How to Succeed at Competition

DANCE SCENE

NEW YORK

CHICAGO

LAS VEGAS

LOS ANGELES

Join the 2,300+ Dancers on MySpace, http://www.MYSPACE.com/EtchingsDance

How to Succeed At Competition - Groups

1. Make sure your dancers are well trained. The group is only as strong as its weakest dancer. No amount of stage make-up, sparkly costumes, or bright lighting can hide unpointed toes and bad posture. All students in competition should be enrolled in a minimum of two full ballet classes a week. This does NOT include ballet classes where a piece is being choreographed.

2. Feel like a team, dance like a team. If the chemistry among the members of your group is less than good, it will show in your performance. Teams practice more effectively, have better backstage habits, and have better attitudes than dysfunctional groups.

3. Develop effective pre-performance techniques. To prevent members of your group from "Freaking Out" pre-performance, it's often a good idea to run through the piece a few times. Since space is often limited at competition, mark the piece (if necessary) except for lifts and/or major tricks. This is a good time to make sure everyone knows what curtains to line up at, who is counting the entrance onstage, and so on.

Make sure that your dancers are well warmed up and stretched before the performance. This not only prevents injury, but helps to assure that the dancers will perform well, physically.

Develop a normal backstage activity for your team. This might be a quick "huddle" or a group hug to get everyone's spirits up.

Lastly, make sure that everyone eats well. Students who starve themselves before a performance will be fatigued.

4. Require that your dancers be well behaved. If your dancers are not courteous and well behaved at all times, your school or studio may gain a reputation. Make it known that misbehaving on or off stage is not acceptable.

5. Make sure costumes are secure. If a piece of a costume falls out of place on stage, it distracts the audience from the group and causes them to focus on an individual instead. Make sure all hair pieces are pinned on, pants are pinned to leotards and/or tights, straps are out of view, and shoe laces are tied firmly.

6. Be Prepared for Everything! Hair pieces fall out, music doesn't start, tapes break mid-way through a performance, and so on.

Instruct your team on what to do in the above situations. Always keep going. If the music stops, count in your head until its fixed or the announcer asks the team to exit and then re-enter. If the team is asked to re-enter, which way should they exit? While these situations may seem unlikely, they happen when you least expect them!

7. Require that dancers be in costume at the competition an hour before the performance. This allows ample time for stretching, warming up, and rehearsing. It also takes into account that the competition may be running ahead of schedule.

8. Pay as much attention to polishing your exits and entrances as to your piece. The first thing the judges see is the entrance of your dancers. The last thing the judges see is their exit.

9. Practice makes perfect. Rehearse the piece as much as you can before competition season begins. The more familiar your dancers are with the piece, the more comfortable they will be with it on stage. Start polishing the piece early.

10. Have fun! Tell your dancers to get into the piece, and show some emotion! The emotional performance of your dancers is what will set them apart from the 300 other entries the judges have to sit through.

How to advertise on this site.

Free Dance Clipart Film Books Music Auditions Apparel Shoes Magazines Clip Art Posters Marketing Calendars Dance Injuries Cruise Line / Cruise Ship Travel Safety for Dancers

Contact: etchingsdance@yahoo.com

Dance Movies - Go to Menu

Ballet and Pointe   Jazz Dance   Tap Dance   Hip Hop Dance Ballroom Dance   Modern Dance
Flamenco Dance      Ethnic Dance Dancers   Cheerleaders & Drill   Yoga
Musical Theater Dance      Dance on TV

Dance Colleges   Dancers and Companies   Free Online Video Clips
Dance Competitions    Dance Resources

HIP HOP B BOYZ
DANCE ASSOCIATIONS

Ballet    Jazz    Tap
Hip Hop     Flamenco    Modern
Ballroom     Musical Theater    Cheerleading and Drill
Ethnic Dance Belly Dancing Clipart     Volunteer
Casting Calls / Auditions
The Ballroom Dancer
SMART MOVES: WINNING THE FITNESS CHALLENGE

Disclaimer

Etchings Dance is everything dance! Hip hop, jazz dance, pop-n-lock, tap, ballet, modern, lyrical, tango, ballroom dancing, flamenco dance & break dancing. So you think you can dance, dance, dancing, dancer, dancers, auditions, casting, casting calls, studio, choreograph, routines, theatre, aerobics, fitness, funk, classes, instruction, hip hop, ballet, jazz, modern, tap, disco, african, belly, lyrical, irish, highland, breaking, popping, locking, macarena, electric slide, ballroom, salsa, waltz, tango, flamenco, cha cha, moon walk, acro, tumbling, figure skating, rhythmic gymnastics, twirling, cheerleading, color guard, competitions, drill teams, poms, liturgical, health, injuries, recipes, manhattan So you think you can dance, season 4, season 3, dancing with the stars, BALLET JAZZ TAP MODERN HIP HOP LYRICAL POP-N-LOCK TANGO BALLROOM FLAMENCO BREAK DANCING You can purchase dance books and videos, dance clothes, dance shoes, dance accessories and just about everything dance. We will list links to dance auditions, casting calls, dance magazines, dance competitions, dance festivals, dance schools, colleges that offer dance programs and dance companies. Soon we will have the schedule for Etchings Dance Company and Etchings Dance Studio, known simply as "etchings". Search terms: hamster dance, break dance, musical dance, dance music, dance club, dance dance revolution, belly dance, dance lesson, so you think you can dance, i hope you dance, save the last dance, dance costume, hip hop dance, shall we dance, dance team, dance apparel, dance studio, dance move, dance school, dance instruction, evolution of dance, dance class, dance video, the dance, dance competition, dance with me, chicken dance, dance floor, hip hop dance move, ballroom dance, belly dance costume, line dance, dance recital, salsa dance, lord of the dance, dance steps, modern dance, tap dance, dance picture, square dance, dance company, Mexican hat dance, swing dance, Irish dance, dance clothes, dance clip art, jazz dance, dance skirt, learn to dance, dance song, dance party, hip hop dance class, dance quote, dance supply, Sadie Hawkins dance, dance band, last dance, ballet dance, Carmen Electra dance, Latin dance, dance art, praise dance, lion dance history of dance, discount dance, Indian dance, dance hall, fierce free myspace layouts, break dance move, save the last dance soundtrack, everybody dance now, 8th grade dance, dance mix, first dance wedding song, dance tights, learn how to break dance, cha cha, samba, waltz, carrie ann, bruno, daing with the stars, so you think you can dance, auditions

Site Design by