The dance competition
season is almost among us and this means long weekends and busy schedules. Life as a competitive dancer isn’t always
easy, but the rewards are long lasting and worth all the hard work.
So, what do
you need to do to do as a competitive dancer to prepare for this busy time of
year to make it easier and more productive?
First,
making sure that all costumes and needed personal items are all neatly put
together will help that morning of your first competition. Putting small items, such as hair bows,
gloves, tights, foot paws, etc., in sealable plastic baggies will help keep
small items from being lost and will be easily accessible. The night before your competition make sure
all needed items are found and put into the proper places in your bag. Other items that may be useful to have in
your dance bag would be hairspray, makeup, eyelash glue, extra set of lashes, bobby pins, safety pins,
snacks for in between dances, Q-tips, extra elastics, a brush and a comb.
Make sure
you get to bed early the night before to get plenty of rest, so you aren’t feeling
sluggish and tired. This will help keep
your mind alert and you will give a top notch performance. Eat a nutritious breakfast and plan ahead so
you will arrive early to your destination, with plenty of time to check in and
find your team’s dressing room.
When you
arrive at the competition, make sure you are professional and have a smile on
your face. Creating a positive and
professional atmosphere can help your team and your own personal
performance.
Here are some
tips to help with your dance team’s competition:
·
Don’t
fear the judges – know that the judges are human and they’re there to watch you
and your team have fun. Show them all
the hard work you have been doing over the last 5-6 months. Make eye contact, smile and show the judges
that you love to dance and are having a fabulous time.
·
Have
faith in the choreography – even if you have flawless technique and
breathtaking leaps, choreography is very important. This will create amazing balance and flow.
·
Be
thankful for all those hours of practice – practice, practice, practice, this
is the answer to perfecting any talent or technique. The hours of practice will show in your
performance.
·
Use
your face – amazing dancing isn’t just using your body, but you need to use
your entire body. So smile and show
expression in your face and watch how much it will affect your performance and
the audience.
·
Warm
Up – when you get to the competition find a large area to stretch and warm-up
your body. You might be tempted to
observe the crowd, but know that warming up is very important for preventing
injury and for calming your nerves.
·
Keep
your cool – remember competing isn’t everything. What is more important is having fun and
doing your best. The judges will be able
to tell if you love your craft and doing it for total enjoyment. When you love what you do it shows through
and this is what makes a true winner. So
keep calm and show the audience and the judges exactly why you spend countless
hours practicing every week.
Lastly,
always behave in a manner that would be representing the mission and vision of your dance studio. You are representing the
best and you should behave like you are the best. Be humble, be confident and always be
positive.
