A Sleepy Sleeping Beauty

For those of us that have weathered the storms of competition days, we know how true this meme can be. Lord knows we try to start with good intentions, after all. Accepting that the day before us is a long, taxing road can be motivation enough for us to tackle the day with a healthy dose of positivity. Whether that “Little Mary Sunshine” can last into the night, however, is a completely different story. 

Starting Out on the Right Foot

When you’ve got a crack-of-dawn call time, most of us do whatever we must to get enough sleep the night before. Waking up at 5 a.m. (or earlier), we might not be firing on all eight cylinders for a bit. But thanks to coffee (or whatever else puts some pep in your step), we’re typically humming and buzzing at an acceptable rate by 8 a.m. After all, we know that we’ve got hair to fix, makeup to apply, meals to arrange, and costumes to help our dancers shimmy into. This productive “groove” is essential if we are to get through our day! If the dance gods are good, we can maintain this level of energy until at least the early evening. 

Running Out of Steam

But as the sun begins to set, the wind in our sails tends to trickle down to a light breeze. Running at maximum capacity has taken its toll, and we begin to feel the effects of the day wearing on us. By this point, we’ve faced chaotic quick changes, dressing room drama, frustrating food snafus, and cranky kids. Even the most seasoned dance mom can only take so much, so it’s no wonder that the exhaustion is starting to show on our faces. 

With block scheduling being a thing of the past (or close to being one, in some areas), gone are the days that we would be at the competition venue for just a handful of hours. Personally, I’m thrilled to be back; but I would be lying if I said that I love everything about traditional scheduling. We did three regionals this year, and it was abundantly clear that the competition companies were back to stuffing their schedules with as many dances as possible. I understand that they are trying fiercely to recoup lost funds from the 2020 and 2021 dance seasons, truly. But because of these inflated schedules, many sessions are running late into the night.

The End Is Near (But Not Nearly Near Enough)

So by the time that 11 p.m. awards ceremony rolls around, you might feel as worn and used as an old dishcloth. At this point, your eyes will be bloodshot pools of frustration, your mouth will have pulled back into a thin, tight line, and the darkness around your eyes will rival any post-match prize fighter. You’ll find yourself sighing more frequently, and looking at the time with ever-growing annoyance. You’ll feel a stab of disgust with every word of lighthearted banter the emcee utters. In short, the bloom will have come off your rose.

Adjusting Expectations

Even if we had the hours of rest that Sleeping Beauty was granted, we won’t bounce back to our 8 a.m. selves for quite some time. More than likely, we’ll need to get up early again and repeat the cycle the next day. Just remember that even Aurora can’t be expected to maintain such upbeat positivity, so don’t fault yourself if you’re not singing to small woodland creatures any time soon (or being interrupted by strange, albeit attractive, wandering princes). We’re not living in a Disney movie, so no need to keep up the appearances of a princess.

If it’s a dance night, it’s probably going to be a LATE night (even if it’s not a competition day)! Here’s how I feel picking my kids up afterwards: The Walking Dead.