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<DIV><SPAN class=234355813-11052006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>As a
judge, I'm not always looking for the most moving performance. What if
the performance that makes me cry is a bad rendition of "The Baron,"
haltingly read from Voices of the Star? Even a bad performance of that
poem will bring an audience to tears.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=234355813-11052006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=234355813-11052006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I see
the forms as being the most useful when comparing apples to oranges - for
example, an Elizabethan love sonnet to a "Born on the Listfield." I
also see them as a useful tool to help cram us all in the same "box" for judging
purposes - which we do need to do sometimes. How else can you compare a
carved oaken chair to an original composition performed in a period style?
<SPAN class=234355813-11052006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>As performers, forms can also help us prepare for a
competition. If I know what my score will be based on, I can choose pieces
and tailor my performance to the judging criteria. Isn't that the same as
playing to your audience?</FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=234355813-11052006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=234355813-11052006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>That
being said, I don't think we should marry ourselves to the forms, or even use
them in every competition. They can be a good tool, and a starting point
for judges' commentary. They can especially be a useful tool for new
judges learning how to give feedback. They can be nice in very large
competitions to help you remember details about a performance you heard over an
hour ago. A local competition with 5 entries? I probably wouldn't
use them.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=234355813-11052006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=234355813-11052006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>And, I
don't use them in the final round of a bardic competition. By the time
someone's gotten to the finals, we should already know that they have good
diction, tone, movement and flourishes, etc.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=234355813-11052006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=234355813-11052006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>(okay,
I'll stand back & duck now!)</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=234355813-11052006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=234355813-11052006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>Kat</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=234355813-11052006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=234355813-11052006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=234355813-11052006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma><FONT size=2><SPAN class=234355813-11052006><FONT
face=Arial color=#0000ff> </FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=234355813-11052006> </SPAN>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
bards-bounces+bardkat=verizon.net@ansteorra.org
[mailto:bards-bounces+bardkat=verizon.net@ansteorra.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Jay
Rudin<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, May 10, 2006 1:01 PM<BR><B>To:</B> Ansteorran
Bardic list<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Bards] Question on performance judging
forms<BR></DIV></FONT></FONT>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Gwyneth asked:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>> That's great if all the judges are "moved"
by the same piece.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>> Also, how do you give feedback to the
others? You need to</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>> do more "moving" pieces?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Why would having a form or not affect what
feedback I give? "You need to work on your diction" or "Your poem
doesn't scan" work exactly the same whether there's a form or not.
Feedback does not require assigning numbers in categories. </DIV></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Most helpful feedback I've gotten as an
Ansteorran bard for more than 1/5 of a century has been from one-on-one
discussions. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The kingdom Eisteddfod was judged without forms
for years. The judges got together and talked about what they heard,
exchanged ideas, and came up with a winner. Feedback was offered to
anyone, and could be quite useful and pertinent.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Robin of Gilwell / Jay
Rudin</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>