A choreographed and interpretive routine of two athletes using one baton each to demonstrate blended baton, body, and partnering skills in combination with stationary and traveling complex bodywork executed to a standard prescribed musical selection.
Discipline Description
The Artistic Pair discipline is the interpretive performance of two athletes to a standard musical selection encompassing the technical and artistic blending of the baton and the body, prioritizing a choreographed work that could stand alone as musically reflective and interdependent on each other.
Discipline Focus
1. Content:
The artistic pair discipline is a body-dominate discipline that has movement choreography as its base motivated by “pair aesthetics”. Embedded within the choreography will be representations of the 3 twirl modes and exchanges to enhance the choreography. In addition, the “travel mode” will be represented and will enhance the use of space and proper staging of the two athletes, therefore giving the performance depth. A broad base of skills of baton and body with respect to the music will be consistently present and each athlete will be dependent on each other to fully present a vision of pair choreography. Various “styles” of approach are possible with this discipline as long as the routine preserves the integrity of the pair discipline.
2. Execution:
The skills presented in the artistic pair discipline should be seamless in connection and demonstrate a priority of proper body and baton technique and reflect a pair “thought process” in concept. The base of skills within the choreography should be musical. “Token” moves/sections with little to no regard for the music will receive little to no credit. The artistic pair routine will be choreographically paced with impact moments, highs and lows, contrasts of dynamic performance qualities, interrelationship, interaction and expression that yields an artistic and entertaining program. The athletes’ and his/her “characterization” via the routine should embody the essence of the musical composition in phrasing, rhythm, and emotion. If a specific style of movement is selected (ballet, jazz, contemporary, modern, character, for example), the athletes will adhere to that style throughout the performance. The ultimate artistic pair will have an innate/trained sense of the partner’s awareness as if they are “communicating” without speaking. The ultimate artistic pair performance will create an “aura of performance” that transcends a mere demonstration of varied and blended skills into an entertaining art form. It will have professional qualities that one would see similar to pair ice dancing or pair ballroom.
age categories
Junior (12-17) Senior (18+)
*Must enter the age division that corresponds with the age of the oldest athlete.
