Countdown to Competition

Veteran dance moms may seem like they’re on cruise control, but it takes years of experience to know everything you’ll need to do to prepare for competition day. For a rough idea of how to get ready for the big event, follow this timeline (and take some deep breaths)!

PS – To download and print the timeline graphic, scroll all the way down!

Months in Advance

Lodging – When the event is taking place far away from home, your best bet may be to book a room for an overnight stay. But experienced dance moms know that availability can dry up quickly (especially if a discount is being offered by the host), so reserve your rooms as soon as you can.

Warm-Ups and Company Wear – Many dance teams require their members to wear a company jacket and pants ensemble throughout the duration of the competition. Some even mandate a specific shoe or slide. These take a long time to create, as many of them are made in shops that specialize in team apparel. Order these items early!

Dance Bag and Setup Supplies – Because these items are typically larger than consumables, they take a longer time to ship. If you are shopping for a new dance bag, you should make your purchase as far in advance as possible. Consider what other big-ticket items you’ll need (garment bags, hangers, clothes steamer, stool, hanging mirror, etc.) and figure out how you’re getting them.

If you have some of these supplies from previous years, give them a good once-over to make sure they are in operating condition. If not, you’ll need to buy new. Or you can reach out to dancers that are no longer competing (i.e., last year’s graduates) to see what they’d be willing to part with. For reviews from veteran dance moms on their experiences with dance bags, check out The Ultimate Dance Bag Review.

30 days (1 month) or Earlier

Hair and Makeup Run-Through

Practicing unfamiliar hairstyles and makeup applications far in advance will help you to feel confident and relaxed on a performance day. If you wait too long, you might feel frazzled and frantic (the exact opposite of what your child needs from you on their big day). Invest the time sooner rather than later to help everything to go more smoothly.

• If the company will be using a new hairstyle (or if it’s new to you), gather pictures and/or videos of what it involves. Our studio hosts a hair class, and sends the media along for the moms to refer to. The pictures offer step-by-step snapshots, making it easier to follow along. Purchase the necessary supplies (gel, pins, hairspray, etc.) and get cracking! If your dancer is reluctant to let you yank at their hair repeatedly, consider buying a mannequin head to practice on. Creepy? Maybe. Helpful? Oh, yes. For a complete list of what you might need, check out Competition Essentials: Hair Supplies.
• It’s time to gather your makeup essentials! Does your dancer do her own makeup? At this point, have her practice the company “face” to show you. If you’re the go-to makeup person, sit your dancer down and give it a try. Again, having pictures and/or notes on hand will help you to recreate the look.

Costume Inventory and Prep

• Make yourself a checklist via Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or any other document-generating platform to keep track of the names of the numbers and the costume pieces that go with it. Even though this might seem a bit over-the-top, you’ll be grateful you have this list during the chaos of the season.
• Disruptions to the supply chain can and do happen, so your studio owner may not actually have the costume in hand yet. Without hounding the staff, try to find out the ETA for any missing costumes. If any MIA pieces are for a solo, duo, or trio, think of a backup plan (a costume from last year, something you can borrow from another dancer, etc.).
• If you physically possess the costumes, have your dancer try each one on to show you. Look it over to see if it needs alterations, added elastic, extra snaps, and anything else needed to make sure it is stage-ready. If it needs fixes that are beyond your capabilities, bring it to a tailor or a helpful fellow dance mom immediately.
• Adding embellishments (such as rhinestones) takes time. Find out what each costume will require, and who is responsible for adding them. If it’s you, make a plan and buy your supplies. Get started as soon as you are able.

Shoe Inventory

Using your costume list, take an inventory of what shoes your dancer will need for each number. They might need new ones and neglected to tell you (we’ve had this happen countless times), so have them try the shoes on in your presence. Don’t worry too much about cleaning the shoes at this time; the team will still be using them during dress rehearsals, so wiping the smudges can wait.

