A. In the Beginning...
1. Dance Preparation
This is one of THE most important aspects of competition. In other words, practice, practice, practice. The better you know your technique, patterns, footwork, amalgamations, etc., the better off you'll feel. Don't kid yourself. This is not easy. It's hard work. If you're going to make the commitment to do a competition or a show, you want to do the best job you can. That doesn't mean you have to be perfect. My motto is to strive for excellence, not perfection. I used to strive for perfection and I was an unhappy camper. It's still hard to maintain this attitude, especially when you get to the competition and the air fills with frenzy. But, I try to relax and try to remember that the main goal is to have a good time. Stressing yourself out is not a good time. That's why it's so important to be as prepared as you can BEFORE a competition or a show. However, try not to over-practice the week before the competition.