How To Prepare For A Dance Competition: Tips & Guide
It is important to know how to prepare for a dance competition. The knowledge is half the battle won.
A dancer is required to apply everything they learn from the dance studio to a high-pressure situation. The experience is invaluable and as they say, diamonds are formed under pressure.
The preparation comes in threefold: pre-competition, competition and post-competition.
As you continue to read, you will realize that there is a heavy emphasis on the pre-competition phase. It will also highlight that there is more than hard work and dedication to make it as a dancer. You need to eat the right fuel and have a positive mindset.
This article will answer any burning questions you have, such as how to win a solo dance competition, what should I pack and what do judges look for?
Whether you're a seasoned dance competitor or you're a novice at your first dance competition, this dance competition survival kit is right for you.
Pre-Competition
1. Rehearse Smart
It goes without saying that you need to invest time and energy to rehearse. With the amount of time spent in the studio, prepare to treat it like a second home. Make the time spent in the studio every opportunity to better yourself by rehearsing smart.
Try to show up fifteen minutes before your teacher to go through your routine by yourself. In doing so, you get to recap corrections from prior rehearsals and your dance teacher doesn't waste their time repeating themselves. That way, you show independence and build trust.
Besides that, put yourself in the competing mindset even in rehearsals.
Claudia Dean, a former dancer at the Royal Ballet and current renowned ballet coach, said, "Don't conserve your energy in rehearsals because that will prevent you from achieving your best when it comes to high-pressure situations such as dancing on stage."
A competition-ready routine isn't something where you snap into autopilot; you have to train your body and mind rigorously, watch and learn from your peers. It is a matter of leveraging your muscle memory when nerves and butterflies take over on stage.
Pro-tip for parents: if your child is competing in their first event, make sure to involve yourself in the process. Drive your child to rehearsals and ask their teacher for feedback. Showing your interest might get your child to come to you for guidance when they meet obstacles in their preparation stage. Your actions might motivate your child more than you know.
2. Stay In Tip-Top Shape
Competition season is physically demanding. As an active competitor, you may compete in different categories in one day like solos, duet and group.
Leading up to the big day, rehearsals will become more demanding. On the day itself, you lose a lot of energy by warming up, doing hair and makeup and playing the waiting game.
On that note, dancers must keep up with their stamina. Kathryn Morgan, a former New York City ballet soloist, has valuable dance competition tips for dancers.
She advised dancers to run through their variation back-to-back. The explanation is straightforward. If you can do it twice, you can easily do it once. Once you achieve a back-to-back run through, rest assure you can power through your routine at dance competitions.
Besides that, dancers should complement their dance training with cardio exercises to get that extra push in stamina. The best way to get your heart rate up is to perform interval training. Repeated short bursts of stamina enduring exercises will get your heart rate up to its maximum and accommodate for recovery time in between.
3. Eat The Right Fuel
You are what you eat.
You may decide to go on an extensive diet right before a competition. However, if you're not eating properly by including different food groups - carbohydrate, protein, and fat - you are doing more harm than good.
According to dance organization, Ausdance, a dancer's diet should be made up of "55–60% carbohydrate, 12–15% protein and 20–30% fat".
Complex carbohydrates which are commonly found in rice, pasta and bread will replenish your energy level after a long rehearsal. Adding nuts and avocado to your diet will supply your body with healthy fats. Most importantly, include protein in your diet to repair muscle fibers.
Don't forget to keep yourself hydrated between rehearsals to help cool your body down through the evaporation of sweat. If it is not replenished with enough water, your mental and physical performance will suffer.
4. How To Pack For A Dance Competition
Handle logistics ahead of time to avoid panic mode on the day of the competition. Create a checklist to help you pack. Be a supportive team player and get together with your dance mates to cross-check your checklist.
Most dance competitions are held indoors with air-conditioners. It is a good idea to gear up with dance accessories such as leg warmers, a dance jacket and bootie dance shoes to keep your muscles warm.
Dancers should have an emergency bag with them all the time. The emergency kit should be filled with things like sewing supplies, hairnets, hair clips, hair spray, extra pair of tights, a marker in the color of their tights and other emergency supplies. The last thing you want to worry about at a dance competition is a wardrobe malfunction.
Bring a dance bag that is practical and keeps you organized at dance competitions. Take a look at our article on choosing the right dance bag here. For emergency accessory bags, many dancers like to use transparent zip-lock bags because it gives them peace of mind by knowing where something is at one glance.
5. What Do Judges Look For In Dance Competition
It's an age-old question. Chicken or egg? Bloch or Capezio? Technique or performance?
The mystery remains unsolved, but one thing is clear. One cannot exist without the other.
Every competition has its score sheet, and a panel of judges will be looking for different nuances in a dancer. But some universally sought-after criteria that would help a dancer stand out from the crowd is personality and technicality.
