How to Stay Relaxed at Dance Comps

Is it running on time? When is the adjudication?

How fast is the change into the next routine? Do I have time to change hair styles?

How long will this section take? Did I pack everything?

Have I put in the music correctly? Did I choose the correct version of the song?

So many questions we ask ourselves before, during, and after a dance comp. It’s no wonder we are always up tight and stressed during what should be a fun enjoyable time with our dancer.

There are ways you can stay calm because the calmer you can stay as the parent, the calmer your dancer will be and the better he/she will perform.

Here are my 5 tips to stay calm at a dance competition:

1. Be Prepared

As best you can be prepared. Study the program prior to the start of the competition so you have a good handle on where in the day your dancer is performing and approximate times. How long you have in between dancers and how long you will have to wait for adjudication.

Once you’ve mastered the program, pack accordingly. The first dance costume on top with the first shoes you will need and the first accessories. You want to arrive and be ready to go, everything you will need easily accessible so you start the comp calm and collected.

1. Eat Well

Start your day with a great breakfast. And keep on with that same attitude. It’s very easy to quickly reach for the cheese toastie and the bag of lollies and chocolates that the nice ladies at the canteen are selling. But that won’t help your anxiety or sense of calm. Prepare for your day by packing fresh fruit, nuts, and healthy snacks to give you long-lasting energy. Use that as a base and for the rest of the day, you’ll have the energy you need to get you through hours of watching, and more importantly, your dancer will have the same energy to perform at his/her peak.

1. Step away

Because you’ve packed that amazing lunch, why not walk away from the competition and take a deep breath and inhale some fresh air. 10minutes or 1hour will do you and your dancer the world of good on long competition days/nights. Find a park or a seat outside or somewhere nearby you can go to collect your thoughts.

1. Focus on what you can do instead of focusing on what is out of your control.

When you start to focus on things that are beyond your control you might start to panic or feel helpless. You and your dancer need to focus on doing the best you can, being as calm as you can and setting yourself up for success. The best you can.

1. Surround yourself with a positive group of people.

Organise to go and have lunch in the break, carpool together, or have dinner if you’re there for the whole weekend. Surrounding yourself with other positive people will help keep your spirits high and your stress levels low.

1. BONUS – When all else fails.

And when ideas 1 – 5 fail and you’re stressed out, late and you’ve left 1 tan jazz shoe at home. Head to the closest bar…… You deserve it.

What did we miss? What else do you do to keep your sanity? We would love to hear from you in the comments below.

If you want to join a dedicated tribe of Dance Mums who stick together to keep our sanity, you can join our community here.

We would love to have you.