as we enter competition season …
it’s TIIIIIMMMEEE (imagine me singing that in mariah carey’s voice because this time of year is BETTER than christmas). that’s right, friends. it’s competition season and boy am i ready to see some dance and get my routines on stage.
i wanted to create a list that i hope all kids can take a second to read and remember about competitions, their purpose and how to LOCK IN for their performances. when i was competing, there was nothing i loved more than the feeling of being on stage; if i could go back - i would tell myself to enjoy it a little more. so, that’s the purpose of this! all the things i have learned and wish i would have considered more.
why do we compete? in short - it’s to get on stage. it’s the easiest way for kids to get on stage and dance in front of an audience. don’t forget that you love dance and that’s why we do this. too often we put value in 3 people’s opinion. it will be different next weekend with a different set of judges. give it your all - no one can take the feeling of ‘i just killed that’ from you. ever.
BREATHE. nerves are normal. panic is not. channel your nerves into your performance. let it drive your warm up to the point of insanity - it’ll end up preparing you more than you realize. you have to breathe! your body can’t dance without the oxygen you need.
you are PREPARED! you have been working toward this since august, maybe even earlier. you know what to do. you’ve prepared heavily for this moment. trust your teachers and trust your training. you’re ready!
communicate with the judges. judges LOVE when kids make eye contact, it’s such a special way to bring them into your performance effortlessly. don’t be nervous to make eye contact and communicate with them!
be clear on your intention. what is your piece about? if your answer to that question is ‘i don’t know’, the audience won’t know either. sit down and take a second to figure that out!
get a pair of headphones. use them. when you’re warming up, especially for solos - you don’t want anything to knock your focus. we call this ‘locking in’. put on headphones, warm up the way you need, and block the rest of the world out. you are the only thing that matters in this moment!
be nice to your mom. gosh … i wish i could go back and tell my younger self this, hahah. i’ve had to apologize for my comp behavior when i was younger (sorry again, mom!) your mom is your biggest fan, and she also probably pays good money to let you compete. make sure you treat her like the queen she is.
7. point. your. dang. toes. i always tell my kids that there’s ‘silly critiques’ that we don’t need to get. this is one of them. not silly for the judges to say, but silly that we would need to be told that!
8. create a warm up BEFORE comp day. make sure you know what parts of your body need extra attention warming up (do you turn a lot? add more abs into your routine). bring all the proper equipment like yoga blocks, bands, whatever you need to get your muscles fired up. have it figured out before you get there so you don’t have to think about it! your teacher is probably busy, don’t rely on them for something as simple as warming up!
9. backstage routine! this is something that i always did and calmed me down SO MUCH! create a routine that you do backstage. mine was - 24 jumping jacks, 14 push ups, 14 sit ups, 4 shakes on each arm & leg (can you tell 4 is my lucky number?) and then a quick prayer. before i walked onstage i repeated my mantra which was ‘make em watch’ 4 times. by the end of the routine i was standing on the side of the stage MORE than ready. whatever it takes to get you in the mental space of performing!
10. trust yourself. that’s it. just give yourself the trust you deserve.
happy competing! most importantly - HAVE FUN!
