5 Last Minute Dance Competition Survival Tips

There's style... and then there's survival.

Unfortunately, the style we want usually takes a back seat to the survival instincts pumping through our bodies. This is only magnified when there are time constraints.  

But what if we can take the gut wrenching, fight or flight feelings leading up to your dance competition and make them more productive?

Score!

5 Last Minute Dance Competition Survival Tips

1. Hectic Schedule

What:  Ask your dance teacher to schedule a lesson during the busiest time in the studio.  

Why?  This way you can practice dancing your material in a crowd. 

Style Improvement:  Looking less affected by the people around you gives you the look of a poised competitive dancer.  For more ideas on how to look, and what the judges may be looking for, we recommend reading "31 Things Dance Judges Want to See You Do."

2. Dress Rehearsal

What: Wear your costumes on at least one lesson.

Why? You need to make sure you can:

• See if it fits well in a variety of dances
• Get adjusted to the weight of it - All those rhinestones really add up
• Does it cover what it is supposed to cover?  (We don't want any distractions)

For more ideas on costuming, we recommend reading "6 Dance Comp Essentials Most Women Forget To Pack"

3. Inner Monologue

What:

• Tell yourself...  it's okay to smile and have fun. (Judges LOVE to see that).
• Tell yourself... will make some mistakes and it's okay. (You are judged on your overall dancing and not on missed steps).
• Tell yourself... that this is just one stop on the dance journey. (Making this the one and only destination adds more pressure, and is short sighted).

Why? This is not the time to add any negative fuel to your fire.

Sometimes bits of advice have the right intention, but the wrong timing or delivery. For more on how to insulate yourself from ill-timed dance advice, especially the week before a dance event, we recommend "7 Terrible Tips All Dancers Should Ignore"

4. Home Cooking

What: Make some homemade brownies, cookies, or enchiladas - and use them as bribes for Arthur Murray teachers and judges. 

Why? (Really) This is the week to push it. That means that even though you're packing clothes, you should also be packing in minutes on the dance floor simulating what the dance competition (aka "Dance-O-Rama®") will feel like. Because of that, this is the week to bring snacks, and a sleeping bag, to the studio.

• Bring some bottled water, or Gatorade, fruit, veggies, cookies (homemade?). 
• Make it a Potluck! Why not bring in a dish, along with the other Arthur Murray students, and make a day/evening of it. 

[Updated 11/25/15]

5. Attack The Calendar

What: Don't settle for this one event.

Why? Sure, you may feel overly pressurized for this upcoming trip, but that will always be the case if you're planning your competitive dance events in single servings.

There are some great tips on this subject in the article, "Master Your Dance Competition Calendar".  

• If you're preparing for Hularama, you could also be preparing for Unique Dance-O-Rama®
• If you're preparing for World Dance-O-Rama®, you could also plug Superama onto your calendar.

The sooner you start planning, the less hectic this whole process will seem.

See you on the dance floor! 

Follow this link to learn more about the the Competitive Dance Programs at Arthur Murray

Final Thought

There's an old military saying, "we sweat in training, so we don't bleed on the battlefield." Well, our hope is that you're going to worry at the studio, so you can enjoy yourself at the Dance-O-Rama®.

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