Is Competitive Dance Right for My Children?

Parents of young children all over America enroll their kids in dance from a very early age. But as they get older, there are more opportunities for them to become involved in more competitive forms of dance. The question for parents, then, becomes whether or not competitive dance is right for their children, and whether they should seek out a competitive dance studio in Fort Worth, TX.

The word “competitive” can frighten parents a bit into thinking that the environment is extremely cutthroat and stressful even for young dancers. There are also others who feel as though the respect for dance as an art form might be slightly diminished in a more competitive environment.

However, many competitive dance programs are designed in ways that build up dance students and teach them a lot about teamwork and supporting each other in positive environments.

How does competitive dance actually work?

If you’re unfamiliar with competitive dance, you might wonder how that “competitive” portion actually works, and what is involved with a competitive dance event. Here’s a quick overview of what the format typically looks like:

• The dancers have a choreographed routine in a particular style, and can perform as soloists, duets, trios or groups.
• The piece gets performed on a stage in front of judges (usually three, sometimes more) who are trained authorities in dance, either as teachers or as performers themselves.
• When the performance is complete, the judges assign a value to the routine based on a combination and weight of factors and percentages such as performance value, choreography, technical expertise and costuming. These marks generally come in as an average, and often the highest and lowest are deleted (you’re probably familiar with that idea of scoring from, for example, Olympic gymnastics).
• At the end of the season, dancers receive trophies and awards based on their groupings, styles and ages after their routines are marked and compared. There are a wide variety of trophies and placements that get awarded as part of this.
• Most events occur on weekends. Dancers can participate in multiple performances at a given event, depending on their age, the type of dance, their skill level and their own personal preferences.

Many students involved in competitive dance develop lifelong friendships that are forged out of the exhilaration of these events. The events often have spirit competitions as well, which promote good sportsmanship and support of one’s team and other dancers. There is very much a celebratory atmosphere at these events—competitions emphasize how important it is to celebrate each other’s performances, and backstage etiquette is crucial. Dancers are expected to congratulate each other and to be extremely supportive throughout the entire event to make sure it’s a positive experience for everyone.

If you’re interested in learning more about what happens at competitive dance events, we encourage you to contact Arthur Murray Dance Studio of Fort Worth with any questions you have for our instructors, or just pay a visit our competitive dance studio in Fort Worth, TX today!

Categorised in: Competitive Dance Studios

This post was written by Writer