Be Your Best Self - Help others see a world of dreams!
So often we are asked about why students might compete or perform publicly. Dance competitions and performing publicly grant endless opportunities to become a better dancer and have fun. While winning isn't everything, putting your best effort into your work is. Keep dancing. Keep positive. Be amazing.
Fully Blinged Tutu
All in a Weekend's Work
Although there are countless reasons, below are SEVEN of the most commonly recounted.
... and a few more pictures to boot.
WE TAKE YOU PLACES YOU'VE NEVER BEEN
(1). High-Performance Teamwork means developing skills: involvement and empowerment - learning to negotiate the might of an individual and group cohesion - understanding their own contributions and balancing that with responsibility to the team.
Each dancer has worked until they are highly skilled in their interactions and their movements are mutually compatible with the team. They have a place; they are respected and expected to do their part. The macro and micro body attention-communication is essential during every moment even with the audience's response.
Working with others is essential in all areas of life and these valuable skills will last a lifetime.
IT'S REALLY FUN
(2). Getting over stage fright (performing in front of others) is one of our biggest fears. Practice and preparedness help alleviate it. Having trusted friends with you during performances also help overcome fear. Dancers who perform publicly develop resources to deal with different pressures. They can apply these skills in school and at work. Once your kids know how to achieve excellence under pressure, you'll find they are having a lot of fun when others are stressed.
MAKE GOOD FRIENDS... EXPAND SOCIAL NETWORKS.
(3). Dance classes are the perfect settings to make new friends with people having the same interests! Dance gives you something in common to talk about. Then, when you step up the pressure (performance / competition), you see each other more often, discuss styles and techniques, help each other, trust more, and are sincerely delighted by their success - just as they are delighted in yours.
GAIN NEW SKILLS.
(4). A sense of achievement builds confidence, inspiration, creativity. The simple task of setting a goal and then reaching it is a great way to improve your skills and feel great about yourself!
Another vital part of competition is the inspiration to be your best. There are so many other amazing dancers out there, it challenges you to keep improving. Raise the bar for yourself and your team.
It's eye-opening. During a dance competition you'll see dancers trying new things or doing the same thing slightly differently. You hear different music and see different styles. It opens up a world of exploration.
BUILD RESILIENCE... LEARN TO ACCEPT / APPLY FEEDBACK.
(5). With great coaching, children learn that constructive criticism in a safe environment helps them perform better, moves them forward towards their own goals, and builds trust. It develops their body sense and skills. Later, when they try new things they will remember that being a beginner is not a fearful state and they will be willing to adapt and grow. All of this builds self-awareness and confidence.
No performer likes being criticized, but feedback can be an amazing learning opportunity. Children learn to listen carefully to critiques and try new things. In all aspects of life, people are examined by third parties. It's an important skill to learn when it is constructive and in their best interests.
During competition, judges will tell dancers exactly what they need to hear about their dancing and how they can improve certain aspects of their talent. The better a dancer gets at accepting and translating constructive criticism, the better they are at facing it in the future and improving performance.
LEARNS ABOUT HUMBLE WINNERS AND RESILIENT LOSSES
(6). Competition builds character. Learning to develop a great attitude about winning and losing can be difficult lessons for children. But, if they can accept defeat without a fuss and accept a win without putting others down, they will become a fair, level-headed person.
Learning to congratulate a dancer that beat you in a category and express to them something you learned from them, this is a fantastic thing for a child to do for themselves. And should the judging go your way, developing a knack for compassion puts you on tremendous moral ground and makes you a positive force to be around.
Competitive dancing and great coaching allows your child to enjoy victory and be proud of themselves. And they will also learn how to accept a loss without internalizing the negativity.
GET EXPOSURE... MAKE CONNECTIONS.
(7). Friends you develop during competitions, from your own teams or from other studios, can give you a hand-up in the dance world. Your child can be exposed to different dance troupes, styles, routines, people, attitudes, ways of moving, and venues/cities.
If your child is interested in a dance career, then entering them in a dance competition is a great way to gain them exposure and introduce them to different dance experts, judges, and opinions.
Famous Ballet - which one?
We Gotta Dance
Too excited backstage to stand still
2020
2020
Competition Dancer
Buddies all the way
Backstage - excitement is high
2020
2020
Covid? Ha, doesn't stop us safely performing
(Backstage at the KR Competition 2021)
Friends make it exciting rather than scary
Awesome Costumes
2020
