You know when you’re on the way out the door and find yourself literally skidding to a stop because you (or your kid) forgot something super important?  Your laptop, that homework folder, those lunchboxes, someone’s phone … 

We’ve ALL been there!  And as we approach each competition, we want to help you feel as prepared as possible with these quick and easy organization tips.  No more last-minute-forgotten-shoes.  No more oops-I-didn’t-bring-my-makeup-kit.  Keep reading; we’ve got you covered:

• First and foremost, help your dancer prepare a packing list!  We recommend starting to pack a few days prior to each event so the day-of feels much less stressful.  Jot down everything that needs to get packed, which will likely include all of the following items:

Costumes, accessories, makeup kit, tights (and backup tights), shoes (and backup shoes), undergarments, hair supplies, warm-ups and other DAC layering items, water bottle, snacks, phone charger

• Build a “survival pack” if you don’t have one packed already.  Think of all the extras that might come in handy: bobby pins, safety pins, clear nail polish, Q-tips, baby wipes, hand sanitizer, deodorant, band-aids, a single-use ice pack, elastic, a small sewing kit, etc. (Here is a great option sold on Amazon!)

• Label your dancer’s belongings wherever possible. Add their name or initials (in a small, inconspicuous place) to each item to reduce the chance of something getting lost and disappearing forever!

• Read back through all of the communications we’ve sent regarding the competition.  We know life is BUSY so we ask that you take a few moments to ensure all of our reminders are clear.  Double-check that you and your dancer understand their commitments during the entire event from start to finish.

• Make sure all of your dancer’s travel plans have been confirmed, including directions and parking for the venue if you’ll be attending the event yourself.

• The night before the competition, bring the packing list back out and check everything off one more time.  It can’t hurt!

We may not have learned how to control time yet (or especially how to control time at competitions!) but we CAN control our own readiness.  While we are getting organized at the studio, we hope you’ll use these tips to get organized at home.  As always, reach out to us with any questions! We are excited for an awesome competition season!