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Getting ready for a dance competition can be really exciting but also very scary, especially if you’ve never competed before. Here are some tools to use when getting ready for the big event:
- Technique is one of the biggest scores at any competition. Make sure you rehearse all of the technical elements of your dance every day. These include any turns or leaps as well as any of your flexibility elements. Make sure you practice with your dance shoes on to know what it will feel like when you’re on stage. Stretching daily can help with your balance and control as well, which is part of the technical score.
- Making a memory mistake during a routine is costly. Be sure to practice your dance with music a few times each week to make sure you know it without having to think about what comes next in the routine.
- Practice showmanship, which is another big score at a competition. Ask your dance class, neighbors, family, or friends to watch you do your routine. When it’s finished, ask what they thought about your smile and facial expressions. If you smile during the dance, was the smile genuine or did it look forced? If you make facial expressions (such as pain or sadness), were they overdone or were they appropriate to the dance?
- Try on your costume. Make sure the fit is right and you have all appropriate undergarments and tights to go with it. Costumes are about 5 or 10 points of your total score and are generally the easiest to achieve, so make sure you do as much as you can in this area to ensure maximum points.
- Be prepared! Bring everything with you that you may need, such as extra tights, makeup, and dance shoes. It also helps to bring bobby pins, safety pins, hair spray, and an instant stain remover (in case you spill something on your costume).
