You’re Quite Welcome

Now that block scheduling is in the rearview mirror (fingers crossed), we are back to dedicating entire weekends to dance competitions. While it is a welcome relief in some ways, many of us have other things to coordinate when we have to accommodate a two-, three-, or even four-day stretch that consumes our lives. That’s why it’s so important that we have the schedule as far in advance as possible.

Juggling Act

Having multiple kids is a juggling act as it is. But when you have at least one child that is a non-dancer, having to make arrangements for them during dance weekends can be an uphill battle. 

As many of you know, I have a non-dancing teenage son at home. When we plan to be away for a weekend, I make arrangements for someone to check in on him periodically (and to make sure the house hasn’t been burned to the ground, if I’m being honest). When he was younger, he either came with us (which he was decidedly less than thrilled about) or I had to coordinate his care with his father. Making these plans takes time and effort, so we need to know the competition schedule as soon as it is published.

Getting Hairy

In our studio, we have another legitimate reason for knowing the competition schedule in advance – the hair! Our girls sport a pretty intricate hairstyle, and it takes some time to execute. We need to budget time to do the ‘do, especially when the nights are late and the call times are early.

If our kids perform all the days of the event, we’ve experimented with leaving the hairstyle in overnight. Jocelyn pulled it off successfully, but Jayden looked like she wrestled a rabid honey badger in her sleep. That’s why we always budget time for starting Jayden’s hairdo from scratch each performance day! My sister does the girls’ hair, so I need to let her know, as far in advance as possible, when her hairstyling wizardry will be required.

Stay the Night

Another practical reason for learning the schedule far in advance is lodging. If the competition is somewhat far away, you might consider renting a hotel room for an overnight stay (or two) if you’ll be there multiple days. Depending on the location, rooms can book up quickly (especially if the event is offering a discount code on designated properties). Of course, it’s probably wiser to book the room early regardless, because most will let you cancel without penalty if you give enough notice. Still, having an idea of when you’ll need to be in the area helps you plan for your lodging and transportation needs. The earlier, the better!

“That” Dance Mom

I’ll admit it – despite my best efforts, I sometimes find myself missing deadlines. Because I often ask others to remind me of something I’ve forgotten (or that slipped past me somehow), I feel a small degree of comfort in typically being the first mom in the group chat to alert the others that the next competition schedule is available. Even if it’s in my own head, I convince myself that I’m at least SOMEWHAT on top of things! 

Mixed Reactions

For all three regionals this year, I was the first mom in the group text to let the others know that the upcoming schedule was posted. Often, the reply was a variation of a thank-you. When I sent the alert the Monday morning after our second competition weekend, one mom expressed exasperation (something like, “Ugh, already?!”). And I totally get it – we were already weary from the past weekend, and the thought of having to do it all over again (and so soon) was exhausting. 

But for me personally, knowing what lies ahead is essential to maintaining the fragile balance of my family’s needs. So I will stalk those comp websites like an elite hacker, and I make no apologies for it.

To Megan Rapinoe: I know what that moment of victory feels like (on a much smaller scale, obviously)!

When desperate dance moms need comp schedules, they might become Site Stalkers! Take a look at the meme to see if you identify 😉