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

Your comfort zone voice is probably screaming at you right now. It’s telling you that you’re not ready, that you should have started preparing earlier, that everyone will notice your mistakes. Here’s the truth – almost every dancer feels this way before their first (or fifth, or twentieth) competition. The difference between success and disaster isn’t the absence of nerves. It’s what you do with them.

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 what the judges may be looking for, we recommend reading “31 Things Dance Judges Want to See You Do.”

In fact, one of the biggest surprises for first-time competitors is how different it feels to dance in a crowded ballroom versus an empty studio. The energy is different. The floor feels different. Other couples are moving around you. The sooner you can simulate that experience, the less shocking it will be when you’re actually there.

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)

You’d be amazed how many dancers discover costume problems at the worst possible moment. That dress that felt great standing still? It might ride up during your spins. Those new shoes that looked perfect? They might not break in fast enough. Test everything before you’re standing in the ballroom with no backup plan.

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… you 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.

Your comfort zone voice will try to convince you that perfection is the goal. It’s not. Expression is the goal. Connection is the goal. Showing up and doing your best is the goal. The judges have seen missed steps a million times – they’re watching for something else entirely.

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-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.

There’s something about the final week that requires a different approach. Normal life rules don’t apply. This is crunch time. The more hours you can log on the floor, the more automatic your dancing will feel when it counts.

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.

When you know that another event is coming, the pressure of “this one moment” decreases significantly. You’re not putting all your eggs in one basket – you’re building toward a dance lifestyle where competitions become a regular, exciting part of your routine.

What To Do The Night Before

Pack early. Not at midnight. Not at 2 AM. Early. Make a checklist and use it. Shoes, costumes, undergarments, makeup, snacks, medications, phone chargers – all of it.

Get some sleep. This sounds obvious, but nerves have a way of keeping dancers up all night replaying their routines. Trust your training. The work is done. Now your body needs rest to perform at its best.

Visualize success. Not perfection – success. Picture yourself smiling on the floor, feeling the music, connecting with your partner or teacher. Picture the applause at the end. Picture how good it will feel to have done it.

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.

The nerves you’re feeling right now? They’re proof that you care. They’re proof that this matters to you. Channel that energy into preparation, not panic. And remember – every champion was once a nervous beginner stepping onto a competition floor for the first time.

See you on the dance floor!

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