They go hand-in-hand. To truly capture the essence of dance, dancers need to pour their hearts out on stage. World-class dancers are usually the ones who speak to the audience with their movements. Be wise and choose the right music that brings out your personality.
Technique is also highly sought after by judges. Today, it is common to see gymnastic-like movements dominating the dance stage. Choreographers throw in aerials, backflips and other stunts to entertain the judges. However, stunts are not a substitution for technique. Stunts are best performed with technique; one solid pirouette is better than many flips with bent knees and half-pointed toes.
Get to know your strengths and weaknesses. Play the cards right.
While personality and technique are top of the priority, other factors that will make you a strong competitor include costume and presentation, synchronization (for group routines) and musicality.
Fulfill all the criteria mentioned above and you answer the question of how to win a dance competition.
During Competition
6. Prime Your Body
As you warm up, focus on the areas that are most active when you dance - ankles, thighs and abdominal. Planks, squats, and lunges are excellent exercises to warm up the entire body, but make sure to take it easier than you would a full workout.
Some dancers stick to the same warm up routine they do in the studio to give them a sense of familiarity which calms their nerves. Keep in mind that you will be sharing the change room with others and space will be limited, so do your warm up wisely. Dynamic stretches are the best warm ups in a small space.
It may be tempting to compare yourself to other dancers in the changing room, but keep in mind that everyone is as nervous as you are. Instead, channel your attention inwards and keep your body warm throughout your time backstage.
7. Positive Visualization
When you visualize something negative such as tripping on stage, how do you feel? Do you feel your nerves are fluttering? Are your hands clammy?
The mental images you conjure in your head will manifest into physical results. Positive visualization is a technique that help many Olympians and successful people achieve positive outcomes.
In your imagination, you're not bounded by physical limitations which allows you to perform to your ideal standard. Put on your earphones, listen to your music, and imagine yourself dancing to the best of your abilities. Create a mental image that is as clear as possible like what you see, how you feel, where the judges are seated etc. Visually performing the routine activates the same region of the brain as executing the movements.
Teachers can prepare students with positive visualization starting at the studio by creating a stage set-up to stimulate the student's body and mind. Round up friends and families for a night of recital to prepare the competitors for the big day.
8. Calm Before The Storm
30 minutes before showtime is not the best time to add a new trick to your routine. As your body depends on muscle memory to execute the dance moves, it could potentially be a disaster in the making.
If you find yourself feeling intimidated by the tricks and stunts you see, ask yourself. How far have you come to achieve your goal? Why did you dance in the first place?
If you didn't know, you are your biggest competitor.
Also, superstitious as it may be, some dancers follow a pre-performance ritual. The familiarity calms them down before a moment of chaos. You may bring a good luck charm such as your special comb, or perform a custom ritual such as doing 8 breathing exercises before stepping on stage.
It serves as a distraction and helps the performer to narrow down their focus into something familiar. Following a ritual may also condition your brain to get into competition mode.
Post Competition
9. Refuel
Be prepared with a handful of snacks because you never know what to expect at a dance competition. The schedule may run overtime and you do not want to end the day on an empty stomach. Another important part of the competition is coming up: the prize ceremony!
Morgan recommends dancers to stick to one kind of fruit for better digestion. She also suggested that dancers shouldn't eat sugar to avoid a sugar crash. Her recommendations include nuts and bananas. They help with fueling the body with energy and preventing sore and tense muscles respectively.
10. Recuperate
Give yourself a well-deserved break! After your performance, bundle up in warm clothes and either get ready for your next piece or start to cool down. It is a good idea to have a small chat with other dancers from different studios. They may be your competitor now but may end up being a dance colleague in the future.
Once you get home, show your feet some love by soaking it in warm water and salt bath. Salt neutralizes odor and eases muscle cramp. If you experience swollen joints or inflammation, make the time to soak in an ice bath. On the contrary, a hot bath is best for relaxation, increased blood flow and reduced anxiety.
Refrain from planning a day trip or something similar the day after a competition because you are likely to sleep in after a long and exhaustive competition day.
Trust us, you would sleep like a baby.
11. Reflect
Keep a dance journal and write down the key learning points from the day. Dancers who step up and ask feedback from their instructors are likely to progress faster. It is rare for the judges to provide feedback, but if they do, ingrain it into your memory!
These pointers are valuable and if applied properly, will help you transform into the dancer you aspire to be.
At the end of the day, you win or you learn. Remember, it is not about getting the medals. You will gain valuable feedback and experiences that will shape your career as a dancer. Many professional dancers are used to competing and performing in high-pressure situations so much so that they channel nerves into adrenaline to elevate the quality of their dance.
Conclusion
That's it for tips on how to prepare for a dance competition. Hopefully, this guide has helped you make the best out of competing.
If you intend to be a professional dancer, getting the practice early on is extremely beneficial. If you do it for leisure, the skills you pick up is transferable to your personal and professional life.
The learning curve is steep, but as you attend more dance events, you're going to progress faster.