Competition and Convention Prep
Ava’s Tips for Long Days of Dancing
By Ava Budish, DWC Ambassador
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You may know the simultaneously exciting and stressful feeling of walking into a convention ballroom room bright and early on a Saturday morning. You immediately feel the rush of energy and nerves surrounding you. If you are anything like me, you can't wait to spend the weekend learning from amazing instructors and meeting new people. But what can you do to ensure that you make the most of your time? The right preparation can make a world of difference when it comes to long weekends of conventions or competitions.
Physical Preparations:
Everyone’s body is different and has distinct needs but some general things that help me feel ready for a long weekend of dance include rest, stretching, and fueling my body. I like to be extra mindful to not push my body too hard in the days leading up to a convention weekend. I often still have classes throughout the week even up until the day or night before the convention, so making sure I’m not overworking myself is helpful and keeps me energized throughout the whole event!
Additionally, keeping my body warm and stretched can make a long weekend of classes easier and more enjoyable. Some light warm-ups before class like prances, relevés, or even a short yoga flow all warm me up without tiring me out. One of the things that I find most beneficial is to make sure I am fueling my body! Keeping myself fed with food that energizes me is the key to my happiness and success over long days of dance.
Mental Preparations:
Beyond just the physical aspects of preparing for a competition or convention, an important piece to consider is the mental side. Convention and competition weekends can be just as exhausting mentally as they are physically. I don’t dance my best if I am frustrated, insecure, overwhelmed, or even just flustered. Conventions are often in new surroundings filled with loads of new instructors, styles of dance, and choreography. All of these things can be overwhelming. The same goes for competitions. Many times, there are lots of nerves and anticipation. Sometimes you may be rushing to change costumes and then run right back on stage. To clear my brain, I meditate or follow guided breathing exercises. Sometimes just putting in headphones and listening to my favorite music while I warm-up or stretch can help calm my nerves too. Everyone has different rituals or ways to calm themselves, but going into the day with a clear head is the most important part. Both of these things help me to center my thoughts and feel more prepared to learn, create, and dance my best!
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A large aspect of competitions and conventions that can cause nerves is thinking that everyone around is judging me. It’s important to remind myself that everyone is more worried about themselves. Everyone in the room is in the same position as you and they are too preoccupied with their own dancing to judge you.
The final thing that makes me feel prepared going into a long weekend of dancing or even an audition is picking out an outfit that makes me feel confident! If my leggings keep falling down or my leo is uncomfortable it can be distracting. However, if I am wearing an outfit that makes me feel amazing I automatically walk in more confident and I can focus on my dancing!
I hope that you find these tips helpful when preparing for competitions and conventions this season!
