Well, here is my take on Berkley (and for that matter on winners of last three years at GWA). California Judges judge differently and as a result, winners of GWA have not done well at BOB against teams from Midwest and north east. Only time will tell if I am right. Let us see what happens at next BOB. As some one who took Raas items to FOGANA and always placed first or second, I know a thing or two about traditional. I don't deny that Berkley did not have lot of energy. They all did. That is not the only thing that differentiates a winner. I thought the second place winner had stayed closer to traditional Raas. This is not necessarily a statement against GWA. They are the best organizers as far as I am concerned.
This debate has always been there for any type of folk art form. There is a group of oldies like use who like for the traditional stuff to be there so that the roots of the dance form are not lost and at the same time we do want the new stuff. My point is this; before the competition it would be helpful for the teams to know what is the push of the organizers. For example R2B2 judges were dominated by different type of judges than GWA. Personally what I would like to see is not first or second prize but most traditional and most innovative.
Thanks for reading my blog and being civil to me.