Some people may ask what the point of competing in dance competitions is; especially if you don’t have the winningest history. This is a question we find very easy to answer. Simply put, winning is terrific, but it is not the main goal of attending the competition, at the end of the day. For us, it’s all about the process.

For BBTCD teachers and choreographers, it’s about picking a variation that competing dancers will be able to master and perform to their best on stage, but at the same time be challenged during the rehearsal process. There are no “easy” variations, but some will seem a more natural fit for each dancer. During the rehearsal process teachers are able to break down and pick apart movements in detail, something that can be hard to focus on in a packed studio.

We’re able to push the dancer to do steps they may consider “hard,” but really just need to be  completed in repetition with guidance, before they feel comfortable performing the steps. Once students become more comfortable with the choreography, we are able to clean up the details and make them as crisp as possible — as well as push them to add that extra pirouette or balance a count longer.

As the months of preparation go by, and  dancers become more mature and confident, overall, that’s the most important measure of success when preparing for a competition. For us, that’s what it’s about! Dancers take the stage, surrounded by other dancers they don’t know, with a panel of judges deliberating every move they make. BBTCD teachers and parents alike, couldn’t be more proud when they come off the stage.

It’s not easy to step outside of your comfort zone, but that’s what makes you grow and become the best you can be. BBTCD faculty will always remind our dancers that every time they take the stage and perform, that’s a gift — a gift for the audience and a gift for themselves.

Click here to learn more about our dancers who competed at this year’s Youth America Grand Prix competition.