Competitive Dancing: Minimum vs Momentum - What Separates the Good from the Great?
Takeaway: There are basic steps every dancer must take in order to be competitive and place well. However, to truly position yourself to be successful, you’ll need to apply effort strategically in a few overlooked areas.
As a dancer you know there are steps you need to be taking, as a bare minimum, in order to perform and dance at your best.
These include things such as:
Regularly attending practice sessions to improve technique and skill level.
Developing a strong sense of musicality.
Maintaining a baseline physical fitness through regular exercise and a healthy diet.
Maintaining a clean and professional appearance at all times during competitions.
Developing a strong partnership with your dance partner to create a cohesive performance.
Regularly attending and participating in competitions to gain experience.
These actions are what I like to call, “Avoiding Embarrassment Dues.” The minimum steps you should be taking to be able to hang with the rest of your competitors.
In my years creating fitness programs specifically for latin and ballroom dancers, I’ve noticed a separate list of actions that a small group of high-achievers follows that truly separates their performances from the pack.
These next-level behaviors help distinguish them on the competition floor so that they stand out and place better in the eyes of the judges.
Those “Next-Level” actions include:
Taking private lessons from a variety of coaches to focus on their individual needs and areas of improvement.
Attending dance workshops and intensives to learn from a larger breadth of experienced dancers and coaches.
Developing a unique style and “personality” in their performances.
Building a strong social media presence to showcase their talent and connect with others in the dance community.
Learning the importance and nuance of their nutrition, especially pre- and post-competition, to boost performance.
Understanding the benefits of strength training, by working with a specialized fitness coach to craft a tailored plan to build strength, stamina, and power so they look and perform the role of champion dancer. (And make it look easy.)
If you find that you are checking off all of the items on the AED list above, but aren’t performing or placing as well as you’d like, then ask yourself,
“How can I begin to take the next-level actions needed to truly separate myself from my peers?”
~ Coach Alex
P.S. We offer free strategy calls to dive deep into your needs to craft a customized and targeted fitness plan to support your dancing so that you place better in competitions. If you’d like to learn more about our Dancesport Performance fitness program for dancers, click here.