No Beginning, No End
This photo was originally published on my Facebook page on August 7, 2019.
Whenever my friends would ask me when dance season ends, I would chuckle. We veteran dance moms know that there really is no “off season.” When school starts in the fall, so do the yearly dance classes. Some studios begin conventions and competitions in the fall as well. Winter break can mean rehearsals, and “comp” season really begins to get going in the early months of the calendar year and go straight through to the spring. Late spring/early summer means recital (and for many, next year’s auditions), and national competitions can start in early summer and run throughout the warm months (along with summer classes). For us, the season doesn’t typically end until August, when we attend the World Dance Championship. After that, we’re back in the studio for summer intensives, and then we dive into the new choreography for next season. And so the cycle repeats…
2020: Typically, that’s how our year would go. Of course, COVID-19 has thrown us all for a loop, and our season was severely curtailed this year. Some studios (us included) did not have the opportunity to compete even once. Others were able to squeeze in a few. In any event, this year looked very different for all of us.
As I write this, my girls are in the studio for the last day of their summer classes. I’m hoping with all of my heart that all of their hard work is able to pay off in the form of a “normal” competition season next year. That’s my hope for all of us, no matter what sport or activity our children are involved with.
August 2021: We’re as back to “normal” as we’ve been in over a year! We just completed the World Dance Championship after a week in Ocean City, Maryland, for nationals. We actually have a few days off before our next dance event (and to be fair, it’s a party). Summer intensives and choreography start next week!
Warmest wishes and best of luck,
Danielle
Work hard, have fun! – Danielle
