The weeks leading up to a dance exam can sometimes feel stressful or worrying, but fear not, at Yorkshire Rose Dance Academy, we want to show you what a magical and exciting time it can be, so you can concentrate on what you do best...dance!
There is no such thing as over-preparing. The easier you can make the day go for yourself the better. The key to a stress-free exam day is preparation. So here is a guide for dancers and parents alike to help you through it all.
Making sure your uniform is clean and free of holes/ladders is imperative.Whilst candidates are not being marked on their appearance, it makes a dancer feel more confident and is a part of the discipline. Make sure your leotard and tights are fresh and clean and as new as can be! If you need to purchase anything new, you can head to our online shop - Home page | Yorkshire Rose Academy Of Dance (mydancestore.co.uk)
Don’t think you won’t need more than one pair of tights! Take 3 or 4 if needs be! Ladders can occur at any point so a quick change, if this happens, will put you right back in the game!
Bring all your dance shoes with you! If they are fairly new, get them worn in at home to avoid any discomfort.
Hair should be up in a neat bun and off your face. Hairspray is your friend! Keep short hair neat, and clean, using grips if needed to keep longer bits away from your eyes. The examiners want to see your face and how much you love to dance! They also like everyone to be uniformed so everyone has a fair chance. Take a hairbrush, hairspray, extra pins, grips and hair-nets with you (if it was a windy walk in you will need to straighten it up again).
Your face should be clean and free of makeup (or very natural at most). Remember it is all about the dancing not what colour your lipstick is!
Leave the jewellery at home. It can hinder your performance and the examiners will want you to be as distraction-free as you can be.
The night before your exam, don’t dance. You have done all your practice, you have packed your bag and you are ready to go! Now is the time to watch a movie, eat some good healthy food, relax with your family and friends and get a good nights sleep!
TOP TIP - replay your exercises over and over in your head to help you drift off to sleep, kinda like counting sheep!
Keep warm and limber
Make sure you have a warm zip-up (so not to ruin your hair) hoody with you whilst you await your turn. Keeping those muscles warm and limbering before hand will help you give your greatest performance while also minimising injury.
Take some time to stretch before your exam. Not only will it warm you up but it will also help keep you relaxed and calm. Do some practice moves and some deep breathing to distract you and keep nerves to a minimum.
Be on time! Be EARLY! Give yourself the time to prepare and relax before hand. Examiners do not take lateness lightly and it is unlikely you would be allowed to enter the exam room late. You would not be allowed into a school exam if you were late, dance examiners have the same rule.
Always be polite. Please and thank you goes a long way. Waiting your turn and speaking when you are spoken to is just good manners. Stand professionally, no folded arms or hands on your hips, and do not lean! Look attentive between exercises and ready for your next one while they write their notes.
