for you girls to complain.

Just b/c it happens to others doesn't make it okay. Also yes it is a way for them to complain - good for them. Again props for speaking out expressing what they feel. if other teams have been in a similar situation and chosen to "just deal with" then that was their choice. smd's choice was to talk about it openly and it's not hurting anyone

And if they get accepted due to drama on BTF? That's a good reason to be in a competition.
I agree with completely with Avneet and TZ, "if they didnt feel you were fit for their show, just deal with it, even if you dont agree with it"

 

[faizan]

I agree with josephine, 8) From a business stand point, inviting another local team would have been a good idea.

 

[GSingh]

you didn't get into a comp. Tons of teams don't.

Better luck next time.

 

[Saab]

As much as it makes sense money wise, you cant really guess at what comps want to do when they throw competitions. I guess its nice to see a comp that doesnt care about the bottom line(at least right now) in terms of dollars.

Just relax and get an education. Im surprised that people arent going cuckoo over the fact that pritpal has started posting again ^. Wonder if there will be a girls story involved.

 

[sumeetj]

As much as it makes sense money wise, you cant really guess at what comps want to do when they throw competitions. I guess its nice to see a comp that doesnt care about the bottom line(at least right now) in terms of dollars.

Just relax and get an education. Im surprised that people arent going cuckoo over the fact that pritpal has started posting again ^. Wonder if there will be a girls story involved.

your so cute when you talk like that

 

[Harman]

lol bunch of cry babies. Yall didn't get in? So What! Demanding transparency so everyone can know why you didnt get in. This isnt the first time a deserving team has been shafted from a comp. If they didn't wanna accept you, the choice is theirs. Honestly this just seems like a way for you girls to complain.

Just b/c it happens to others doesn't make it okay. Also yes it is a way for them to complain - good for them. Again props for speaking out expressing what they feel. if other teams have been in a similar situation and chosen to "just deal with" then that was their choice. smd's choice was to talk about it openly and it's not hurting anyone

Nobody likes a cry baby Mariam.

 

[Japi7]

Lost a little respect for SMD and I'm given it to the teams that didn't complain.

 

[Vijay]

I agree with josephine, 8) From a business stand point, inviting another local team would have been a good idea.

+10.

As much as it makes sense money wise, you cant really guess at what comps want to do when they throw competitions. I guess its nice to see a comp that doesnt care about the bottom line(at least right now) in terms of dollars.

please. its nyc. i dont care what kind of group is holding the comp, in the city money is ALWAYS an issue. having another local team would definitely help fill up the venue

 

[campy614]

I agree with josephine, 8) From a business stand point, inviting another local team would have been a good idea.

+10.

As much as it makes sense money wise, you cant really guess at what comps want to do when they throw competitions. I guess its nice to see a comp that doesnt care about the bottom line(at least right now) in terms of dollars.

please. its nyc. i dont care what kind of group is holding the comp, in the city money is ALWAYS an issue. having another local team would definitely help fill up the venue

THANK YOUUUU!!! As noble as it is to only invite teams that stick to the theme and to invite new teams, where is the money coming from? Also-and I think as dancers we've all been through this at one point or another-it's not fun dancing to a half-packed crowd. The more people, the better. It sucks looking at the crowd, doing a team huddle and hearing Faizan give a pep talk "Guys, there's no crowd out there. DO NOT CURSE, and do not let the lack of energy bring you down!" More local teams would guaranteed that this wouldn't happen, which would benefit the teams who are performing. It's really that simple.

 

[A Singh23]

yes competitions reserve the right to select whichever teams they want, but SMD has simply tongue-tied the competition organizers by going public. Anything can be said in private, and the reason given was definitely not satisfactory. I can honestly think of no reason as to why SMD wasn't selected, and as I'm curious as to why they weren't, so are they.

and of course it's going to hurt. Socal based teams always want to get on the Bruin Bhangra stage, so obviously the same goes for a team from NY, for an NY competition. nothing like home-crowd.

 

[sonehdataweet]

jo kismat vich likhayah ah, ohi hona ah

 

[Temurzai]

holdddduppppp, so we went from a team not being given a sufficient enough reason for rejection to how UBC shuda taken a team for the sake of ticket sales? cuz its NYC? and shits expensive? lolll UBC's tongue is tied?

this is the saddest hijacking of a thread ive ever seen.

theyre doing the right thing by not going public. its called being professional and handling ur issues in private like grownups do. like every team does. especially successful teams who other teams look up to.


Manhattan and Queens bouta get silly! Crown Foundation style, real hard like! 8)


TZ

 

[Vijay]

no one is crying, or hijacking. we just started getting into the technicalities of holding a competition in an expensive location. i think at this point, the bottom line is that SMD should have gotten into the competition - not only because they are deserving team but adding another girls team would add diversity to the lineup, and of course the locality of the team. whats done is done tho so im dropping it now.