So you have been pole dancing at home or in the studio and are ready to show off your skills on stage or at your studio's showcase and are wondering where to start. This post is for you!
Performing in front of people can be both nerve wracking and exhilarating. There can be the urge to perform all of your dream moves in one life altering performance. There are so many factors to consider ranging from costume to choreography to category and level. I've been there, so I'm happy to share my biggest tips for your big day!
Tip #1 - Know why you are competing
Are you going up on that stage just to prove to yourself that you can? Are you intending to win? Is this just to have fun in front of people? Remember your "why" throughout the process of signing up and training. This will make a difference for your song choice, choreography, level choice, and whether you hire additional coaching. If you keep making choices that conflict with your "why" maybe reconsider your main motivation. You could have originally signed up just for fun and then realize later "hey I want to give this all I've got" or the opposite could occur where you were not able to put in the time or you got injured and now you just want to have some fun.
Tip #2 - Read the rules
Every competition is different and has varying judging criteria. Read through the rules with a highlighter and pen to take notes. Read through how the judges evaluate the pieces. Learn the length of the poles, which is static and which is on spin. Are there regulations for costumes or music? Are there moves that are not allowed in certain levels? "Entertainment" and "Art" type categories are often PRIMARILY judged for criteria like storytelling and creativity. If you want a chance to win, be sure to have a clear story or theme even if you are performing in a category that is not more biased towards storytelling.
Tip #3 - Choose moves you can already do
How long did it take you to learn [INSERT MOVE OF CHOICE HERE]? How long did it take you to master it?
Now why are you thinking of putting a new move you cannot even do yet in your competition routine four months from now? If you can kind of do it, but it is not perfect that is okay as long as you put in the time to nail it 10 out of 10 times. Do not underestimate the difficulty of performing with all of your energy and best technique for 3-5 minutes straight. You will not have the opportunity to wipe the pole mid performance and start over.
Unless you have a lot of prior performance experience it is best to spend your time perfecting your movement and building up endurance instead of learning a bunch of moves that you have not tried yet. (After all, The judges will not know these are your go to moves, they will just think you are very talented).
Tip #4 - Train the whole routine in front of people
Don't be shy, get your pole community, teacher, friend, or whoever, to watch you run through your WHOLE piece. This will help you improve your endurance and practice the dreaded "eye-contact." Moreover, you can get feedback on little parts to improve for the big day.
Closer to the competition run through your whole routine with costume and makeup as well to see if everything works as you envisioned.
Tip #5 - Slow down and have fun
As you practice the routine it will get easier and there will be the tendency to speed up. Take advantage of this extra time and energy to really extend your legs, point (or if part of you choreography, flex) your toes, engage with the audience, and, of course, breathe! Regardless of the outcome you should be proud of yourself for having the bravery to share your art with others on stage.
Wishing you a great performance!
Was this helpful? Do you want a part two? Comment below.
Comments