So the young dancer in your life loves dancing and you agree that it’s time to take that talent as a solo dancer to the stage of an upcoming competition. Well here are our Top Tips to help prepare for this big moment!

Planning

• Choosing a choreographer is obviously a big consideration and so is ensuring that it is a style your young dancer is passionate about.
• Depending on skill and experience you should allow a window of 3-4 months to learn, rehearse and master a new solo routine, so factor that into your planning.
• Song choice is usually undertaken by your choreographer, it may need editing for length and dance style and there are lots of apps available to assist with that.
• The only thing more fun than getting on stage to perform is choosing the costume you will wear. This process can be simple as buying it ‘off-the-rack’, but custom costumes may take 6-8 weeks, talk with your teacher on options.
  • There are also some great Australian based FaceBook groups devoted to selling preloved costumes. Highly recommend checking them out!

Competition choice and practice

• Practice does make perfect, so marking out your routine at home each week when you are not at the studio is super important.
• Once your routine is finished in the studio it is good to be able to watch a video recording of it to continue practice at home.
• There are many styles of competitions, big, small, ‘traditional’’ and contemporary. We highly recommend you attend and watch a solo competition before you compete, so you have a good sense of what to expect. Our advice, start small and local !

The Big Day (& importantly the day before!)

• Get your young dancer’s dance bag ready and packed the night before
• Ensure all elements of the costume are packed (head piece, tights, earring accessories), spare hair kit items, gel, hairspray. When in doubt pack it!
• Wake up and have a light breakfast – there may be nerves (Mum included!) and ensure you have a good selection of snacks for energy during the day
• Get your make-up and hair done and hit the road
• Get to the comp – ideally 1.5 hours before your section to register and settle in
• Warm up. Some dancers put on their headphones and get focussed and in the zone to help calm nerves and run through the routine in their minds. Ensure you warm up that personality too!
• Let them know backstage when it’s the section before yours, so they don’t to go looking for you
• Have a quick sip of water, apply that last bit of lipstick and get that smile on
• Attending dance competitions is a great way to meet other dancers, wish your fellow competitions good luck – support goes a long way 🙂
• It’s showtime, hit that stage and enjoy the experience, make some eye contact with the Judges …….but most importantly have fun.

Important Note on Competition and Eisteddfod Etiquette

• Ensure you and your support crew are courteous in the theatre/auditorium, including do not walk-in when music is playing or walk around aisles as this may distract the performer on stage
• Applaud and cheer for everyone with the same energy
• Never approach a judge or an adjudicator about your results or marks
• No still or video photography is allowed at most comps, this is usually provided professionally on-site – if you are caught doing this you can be immediately disqualified.

Talk to the wonderful and experienced teaching faculty here at Studio One to find out how you can join the solo competition team.