On a couple of our parent boards and social media, I saw a few first time Oireachtas moms ask for advice. Even though my point of view is a little different, I am going to throw my two cents in from a dancer's view point so that your day with your dancer can go as smooth as possible.
Please fee free to comment below with your additions and pointers.
So, for those first time Oireachtas Moms, this is for you.
The Do's and Don'ts for Irish Dance Moms at Oireachtas
1. DO: wake up early with a great attitude and then wake up your child. A lot of the days attitude is similar to the first minutes of waking up, at least, for me. This means you really need to go to bed early. This is hard the night before a big competition but do it even if it means laying in bed listening to music.
2. DO NOT: Rush! It will only make your dancer more nervous. Allow more time than you think to get all those items done before heading down to the hall. When you rush, you forget. Trust me you do not want to forget ANYTHING!
3. DO: While you are doing your dancer's hair and make up, have him/her listen to a motivating song to get them pumped up for the day! Music makes me feel good. Listening to a little Script Feat. Will I. Am's, "Hall of Fame" is a great example.
"You can be the greatest. You can be the best. You can be the King Kong banging on your chest"
Or my dad would say anything from the movie, Rocky. But whatever gets them in the right mood is the right choice.
4. DO NOT: Mention anything about messing up on the hair and make up while you are assisting. I cannot stand when my mom does this. When she says, "OOOPS" or "Oh no", I start thinking that everything is going down hill and it is completely unfix-able.
5: DO: Fix the wig. If you end up with something you do not like, redo it NOW, not downstairs in the convention hall. Your dancer should not be thinking about their hair in the hall. As a dancer, your mind is going a million miles a minute prior to check in. Let it be filled with their steps and a winner's attitude.
A little side note: In 2012, I put my wig on poorly and I ended up redoing it in between rounds. It was a nightmare for me and my mom. I even dropped my placement that year. I do realize that this was not because of my wig, but I am superstitious. I think it kept me from focusing on what was important.
6: DO NOT: Keep adding more makeup when you are all ready in the ballroom. Before going on stage, definitely do a few touch ups but don't do it often. (My mom needs to work on this one. HAHA!) Let your dancer drink lots of water which means don't do touch ups until right before they go on.
Fussing over make-up makes your dancer nervous.
7: DO: Make sure she is working on preparations like stretching. Don't let her fool around with her friends before competitions. She will not be focused. Make sure she gets time with her dance teacher without you. They will get your dancer properly warmed up and in the dance mindset.
8: DO NOT: Let your dancer just walk around the center. If they are going to watch a friend dance, make sure that they are with their dance teacher. Don't risk missing a round. You will be disqualified. I don't think the Oireachtas judges smile too kindly on being late. I've never done it and I wouldn't want to push this. This day is not really about socializing until you are done with your rounds.
9: DO: Give a good Mom pep-talk. I don't know how you guys do it. My mom always finds the right words to calm me down and to get me focused to win! Focus on stage presence and confidence: the practice part is behind you. Leave the last minute dance tips to their teacher and let your part be telling your daughter to walk on like a champion, even if they don't feel like one yet.
"Fake it til you make it"
10: DO NOT: Let your dancer get cold in between rounds. Make sure they are stretching or running through their dances. A cold dance is not a good dance. Do exercises like ankle and hip rotations, as well as, calf and hamstring stretches.
BEST OF LUCK!
Oh and most importantly, go out there and have fun. Don't just go for the experience. If you put in the practice, do your very best.
You are already there, why not go for the recall?
Top 25? Top 10? Top 5? Top 3?
~Bella Irish Dancer
"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you"ll land among the stars."
~Les Brown
4 comments:
One thing I'd like to add is eat something!! My mom is the best at this because she never actually forces me to eat anything. She jus periodically feeds me little bites of this or that, a bite of banana or a bite of a protein bar. This way I have enough energy and stamina when I'm on stage! If you don't eat, you will NOT have enough energy to keep it up all day, it is a very long day, and running on empty is not an option.
Remember to tell your daughter how proud of the young woman she has grown to become. She is already a champion in your eyes. Plus if your lucky she might take you all over the world. Good luck
Thanks for the tips Bella.
Good luck to all.
YES to the protein early in the AM!! Most important thing to do besides the above is eating something plain and easily digestible- scrambled eggs are great for that- and fruit- !
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