pre-competition disorder

Heat lists are out... I need to do a double set of singles straight through, open gold and open advanced, at the tail end of pro dancing 40+ dances in a row. We may die. Pray for us.

(Seriously, nothing to do now but pray my conditioning work has been enough, and that he's been hitting the gym. We regularly run rounds with a one song break in between, and I run semi-regular sets of 8 or 10 solo... regretting my decision to register for this comp when pro went above the number of students I feel like he can take and still dance well/full out, but I've worked way too hard for this all year to not be there. And they're only singles... at least I'm first up in the evening session when it matters.)
 
Eyelashes!!!! Crap. Gotta go get those things.
A continual list is starting to run through brain.
Got to crank up stamina, please let practice rounds go well.
Hitting Galaxy Dancesport, but DH is making me crazy with the "road trip" hikes and viewings we're doing for 4 days in Sedona before checking in at Phoenix. Arrggghhhhhhhh scream.
Lol, wink, please please let this go well.
 
3wishes said:
Eyelashes!!!! Crap. Gotta go get those things.
A continual list is starting to run through brain.
Got to crank up stamina, please let practice rounds go well.
Hitting Galaxy Dancesport, but DH is making me crazy with the "road trip" hikes and viewings we're doing for 4 days in Sedona before checking in at Phoenix. Arrggghhhhhhhh scream.
Lol, wink, please please let this go well.
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That will be a nice relaxing trip before Galaxy! I love Sedona!
 
3 competitions over 3 weeks.....this will be the most I've ever done in a row. Trying to make sure I have everything scheduled and ready because the next 3 weeks look like this... Work, tan, pack, fly, dance, return, repack, retan, work, fly, dance, return.....you get the idea! I'm so excited!
 
debmc said:
3 competitions over 3 weeks.....this will be the most I've ever done in a row. Trying to make sure I have everything scheduled and ready because the next 3 weeks look like this... Work, tan, pack, fly, dance, return, repack, retan, work, fly, dance, return.....you get the idea! I'm so excited!
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I know that run run run feeling, lol. Good luck. See you in AZ.
 
Ok so I hiked the Grand Canyon yesterday, perfect weather! Hit Williams Az and now am in Flagstaff. Haven't practiced one bit. During dinner with friends at Salsa Bravo (highly recommend) I started having flashes of Tango a hot mess. Footwork in FT actually being VW, and Waltz, well that the pro forgot it. arghhhh a living nightmare running through my head while trying to enjoy friends and conversation! Heat lists posted, I hit the threadmill I'll (not that it will help) and did the smooth dances in my brain with my arms totally going everywhere as if I was dancing,,, a few strange looks, and terribly afraid I'll have stranger looks from the judges as if I am living my waking nightmare!!! Arggghhhh.
 
Ok, so, tomorrow I dance. Can my pre-comp disorder get any higher?! DH insists on route 89a through Sedona, major construction down to 1 lane from Flagstaff. Huge delay. While walking, start doing my steps, because thinking about previous nightmare has me spooked. I don't spook easily.
Drive to church in the mountain, Sedona, light a candle with prayers and a selfish one for me too. Pours cold rain, is this a sign? Arghhh.
ok, so I've gotten to the point of, "just survive tomorrow" when DH announces 3 surrounding cities he wants to view homes in before checking into comp hotel.....really???!!!!! Crap. Sigh, arggghhhhh scream. Brain a hot mess.
 
My first real ballroom competition is in 3 weeks away. In the past, I have competed in Country Western through UCWDC and I've entered an in-house comp at my studio. I've been dancing American Style for about 6 years. I'm a little nervous about my American Smooth and Rhythm entries.

I just started International Standard in June of this year. I am terrified about my Standard entries.

Any advice?

Also, my showcase is in 1 week.
 
Caroline Skipper said:
My first real ballroom competition is in 3 weeks away. In the past, I have competed in Country Western through UCWDC and I've entered an in-house comp at my studio. I've been dancing American Style for about 6 years. I'm a little nervous about my American Smooth and Rhythm entries.

I just started International Standard in June of this year. I am terrified about my Standard entries.

Any advice?

Also, my showcase is in 1 week.
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Practice. Practice. Practice. The more you practice the less terrifying it will be.
 
But the first one's always a little terrifying. Totally normal - and you never feel completely ready.

It helped me, prior to my first, to find a non-judgy person who has competed before who could answer all of my million and moderately embarrassing questions, like how know when my events were, how you enter the floor, would there be change rooms, water, etc. They also showed me a video of their first completion... which helped immensely, because it gave me a different picture to put in my head than the high-level and posh comp videos that permeate YouTube. I found that a bronze or silver dancer was more helpful for me than my teachers, likely because they remembered their first competition and all the nerves and questions that came with it.

About a week out, I consciously try to shift my mindset - because by then, all the work is done and it will be what it is. I often switch to obsessing about my hairstyle or nail colour... I seem to like to have a focus for the worries, but putting it on something trivial helps with my overall level of nerves. Plus, those are things I can control ;)
 
Personal notes on Standard -

Keep your frame, keep your frame, keep your frame.

Don't "dance square" to walls, but I'm sure your pro will mind the alignments. I think of it as more like a starfish ( 4 arms though) than an oval. Get the "Down the line, here's a corner, down the line, here's a corner" out of your head if that's in there.

Get used to your floats? I'm told it does feel different than Smooth, but that's one follow's opinion.
 
I have no floats. My dress has no stones. I'm using the same dress for standard and smooth. I'm anxious about all of those things. My pro said the dress needn't be too ornate since it's my first competition. He also says that a simple dress makes a statement. I hope he knows what he's talking about.

Fortunately I my pro minds the alignments and I can do things like focus on my frame, and focus on my frame, and focus on my frame. I hope I can remember to breathe.
 
I focussed on my partners breath for awhile so that I would continue to breath during rounds/competitions.

It is all fine! Even if you discover that you want to do some things differently next time, it really is all fine. Simple dress is definitely fine. Any other particular concerns you have?
 
Caroline Skipper said:
I have no floats. My dress has no stones. I'm using the same dress for standard and smooth. I'm anxious about all of those things. My pro said the dress needn't be too ornate since it's my first competition. He also says that a simple dress makes a statement. I hope he knows what he's talking about
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I wore a plain black practice dress with chunky costume jewelry from a regular store for my first one. Not an issue at all.
 
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