Managing Competition Mishaps, From Music Glitches to Unexpected Schedule Changes
With spring comes the final rounds of youth ballet competitions, including Youth America Grand Prix, ADC | IBC, and the Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition.
While we hope every dancer has the smoothest moment in the spotlight, the potential for hazards leading up to and during performance can unsettle even experienced performers. As a judge and master teacher with YAGP who came up the competition pipeline previously as a competitor and a coach, I have seen and experienced all that can happen to a dancer. Here’s how to manage any mishaps that might come your way on competition day.
Double- and Triple-Check Open-Stage Time
Before performing, each group is typically allowed onstage to scope out its size, feel the floor’s texture, review choreography, and test out their variations’ technical elements. Dancers are given an open stage time, but considering the grand scale of many competitions, it’s easy to assume that categories will run late. But in reality, many run ahead of the posted timeline. If you only follow the printed schedule, you may be in for a stressful surprise if open stage happens before you’re ready.
Inna Bayer, founder and artistic director of Bayer Ballet and coach to prizewinners at YAGP, Prix de Lausanne, and the California Dance Classics, suggests arriving at the theater two hours prior to your category. “Our dancers come extra-early to avoid any stress,” Bayer says. “Schedule changes rarely occur out of nowhere. If you arrive early enough, you can’t be caught off-guard.” She also encourages coaches to check in with the stage manager throughout the day to see if the competition is on track. And you can keep a close eye on the competition’s social media or website for potential schedule updates.
Stage Management
Most dancers have experienced the fickle nature of marley flooring, as well as size inconsistencies of performance spaces. Considering that you’re rarely given access to rehearse onstage before competing, you may need to manage unexpected hazards as you perform.
Brady Farrar, an apprentice with American Ballet Theatre who grew up dancing at ballet competitions, is an expert at performing on all types of stages. “If a stage feels like ice, dance smaller,” Farrar says. “Scale back the size of transitions, especially before jumps, since you won’t have as much traction.” He also recommends accentuating upper-body movements to avoid looking like you’re marking.
If a stage is smaller than expected, touch base with your coach during open stage to discuss how to manage. Farrar says, “It is better to fit the stage versus running into a wing. A past example is when I performed two circles in a manège instead of the one I had rehearsed. Think creatively, and don’t let it distract from your performance.”
Ready or Not
Ballet competitions are known to move at a fast pace. As one dancer takes a bow, the next is being called on. A variety of things can happen in this short period before a performance begins.
For instance, occasionally the wrong music may start playing. In moments like this, says Bayer, “signify it is not your music by standing still and waiting for the music to be stopped. Then, the dancer must stay very alert in the event the correct music suddenly starts playing or they are called offstage.”
Also keep in mind that if one competitor’s music malfunctions, another dancer can suddenly be called to the stage. Farrar remembers one year when he was called five numbers earlier than expected: “I gave myself a quick pep talk to calm down and reinforce that I was prepared. I didn’t need to freak out or be nervous. It was now or never!”
On the flip side, if you are not feeling well or need to exit the stage area for an urgent reason/emergency, tell a staff member—don’t assume you’ll lose your opportunity to perform if you can’t step onstage exactly where your number falls. Competitions do have flexibility to run out of order. Judges and administrators are aware that competitors are children and teens and want them to feel safe, comfortable, and to have a great experience.
Psyched Up, Not Psyched Out
In the minutes leading up to and during a dancer’s moment onstage, it’s important to be ready for potential pitfalls that can shake focus and confidence.
For instance, the competition circuit has become a prime landscape for young dancers to develop massive social media followings. You may feel especially rattled if a famous “comp star” performs immediately before you. But whether the audience goes wild or you find yourself enamored, remain focused. Acknowledge what is happening, then immediately return to your own preparations. If you’re tempted to watch their performance, don’t— know that it will likely end up on their social media feed later. Remember, each dancer at these events has potential, and you are just as worthy to be there.
Another focus-pulling trap is when other competitors dance to the same music you’re performing to in the contemporary category. Each year, several songs seem to find their way onto everybody’s playlist. (I’ve heard “Voilà,” by Barbara Pravi, several-dozen times this season.) “I wouldn’t stress out,” says Farrar. “You can use this time as an opportunity to mark through your solo and remember any last-minute notes. Then, be yourself and show your own interpretation.”
You may also encounter distractions from the audience. Considering the nature of competition, coaches, friends, and families often flow in and out of the auditorium. Sometimes, they don’t realize their voices are loud. Similarly, it is not uncommon to hear the echoes of crying babies throughout competition day. Bayer encourages students to focus only on their music. “Turn everything else in your mind off,” she advises. “If the audience becomes loud, don’t let them destroy your concentration. Keep doing what you are doing and you will do well.”
