As the deadline for entering our First Ever Online Kata Tournament approaches, we can’t wait to see all your video katas! It’s going to be different – but it’s going to be great.
If you have not been attending class, no problem – you are still welcome to enter a video in the tournament!
Now here’s some advice we NEVER thought we’d be giving before a tournament:
- Shy students: No need to worry about performing in front of a crowd; just catch your best kata on video and send it in!
- Show-offs: Try those fancy moves as many times as it takes to get it right!
- Parents: Feel free to give helpful advice from the sidelines, and help your kids create their videos! (But, seriously – take it easy on your young performers, and please trust their own knowledge of their katas.)
On a more practical note, here are some tips and guidelines for preparing your videos:
- Begin each video with a bow to the judges; then state your name, your dojo, and the name of the kata you will be performing. For example, “My name is Jane Jones, I’m from Rohai Dojo, and I’ll be performing Bac Dau.” Or, more simply, “Jane Jones; Rohai Dojo; Bac Dau.”
- For the kata itself, you may take your video from whichever angle you feel gives the best view; it need not be a direct front view (although it may be). We understand this may vary depending on where you are performing and how much space you have.
- Be sure you are well lit, preferably from behind the camera. Avoid having the camera face a bright window or bright light bulb.
- Ensure that the judges can see you from head to toe; they need to see each entire move, and your footwork.
- Name your video with the student’s name and kata; for example, JaneJones-BacDau.mov.
Here is how it will work, once you’ve prepared your videos:
- You’ll need to upload your videos to your own free youtube account.
- When uploading, set the visibility of your kata to “Private.” This is important; we don’t want any previewing of the performances, either by fellow competitors or by judges. Not even the tournament organizers will see your kata prior to the tournament entry deadline.
- After you have registered for the tournament via the Registration Link, we will send you instructions for adding your uploaded kata to a shared playlist that corresponds to your tournament division (by age, rank, and category).
- After the entry deadline, we will ask you to change the visibility to “Unlisted” or “Public.” Then, the judges and competitors will be able to see the competition.
- Judges will score the entries in each division, and winners will be announced at a pre-scheduled Zoom celebration.
If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask! Some of your questions might be answered in our original post on this site (click here), but feel free to send us an email or ask in class. Oh, and one more thing:
- Adults: Don’t forget – this isn’t just for kids! We have some adults registered already – but we want all of you!
Let’s get those videos online, and make this year’s tournament a new kind of success!
Rohai Dojo 