How to get ready for a dance
How to Prepare for Your First High School Dance
Your first school dance may be a memory that you remember forever. However, you don't want to ruin this momentous occasion with stress and anxiety over tiny details.
Prepare for your first dance with these tips and insights on how to make it a night to remember forever:
1. You Don't Need a Date
In all honesty, it's so much more fun to go stag to school dances. Worrying over who's going to ask you—or not ask you—is a waste of time when you have an entire group of friends to dance with all night long. Cross "find a date" off of your school dance to-do list.
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2. Dress Functional and Affordable
You want to pick out a dress that's easy to dance in… it is a dance after all. Strapless dresses with narrow bodies are nearly impossible to walk in, let alone dance in. You'll majorly regret buying an expensive dress that drives you crazy, no matter how glam you look in photos.
3. Figure Out Transportation
You don't need to show up in a fancy limo but you should arrange a way to arrive or else you may find yourself walking all the way to school in your new heels. Don't wait until the night of to ask a parent to drive your entire squad to the dance. Parents have plans, too!
4. Don't Spend Too Much Money
Your first dance is an important benchmark in your life, but keep the expenses low because it's only the first of many fabulous nights in your future. Instead of getting your hair, makeup and nails done at a fancy salon, consider planning a get together at one friend's house before the dance. You may find that getting ready together is even more fun than the dance itself.
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5. Browse the Rules
It would be a total bummer to be turned away just because you forgot your school I.D at home. Make sure you read the list of rules before heading over. There may be certain items you aren't allowed to bring in, which might mean throwing away your favorite make up.
Alternatively, there might be certain things you need to bring, like your I.D.
6. Leave Your Movie Expectations At the Door
High school movies have a much larger budget than our school's party planning committee. You may be a little disappointed to find those magical movie decorations swapped with tacky cardboard wall decor. But this will hardly matter when you start dancing and scream-singing along to the music with your best friends in the world.
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7. Post-Dance Plans
Consider planning a little something after the dance to top off the night. Even if this just means cruising through a fast food drive thru, you'll want to end the night with a little something extra. Plus, you will have really worked up an appetite after all that dancing. Make sure your parents are in the know about these extra plans before you commit with your friends, though.
One final tip: You may want to work on your moves before hitting the dance floor.
But if you aren't sure school dances are your thing, check out THIS list of reasons why they may not be worth your time.
9 Ways to Prepare for Back to Dance
Summer is almost over. But don’t cry…because summer coming to a close means dance is about to start back! Here, Dance Informa brings you nine ways to prepare for back-to-dance.
#1. Get your mind right.
Get out of Pokemon Go mode (I know…it’s tough), and start to mentally prepare for long nights at dance, long weekends in rehearsal, and long nights after dance doing homework.
#2. Relax in the time you have left.
Soak in the sun now, because in a few weeks, you’re going to be indoors at school and at dance. Soak in this down time by taking naps while you still can, and have sleepovers while you do not have an early morning alarm set.
#3. Start some light stretching.
Get with a group of friends and take a yoga class, or just stretch at someone’s house in a circle while talking about the upcoming dance year.
Make sure to ease back into stretching, so as to not pull anything before dance even begins.
#4. Complete your summer academic work.
Seriously. Finish that book, or assignment, so you can focus on dance class once it’s time to get back in to dance mode. And while you’re at it…read a dance book, or two, to get some inspiration from the professionals.
#5. Review last year’s ups and downs in your mind.
This is important. You can talk with your parents, your dance peers, or just think about it by yourself, but really review and think about your previous year’s performances…your ups, your downs, when you were at your best and why, when you were not focused and why. All of these facts will be cues for this upcoming year so you’re more prepared for what your habits are when it comes to dance class and performing.
#6. Take new head/body shots for the year.
Who doesn’t love a photo shoot? It doesn’t have to be the most expensive photographer, or 100 edited photos, but having a new headshot at the beginning of each dance year is smart.
You may need them for a scholarship entry at a competition/convention, or if you’re planning on submitting yourself for any professional work.
