Part 1: Competition Season

"Going Against the Flow", taken at YAGP Finals (2015)

It's January! Which means...YAGP Regionals are popping up all over the country. The YAGP Atlanta one is actually this weekend, so I thought it would be a good time to give some advice and tips I've picked up from my experiences at YAGP.

My first summer intensive!

To give a quick overview on my background (establishing ethos!), I competed annually at YAGP (fully known as Youth America Grand Prix, the largest international student ballet competition in the world) from the ages of 9 to 14. I've won regional awards in the Pre-Competitive and Junior division, including 1st place in the Classical category when I was 13 and 14. At YAGP Finals in New York City, I've received various scholarships, from summer intensives at the Rock School for Dance Education and American Ballet Theatre to a full-year scholarship at Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet School.

Despite winning many accolades throughout the years, I've definitely had my fair share of bad experiences here. For example, my shoe fell off in the middle of my contemporary piece once. A judge actually wrote that she admired how I dealt with completing my dance with a shoe dangling halfway off my foot, so maybe it turned out to be a good thing? I've also forgotten to roll my prop onstage, almost missed my entrance, and had some pretty severe knee injuries that resulted in some first-time experiences with acupuncture and physical therapy.

But of course, I've also had some amazing experiences as well. I was able to perform at Lincoln Center with my friends for the "Stars of Today Meet Stars of Tomorrow" gala, and the video of our performance on YouTube has almost four million views! I've also met many friends through summer intensives, and I learned so much about performing and dealing with nerves in general.

Without further ado, here's what I wish I knew back when I was competing:

1. You dance (and compete) for yourself, not for anyone else.

Teachers have such an immense impact on our lives as dancers, and their judgements on how we did can often affect our mental and emotional states immensely. Backstage and during open stage, it might seem like they're talking incessantly about what to remember and what to practice. But once you get onstage to dance the piece you've been rehearsing for months, your teacher isn't there anymore. After so much time spent taping your toes and bandaging your blisters, the two minutes onstage are yours, and all yours. Don't let worrisome thoughts about what your teacher, parents, or maybe even your friends might think of your performance cloud this moment.

Additionally, it's easy for many people to get psyched out once they see other competitors. It seems like there's always someone with skinnier legs, better flexibility, higher arches, or more impressive technique than you. Being in that environment can cause thoughts of comparison, which definitely creates added stress and nerves. But remember, you're not here to compete, per se, but to perform. Every dancer is on his or her own path, and we all deal with our own individual problems. While you may be busy wishing you could kick your leg as high as the girl in front of you, she might be admiring your stage presence or confidence onstage. I know it's easier said than done, but making comparisons to other competitors does nothing to improve your own mental state before performing.

A competition is, in essence, a chance to see how much you can improve in a set period of time. Without competitions, it's hard to get exposure to dancers from different schools or to push yourself to improve, especially if you are a veteran within your own school. Therefore, we don't compete to see if we're necessarily better than other dancers, but instead to see how much better we can become in our own right.

2. Don't change up your routine the day of the competition.

Familiarity breeds comfort, and comfort eases nerves. Don't suddenly make barre class twice as long just because you want to feel "more warmed up". Don't change up your food intake drastically, as this could cause your body to feel jolted from its usual routine. On the day of competition, try to stay in routine as much as possible to help smooth over the transition from studio to stage.

3. At the same time, be flexible if any unexpected changes occur.

Maybe your CD stopped working, or perhaps the competitor in front of you didn't show up. These things are inevitable in the fast-paced frenzy of a competition, so just do your best to ride them out. Being upset by small, unexpected changes is only detrimental to easing nerves and stress, so be as flexible as you can. Competitions are definitely mental and emotional challenges as well as physical ones, but the former only comes into play on the day of. The months of rehearsal are geared towards improving the minute aspects and the technique of our pieces as much as possible, but the mental preparation that goes into a successful performance on competition day is just as important. Basically, whoever is able to control their nerves the best will be able to perform to the best of their own ability.

4. Maintain an internal locus of control, not an external one.

Having an internal locus of control basically means controlling (and worrying) only about the things that you can affect. Awards and other competitors are outside of your control, so worrying about them only leads to added stress and feelings of being out of control. Don't let an award govern your satisfaction about your performance; you're the only one who knows what performing to the best of your ability looks like, so focus on being the best version of yourself. Whether an award comes or not, you can be satisfied that you improved and delivered a performance that showed your progress. Although teachers may temporarily harp about awards, what they truly care about is seeing you improve. After all, the time and effort they put into you – though not always rewarded with a formal accolade – is seen through your technique, the way you dance everyday, and the mindset with which you use to take on challenges.

That's all the tips I have for today, but I'm thinking of continuing this series up until YAGP Atlanta starts. (Thoughts?) Good luck to everyone competing at YAGP this year! I'm so proud of all of you, and I hope you all have a wonderful experience there.

~Ellie