5 DOS AND DON’TS FOR DANCE COMPETITIONS

Competition season is among us, and it is time for the dancers to put all of the practice into action! It’s a very exhilarating time for not only the dancers, but also for the teachers and parents. Unfortunately, we can get caught up in the moment and lose a bit of decorum. Keeping with my theme of sticking to New Year’s Resolutions and making this a positive year to remember, here are five dos and don’ts to keep in mind at your upcoming dance competitions.

DOS

1. ARRIVE EARLY AND PREPARED. Being aware of the competition’s timeline is key to a smooth weekend of dance. Make sure to check in with your studio right before the event (a day or two before) for any changes that the competition, or studio owner, may have made to the schedule. Check your email for information from your studio or competition. Visit the studio and competition's websites to review any updated information. Print ALL the information concerning scheduling, arrival times, locations, and any other relevant details. Carry this information with you. If you can get a complete program prior to the event, I recommend it. If not, make purchasing a program a priority, and acquire one as soon as you arrive. Create a timetable of costume changes, note any quick changes, get your costumes and accessories in performance order, find snack and meal times, and make notes of when you must check in with the backstage manager.
2. CHECK YOUR PROGRAM FOR ISSUES IMMEDIATELY. If there is an issue, such as the same dancers scheduled to perform back to back, or a routine is in the wrong age, category, level, etc., notify the competition staff immediately. Please do not hesitate. (To avoid these issues, check your tentative and final schedules immediately once they are sent from the competition to studio in advance of the event. You can call the company’s office and take care of these things prior to the event and save yourself, and the staff a lot of headaches.)
3. HAVE A COMPETITION CONTACT TO KEEP YOU INFORMED. There may be times that you will be able to leave the venue. Please keep in the mind that the show will go on without you, and it is your responsibility to know what is happening in your absence. Have a responsible person there with whom you can stay in contact to notify you if the competition begins to run early, and one who can also keep you up to date with what act number is currently onstage. Some competitions have an app to assist with this, and some do not. If watching an app, keep in mind that if there is a wifi issue, the app may not be correct. It if best to have an actual person to keep you informed.
4. BE ON YOUR BEST BEHAVIOR AT ALL TIMES. Students, dance is a blessing. Being able to compete is a gift. Be kind to everyone around you, including your parents, teachers, other dancers, and competition staff. Be thankful for the opportunity, and be gracious when receiving your awards. Offstage behavior, and behavior at awards matter just as much as your performance. This applies to teachers and parents too. A good attitude makes a memorable impression on others, but remember... so does a bad attitude. The dance world is a small world. Be kind. Treat others as you would want to be treated. Stay positive. Say thank you to parents, teachers, judges, and competition staff. Enjoy the experience!
5. CHECK IN ON TIME AND STAY IN LINE ONCE CHECKED IN. Make sure to check in as directed by the competition staff. If specifics are not given, here is a good rule to follow. Check in 3 to 5 acts prior to your performance. Once you check in with the backstage manager, do not leave or wander. Stay put! If you have a quick change, let’s say 3 acts for a quick change, please let your backstage manager know. Tell them you have a quick change and show them in the program. Let them know you will be there on time to perform, but you will arrive close to performance time. If you do this, they will be looking out for you, hold your spot, and the emcee will be ready for you. IMPORTANT: Backstage is also not a viewing area. Please support your child or friend from the audience, even during solos and duo/trios. If you are not dancing, waiting on your turn to dance, or are not a teacher, you do not belong backstage. This is a very small area, so please be courteous. Please stay out of the wings, keep your voices down, and follow all instructions given to you by the backstage manager.

DON’TS

1. DON’T TALK ONSTAGE DURING AWARDS. There are a lot of people sitting onstage during awards, and everyone is eager to hear what they have earned. Please refrain from having conversations onstage. Even whispers become extremely loud when everyone is doing it. Please be courteous to the competition staff who must pay close attention to hear in order to do their job, and to the other dancers on stage. It is also good manners to say thank you when handed an award.
2. DON’T HOLD NUMBERS. GO IN PROGRAM ORDER. Please be courteous to other dancers, teachers and studios, and audience members by performing in order of the printed program. A competition can quickly become chaotic and get behind time schedule when dancers and teachers don’t follow the program. Judges, audience members, other dancers and teachers, do not know what dance is next when performances are all out of order. There is also a myth about “going last”. It is completely false. (I go into depth about this subject in my blog post, “The Myth of Going Last at Competition”.) If you have a quick change, be prepared for it. Don’t dilly dally! Go into it with a calm and positive attitude, and think of it as preparing for a professional career. Like the Nike slogan says, “Just Do It.” Remember, you are not the only one with a quick change. Others have made, and will make quick changes. You will not be the first, nor the last. Do your best to be professional, and try to make it on time. Teachers, you set the stage for this. If you remain calm and decide you will make it, the parents and dancers will follow.
3. DON’T BE A BAD SPORT. Being unkind, or downright mean to anyone is totally unacceptable. Word travels fast about nastiness. Always remember, the dance world is very small. Don’t leave a negative impression on the world. Always be gracious, kind, and thankful.
4. DON’T REHEARSE IN THE HALLS AND/OR HOLD A CLASS AT THE VENUE. Be prepared before the competition. Yes, everyone needs to stretch and warm up, but there isn’t the space or the time for any full blown classes or rehearsals. As one dance teacher told me, “if they don’t have it by now, they aren’t going to have it.” Rehearsing numbers and causing a delay in the program, or skipping your performance, is never good. Please do not make the competition staff come looking for you.
5. DON’T COMPLAIN ABOUT THE AWARDS EARNED. There was a reason each award was given. Do you have to agree? No, you don’t. Do you have to try to see the performance from another point of view? I think you should. You win and lose in life. Use awards as life lessons.

I hope you have a desire to make this your most positive competition season yet. Stick to the basics. Be kind. Be humble. Work hard. Be honest. And … love what you do.

Dance hard. Dance smart.

Meredith
thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.blogspot.com

*To learn more about competition myths, please read my post “The Myth of Going Last at Competition”.

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