#7. Soak in advice and corrections from your summer intensives.
Were you really inspired by one teacher at your summer intensive? How can you apply what your summer intensive teachers have said to you the whole year? Think about it, and write it down so you remember that goal all year.
#8. Think about nutrition for the year.
Talk with your mom (or dad if he does the grocery shopping) about snacks that are healthy and filling, and ask if you could always have those in stock in your house. Also, try your best to avoid the fast food places near your studio for an easy dinner. Pack your lunch and dinner in the morning if you go straight to dance from school. Be prepared.
#9. Create a mood board.
Cut out magazine photos, print out Dance Informa articles, print words that inspire you, and create a dance mood board with inspiration for the year.
That way you have a cute photo to take for a fun Instagram post, and if you ever need motivation during the dance year, you’ll just need to look at your mood board!
By Allison Gupton of Dance Informa.
Photo (top): Dusty Button, principal dancer at Boston Ballet. Photo by Mitchell Button.
Related Items:back to dance, body shots, dance photo shoot, dancer nutrition, head shots, mood board, nutrition, stretching, summer intensives, Tips & Advice
How to prepare for the first dance lesson? What to bring to dance classes?
Contents
If you are visiting a dance studio for the first time, it is important to know how to properly prepare for the lesson. To do this, several points must be taken into account. Then you can feel confident and "armed" for dancing.
What to bring to the dance class
The ideal option is to have a bag or a backpack, which will always contain the necessary things for classes. Then you will be sure that you have taken everything you need with you and have not forgotten anything.
What should be put in such a bag?
Clothes
To figure out what clothes are right for you for dance lessons, you need to know for which direction you choose them:
- Tight clothes made of elastic fabric are suitable for ground lessons. It can be leggings, a T-shirt, a T-shirt. Give preference to sports options, without a variety of fasteners, rhinestones, zippers. They can injure you or your partner. Avoid clothes made from low-quality synthetic materials that are poorly breathable and do not absorb moisture. Moreover, the idea of exercising in leatherette leggings should be abandoned. The fit should be medium or high so that the leggings do not slip during active movements. Some people are comfortable in shorts, but not all. Bare feet can be damaged by contact with the floor.
- For active styles like hip hop or contemporary, looser clothing is more suitable. Wide trousers, oversized sweaters, T-shirts several sizes larger will allow you to feel comfortable and fully open up in the dance.
- Leotards (one-piece leotard) are purchased for classical dance styles. The sleeve can be long or short. Leggings are worn under the tights, but of a lower density.
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Clothing should not be provocative, exposing those parts of the body that should not be exposed in public. Avoid transparent fabrics, underwear should not shine through. If you are comfortable wearing a top and shorts, make sure they are long enough. Choose clothes based on the temperature in the lesson. Do not dress too lightly if it is cold in the hall and vice versa. If you get hot during the dance, you run the risk of hypothermia while you remain motionless.
Choose clothes according to your taste, so that it is not only comfortable, but also uplifting, setting you in the right mood.
Shoes
Just as important as clothing. It should also be selected, focusing on the style of dance. For hip hop, stable sneakers or sneakers will be relevant.
"Balniks" are recommended to practice in special shoes, as well as those who are fond of step. But oriental and Latin American dances will be more "economical". For them, ordinary shoes are suitable or you can do without them at all.
It is possible to train in socks, if we are talking about stalls or contemporary. But there is a risk of falling if the floor is too slippery. It will also be difficult to perform some of the tricks. In this case, Czech or half shoes would be ideal.
What else to put in your bag
In addition to clothes, there are a few other things to keep in mind when preparing for dance lessons:
- If you have weak knees and ankles, take care to protect them. For this, knee pads and elastic bandages are useful. To protect the lower back from hypothermia, a warming belt is suitable.
- Additional “equipment” includes weights. Whether you need them or not is up to you. They are not suitable for beginner dancers.
Weights are for arms and legs. Their weight starts from 0.5 kilograms. - For those with long hair, rubber bands and hair clips are a must to help them collect. Loose hair is not always comfortable to deal with.
