The Top Ten Things I've Learned in My First Semester as a Ballroom Competitor
By Kaylee Anderson
Everything I learned in club was wrong. OK, not everything, but a lot of things. When you're in a class with a bunch of other people, technique seems to fall by the wayside. When you're on a competition team, however, technique is the first thing that we focus on, no matter the dance. It's the reason why my partner and I got to finals in so many dances at our first competition while only executing three moves total, including the basic.
Stretching is essential. As someone who had never done anything mildly athletic in her whole life (that is, until college), stretching is never something I think about; this is evident from the fact that I am a good six inches away from touching my toes. The Viennese Waltz I did as my first dance in three weeks?, that really drove home the fact that stretching is, in fact, painfully important.
There is no reason to be afraid of good dancers. True, they are much, much better than you at your current level, and yes, their stylistic choices seem so fancy that you feel like you'll never be qualified to look them in the eye, but they are here to help, not make you look like a complete dork. Dancing with someone who is way out of your league is super fun, and you're almost always going to learn something new. Apologizing profusely about your lack of skill doesn't get you anywhere, but just doing your best and being open to helpful tips definitely will.
It's OK to take a break. It's more than acceptable to take a breather on days when everything feels overwhelming. Allowing yourself to get some oxygen and process your progress helps you reorient yourself, letting your brain work its magic. Pushing through a session when all you can concentrate on is messing up, usually leads to more frustration and tears than it's worth. Go grab a slice of pizza---you deserve it.
Smiling is so freaking hard! If you're like me and you tend to internalize your nervousness, your face may blatantly display the myriad of emotions going through your mind as you compete: mainly, fear. You may think smiling is the easiest part of competing, but when you're busy concentrating on heel leads and being leftward, facial expressions are easily forgotten. My trick is to make a mental list of three things that I can't help giggling at, and then try to remember them while I'm dancing. It's a great way to make you look like you're actually enjoying yourself. That "Vine" you saw of a dancing Chihuahua? It can make your dancing better in less than six seconds, guaranteed.
Contact lenses are imperative. As someone who has worn glasses since fourth grade, I had always thought contacts were too much of an inconvenience. You know what's more of an inconvenience? Not being able to see. When I was at MichComp with the rest of the team and my lead discovered one of their contacts was broken, the sense of panic was real. The one person I depended on for sight could mostly just see fuzzy shapes, and I couldn't wear my glasses for fear of their flying off. It made for a stressful day of squinting at callback sheets, so next semester I will definitely be investing in some contact lenses.
It is totally possible to get homework done on the bus. Contrary to popular belief, you can absolutely get work done on the bus ride to competitions. The sweet spot is the first four hours of the trip before it hits noon, when your seatmate is still drowsy. But the bus ride home? Forget it. All hope is lost.
Music and homework? Forget it. As it turns out, being a dancer makes it a lot harder to listen to music while doing homework. The tempo becomes an exciting puzzle. Can I dance to this? Which dance would fit the best? Would it work if I slowed it down a bit? Sooner or later you're just wiggling your butt around in a coffee shop as people stare at you, and then nothing gets done.
It's OK to not succeed. In fact, it's almost encouraged. While not getting callbacks can be disappointing, it helps you understand what you need to improve on and makes the times that you do move on that much sweeter. Besides, it's always nice to have a break during all-day competitions. It gives you the opportunity to show other schools that your team totally has the best cheering section on Earth.
I've improved more than I first thought. When I first came onto the University of Minnesota's ballroom competition team I had really low expectations for myself, but as it turns out, with the right help and encouragement, anything can happen. I never thought I would get callbacks, let alone place four times in my first out-of-state competition, but it just goes to show how amazing the instructors and upperclassmen are, and how determination and a willingness to try can help you achieve more than you thought possible. My progress has made me all the more excited for next semester, and while I know I'm not a fantabulous dancer, at least I know I'm doing something I thoroughly enjoy.