If you decide that your dancer needs new shoes, order them right away! I’ve had the unfortunate experience of buying shoes online, and they were too large or small when they came in. In order to be prepared, allow yourself plenty of time to order (and receive!) the right size.

14 days (2 weeks)

Warm-Ups

Assuming you have them, check the condition of the company warm-ups. They might need to be washed or fixed, so get ahead of the curve if you can.

Costume Check 1

You should carefully look over each costume for anything that could be a problem on competition day. While this may seem tedious, you might prevent a disaster from happening before your child hits the stage. Plus, you won’t know what might have happened to the garment during dress rehearsals unless you look!

• Go over every inch of the fabric to look for stains, rips, missing rhinestones, etc. Remove the stains, if possible, making sure to consider the fabric and the substance of what made the stain. Make your plan for how you’ll fix the tears and snags (call your tailor or “person” if you’re not sewing-inclined). Figure out how you’ll replace missing stones or other embellishments. We have a “rhinestone crew” for our team, so the dancer that needs more stones will send that costume back to them for fixing. 
• Check all of the clasps, buttons, snaps, and other closures. One time, a neck clasp that was the main closure on my daughter’s contemporary costume was coming off due to some intense dress rehearsals. I was so glad I caught it before it became a wardrobe malfunction (see here for the TikTok I made)!
• You might need to deodorize the costumes at this time as well. When dancers give it their all during dress rehearsals, they tend to leave a stinky reminder behind.
• Gather the accessories, and make sure they are in tip-top shape. These include hairpieces, tights, earrings, necklaces, gloves, cuffs, props, etc. 

Hair and Makeup Supply Check

Take an inventory of your stores of consumable items, such as eyelash glue, hairspray, eyeshadow, lipstick, glitter, gel, etc. Purchase more products as needed.

Shoe Check 1

Give each of the shoes a once-over for holes, tears, rips, or other issues. Fix them up, or order more if need be.

Dance Bag Check

If you’re anything like me, you didn’t give your dancer’s bag a thorough clearing-out right after the last competition weekend. Let’s face it, you were wiped out! Now is the time to take a look inside and clean it out. Just pray that there were no perishable food items left in there!

Schedule Check 1

Head over to the event’s website to see if they’ve published the schedule, if you did not receive it from your studio director. The timing of the events may impact your decisions to book lodging, how to handle meals, who is carpooling together, what to tell relatives who are coming, etc.

Transportation

Think about how you’ll get to the venue. You’ll need to reach out to other dance families soon if you plan to carpool.

7 Days (1 Week)

Costume Check 2

Yes, you should do this again! The costumes may have new rips, stains, or pulls since the last time you looked them over (especially if your dancer has rehearsed in them). And, let’s be honest, they may stink to high heaven at this point. Prepare to do some damage control!

Meal Planning

Keeping your dancer fueled and fortified is one of your top priorities during busy competition weekends. Your options are to either buy the food on-site, or bring food and drinks. Make the decision based on what will be easier or more doable for your family, and plan accordingly.

• If you will buy your food at the venue, conduct some research about the options they offer. While apps like Grubhub, DoorDash, and Uber Eats are usually available in most areas, they can get pricey. But relying on in-house restaurants, quick-service kiosks, or the availability of food trucks can be a gamble. If the competition is at a hotel, check out its website to see what they offer (or nearby restaurants they recommend). Feel free to call them for more information. If it’s at a school or other venue, ask dance moms on your team or in local Facebook groups about their experiences.
• Bringing your own food is obviously the more economical option, but you’ll need to do some planning and shopping. If you’re staying in a hotel, check to see if you’ll have a refrigerator, microwave, toaster, or other appliances first. We stock up on nonperishable items such as cereal bars, crackers, sunflower seeds, and pretzels when we’re not sure about refrigeration options (or we’re commuting to the venue each day). Consider coordinating with other families to bring a bigger selection of food.

Schedule Check 2

Some competition companies release their schedules just one week to ten days in advance, so it may not have been ready the last time you looked. Once in a while, they may even alter the schedule they originally published. Checking it again can’t hurt, but could potentially head off some serious issues.

