Jul
2017

Dance Competition Master Checklist

categories: Free Printables, Uncategorized

Packing for a dance competition can be very overwhelming for both new and experienced dancers.  It is not an easy task if you don’t know where to start.  The best advice to give you is to create a competition checklist. Over the years of competing, I have created my own Dance Competition Master Checklist.  It is my own little gold mine, as it helps me tremendously every time I need to check my competition bag.

 

 

Sharing is caring, so here is the link to my Dance Competition Master Checklist.

 

You can scratch out what you don’t need and add in any additional items that you do use in the blank spaces provided.

 

The dance competition master checklist is divided into different sections for easier packing:

 

 

 

HAIR ACCESSORIES

This section includes everything from hair spray to the jewels needed to decorate your hair

 

MAKEUP ESSENTIALS

Don’t forget to pack a concealer a shade darker than your normal tone colour as the bright lights wash out your skin.

 

FIRST AID KIT

All venues will have a first aid kit they are actually not allowed to give out certain medicines. So pack your own pain killers and asthma pump if you need it.

 

SEWING KIT

Your dance costume is one of the highlights of your performance. Pack a sewing kit in case of any snags or if your dress is shifting too much, you can quickly tack it on to your hot pants underneath.

 

JEWELRY

Everyone has different needs when it comes to jewelry. There are a few blank lines to write in your own jewelry pieces.

 

BODY ESSENTIALS

If you look good and smell good, you will feel good. Pack your deodorant and some wet wipes to keep you feeling fresh all day.

 

NAIL ACCESSORIES

We have all broken a nail at the worst possible moment. Pack in some nail glue and the closest possible nail colour to your manicure.

 

TECH

Pack a power bank for an easy recharge. Eventations sells an awesome range of power banks and you can personalise yours too.

 

WEAR

This part of packing is sometimes overlooked. Pack your slippers to give your feet a rest.

 

COSTUMES

Complete the checklist with all the elements you will need to complete your look.

 

SHOES

If you can, pack an extra pair of dance shoes.

 

EAT & DRINK

It is important to stay hydrated and keep your energy levels up. Energy bars are a great way to increase your energy and not to feel bloated from a big meal.

 

OTHER NEEDS

There are items that you may need that no one else does, write those items in the ‘other needs’ section.

 

Don’t forget to download your checklist here.

Is there something you can’t go without at a competition? Leave a comment below and share.

 

Keep dancing,


Jun
2017

Presentation Affects your Overall Performance

categories: Dance Lessons

Presentation is an essential, if not the most important, element of a dancer’s overall performance.  It is the first thing the audience notices.  Many dancers do not realise this, but when participating in a latin and ballroom dance competition, the adjudicators judge couples from the moment they are seen, They watch as they walk in and take their starting positions.

In one of my recent dance lessons, at Ritmo La Vida, my dance instructor expressed the importance of presentation and how it affects your actual dance performance. It was so eye-opening, I had never thought of presentation in that way before.  Ali also shared a few pointers on how to present. After spending the entire lesson working on presenting properly and finding my own presentation style, I understood what he meant when he said that it actually improves your dancing.  (I am working on a blog piece with tips to help dancers with presentation and will insert the link here when I have posted it).  Later that night, I browsed YouTube for hours, studying competition videos, and I paid attention to how competitors took the floor and how they walked off.  I was amazed at how different their performances were from those who presented themselves and those who did not.

There are many ways of how good presentation will affect your dancing in a positive way. and I want to share a few with you.

latin-and-ballroom-presentation

 

YOUR CONFIDENCE IS INCREASED

This may be a daunting aspect for many dancers, who are not big performers, but once you have learned to present yourself in the correct way, you will automatically feel good about yourself and your confidence will increase drastically.  The more confidence you have, the better your performance will be.

 

PRESENTATION COMPLETES YOUR LOOK

Dancers spend so much time and money on their look.  From the makeup to the dresses, we really go all out to ensure that we look flawless.  All this effort is wasted when we don’t show ourselves off.  Presenting adds that special touch needed to complete your look. This is your opportunity to shine, you look stunning, so flaunt it!

 

FORMS A HABIT OF GOOD POSTURE

Posture is one of the main elements of presentation. It extends your body and accentuates all the muscles in your legs and creates a beautiful neckline. The more frequently you begin with good posture, the quicker it will turn into a habit. It will reflect in your presentation and will come through in your dancing.

 

YOU WILL CONNECT WITH THE AUDIENCE

In order to be a great performer, the dancers need to grab the attention of the crowd.  A crowd will more likely be intrigued by a couple that acknowledges them.  Introduce yourself to your audience.  Make eye contact.  By doing so, the audience will feel important and will be drawn in as if they are a part of your performance.

