NATIONAL FINALS: KEEPING IT IN PERSPECTIVE, AND KEEPING IT ALL ABOUT THE DANCERS

With the competition season coming to an end and National Finals upon us, I thought I would take a moment to communicate directly to dance parents. Being a dance mom and a dance dad is time consuming, and it can be costly. When you mix those two things with your care and concern for your child, it can bring on a tremendous amount of stress. As a parent, I get it. Every parent wants their child to be healthy, happy, and successful. As parents, it is important to remember that dance teachers love your children. They also want them to be healthy, happy, and successful. It is worthy to note that dance competitions want all the children to be healthy, happy, and successful too!

DANCE COMPETITION REALLY IS ALL ABOUT THE KIDS....IT SHOULD BE ALL ABOUT THE KIDS. 

Dance competition, especially national finals, should be a fun experience for dancers. It should be a place for children of all ages to show off their hard work and enjoy their moment in the spotlight. National finals is the big finale to the year! Everyone wants to do their best and go out with a bang! Families have traveled, taken vacation time from work, and spent a lot of money for their children to compete. Often times the competition is incredibly tough! Put all of these elements together, and you have the perfect storm if you don't keep things in perspective. Every dancer and teacher has worked hard all season. Parents have shelled out a lot of money all year. (Parents, it is important to remember that entry fees do not go to the studio, but to the competition. Those payments do not benefit the teacher.) Everyone is tired. If you stop and think that the dancers are only children once, and you will realize that you only have this one time to experience being a parent to your child at this age. Savor the moment and encourage them to savor it as well. Make it fun! Let your child know they aren't there to dance for a trophy but rather to dance out of joy and for the love of it. 

IMPORTANT! ALWAYS REMAIN CALM.
Dancers feed off the vibes, words, and tones of their parents. Keeping this in mind, having a warm smile and remaining calm allows the children (of any age) to enjoy the privilege and opportunity you have provided, instead of making them feel guilty, stressed, or worried. Yes, there will be quick changes. Yes, you may have a child that messed up onstage whom you will need to comfort. Yes, the competition may be ahead or behind schedule. Please remember that as a parent, all eyes are on you. The dancers need their parents' encouragement and support. Parents set the tone and mood for a competition not only with the dancers, but with the teachers and even the competition staff. 

Although your child is competing, the teacher is working. It is their job. More than likely, they are not getting paid or not getting paid very much to be there working. Contrary to what many may believe, studio owners make very little money off competition students. Competition takes up the majority of a studio owner/dance teacher's time with the least amount of pay. Studio owners and dance teachers provide extra performances and competitions because they love your children, and want them to have the benefits of the experience. They are working long hours, and often times do not get breaks as parents and dancers do throughout the week. It's important to keep this in mind. 

One way to eliminate your stress is to be informed. Make sure to communicate with the studio owner and/or dance teacher to confirm that you have all the correct information. Another way to eliminate worry is to double and triple check that you have everything on your dancer’s checklist. Last, but not least, arrive earlier than the scheduled time set by your dance teacher or studio owner. You may also want to check in with some to see if the competition is running ahead. Once you do these to things, you are good to go!!! From there, you can sit back and let your studio owner and dance teacher take the reigns!

Try your best not to go into overdrive, even if your dancer starts to get anxious. Try to calm them down, and encourage them to have fun and enjoy the experience! When you, as a parent, are calm, cool, and collected, you can enjoy the experience setting the tone for your child. You will see the stress and pressure drift away from your dancer allowing them, and you, to create wonderful lasting memories that dance certainly provides! Connect with each other and bond with other families. Laugh. Appreciate those around you, the talents of others, your child's talent, your gifts, and the friendships you have made through dance. Take note of all that dance has taught besides choreography and technique. MAKE IT FUN BECAUSE IT IS!

Dance hard. Dance smart.

Meredith

thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.blogspot.com

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For class, choreography, or booking information, please email: meredith@thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.com

You can also read The Competitive Edge by Meredith on Dance Apps Inc's app with NappyTabs, Dancer's Toolbox under Dancer's Dish.

