Our Dance Connection Performance Team has been working hard for the past few weeks, getting themselves ready to hit the stage this April with a whole new collection of performance routines. We’re excited for our team to get back up there and rock the stage, and we thought it would be fun to give you an idea of what a “day in the life” of a Performance Team member is like.

Performance Team rehearsals happen mostly on Friday evenings, with an occasional weekend rehearsal once or twice a month. Rehearsal weeks are on a rotating schedule, so Performance Team members may have different dances that they work on each week. Every rehearsal starts with the all important warm-up though, and the senior members of the company lead their teammates through prepping themselves for rehearsal. The dancers break into groups and follow the schedule until break time. Break time is for a quick snack, a light dinner, and some team bonding time! They might play a game, answer an “ice-breaker” question to get to know each other better, or go over the items they need to know about what is coming up for the team. If it is a run-through rehearsal, everyone will gather again at the end and perform their dances for the whole team (and sometimes a few lucky parents who happen to be in the lobby!). 

Competition day is a LOT different. Our team arrives an hour before their first dance ready to go and settles into their dressing room space, and once they’re done they warm up together. Final touches are made to costumes, hair, and make-up. This is the time to get out those jitters and lean on each other for support because once they get on the stage…they’re off! The competition may last a couple of hours or stretch through the whole day with breaks in between. As soon as it starts there is a rush of activity with dancers on and off stage, and dance parents moving props and set pieces and working together to make sure everyone gets through their quick changes-hurrying from dressing rooms to the theater to cheer the team on and then right back into the dressing room again. Performance Team dancers will gather on stage with the other competing teams to support each other during the day’s award ceremonies. Our team also always finds a way to celebrate their accomplishments together- whether it’s a weekend regional competition or a week-long Nationals-they always make sure to get time together before everything wraps up. 

We are already SO proud of our Performance Team for all of the work they have put in so far, and we can’t wait to see them up on stage in April for their first regional competition! We’ll make sure to share all of the fun with our whole Dance Connection family as they compete!