Dance Competitions

Dance competitions are the ultimate destination for many dance troupes, as well as individuals who hope to win acclaim as a soloist. Below are some different types of competitions you may be able to attend, as well as how to properly prepare for them.

From basic to elite, all dancers need to be continually challenged, and there is no better way to stretch oneself than to get into the spirit of competitiveness. Dance competitions allow you to push yourself to the limits as a dancer, while also providing you the opportunity to grow and learn from the creativity and tenacity of those you see competing around you.

Competition gives your dancing an edge it otherwise wouldn’t have, and you will find yourself more motivated to put in hours at the studio, while refining technique and balance in ways you never did before.

While dance competitions keep you in check physically, they can also strengthen you emotionally. As any competitive dancer will tell you, one of the job requirements for a career in dance is a thick skin. An elitist cannot be intimidated by their rivals, and they must possess an outstanding amount of focus and discipline. Many dancers find they have not had an opportunity to get such “tunnel vision” when it comes to dance, until they begin competing and seeing how much of an impact the craft makes in their life.

If you are a first time participant, you will need to know how to properly prepare for dance competitions. First, you will want to decide what sort of competition is ideal for yourself or your team. Is there a specific style of dance you would like to compete in? From ballet to hip hop, there is a contest or festival out there for every genre. You may also want to consider age groups and expected level of difficulty. The best way to succeed is to place yourself in the right categories and not get in over your head. Registering for an extremely competitive and difficult event, which will only lead to embarrassment and frustration, is not a good experience for any first time competitor.

After you select a competition to participate in, you will want to register as far ahead as possible. The more time you have to prepare, the better. Try to find out exactly what the expectations of the competition are. Do they require certain technique? What about costuming? Is there a limit to the size of your team? Finding out all of these things as far ahead in advance as possible will help give your team a winning start.

Once you know the particular expectations of a competition, you can begin preparing as a team. When a competition draws near, your team will want to schedule extra rehearsals. You will need to ramp up your endurance and skill, both of which are best achieved through extra practices. One of the secret weapons of competition dance is the ability to get your whole team on the same page mentally. The more you run through dances together, the more in sync you will be both in mind and body. You can tell when a team has great communication, and hopefully you can become a wonderful example of that yourself!

There are dance competitions all over the United States. Visit a few of these dance competition websites for competition opportunities available to schools and dance studios:

Headliners is located in New Jersey, and hosts competitions for dancers ages 7-18. They pride themselves in using a traditional scoring standard that is no longer regularly incorporated into competitions. Headliners is well respected, and a great competition to try. Visit their homepage for registration information and other details.

Based in North Hollywood, Tremaine offers a cross country tour and plenty of different genres to compete in. Check out their official site for details.

Nexstar is at the cutting edge of technology, allowing dance instructors to upload their music before arriving at the competition, while also providing audio and visual performance critiques on flash drives. They host competitions all over the nation, and are based in Ohio. Visit NexStar.com for more information.

No matter where you choose to travel to, and who you end up competing against, remember that dance competitions are meant to be fun. Relax and enjoy yourself, and you will find your team will have more self confidence and place better in the long run.

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