Dance Competition 101: Tips & Tricks for Dance Parents
“I have been a proud dance mom since my 18 year old daughter, Hannah, was only 2! Lindsey asked me to share some thoughts with you about preparing for competitions and other dance events that might help you have as much fun as I did for 16 years!
PRACTICE
Practice at home (for as long as your dancer is interested)! Hannah provided our family with dance entertainment for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, birthday parties, etc…. She was thrilled to turn on her music and practice her dances. Her little brothers – not in dance – even took a turn. The small audience and the time spent practicing helped her feel more prepared and confident when it was time for the “real” shows.
DESIGNATE DANCE AREAS
Keep track of all things dance by having a special place where everything goes. We had two special places:
A large basket for the dance bag that went back and forth to weekly classes and rehearsals. We would put special dance accessories in the basket as well – like leg warmers, fun dance knee socks, and hip hop hats. We used this dance basket until the very end. In fact, I’m pretty sure the dance basket is still there with a few pairs of smelly dance shoes inside.
A reserved section in a closet for recital and performance costumes. All costumes get hung in the same place after every use. The costume on a hanger and any accessories clipped to the hanger in a Ziploc baggie.
ZIPLOC BAGS ARE THE BEST
When getting ready to head to recital, competitions, or other performances, we found that Ziploc Bags were the most effective way for us to stay organized. On each Ziploc I’d write ‘Hannah Link’, and if I was feeling really fancy, I’d write the style of the dance (jazz, ballet, tap) to help me know what shoes needed to be in the baggie. A couple of days before the performance, I’d take the costumes off the hangers and into the marked Ziploc baggie. Any of the little accessory baggies would go in there with the costume and finally the appropriate shoes and tights needed. As the number of costumes needed increased, we put the Ziplocs together into a large plastic tub. It was much easier for us than hauling in a rolling rack and much cheaper than purchasing garment bags. As soon as it was time for a costume change, the costume would go into the labeled baggie and move on to the next one! It really was a pretty simple and reasonably priced way to keep organized.
TAKE A BLANKET
Always take a small/medium blanket with you. As the girls are younger it’s nice to lay out on the floor so they have someplace to sit and wait between performances. Dressing room floors can be pretty cool, especially when wearing tights and leotards! Once the girls are older, a blanket can help to reserve seats in the auditorium and can be used when it is unexpectedly FREEZING in the venue.
PACK SNACKS & WATER
Be sure to pack little snacks & a reusable water bottle. Hannah was never one to eat much on a competition day. Despite being busy rehearsing, performing, and participating in workshops, she would mostly snack until everything was over for the day. Small bags of pretzels, crackers, fruit snacks, granola bars, as well as peanut butter sandwiches and clementines are great things to have on hand for both dancers and parents. We would always pack LOTS of extra in case someone liked our snacks better – we had plenty to share. However, make sure you check with friends to be aware of allergies before handing out the snacks to others.”
Thanks for the great tips, Sarah!
Look for more dance tips & tricks coming soon on the Blog! Let us know what you want to read about next!