Dance conventions are events where teachers from all around the nation come to teach students from all over a region. To read more about what a dance convention is you should click here. The convention setting is a much different setting than being in the classroom. Often times you are packed in the ballroom of a hotel with hundreds of other dancers. It can be difficult to see the teacher, and the teacher may not see you to give you personal attention. Since convention weekend can be overwhelming, here are some tips on what you can learn and how you can benefit from dance conventions.
Make sure you warm yourself up before taking class. Several conventions are held in hotel ballrooms that are cold, and can start pretty early in the morning. Make sure you show up early and get your body warm before dancing. Stretching when your body is cold isn't beneficial. Warming up could be prancing for the length of a song, doing jumping jacks, or anything that gets your body moving and increases your heart rate.
Test your technique when learning combinations. Every convention is different, but at many conventions the instructor teaches a combination or a phrase of choreography rather than teaching a class. This is a great time to test the technical knowledge you have to see if you can accomplish skills you may never have done before. Since you'll be repeating the combination several times, if something doesn't work the first time try to figure out why. Directors and choreographers love dancers who can solve their own problems, and this will help you strengthen that skill.
See how quickly you can pick up choreography. If you're not used to learning or picking up choreography quickly, try to strengthen that skill at the convention. There may be hundreds of other dancers around, but you shouldn't rely on following them to successfully dance your way through the combination. Pay attention to yourself and see if you can pick up the choreography and be confident yourself. Once you're confident with the combination, start finding ways to connect the movements or add performance quality to your dancing. This will really make you stand out from the rest of the crowd!
Conventions are a great learning experience for dancers. They allow dancers to learn from teachers they may not have an opportunity to learn from otherwise. Whatever you do, make sure you go into the convention with an open mind and a positive attitude to get the best from the weekend!
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