Are Dance Competitions Suitable For My Child?

To the average student, Dance Competitions are the final frontier of learning in that it represents the advanced preparation and training that goes beyond the regular class requirements for Showcases, Dance Examinations and Performances.

And as the name implies, expectations in the arena of Competitions are often realistic and brutal, and it is not uncommon to see young dancers shedding a tear or two after the Award Presentation at the conclusion of a Competition. In recent years, the situation has certainly intensified as it seems that every dance school is throwing their hats into the ring as it appears that only achievements from Dance Competition can define whether a dance school is a good one or not. Thus, it has become a norm now that in a Classical Ballet Category for Soloists, there can be up to 50 over hopeful Ballerinas dancing their hearts out. 

Video highlights of our 2021 Performing Group

In fact, it certainly goes against logic that the number of dancers in Competitions are growing exponentially each year. Just take a tour around the theatre on Competition days, and you will see an endless conveyor belt of dancers all dressed up with immaculate makeup and hair accessories, ready to take to the stage for their few minutes in the spotlight.

And as the saying goes "the journey is more important than the destination", there is indeed still much to gain in terms of lifelong values from participation in Dance Competitions which we will share more later. More importantly, in our opinion and assessment of the developments in recent years, we sincerely feel that the predominant reason for parents wanting to support their child in Competitions is that they are only YOUNG once. Thus, once they outgrow this phase of their lives, it is unlikely that they will come back to Competitions again as adults. 

While every school will name their elite students for Competitions differently, we call ours StepUp's Performing Group as besides participation in Competitions, we also sent our dancers for event performances (through collaborations with organisations such as SAFRA or Singapore Children's Society) as an added showcase opportunity for their advanced training to further hone their stage craft and performance values. 

Back to the original title of this article "is your child suitable for competitions", it really depends as participation in Competitions demands for plenty of commitment and resources as this journey is not a sprint, but is rather a marathon. Thus, at the end of the day, if the student's/parent's objectives and expectations are managed and aligned with the school/teacher, we will encourage every student to pursue Dance Competitions with these basic pre-requisites: 

1. For Ballet and Jazz students, participation in the annual Dance Exams and scoring a grade of Distinction (Ballet) or Honours (Jazz). 

2. For Ballet and Jazz students, participation in the Dance Technique Classes. 

3. For Hip Hop students, participation in Dance Performances and Recitals. 

To assist our dancers in striving and achieving their personal bests, please refer to the highlight videos below for an overview of our training programmes in our Performance Group: 

1. Judged Classes by luminaries in the dance fraternity that offers our dancers personalised and valuable feedback for improvements in intimate 1-to-1 sessions. In this video, the Judged Classes are conducted by Dr Filomar, Senior Lecturer from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and experienced Dance Competition Judge. 

2. Showcases that also doubles up as Full Dress Rehearsals: 
 

 

3. Dance Masterclasses by luminaries in the dance fraternity: 
 

 

4. Dance Technique Classes that focuses on techniques that complements the regular Dance Classes, such as advanced balancing and flexibility training, and acrobatic movements such as cartwheels or walkovers. 
 

While winning at Competitions is definitely an added bonus, we manage the expectations of our parents/students in our Performing Group in the following training outcomes: 

1. Marked improvements in their dance abilities. 

2. Improvements in their Dance Examination results. 

3. Inculcate the lifelong values of diligence, perseverance and self-confidence that shapes the dancer's character beyond the dance studio/stage. A dancer's maturity is also expected to grow through the years as the Competition arena is often realistic and demanding. Thus, as we often share with our students 'nobody loses forever and nobody wins forever', we have observed that the student's character will generally mature through their exposure and management of personal expectations in Dance Competitions. 

4. Application for Direct-School Admissions (DSA-SEC) into their preferred Secondary School as DSA-SEC is a complementing by-product of their participation in Dance Competition. 

Most importantly, the dancers must have FUN and ENJOY themselves as these are precious memories that will stay with them forever. As we mentioned at the start of this article, our dancers will only be YOUNG ONCE thus for most, this is the only viable phase of their lives for participation in Dance Competitions. But try asking any adult to stand in the middle of a big stage all alone (as a Dance Soloist would), in front of a theatre filled to the brim with a few hundred spectators, standing by for the cue of the music where he/she needs to remember a few minutes' worth of choreography and to perform it well for the judges, and one will instantly understand the immense journey that every Competition dancer undertakes every time they step up on stage. Thus as parents, we must guide our child positively as by taking the first step into the arena of Competitions, they already possess that courage and maturity even at a young tender age and it will only bode well for their future.

Last but not least, to kick-start your child's journey in Dance Competitions, the most important person you should speak to is the Dance Instructor of their regular Dance Classes as only he/she will know first-hand the suitability and readiness for the challenges of Competitions. 

Thanks for your attention to this article and please feel free to contact us at [email protected] for further assistance. In the meantime, stay safe and keep on dancing!