With choreography perfected, facials in tote and the feeling and expression of a piece ready for take off, one would think they were ready to perform.  Tis’ not so.  Although a dance can be masterfully executed in every way, if a he or she isn’t “performance ready” it doesn’t matter how beautifully they dance, it’s likely to fall short.  Just as important as creative choreography, costumes and being able to see a dancers face can weigh as heavily as a missed lift or a stumble.  The good news is getting “performance ready” should be just as fun as getting out on the floor.  It’s frankly part of the experience.  With that being said, we’d like to throw out a couple of helpful hints to get performance ready with as little stress.

* Make-up:  Remember that the audience is FAR AWAY, so wearing make up is a must.  Performance make up isn’t the everyday look you would put on to head to school, it’s darker and more exaggerated.  It’s so the audience (and the JUDGES) can see your smile, your expressions and the attitude your giving in your performance.  If you feel like it’s too much…it probably isn’t!!  How many times have we heard our directors say, “It looks good, now go put on more blush!”

* Hair:  Sleek, not slick…exaggerated and, above all…SECURE!  A few tricks to secure those fly always?  Spray gel a good bristle brush and then spray…spray…spray.  Make sure you double elastic if needed and then, spray again.

* Costume:  Make sure you have all the components of your costume!  Setting them out the night before makes those early morning call times or far away destinations less stressful when you are prepared hours in advance.  No Mom’s screaming, no Dad’s honking the horns….wait maybe that’s just me.  With plenty of time at your disposal, you’ll  have time to find missing pieces with out being late.  Always make sure it’s clean, all the loose ends are re-secured and you’ve got your accessories.  Earrings, lashes, lip stick, etc.   Always keep your things in a bag, marked with your name and don’t forget to throw in all the extra stuff so you can touch up your hair and make up or pin a part of your costume easily.

* Plan to be earlier then your call time and be ready to go. More time is always better then less time.

*Last but not least, remember YOU ARE TEAM L2D!!  When your out of the floor, it’s time to represent!  No doubt that starts with coming out on the dance floor ready to make a fierce impression!