MUSIC: WHY IS IT SO HARD?

Currently, I'm in the middle of writing my 6th annual teaching guide consisting of technique classes, progressions, and combinations in varies styles. This book has more classes than I can count, requiring numerous songs with different beats and tempos in various genres. My challenge isn't what to teach. My challenge is music. I'm also searching for music to use for choreography this season. Once again, the music challenge makes me crazy at times. The music problem seems to lie with jazz. Musical theater can present an issue too, but not like jazz! These days, jazz music is incredibly hard to find! It's like there is nothing new out there that is useable for the classroom or choreography. I'm sure other teachers must be nodding in agreement!

Most current music has a beat that is so fast there is no possible way you can use it to train dancers in technique classes. When I find new music that works for across-the-floor combinations and for training, most of the time the lyrics are less than desired. Of course, I run into this with music for choreography too. I cannot understand why artists must use profanity and inappropriate content in almost everything! Feel my pain? Regardless of whether a dancer listens to this music in the car, at home, or wherever, as a mentor and educator of children of all ages, I just feel it best to "keep it classy" at all times. I have spent HOURS editing music just for classes and I haven't even begun to work on choreography music!

When it comes to music for turns, leaps, and progressions classes, it is so important to have music with a beat that is easy to follow and very distinct. Once again, this is a challenge because this music is so hard to find, BUT it is imperative for the success of the class. Music that has an easy to follow and distinct beat makes it easier for the dancers to be on time with the music allowing them to simply focus on exactly what they are doing with their body placement as they execute the task given to them. They are also standing in lines waiting on their turn so they are listening to lyrics. It's just my opinion, but clean lyrics free of cursing, is very important even if the dancers are teenagers. Dancers need a variety of speeds during the training process too. It's important to be prepared by having multiple speeds of the same song together in your class playlist so you can quickly adjust to tempo for your student's needs.

For those who don't compete or perform a lot of jazz, jazz training is still important. Just like ballet training is necessary, jazz training is too. Jazz technique teaches quick and clean footwork, transitions, direction change, spot change, and weight change. All of these things are needed for contemporary and lyrical. Don't skip the jazz!!!!

When it comes to choreography, finding jazz music is probably the most difficult because I, like many of you, worry about digging to deep in the vault. Do you know what I mean? We all worry about music choices and one worry is this: using music that is old. Well, the truth of the matter is we are ALL using older music for jazz to an extent because there isn't much to choose from when it comes to current music. The beat is either way too fast or the lyrics are inappropriate. With the comeback of true jazz happening, we have to be ok with digging in the vault finding those oldies but goodies. Thinking outside the box with the oldies and bringing them back with current styles, and maybe even a twist, and mixing music together are great options to consider when deciding on music and choreography for this upcoming season.

For educators like me who have been in the business 20 years, this hard to accept, but it's ok to use music from days past....even though we used it 10 or 15 years ago. Even for newer teachers, I think this may be difficult. Think of music like jazz: it's making a comeback. LOL! Just remember when you are cutting music for choreography to use during competition season, just like music you use for class, it's always best to keep it clean, classy, and curse word free!

Dance hard. Dance smart.

Meredith

thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.blogspot.com

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For class, choreography, or booking information, please email: meredith@thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.com

You can also read The Competitive Edge by Meredith on Dance Apps Inc's app with NappyTabs, Dancer's Toolbox under Dancer's Dish.

AUDITION TIME = NEW BEGINNINGS

IT IS COMPETITION TEAM AUDITION TIME! It's such an exciting time, and it is such a stressful time. It is a time of new beginnings, and a time to worry about who is going to get their feelings hurt. There is the thrill of picking out new music, and the worry of choosing the right music and style. Why does it have to be so manic? Why can't it just be easy? Two reasons: internal politics and trying to please everyone.

