Auditions

Auditioning can be very stressful, with all the nerves and worrying done it takes a lot out of you. But as a dancer it's something you have to get use to. It's the same with any performing art, auditioning is a part of life and it determines whether or not you get on the team or get the part. Auditions can be intimidating but with confidence and the right preparation you will be able to rock the auditions with few flaws and be able to leave with a smile on your face. Important tips for auditions involve your preparation, punctuality, appearance, and confidence.

preparation is probably one of the most important aspects or tips for auditions because the way you prepare determines how you will do in the actual auditions. Read your audition information thoroughly and carefully because that will tell you everything you need to know about your audition. What to wear, what to bring, where to go, etc. Everything you need to know is in there. Before you even show up at auditions you need to know what you're doing and this packet of information you get  becomes your life line. For me, I always resort to my packet of information whenever my mind goes blank I forget what I need to bring or what time something is at, etc. At my school our auditions take about three to four days and during that time we have audition clinics, where we learn the audition dance and technique we need to do for the actual auditions. Preparation for this is super important because you're already given what you have to do, so you just have to practice it and perform it for the judges at the best of your ability. Preparation involves practicing the audition dance so you remember it and practicing the technique so you do it well. I know that sounds easy, but with stress and nervousness mixed in there its very easy to forget the dance during actual auditions, so preparation is very important.

don't be late to auditions. Being late to auditions is one of the worst possible things you can do. For one, it shows the judges that you are not responsible and gets you on there bad side. Starting you off with a not so good reputation. Do whatever it takes to get there on time. Traffic, accidents, forgetting something, can all lead you to being late so leave with plenty of time for delays to occur. A girl on my dance team before was late to auditions and that got her on the bad side of our coach. She started off the season as an alternate and had to work her way up to competing because the coach didn't trust her enough.

Your appearance matters. Making sure you know what you're suppose to wear builds confidence with the judges that you are responsible. Showing up with all the appropriate clothing and not forgetting anything is important. Sometimes judges won't even let you try out if you forgot or don't have the correct or appropriate clothing on. Even if you have everything you're suppose to, make sure everything is covered and appropriate for when you're dancing. Don't be showing the judges anything you don't want them to see. Practice what you're going to do in the clothing you're suppose to wear before auditions. So you know how everything's going feel and fit for the actual auditions when you're moving around and actually dancing.

confidence is very important when auditioning. You can get so down on yourself when auditioning because you start to compare yourself to the other people around you. Being prepared will help you in your confidence level but don't ever get down on yourself or let your mind wonder to negative thoughts. Stay positive and you will perform the dance and technique with success. Mentally prepare yourself for the auditions and enter knowing that you will do well with confidence.

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Encouragement

Encouragement is so important. In any situation encouragement is needed so much but is often forgotten about or pushed to the side. Encouragement helps lift the spirits of the people around you and can even boost your spirits as well. In competitive sports sometimes our focus is so much on beating our opponent that we try so hard to bring them down, especially with our words, and loose our desire to have fun and enjoyment of what we are doing. Stated by dictionary.com, encouragement is to inspire with courage, spirit or confidence. Helping each other get through a hard time even just by encouraging them can mean a  lot.

I recently went on a church retreat and the topic was encouragement. We talked about how only good things can come from genuine words of encouragement and how important building each other up is. Our words mean a lot and can change someone's whole day around. We were encouraged to stand out and be known for our kind words and encouragement. The speaker at this retreat made the analogy of being called Barnabas. Barnabas was a man from the bible whose name means son of encouragement and our speaker encouraged us to be known as Barnabas's. We watched this video on encouraging one another, and although it's a little cheesy and on the kid side, I think it really gets the point across.

When a teammate or someone is having a rough day and may not be performing their best it's helpful to encourage them to keep up their spirits and keep at it. Building each other up can only help them as well as you. Especially on a team, it's important for everyone to work together and help each other out. And just think, if you were having a bad day then you would want people encouraging you to keep trying. Even just saying something small can mean a lot to someone. Even just saying "good job" or "keep trying" are encouraging words that can help. When you encourage others it makes you feel good as well and lifts your spirits to try harder. Working together and encouraging one another can only help out your team,  giving them confidence as well as you  to perform your best. So I encourage you to be an inspiration to others through your encouragement and kind words to lift each others' spirits up.

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