- Be sure to pack a large bottle of water in your bag, as you're bound to get thirsty during vigorous exercise.
- Use a small towel that absorbs moisture well. They make it easy to wash your face.
Don't wear make-up before going to class. In the process of training, there is a risk that the makeup will flow and smear. Also avoid strong-smelling perfumes and deodorants. People around you may not only have a different taste for aromas, but also be allergic to them. But the use of antiperspirants will allow you to feel more confident in training and avoid unpleasant situations.
Do not go to class if you feel unwell. When you exercise, you may get worse. In addition, you can accidentally infect other students or teachers.
Don't go to training hungry. You are provided with a breakdown, and they are very necessary for dancing. But you also don’t need to eat immediately before training, the optimal time for eating is an hour before training. Overeating before dancing is also not worth it, it will make you sleepy, your movements will slow down and become difficult. The same goes for lack of sleep. It will affect the quality of training not in the best way.
And, most importantly, be sure to take a good mood with you! The result and emotions from the training directly depend on the attitude with which you engage. If you are upset or depressed, then the dance class and the atmosphere can be the best medicine. After him, there will be no trace of a bad mood!
How to prepare for dance lessons? | Physical education and sports
To start exercising, you will need: a little free time, a deserted room at the time of class, comfortable clothing that does not restrict movement, and rhythmic music that inspires you.
Exercise one: stretching. Raise your hands up and stretch with taste, with feeling, with strength. Stronger! So, to stand on tiptoe! To feel how each of your personal veins trembles and responds! And now stretch again, but spreading your arms to the sides so that they even go back a little. Straighten up! Do not be surprised if you feel a strength in yourself that you did not suspect of yourself - enjoy this elasticity of the muscles, it is all yours. This exercise can be done without music, but some people like to make it part of their secret, personal dance. In addition, over time, it can be diversified by stretching from a variety of poses.
Exercise two: tummy. Pull it in with force. Hold up. Let go. Pause.
Retract. Hold up. Let go. You can start with ten retractions at a time, then gradually increase their number. Do you feel? You have muscles there! your muscles. Your body. You will soon become friends with him. Exercise can be done two to four times during the day, it does not take much time. If you want to belly dance, you can start right now, pulling your stomach in and out to the beat of the music (not necessarily at the same pace if the music is too fast for that). Your belly is dancing now! And then, after classes in the studio, it will be even better - you will feel confident in this, feeling how well he listens to you.
Exercise three: shoulders. Clasp your hands behind your back and lower your shoulders forward and down. With effort, so as to feel the tension of the muscles. And now, in a smooth circular motion, through the top, take them back and down.
Movement should be as wide as possible! Try to do it resiliently, with force, with the same movement with which the epic heroes tore their fetters. It can crackle in the back - it's not scary at all.
And now let's catch the rhythm with the body. After all, a very common problem for beginners is that they can move either correctly or in rhythm. But if your body learns to catch the rhythm before class, you simply won’t have such a problem.
This is where you will definitely need music. Turn it on. Stand at the beginning of an imaginary track, arms at your sides, and walk with the music to the beat. Try it just like that, and then play. Imagine that you want to say something with your walk. You can even imagine yourself as a character in a play based on a book that you like.
Become Carmen or Scheherazade, but at least Mary Poppins - at your discretion. Resiliently, with a pull, with suspensions, with a hidden threat, go to your Jose. Or gently, slyly, letting your hips sway, head towards your check. How about jumping up like Little Red Riding Hood? Try whatever comes to your mind! Most importantly, try to do it rhythmically. Now, why not try walking sideways? And back to front? And waddling like a penguin?
Now let's get up and knock on the door. Imagine it in front of you in the air. Tap several times with double blows with one hand, then with the other. Nobody opens! Tap alternately with both cams, and then with two at once! Why don't you kick her? Naturally, all this must be done in rhythm with the music. Too difficult? Try sooner. Tap rhythmically with the edge of one fist on another or beat with your palms on invisible drums. Beat with a "hoof" like a horse. It turns out? Excellent.