Let's talk politics. Oh, that's one thing you are never supposed to discuss right? Just because Susie has danced with Jane for 12 years doesn't mean Susie should be in every group with Jane in the future.  Politically correct? No. Correct? Yes. In life, as adults, do we get every job or position within the company for which we apply? No. In school, do we get an A on a research paper just  because we want it? No. If we raise children to believe they always get everything they want just because they want it, aren't we setting them up for failure in the future? Just a random thought. When auditions happen, making the cut for a certain piece or group SHOULD happen because a dancer has EARNED the spot and fits in with that specific piece or group, not because they WANT the spot. The group as a whole has to benefit, not just one student. Putting a dancer in a piece, or giving them a solo, in which they are not ready only sets them up for failure. Teachers, please DO NOT feel obligated to place anyone in a group, give someone a solo, or keep everyone with their friends. Parents, please DO NOT pressure the teacher over placements or get upset with your child's teacher over their decisions. Dancers, please DO NOT get upset with your teacher over their decisions. No one wants hurt feelings, now or later. I'm a firm believer that if you tell me how to do my job, then I'll tell you how to do your job and we can see how well that works out. LOL! It's a sad but true fact that you simply cannot please everyone. It's also a sad, but true, fact that no matter what, some people will never be pleased. 

As a parent, it is hard when my child isn't the best. I'm competitive. I want him to be the best but I don't begrudge another child or parent because another child is better. If my son is benched because he isn't having his best game, I don't yell at the coach. I don't talk negatively about the coach, the family, and especially the other children. I encourage my son to believe in himself, practice harder, and practice correctly as the coach has instructed. I teach him not to resent his better teammate but to emulate them.  It's not my place to decide who makes the team, starts the game, or who is benched. It is my job to help my child deal with the decisions made and help him grow into well rounded, well adjusted, capable, independent adult. So it goes with dance. The decisions of solos, duets, trios, and groups should be left entirely up to the professionals, in my opinion. They know best and really do have the best interest of each and every dancer in mind. No dance teacher wants any dancer to fail. Ever. Sometimes pressure from students and parents can cause the teacher to set the student up for failure. Without certain pressures, better decisions for everyone may be made. In my opinion, everyone should always take a step back, look at the bigger picture, stay positive, and never go into attack mode. After all, this is dance. Decisions on national security are not being made. It's dance and life lessons. When decisions are made to "please the parents and/or dancers," it NEVER turns out very well. In the long run, no one will happy because the outcome will not be what anyone wants. Its better to deal with the hurt feelings upfront from one or two than to deal with a year of negativity and fighting amongst literally everyone.

Now let's talk something a little lighter but something that still really needs to be addressed: MUSIC AND STYLES. There is one important word to remember. DIVERSITY! Diversity is the key! It is the key to a dancer's growth and to keeping a judge's attention. No one, I repeat no one, wants to sit through hours of contemporary or lyrical. Don't believe me? Go ahead and ask anyone. Ask a judge. Ask anyone who works for a competition. Ask a dance teacher, a dance parent, even ask a dancer. Amazing contemporary, story telling pieces, or beautiful lyrical dances may be your favorite, I love them too, BUT it's imperative that you step out of that box and go with a variety of music and styles instead of the same over and over again. Mix it up! Keep it interesting. Make it different. Make it fun! Do some jazz, musical theater, tap, acro, or even a group ballet set to a fun piece of music. I promise, your dancers will enjoy it, as will your judges and the audience. YOU will enjoy it! And the big bonus? Your dancers will grow by leaps and bounds by competing a wide range of styles and showcasing a variety of emotions. But only, I repeat, only do styles in which they are ready to perform for the general public. If they aren't quite polished in a style, give them a year of classwork in the style first before making a competitive decision.

Here's to new beginnings, a variety of music and dance styles, and hopefully the start to a great competition season ahead!

Dance hard. Dance smart.

Meredith

thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.blogspot.com

Facebook: The Competitive Edge by Meredith

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For class, choreography, or booking information, please email: meredith@thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.com

You can also read The Competitive Edge by Meredith on Dance Apps Inc's app with NappyTabs, Dancer's Toolbox under Dancer's Dish.