Ellie Week 19: Dance Comps During Corona

Hi everyone! I'm writing this blog because unfortunately there was an outbreak within my team at dance and I was supposed to have another competition this weekend but unfortunately I won’t be allowed to compete anymore. So I’m using this blog to cope with my sadness :( 

Dance competitions have definitely changed since Corona started. Some of my favorite memories were made dancing with my friends on stage, watching other studios, and having fun in the dressing room. Almost none of that really happens anymore. I’ve been to 2 competitions so far and both of them were pretty similar to each other but very different from years past. Competitions this year are going in stages by studio, so you have all your dances in a block. This is especially hard because we used to have at least 3 or more dances in between each of our own so we could change and breathe. Now with this new schedule, sometimes I had 1 or 2 dances, and sometimes even none, in between some of my dances. Of course, since we’re in a block and not in a rush, they’ll wait for you and understand how hard it is. Plus, the mask doesn’t make things any easier. Most competitions’ rules are you have to wear them at all times but take them off right before you go on stage. Since my studio didn’t want to limit the number of people in each dance, we wear them at all times in the studio in class, rehearsal, and on stage as well. You do get used to it, but it’s definitely not easy. Awards are also different. They used to do them at the end of the competition and everyone goes onstage and collects their award, but now awards are virtual, which honestly isn’t so bad. Awards usually go very late and all I wanted to do was go home and shower and relax and now I can do that. Now after we’re done competing, I have time to get out of my hair and makeup, shower, and even nap before heading off to the studio to watch awards virtually there with my friends. 

I think it of course takes some adjusting and getting used to, but the new version of competitions isn’t so bad. Now I’m done after only like 3-4 hours instead of 9 hours on both Saturday and Sunday. Also, I don’t really mind having awards at the studio. Because of our virtual students, we have TVs in every dance room so we go in the biggest one with our blankets and pillows and just sit, relax, and watch. We don’t have to worry about getting up to get the awards and it’s a lot less crowded without every studio being right next to you. Going back to old competitions eventually will be weird, but I still hope we can go back someday. Has anything changed for you the way dance competitions changed for me? How?