I have been asked this question multiple times by all kinds of parents – “What is competition dance and why do people compete in dance?”
The answer isn’t a simple one. Sometimes it’s a lot easier to tell them what competition dance is NOT.
Competition dance is NOT Dance Moms.
Competition dance is NOT just to win awards.
Competition dance is NOT just for the born talented dancer.
But then of course, the conversation comes back full circle…. So why does Footprints compete?
This is a question that I have put a lot of hard thoughts into over the past few years. I always loved to compete growing up and my family always supported me through it. I was never the most flexible or most talented dancer on my team. In fact, the first four years of my dance training was in a church basement learning jazz, tap and ballet in the period of one hour once a week. It wasn’t until I was 12 and told my mom I wanted to do more with dance that we even knew anything about competition dance.
But yet, now, as a studio owner, going to competition is one of the things I look most forward to (other than recital!). Why is that? What does competition dance hold within it?
Looking around at our last competition in Niagara Falls many things stood out to me about our team…
- True Dedication to Family and Friendship
- Inclusion and Acceptance
- Sportsmanship
- Empowerment
True Dedication to Family and Friendship
Our Footprints Family at Competition is a true marvel to see. Our parents and dancers want nothing more than the show to go on and for the dancers to do their very best. Parents are always helping out other dancers in the change room for that quick change, bringing props backstage, sharing the Advil for that hairspray headache and simply looking out for one another. The amount of time and energy that these dance families share together, it’s no wonder that by mid-season everyone is just calling out “Mom” and the first one to answer takes the job. The saying, “It takes a village to raise a child” is even more true at a dance competition. Sometimes it takes a village to just put a wig on.
Then there is the friendship between the dancers you see. I have always said that my dance friends are my best friends. These are the people that you will share more in common with then your regular everyday school friends. These dance friends will be there through the winning performances, through the injuries and through the tearful times. So many times I see our dancers supporting and helping one another through the good and bad times not just at competition, but at the studio, online on social media and in their lives.
Our 2017 Competition Dance Team poses for a photo before headed backstage.
Inclusion and Acceptance
At Footprints it is so important to us that all of our dancers and dance families feel included and accepted in the studio and by extension, on our competition team. We had a number of new families join us on this crazy journey we call competition dance and I am always so pleased to see how our experienced dance parents take these newbie dance parents under their wings and show them the ropes. Whether that’s helping out with getting the makeup look just right, or explaining competition scores, or just extending the olive branch and inviting them to dinner after a long day at competition. Our dance families are what make our Competition Team so incredibly special.
Our dancers are always excited to make new friends as well and invite the newbie dancers over to hang out after rehearsal. Our dancers are quick to help their new friends understand the in’s and out’s of competition class and can usually be found in the back room snapping sweaty selfies after Summer Bootcamp is done.
Our dancers love helping one another find the perfect look for their costumes!
Sportsmanship
Sportsmanship shows up in so many different ways at a dance competition:
- When our dancers and dance parents sharing the change room with another studio and making friendly chit chat with the other studio.
- Prop Parents backstage helping out another studio with their giant 5 tier staircase.
- Our dancers handing out their “You Rock” Ring Pops to other studios and dancers that inspired them.
However, There is no prouder moment than standing backstage with our dancers who are facing a huge category and all the kids can do is watch their competition in awe backstage and congratulate each and every one that walks off with a “That was awesome!” or “I really loved the part where you did like 5 turns and stopped in your extension!” or “Your costume is sooooooo pretty!”
Supporting and appreciating one another’s talents and artistry is one of the most important parts of going to a dance competition.
Our dancers were quick to make friends with not only other dancers backstage but also the host at our second competition!
Empowerment
When it comes down to it, competition dance can empower our dancers with so many more life skills. I have never taught nor met a competition dancer who did not develop:
- Perseverance (Opportunities to grow technically and artistically within dance are so vast in the competition scene, however it takes a hard worker to make the potential to turn into a reality)
- Confidence (Getting up on that huge stage to dance in front of a big crowd knowing that there are judges out there takes a lot of guts)
- Passion (It takes A LOT for an 8 year old to commit so heavily to one thing)
- Excellent Time Management Skills (You HAVE TO in order to balance school, dance and life!)
- Respect and Responsibility (Our comp dancers know to have their dress code items packed up in their bags)
Each year our entire team creates one piece together. 2017’s piece was for School of Rock!
The reputation of competition dance has taken a hit with shows like Dance Moms but as an institution for dance education, we simply do not give in to the fancy flaws of a superficial TV show.
So, “Why do we compete?”
I guess the answer can be simple.
At Footprints Dance Centre we compete to empower our dancers through inclusion, acceptance and sportsmanship with their true dance family.
If you are interested in learning more about our Competition Program please click here!
