This year is the first year my kids are going to be going to competition and I have been doing competition since I was very little so i obviously know what to expect... The other teacher that teaches the class with me doesn't know a thing about it either and I try and try and try to drill it in their heads how hard it is going to be if they don't try and if they don't do this or that.. and they just don't take me seriously.. i was considering bringing them to a competition to scare them so that they practice.. I feel as if I can't repeat myself anymore and all I am doing is saying "girls the judges are going to kill you on points if you don't do this" they just think i'm joking i don't know what else to do! any ideasss?

take them to observe a competition. Then videotape your girls dancing and have them watch it. HOPEFULLY they will see that they aren't doing nearly as well as what they need to be doing.

^Agreed. I took my beginners last year to watch a competition before we went to compete. I do video tape them and make the watch it, I'd make the pick one good thing that they were doing right and one thing they needed to work on.

You can also show them youtube videos of national winners, then videotape them so they can watch themselves side by side with the best of the best--hopefully it'll be an eye-opener!

I'm doing just that! My girls don't get it either and they think they 'got it goin on' so I downloaded video (okay it's a little propaganda-ish because I did the scary good ones) to show them.

I hope it works!

Let me know what you come up with!

oooh, gardentoes has the right idea! video of them, and then a video of the *superstars*. If you show them in the same setting, then they will really HAVE to see the difference.

Well, if we could all learn to "get it" just by someone telling us this is how it is, the whole world would be a much nicer place to live. But unfortunately, most people have to experience something for themselves before it really sinks in. You may just have to let them go out there and have those points deducted in order for them to really understand.

I have the same problem only my kids have been to a comp before. I repeat and repeat, video tape them... some its working but others it is not I don't think they all have the heart but I have no authority to make them come to more practices or kick anyone off...I thought maybe they couldn't feel or see what they were doing wrong so that's why I videotaped them doing certain things but some are still doing their same old habits and even after I correct them they still don't make an effort to even TRY to fix it! I'm at a loss of what to do. I've had talks saying if you don't try you're hurting your team and we need to put more effort in. I don't know what else to do!

uggh!! my girls kinda got it when i showed them but when we called an extra rehursal the other night it didn't go to well.. we will see what happens. Maybe when they see it for their own eyes they will get it!! i hope. I just have been through so many competitions growing up i try to explain it to them- but of course what do i know haha

If this group is going to more than one competition this year, they may not do as well the first time. But the second time, they'll understand the process a little bit better. And if this is their first competiton, I'm assuming that they are quite young. So if they are, you shouldn't worry yet. With age, they'll get better and have more experience. Don't give up!

dancestar... they aren't that young which is whats horrible.. the old owner of the studio had a competition team, but never brought them!! i feel so bad! they had all these practices for nothing poor girls!! they are finally getting the hang of it hopefully it works out thank you so much for your imput!

You can drill all you want, but it won't be until they bottom out and hear from the judges themselves everything you've ever told them that they realize what it takes. I've been in your shoes many times. Keep drilling them. Use YouTube vids to inspire them - they'll probably think they're just as good until they get their butts beat and see WHY. For a solid year I yelled at my girls to pick up their knees. I took them to be critiqued by some of the best instructors in the country who told them to pick up their knees. It wasn't until Nationals where they were marked down for dancing low (amongst other things I was drilling them about and the other instructors commented on) that they realized how easy it is to loose points over "stupid stuff". Now when I say clean it up, they listen. It really sucks to loose time on this little stuff, but they have to learn first hand.

Arak wrote:

Well, if we could all learn to "get it" just by someone telling us this is how it is, the whole world would be a much nicer place to live. But unfortunately, most people have to experience something for themselves before it really sinks in. You may just have to let them go out there and have those points deducted in order for them to really understand.

I completely agree. The thing that has worked best for me are the judges comments that you receive from the comp. Reviewing those are the best part of the process...and once they hear a judge repeat the same correction I've said...then they suddenly begin to try harder.

Plus, being a good competitor is a building process...and they won't be outstanding right out of the gate. It will take 1 - 2 years for them to be 'in the running'.

The first year I had a competition team, I had similar problems. It gets better! Sometimes, people need to see it for themselves. Take them to watch a competition or just wait it out until their first one. But, it will get better as the years go on!

just hope they don't end up winning big by some fluke or you will never get them to listen. Had that happen one time... yep that was fun

I'm going through the same thing. This is my first year taking student's to competition. Some of them are doing good, but I have 2 classes that just don't get it. They just don't care, and I'm running out of idea's. I'm going to try to video them during our next class.