Practice your Performances

If you only work on your skills in dance and performance during class, your progress will be slow.

• While at home you should spend 10 minutes a day working on your stretches.

If you would like a track put onto a CD please bring a blank CD (in a case labelled with your name) in to class so this can be done for you for the following class.

Take care of your self, BOTH Physically & Mentally

A young person should normally eat at least 2500 calories a day to deal with their normal life, this means on dance days you should try to eat a more.

• Dance burns up 50 to 100 calories per hour, so be prepared for this.

Eat Properly, e.g. eat pasta or a good meal the night before class.

• After dance you should try to eat something and drink plenty of water; taking a hot bath is also a good idea.

If you injure your muscles during class by over stretching, you should put ice on the area to reduce swelling; if any injury doesn't go within a few days, or if you are concerned, you MUST consult a doctor.

TIPS FOR COMPETITORS

If you are new to the dance world then here are a few tips to help you get through your first competition:

WHEN ARRIVING AT A COMPETITION:

Firstly when you have found the place where the school are sitting (as you have to sit as a school at all competitions), you should go and register your name and get your number.

• You will use this number all through the day 'so look after it'!

WARMING UP:

Once you have your number the next thing to do is warm up!

• This is a MUST DO and must be done throughout the day, not just when you arrive. Warming up should be done to make sure all your muscles are warmed up and ready to dance to ensure that you do not cause an injury. All dancers can help each other stretch and warm up as well as the teacher will always be there to lend a hand and help.

PRESENTATION (MAKE UP, TAN & HAIR):

It is important to look the part as well as dancing good.

• Make-up is used by most of the dancers in the freestyle world. Even if its a bit of lip gloss and some bronzer! The whole part of presentation includes the dancing and how you look and present yourself.

GETTING READY TO DANCE IN YOUR ROUND:

Listen out all the time at competitions as your round could be next!

• When your section is announced be ready to walk on the floor. Look and feel confident and it will show throughout your dancing. Walk onto the floor and hold a starting position. Wait for the music to start and off you go......
• Keep dancing all the way round the floor keeping to the edge not cutting any corners. Keep smiling and using your face, let your personality shine through to catch the eye of your judges; Judges like smiley dancers; a smiley dancer is a happy dancer!
• Keep dancing until the music stops. When it does, finish off your move and walk to the middle of the floor, then bow to the judges and walk off 'with attitude and confidence'.

SUPPORTING YOUR SCHOOL AND FELLOW DANCERS:

Be happy for all the dancers you compete against from other schools and especially those from your own school. Clap, shout and cheer all the members within TE school of dance and feel free to cheer for friends you make along the way from other dance schools. Remember it is a competition but as soon as we walk off the floor we become friends no matter what the results are!

• When collecting a trophy keep smiling, because remember if you come first or last ''you have made it into the final, so be proud of yourself because we will be proud of you''!

LOOSING A LIFE:

If you hear the promoter of the competition say you have lost a life, you will need to take your A.D.F.P card up to the stage. This will then be marked and once it is marked three times you will move up a section.

• Remember you will not loose a life at every competition, you have to work hard and try and treat each round a if it is your very last round!

EATING AND DRINKING WHILE AT A COMP:

It is most important that you eat and drink while at a competition; it can sometimes get really hot so you need your fluids, as you need to have lots of energy for dancing.

• Make sure you pack lots of food and drink when attending a competition.
• Remember not to drink fizzy pop before dancing, especially when at a competition!
  

CHECK LIST:

Below are just a list of items you should remember for each competition....

• Tickets
• A.D.F.P Card
• Dance Costumes
• Make-up
• Hair accessories: hair spray, brush, hair bobbles, grips
• Safety pins for your number
• Food and drink
• Clothes to wear over your costume to keep warm.

ONE LAST THING TO REMEMBER:

Even though you are out there to try and win a trophy, and to showcase what you can do;

• dancing is meant to be FUN, so always keep smiling!