Brawl in the Family

These days, we deal with limitations on pretty much everything in our post-COVID world.  From the moment you leave the confines of your home or vehicle, you are required to adhere to a mixed bag of rules, regulations, and protocols.  One of the most widely used ways that businesses adhere to guidelines is to limit the number of customers in their stores. 

Over the past year, we’ve grown somewhat accustomed to waiting in line for our turn to enter a place of business (one time, I waited about an hour to get into one of the big box stores, in the rain, uphill, with no shoes on…).  At this point, we are no strangers to capacity limits, so we generally do not give them a second thought.  

Spectator Limits

But for us competition dance families, placing limitations on the spectators that can come to see our dancing kids can create something of an issue.  Around the country, dance competition companies have issued directives regarding the number of relatives and friends that can sit in the audience to watch the dancers as they take the stage. 

To ensure that the number of spectators does not exceed the maximum capacity, many are issuing spectator bands – wristbands given to the studio owner/director when they check the team in.  More than likely, the companies communicated the specific details to the director before the event. This way, the rules could be communicated to the participating families ahead of time, thereby avoiding potential issues and, in extreme cases, flying fisticuffs.  

Obviously, this is a necessary evil. If the company cannot comply with the protocols the venue or locality has mandated, there might not be a competition to watch at all.  While not exactly ideal, most of us acknowledge that this is the way things are right now (and the foreseeable future).

Sophie’s Choice

That’s all well and good, until you need to decide on who is getting a band.  In general, providers that are issuing spectator bands are only allowing one or two per dancer.  If it’s just one band (and one dancer), the decision is fairly easy; the dance mom is the de facto recipient (after all, who else can possibly help the dancing kid with literally everything). 

Things get a little more complicated, however, when there are several bands to be had (either through a larger allotment per dancer, or multiple dancers within a family each receiving more bands).  The dance dad would be next in line in most cases, but what if that is all you’re getting?  What do you do with the siblings?  And how offended will the dance aunts, grandmas, and other relatives be that they did not qualify as “the chosen one”?  How do you decide who is worthy of receiving the extra bands?  And what do you do when the losing parties come out swinging?

Tell Me Lies

Spectator band limits can test even the strongest familial bonds.  It might just work out for the best if you lie about it. Try this: “No Aunt Nancy, they aren’t giving out any bands this time.  I know, right?  It’s SO AWFUL!”.  Sometimes, you have to make these tough decisions to spare hurt feelings.  Just be prepared with a backup lie in case your relatives are internet sleuths. Try this one: “What do you mean, their website says they’re giving them out?  Oh right, I forgot to tell you that the venue people changed their mind…so sorry!”.  

Hey, at least you’ll get to see your dancer live (some are allowing exactly 0 spectators, so you’ll be among the lucky). Just be prepared to field dozens of messages from your older relatives who just can’t seem to get the livestream working.  

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