 

IT CREATES INTIMIDATION

Presentation is the number one key for intimidation. A dancer does not need to be mean to be intimidating to others.  When I see a dancer beaming with confidence and is comfortable on the dance floor, I immediately see her as competition and I have not even seen her dance yet.

 

YOU WILL STAND OUT ON THE FLOOR

You share the floor, with other couples, during sections.  It is imperitive that you stand out, and the easiest way to do this, is to present yourself.  Walk onto the dance floor with confidence and express your own unique style.  When you do this, you will stand apart from the rest.

 

IMPROVES YOUR PERFORMANCE

The way a dancer presents herself on the dance floor directly affects their performance. If you show class from the moment you walk onto the competition floor, you will radiate elegance throughout your routine.

 

PRESENTATION GRABS THE JUDGES’ ATTENTION

Adjudicators are on their feet all day at a competition and watch performance after performance.  It becomes tiring after a while.  Having your own unique presentation style will leave a lasting impression on the judges.

 

IT SHOWS CHARACTER

There is nothing more cherished by an audience, than a dancer that shows appreciation.  Thank your supporters, adjudicators, and partner just before leaving the floor.  Just smile and bow your head slightly. It is subtle, yet humble.  This is a stunning way to end a performance.

 

I am sure these small pearls of wisdom have brought to light, how important presenting is and I hope it has inspired you to work on your own presentation style.  I’d love to hear about how presentation has improved your dancing and what your unique style is.  Leave a comment below.

Keep dancing,

 

 

 

Resources: Ali Anderson at Ritmo La Vida

Photo credit: gwilmore via Visualhunt.com /  CC BY-NC-SA

 


May
2017

My passion for dance… (continued)

categories: About Me

Read first part here

The moment I walked into Rhythm Dance Studio, I had a good feeling… I saw a couple dancing on the floor and two ladies standing behind the bar, Belinda, and Charis.  Charis immediately introduced herself to my mom and me. I asked her how I’d go about starting lessons and she suggested that I visited a social and join the group class to see if I’d enjoy the dancing and I remember saying, “That sounds like fun but I would like to start dance lessons straight away.” Charis just laughed (if you know her, you would agree that she has the best laugh) and handed me a flyer with all their details on and I left, but I would be back.

I will never forget the call the next day.  I spoke to a gentleman named John, who sounded so happy to chat to me, and after I had booked my lesson slot, he says, “OK, love you, bye bye!” I couldn’t stop laughing. I was so excited!

A few years after, I made a hard decision to stop dancing for a while because of reasons I’d rather not say, but I missed it so much. It was like I was missing a part of what made me who I was. One day, Mishelle and I attended a dance competition to watch our friends compete, and the most surreal thing happened… Rene and Ali were dancing the Viennese Waltz, with such elegance I should add, and as they came towards me, Ali turned Rene into a check and she looked straight at me, smiled and winked. I was immediately taken back to that moment when I was seven years old, standing in that beautiful dance studio. It was like the universe was nudging, and asking me, “would you like to dance?” I looked at Mishelle and said to her, “We need to get back into dancing!” Ali was of course over the moon to hear that two of his students were coming back.

Ali Anderson was my first dance instructor and still is, to this day, ten years later. He has his own dance studio called Ritmo La Vida. I love the people at Ritmo, it is my family away from home. We make a great team! From helping with hair to screaming for each other at the competitions, we really have a great support structure and we get very excited when our family grows…

My passion for dance keeps growing and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

I hope that my story has sparked your own passion for dance. I would love to know about how your dance journey began, please share your story below.


May
2017

My passion for dance…

categories: About Me

Hello, beautiful dancers. So, today is my birthday and I thought, “Hey, why don’t I publish my very first blog post!” I’d love to properly introduce myself, and the best way to do so is to share my story about how my passion for dancing began…

I was seven years old when my mom and I visited a dance studio.  I hadn’t seen anything quite like it before.  It was a huge room bordered with mirror-covered walls and a shiny wooden floor.  I saw a couple dancing, and I watched them glide as if they were skating on ice.  I was immediately transfixed in the way they moved with such elegance and poise. It was perfection.  They started their way towards me and I was startled as they were moving so quickly, and just as I was about to take a step back, the couple turned into a check, the woman looked straight at me, smiled and winked…

That was the moment I knew that I wanted to be a latin and ballroom dancer.  I didn’t know what they were dancing at the time, but I knew it in my heart that it sparked a passion that I would carry with me for the rest of my life.

The next minute, the instructor walked up to me, put out his hand and asked me to dance, I got so nervous that I hid behind my mom.  Little did I know, that he is an icon in the dancing industry in South Africa… Mark Dooley.  Though I didn’t say yes on that day, I still had this yearning for dance.

Ten years later, my mom and I were driving one day, and in the distance, I could make out a silhouette figure of ballroom dancers on a sign with the words, ‘Rhythm Dance Studio’.  I was so excited and decided then and there that I had to go in…

Read part two here

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