Concert season is an exciting time of year for dancers, teachers and parents alike. But as exciting as it is, it’s often just as stressful. Routines to remember, costumes to pack, fake eyelashes to stick on. It’s a lot.
Today I thought I’d share some handy tips for everyone who has a showcase coming up. Whether you’re a teacher, a student, or a dance mum, most of this advice will apply to you all.
Organise. Organise. Organise.
The most important thing anyone who is involved in a dance concert needs to do is GET ORGANISED. The less you have to think about on the day, the less you will be worried that something will go wrong. Make lists, pack the night before, tick off a checklist, just do anything you need to do to put your mind at ease that you have everything with you. No-one likes sitting in the car on the way to the theatre thinking, ‘hang on, my ballet shoes were in my bag, weren’t they?’ A true nightmare only dancers can understand. To help you out with this one, I’ve also created a dance concert checklist that is free for you to download and print! Click here to get one now.
Pack healthy snacks and a water bottle
Showcase time is usually the time that dancers survive on lollies and/or coffee (depending on how old you are). I’m not here to tell you that you can’t have some starbursts to get you through. BUT, I am here to tell you that if you want to perform at your best or be the best teacher/dance mum you can be, you should make sure you are fuelling your body with some good stuff too. That includes bringing snacks that are going to provide long-lasting energy, as well as foods that won’t stain any costumes…..step away from the melting chocolate! The snacks should also be easy to quickly grab in between numbers because we all know that there’s never much time to spare backstage. Oh, and don’t forget to drink water the whole time! It’s very easy to get dehydrated when you’re preoccupied.
Get enough sleep
Make sure you are taking the time to look after yourself. You may have a lot to do, but I can’t stress enough how important it is that you are getting enough sleep and trying to go to bed early. If it’s impossible to get to bed at a reasonable hour, then allow yourself a sleep in. For parents reading this, a lot of the time kids will have school in the same week they are doing their concerts. If it’s possible, perhaps consider letting them go into school a little late the next day or even having the day off. Your child might still seem like they’re on a high, but it’s likely they’re running on adrenaline.
Educate yourself on the theatre terminology
Upstage, downstage, stage left, stage right, prompt, opposite prompt. There’s a lot of words that will be screamed at you – most likely loudly over a microphone by a stressed-out stage manager at the dress rehearsal. So it’s probably a good idea to brush up on some of your theatre language. I’ve been dancing for 20 years and still to this day, I find myself confused over whether stage left is the left of the dancer or the left of the audience!
Pack your own make-up and hairbrushes
Make sure you are bringing with you the non-negotiable items that you shouldn’t be sharing with anyone else. If you forget a safety pin then that is easily borrowed from another dancer. But things such as lipstick and eyeliner should not be passed around because they carry a lot of bacteria – yuck. If you’re backstage and someone is asking to borrow your lipstick but you feel awkward about saying no, this is usually the trick I use; ‘I’m so sorry, I’ve had a cold this week and wouldn’t want to get you sick.’ Works every time. Then direct them to a dance teacher who will hopefully have a new lipstick or a lipstick that has been cleaned in a hygienic way.
Practice putting on fake eyelashes
Whether you’re a dancer who does their own eyelashes or a parent/teacher who has to stick them on a dancer who can’t sit still, a little practice never goes astray. I’ve seen fully-fledged professional dancers have meltdowns over these tiny pieces of plastic. The most important thing is to stay calm. Fake eyelashes can sense fear, I swear! I would also recommend buying eyelash glue from a chemist. The glue that comes in the packet is usually not great for long wear.
Have fun
Enjoy yourself! Before you know it, dance concert season will be over. In amongst all the craziness you want to make sure you are taking the time to appreciate how lucky you are to be a part of the dance world. It truly is a magical thing that not everyone will get to experience, so make the most of it.
I hope this will help make your dance showcase time a little more fun, and a little less manic!
Until next time,
Happy Dancing! xx
