dance convention audition tips
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Want to separate yourself from other dancers in the convention room and stand out to dance teachers? That’s pretty daunting, so let’s break it down into simpler steps:
Prepare
To stand out from other dancers in the convention room, you must prepare for that:
Outfits: Ensure you are wearing a comfortable outfit to dance in for 5+ hours with bright colors or noticeable designs to help you be seen! Yes, dance teachers look for talent among hundreds in a convention room, but a unique outfit gets their eyes on you to see what you’re capable of!
Packing: Confirm that you’ve packed everything you need for the weekend- especially snacks, water, and your convention number! So often, dancers forget these basics and as such don’t perform as well at the convention. Prevent that with the DanceVibes Convention Planner, on Notion or as a PDF.
Intentions: Have goals and intentions before you walk into any dance class, performance, or convention! This keeps you on track, focused and open to growth. Maybe you want to breathe more and not tire yourself out, or focus on facials. Be aware of those ambitions to work on them!
2. Perform
In conventions- or really, dance in general- it’s all about performance! Any dancer can learn and memorize the choreography, but what about truly performing and embodying the movement? Telling a story through dance? Adding your own flair and textures and dynamics?
Not every dancer can do those things, and thus those dancers get picked up by conventions and get called out, scholarships, and even become part of pre-professional programs! Here are some ideas to help you tap into your artistry:
Make performance one of your intentions before a convention, and keep that at the forefront of your mind along with learning choreography.
Don’t wait until groups! It’s a bad habit to wait until the last-minute to do anything, particularly actually performing a piece of choreography. What were you doing before that? Performance and movement are what make dance; the movement guides the performance and vice versa.
Think of a storyline or emotion that goes with the choreography as you’re learning it or listening to the music. Embody that as you’re dancing!
3. Persevere
Conventions are a lot of things- exciting, stressful, fun, nerve wracking, but most of all, tiring. It’s easy to get fatigued and discouraged- to let a sore muscle or not getting called out in a class ruin your mood and work ethic. But, you must persevere through it all; conventions are one of many tests of a dancer's abilities and perseverance, which you must show! Even if you don’t get a scholarship or a call out, you should know that you gave it your all. As such, you can train, prepare, and get better before the next convention! In the end, that’s all that matters; seeing growth and improvement. Here are some other tips to help you persevere through conventions:
Create a list of affirmations to refer to throughout the convention, whenever you feel frustrated or exhausted to remind yourself that you can get through it!
Don’t forget to breathe while you’re dancing! Don’t get so caught up in the stress and rush of dancing that you forget to simply breathe to help you and your movement.
Before you begin a new day of convention classes, reflect on the previous day- what you did well, what could’ve gone better, etc. Create a game plan to set yourself up for success and get ahead of the hundreds of other dancers in the room!
Things No One Packs for a Convention That You Should:
Another way to stand out amongst other dancers; pack things that they don’t!
A notebook- throughout classes and auditions, dance teachers share many inspirational sayings and important critiques. Write it all down! And as a bonus- if a teacher notices that, they’ll remember your work ethic and appreciate the gesture; you’ll have left a great impression on them!
Electrolytes or Liquid IV- Sometimes water, coffee, or food isn’t enough. Make sure to fuel yourself with sufficient electrolytes throughout the day! This helps keep your muscles, endurance, energy, and hydration in check during long dance days!
A playlist- So many dancers first walk into a convention room and either stretch or talk with their friends. But instead, you can listen to a warm up or motivational playlist to get hyped up and energized for the day as you’re warming up. Also use this time to be present and mindful; be aware of your intentions for the day and take in the calm before the storm that conventions bring. You got this!