Ark’s Declassified Competition Survival Guide: Parent Edition

Competition season is an exciting yet demanding time for dancers and their families. As a dance parent, your role goes beyond cheering from the audience—you’re an essential part of your child’s journey. To help you navigate the season smoothly, here’s a guide to ensure your dancer is prepared, confident, and ready to shine on stage. Written by seasoned veterans who have learned many lessons… namely:

• It sucks to get halfway to Edmonton only for your kid to go “do we have my (insert important dance item here)?” and then you find yourself pulling a U-turn on a snowy Highway 43 and trying to stay calm all the while contemplating strangulation
• It sucks to find yourself having a full on mental breakdown in a random college hallway as you try to put fake eyelashes on your screaming child, kind of like how they give feral cats injections at the vet while the other parents are glaring at you because your kids’ practice time was 5 minutes ago 
• It sucks to be walking on eggshells around your scary pre-teen because they just got silver in their jazz dance and all they’ve had to eat was a strawberry sunshine booster juice and their sequin costume is itching them and you’re not sure if this is a life lesson they just have to learn or if you should be mad too or if you all should start laughing or if you should just go home 

So yeah, been there. Here’s our top tips to avoid these and many other terrible moments at competition! 

1. Stay Organized

Competitions come with a lot of moving parts—rehearsal schedules, costume pieces, makeup kits, and travel plans. Keep a checklist for each competition, including:

• Costume, tights, shoes, and accessories
• Makeup and hair supplies
• Extras! bobby pins, hairspray, tights, snacks… you name it, you should have more of it
• Snacks and water
• A sewing kit and first-aid essentials

AND – we will provide you with checklists so you don’t even have to make one, you just have to go through it. Pro Tip – involve your kid in this process as early as possible. Yes, we understand that doing this will double the time it takes, however, the earlier you start doing this, the earlier they start doing it themselves. 

Plan your schedule in advance! We promise the days will fly by, and knowing where everyone needs to be and when is CRUCIAL. Again, we make your practice and onstage schedules – so all you have to do is highlight your kid’s dances, and then plan around them. Answer these questions when planning your days:

• When do we need to wake up?
• When are we eating? Meals & Snacks
• When do we need to start makeup and hair? Do I need help with these things?
• When does my kid need to be ready to go? (hair and makeup done, costume on) 
• When do they practice? Do they need to warm up before? (yes)
• When are they on stage? 
• Do they have multiple numbers on the same day that they will need help changing for?
• When will we take a break? (YOU and your kiddos need rest!)

2. Prioritize Health & Wellness

The intensity of competition season can take a toll on dancers AND parents. Help them stay in top condition by ensuring:

• Get plenty of rest, especially before performance days
• Maintain a balanced diet with enough protein, carbs, and hydration
• Stretch and warm up properly before dancing
• Listen to their bodies and address any aches or pains early

Help YOURSELF stay in top condition by:

• Keep a water bottle full in your bag at all times… and drink it!!! 
• Keep snacks on you! Sometimes you’re wrangling a child into pink tights at lunchtime!
• Try to move in between times in the theatre – walk around, hold a wall sit, doorway stretch… whatever it takes to take care of your body too
• Get outside – hot girl walks are a beautiful thing… The theatre is often a dark place where the hopes and dreams of parents are slowly withering… (jk jk) but please go outside 
• Affirmations! We aren’t gonna lie to you, comp season can bring out the worst in you and your kid. It is important to remember you’re all on the same team. Use positive affirmations to help take care of your mental health. 

3. Encourage a Positive Mindset

Competitions can bring nerves and pressure, so your support is key. Reinforce the idea that success is not just about winning but about personal growth, hard work, and enjoying the experience. Teach your dancer to:

• Focus on effort rather than results – The question “Are you proud of yourself?” is a great one!
• Celebrate improvements and milestones
• Show good sportsmanship toward teammates and competitors

Our biggest tip here is this… please remember this, we beg of you… seriously if you only take one thing from this blog let it be this… 

You are their parent. Not their dance teacher or assistant teacher or coach or mental coach or nutritionist or therapist. You are their parent. Leave the corrections and technical things to us. 

Support them. Help them make sense of their feelings. Give them space to feel and be themselves. 

4. Be Prepared for Long Days

Competition days often involve early mornings, long waiting periods, and multiple performances. Pack a comfortable change of clothes, blankets, and activities to pass the time. Staying patient and positive will help keep your dancer calm and focused.

Also, prepare to keep yourself busy too. There will be times where you are waiting for your dancer so pack that book or cross stitch or sudoku! A day spent going between the theatre and your phone screen is a LONG ONE!

5. Trust the Process & Support the Studio

Your dance teachers and choreographers have spent months preparing the routines. Trust their expertise and be a supportive presence for both your child and their studio. Respecting competition rules, schedules, and expectations will make the experience smoother for everyone.

We’ve got this. Really. Sometimes the look in Ms. Lexi’s eye or Ms. Lo’s hot flashes drastically increasing don’t give the illusion of confidence, but we seriously could do this in our sleep. We have seen it all, been through it all, done it all. We are going to take amazing care of your kiddos! But you have got to trust us 🙂

6. Enjoy the Moment!

Remember, dance competitions are a chance for your child to showcase their passion and hard work. Capture memories, cheer them on, and make it a fun experience! Win or lose, their growth and confidence will shine long after the competition ends.

By staying prepared and positive, you can help make competition season a rewarding experience for your dancer. Good luck to all the dancers hitting the stage—keep dancing, learning, and having fun!