Less Than a Week Before

Directions and Parking

If the venue is one that you’re unfamiliar with, use an app like Google Maps to set the route. That way, you’ll have an idea of how far in advance you’ll need to leave to arrive on time. Also, scout out the parking situation so you won’t be caught by surprise.

Shoe Check 2

Make sure you have all the shoes, and clean them as much as possible. If there is stitching, make sure it is still in place (we throw a few stitches in the straps of our half-shoes, and these tend to come undone). 

Get Cracking on the Packing!

With so much to do the night before (including getting some sleep), pack as much as you can in the week leading up to competition:

• Nonperishable food and drinks
• First aid supplies (ice packs, pain reliever, etc.)
• Non-dance clothing and toiletries, if you’re staying at a hotel
• Extra chargers, external batteries, and other electronics necessities
• A printed copy of the event schedule

The Night Before

Hair

To save some time during frantic dance mornings, some dance moms do their child’s hair the night before. Whether you can swing this greatly depends on a bunch of variables, including how calm your dancer sleeps. I’m convinced that Thing 1 wrestles an invisible honey badger in her sleep, so it’s not an option for her. But Thing 2 isn’t a thrasher, so it often works for her.

The Departure Outfit

Whatever your dancer is going to leave the house wearing, lay it out tonight. That way, you’ve cut down on the frantic scrambling in the morning.

Costumes:

• Look over your list to make certain you have each one, as well as the accessories that go with it.
• Check each one over carefully for imperfections and fix what you can.
• Place each in their respective garment bags, preferably on a hanger. Add a dryer sheet, charcoal bag, or other smell-buster in the bottom of the bag.
• Pack the accessories (this can be in the pockets of the garment bag, in a clear plastic box, or any other way you’ve decided on). 
• Place the whole costume (including accessories) into the dance bag.

Shoes:

• Refer to your list to make sure you have them all.
• Give the shoes a final wipe-down, if possible.
• Check them for rips, holes, or other damage, and fix what you can.
• Pack them in the dance bag.

Gas Up!

Fill up your vehicle with gas. If you’re carpooling with others, send a message to them to confirm the arrangements.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep!

While this may seem like a no-brainer, both you and your dancer will need sufficient rest for the upcoming day. 

The Morning Of

What you’ll need to do on the day of competition will greatly depend on whether you’re staying overnight during your trip, what time you’re leaving, and other factors. Adjust these suggestions to whatever works best for your family and situation!

Something to Eat

Put something in your dancer’s belly before departing, even if it’s just a few crackers, a handful of nuts, or a small piece of fruit. Don’t forget to eat something yourself! And make sure you pack the perishables now.

Hair and Makeup

If you didn’t do your dancer’s hair the night before, you’ll need to pull it together now. After they brush their teeth, start applying the makeup. We leave the lipstick off until it is much closer to performance time. 

Get Dressed

Whatever the “arrival” outfit is (the first costume, a warm-up outfit, etc.), have your dancer get dressed in it now. We need to have our first accessories on (earrings, headpieces, etc.) in addition to our warm-up tank top and shorts. Then my girls put on their company jackets, pants, black socks, and slides.

Finish Packing

You’ll need to grab the hair and makeup supplies you used earlier to pack them up now. Also, pack any perishable food you’re bringing. If you’ve done all of the pre-packing suggested above, you may be all set!

Head On Out!

We always leave with at least 15 minutes extra embedded into our projected travel time. I prefer 30 minutes, but hey, I have two teenagers (at least one of which is sleepy). 

The Final Word

The name of the game is PLANNING. If you’re a new dance mom, gather as much intel as you can so you’re ahead of the game. When the day arrives, there will already be enough confusion; you don’t need to add to it with a lack of preparedness. Make lists, buy extra supplies, but do not assume that issues will take care of themselves come competition day. You’ll feel much better being over-prepared than underprepared.

Heading to a dance convention? Here’s What to Pack for a Dance Convention!