Ms. Dian Tanaka on forms

 "When judging forms, to me the most important part of forms competition goes beyond the physical. By this I mean that the judges gravitate toward the person who performs the kata with such intensity that they stop seeing them as a competitor and can actually visualize the opponent getting hit. Moreover, they can personalize the experience, thinking, 'Oh my god, if I was on the other end of that shot, that would hurt?' And so, when I work with people to ready them for a competition, I always say please do not forget this is not just a bunch of moves in the air. Think of the shot. Visualize it. You have to feel this as if the opponent were right in front of your face. And you have to turn your head sharply because there is someone right on your back, and you just can’t lollygag and turn slowly and make it unrealistic. It has to be real, and it has to be so real that the judges actually forget about seeing you. They’re seeing the opponent be the recipient of all of your shots." --Dian Tanaka, "The Journey" (2001)