Home » Lessons & Classes » Competition Students
Competition Students
Reminders and Advice for Ballroom Dance Competitors
Getting There
What To Bring
Food and Water
Hair/Makeup Tips for Ladies
What Not to Wear
Dance Bag
The Most Important Thing To Know
Getting There
Make sure you arrive early enough to:
- Dress
- Apply make-up and fix hair (if you haven't done it before arriving at the competition)
- Stretch, warm up and calm down
- Get a practice round in with your partner
- Get a feel for the floor. Brush your shoes if it's slippery, smooth them with dust from the corners of the dance floor or with talcum powder if it's sticky/slow.
What To Bring
- Costume for each style you're competing in. At minimum, your latin/rhythm costume and your smooth/standard costume. Also a costume for any solos you may have. For ladies, this will usually be a dress. For men, this will be dress pants, shirt (white and/or black), tie or bow tie, and vest (optional). Men might also want to bring an extra shirt.
- Dance shoes for each style.
- Shoe brush
- Small bag to keep with you in the ballroom. See section below on what to bring in this bag.
- Safety pins
- Thread, needle and scissors. Specifically thread to match each of your costumes.
- Towel. This is to blot perspiration in between dances.
- Comb and/or hair brush
- Makeup
- Hair spray. Aveda Firmata is recommended.
- Food and water. See section below.
- Contact lenses, rewetting drops, saline
- Pain Killer such as aspirin or Advil
- Pen or pencil and highlighter
- Flesh colored fish-net stockings and dance pants if costume does not have them built in.
- False Eyelashes
- Extra Bobby Pins
Food and Water
Water may not be easily accessible at the competition so bring your own water bottle.
Food/snacks may not be easily accessible (or reasonably priced) either so bring foods that are easy to transport and high in carbohydrates such as:
- breakfast bars
- power bars
- bagels
- peanut butter sandwiches
- bananas
Hair/Makeup Tips for Ladies
- It is recommended your hair be put up in a bun at the top of your head if it's long enough to enhance your neckline.
- Not one hair should be loose on your head. Make sure any loose strands are either secured with a bobby pin or with hair spray.
- Apply make-up so your features (especially eyes and lips) are enhanced and can be seen from a distance.
- Fake eyelashes help to further enhance your eyes.
- Nails should be groomed. Fake nails and nail color is optional. Women who do use fake nails usually have them French manicured.
What Not to Wear
- Belt buckles
- Brooches
- Rings
- Bracelets
- Watches
- Loose necklaces
Dance Bag
It is recommended you bring a bag to keep with you in the ballroom to keep the following things easily at hand:
- Shoe brush and/or talcum powder
- Food and Water
- Hair spray
- Makeup
- Towel
- Pen or pencil and highlighter
The Most Important Thing To Know
Have fun!