Emily Smith, who teaches at Virginia’s Derek Wagner Dance Heart whereas attending school, can nonetheless recall the stress that permeated her competitive-dance studio. “Everybody on our staff was across the similar age, so our solos all the time went up towards one another,” she says. “Some ladies would get so upset in the event that they didn’t win.”
At dance competitions, members from the identical studio typically find yourself not simply performing alongside but additionally competing towards one another in solos and group routines—all inside the similar weekend. The scenario will be tense, complicated, and awkward, significantly for youthful dancers. However it doesn’t need to lead to comparisons and tears.
When Comparability Goes Too Far
Peer-to-peer comparability is pure, particularly for dancers of their tweens and teenagers, based on Dr. Chelsea Pierotti, a former skilled dancer and a professor of sports activities psychology at College of Colorado Boulder. However it may possibly grow to be poisonous when heightened by the stresses of a contest weekend. These pressures typically “exchange all of the enjoyable of competing with anxiousness,” Pierotti says. Demanding that soloists beat out their competitors can have an effect on the entire studio’s efficiency. “You may’t count on cohesion and unity in your group numbers at competitors if the identical dancers really feel pitted towards one another as soloists,” Pierotti explains.
Dancers: Give attention to the Optimistic—and Your self
Michelle Leagans, competitors choreographer, proprietor of Energy Intensives, and creator of the brand new dance journal Hey Dancers…Let’s Speak About It!—encourages dancers to be the kind of teammate they’d wish to have. “When you’re in a position to cheer and be comfortable to your mates, then they’ll wish to do the identical for you,” she says. “Finally, the atmosphere turns into extra about friendship and encouragement than competitors.”
Equally, if conversations with friends start to show detrimental or imply, Pierotti recommends attempting to shift to different subjects. “It may be onerous socially whenever you’re the one one not gossiping and rating, however that distracts you from doing your personal private finest,” she says. “Keep in mind, everybody will get their very own expertise onstage; one dancer’s success just isn’t one other dancer’s failure.”
Leagans additionally means that dancers preserve observe of their very own private objectives and successes from week to week, both with their instructor or by journaling. “Smoothing out your transitions, or nailing a flip sequence you’ve been engaged on, is a win that’s simply as worthy of celebrating as first place,” she says. “It demonstrates that the one dancer you’re actually competing towards is your self.”
Academics: Set the Commonplace
In the end, academics are answerable for making a optimistic competitors tradition inside their staff. Pierotti encourages them to be extra-conscious of favoritism round their dancers in school and rehearsal. “Everybody needs to be getting the identical degree of consideration and critiques, which units the tone that everyone is working onerous and incomes their success,” she explains.
Leagans recommends fostering studio friendships that transcend competing, which can assist teammates assist one another even when the stakes are excessive. “I’ll use staff video games, massive/little sibling pairings, vacation events, and spirit-week dress-ups—something enjoyable that permits dancers to only take pleasure in being collectively,” she says.
And remind dancers that competing just isn’t the one motive they dance. “Clarify to your college students that their work ethic and willpower to enhance in school is much extra vital than what three judges consider them onstage on one explicit day,” Leagans says.
