Feeling 'ready' for a comp...

[cornutt]

Its great when you have a comp every 2 weeks or so - then one really is ready all the time, 'oh its saturday must be a comp'

I'm not sure I could deal with that, actually... not enough time to work on things between comps. 

[elisedance]

true, but we get them in runs - then big gaps.  Right now we have 2 months in the summer.

Looks like the number of comps is declining here - I'm a bit worried about our sport...

[skipper]

Since I dance pro-am, the finances limit the frequency of comps.  I just finished Empire, and as ready as I felt mentally, when I arrived at the on-deck area, panic set in.
Between the semi and final, I rally needed to give myself a talking to-----am always wondering how to have that "panic" and performance issues go away........

[elisedance]

We have a whole topic dedicated to the issue.  You need to identify what it is that makes you panic - often it is fear of not performing perfectly, an irrational wish that grips many of us.  Things have really improved for me after I decided that mistakes are not failings but normal.  I suggest you look carefully at the experts - say Senior I/II amateur championship (the catagory I am in now).  If you watch the couples they are ALL making mistakes but they also deal with them very fast and never admit the error.  Thats the secret.  Go out not to dance perfectly but to dance well and take each error as a part of the game of dancesport.  Because thats exactly what it is - for the simple reason that anything can happen out there, and usually does.

[Rugby]

We can really screw up but it is how you cover up that can save the day.  It can almost become a game onto itself.  I have switched feet, changed moves, directions and you name it at the last minute to get into sync with my partner and he with me.  It is when you can do it and nobody notice that makes it fun and takes you to another level of dancing.

Am I ever ready to compete?  Nope, I am way too much of a perfectionist.  I could win the World Cahmpionships and I would still think if I had another week I could have done even better.  I guess this is because I am competing more against myself than the other people on the floor and even if we win I may feel that I wasn't quite ready to put it on the floor and be unhappy with my performance. 

[elisedance]

We can really screw up but it is how you cover up that can save the day.  It can almost become a game onto itself.  I have switched feet, changed moves, directions and you name it at the last minute to get into sync with my partner and he with me.  It is when you can do it and nobody notice that makes it fun and takes you to another level of dancing.

Its taken me a while to realize that not only 'can' disasters happen they are an integral part of the game.  Its best to go onto the floor, as you say, with the attitude (and almost anticipation) of  'whats going to happen today' than fearing disaster

[emeralddancer]

"If I had had to wait until I was ready then I would never have competed." <----- DSV quote

Same goes for having children. 

Really .... there are just some things in life that one will never fully be prepared for, no matter HOW much we think we are prepared. You can even feel the most confident, be the most relaxed, etc and so forth ... until the moment ... you just never know.

AND then the next thing that usually happens, you do it and you give it your 1000% best

Lastly, you walk away with the knowledge that you did give it your 1000% and learn whatever it was/is you have to learn for the next moment.

In the end .... if you can say you did your best, that you took something positive from it, gained knowledge, etc .... then well .... You are then so much better than you were when you started. THAT is an tremendous accomplishment in and of itself.

Remember though ... always to be gaining the knowledge, always be thinking positive, always give with every part of your being. You do these things, you will never go wrong (even if it seems as if you did go wrong)

Oh and realize to .... when you step onto a comp floor .... and your are giving yourself over to all you worked for that moment and you are giving your 1000% best, so is everyone else on that floor. Realize each person, all of you are champions, just some days it's YOUR turn and other days it is their turn.
 

Aren't I just the sunshine on everyones wheaties today?! heheee

[elisedance]

I want you with sugar and milk

[Rugby]

Oh and realize to .... when you step onto a comp floor .... and your are giving yourself over to all you worked for that moment and you are giving your 1000% best, so is everyone else on that floor. Realize each person, all of you are champions, just some days it's YOUR turn and other days it is their turn.

That's how I feel, it all depends on the day, the judges, the floor, the competitors against you, if you and your patner are in sync, so many variables shape the outcome.  Beating someone once or twice does not mean you are better, just the variables came out your way.  If you beat them more than that you may have the edge but even that changes as you plateau and they go ahead then they plateau and you go ahead and so forth.

[dlgodud]

I have not done any competition yet, but my first one coming in 2 weeks.
Well, so far I think I feel I am ready. I don't say my dancing is ready, but mentally I am not scared of or in panic, etc.
It might change.....

[QPO]

I have not done any competition yet, but my first one coming in 2 weeks.
Well, so far I think I feel I am ready. I don't say my dancing is ready, but mentally I am not scared of or in panic, etc.
It might change.....

You ynow you are never ready and I think that is normal. you just go out and do the best you can each time. good luck.

[QPO]

"If I had had to wait until I was ready then I would never have competed." <----- DSV quote
you were when you started. THAT is an tremendous accomplishment in and of itself.



Aren't I just the sunshine on everyones wheaties today?! heheee

as always

[dlgodud]

I have not done any competition yet, but my first one coming in 2 weeks.
Well, so far I think I feel I am ready. I don't say my dancing is ready, but mentally I am not scared of or in panic, etc.
It might change.....

You ynow you are never ready and I think that is normal. you just go out and do the best you can each time. good luck.

Thanks Q!!
That's true. hehehe.....Most of people I spoke said that one would never ready for a competition. I accept that is true, so I will enjoy everything. That is my goal actually. I don't really think about what my placing would be.  

[QPO]

I beleive that you have to have a self belief that you know what you have to do, it will never work out perfectly everytime, but like making a speech., if you know the topic you can go out and speak but if you dont then you will muddle through at best.

You all train to be ready so you will do fine. That is the exciting part that you just dont know how it will turn out.

[elisedance]

I have not done any competition yet, but my first one coming in 2 weeks.
Well, so far I think I feel I am ready. I don't say my dancing is ready, but mentally I am not scared of or in panic, etc.
It might change.....

Excellent.  At this stage for my first comp I was already a large laundry hamper (er, a basket case )....