Tips for Dance Team Parents

Making the leap from dance class parent to competition can be a bit overwhelming.  You go from having to worry about recital to having many extra performances,   costs, and possibly even hours of your time.  The studio may give you hand outs about the price, possibly some hotel choices, but if you want the truth about what you need to know, keep reading.

• Never, EVER, add up how much it all costs.
• If your dancer is a boy...please don't pull him out of dance in middle school
• Once you let your kid do a solo, she'll be doing them until the end. Be prepared.
• ‏Dancers love drama. Dance teachers prefer that you keep it out of their studio.
• Remember that you're paying the teachers to choreograph and teach. Keep your mouth shut.
• You will have to put makeup and eyelashes on your 5 year old. There is actually a reason for this. Learn to love it.
• You'll forget something, a strap will break, you'll lose a shoe. The world will not end.
• Recital will be for grandparents from here on out
• Ballet. Even if your kid would rather do jazz or hip hop. She NEEDS ballet. Get her all the training you can.
• Just plan on writing a check every time you go to the studio. There's always something.
• The older your child gets, the more the costumes will cost, and the less material there will be...
• Sometimes your kid will dance with kids that suck. Sometimes, they'll be way better than your kid. Deal with it.
• Your family vacations will be wherever the studio owners decide to go to nationals.
• Don't take it too seriously. Leave that to the dancers.
• You will have to be a little crazy to survive
• Tuition, costumes, entry fees, pictures, videos, hotels, travel, warm ups, shoes, make up, jewelry, t-shirts.
• Plan on pitching in. Can you do hair? Make up? I've got the snarky comments covered. We're good there.
• Learn now that it's a team. If you want your child in a "solo" sport, there's a gym down the street
• Bring your kid to practice. 5 minutes late is better than not showing up at all.
• Be prepared to spend some money. A lot of money.
• You need to get in your head right now, that your kid is 5 and she isn't going to dance like the seniors
• Just buy a Dream Duffel now.