Mental Preparation before the competition
Sometimes dancers don’t realize the importance of the mental preparation for a dance competition. It is as important than perfecting your routines. For days and weeks before the competition put your effort and attention in clearing your mind and getting 100% focused on the event coming. It is not as easy as it seems. But few hours of relaxation, yoga or meditation may do well for you. Anything you like to do to relax your mind.
Motivation
Often while performing, competitors focussed too much on the technique. The improvements of your technique must be of a concern only in practice time and not during performance and competition time. The most important is to focus on the joy of dancing and pay attention to music and musicality while you are performing. It will help you dance your best and make you look better. And from my experience as an adjudicator you will be way more attractive to watch. In my opinions setting your goal to win a competition is more stressful than if your goal is to perform at your best. If you can reach the state of blissfulness by showing your joy and passion of dancing than your goal will be better achieved and the results too.
Physical preparation
Start and finish your dance practices with stretches and warm up activities. Your diet in preparation for the dance competition also will influence your mood and endurance during the performances. Here are some advices:
Keep fat intake to minimum.
- Increase carbohydrates intake in the mornings. Good sources of carbs are: brown rice, whole grains, vegetables and pasta.
- Increase protein intake in the afternoons. Good natural sources of protein are:
- Fish; white chicken meat and egg whites.
- Drink tons of water. Water keeps you hydrated and energized.
- Avoid salt. Salt contains sodium and sodium keeps the water inside the body. Which makes you feel heavy and makes your face look puffy.
- Take a lot of vitamins. Preferably through natural sources - organic fruits and vegetables.
Prepare well in advance
To avoid stressful days before the competition be well prepared in advance for you outfit, hair and make up…. Some of the best professional dancers say that 50% of the dancer’s success on the competition depends on the way they look on the floor.
Hair stylist and make up artist should be on your list to help you look your best and also release you from an unwanted stress. Make sure your dance shoes and outfit are clean and in good condition. Try to avoid wearing a brand new pair of shoes that you haven’t tried before the competition. Same thing with your new outfit; make sure you practice dancing with it days before the competition.
The day of the Competition
Just before the performance eat something small. Dancing on a full stomach is as bad as dancing on an empty stomach. Drink water, to avoid dehydration that may lead to muscle cramps.
Nice warm up and stretches is very important before you get on the floor but avoid to practice too intensively burning you out.
During the performance it is very important that you don’t let one error affect the remaining of your dance performance. As a judge, I am more impressed by a couple that make it looks like nothing happened. Keep your mood unchanged and let the show go on.
I hope this article will be of some help. I wish you all the best, the joy and the passion for your next competition.
