This is it! Empire State Dance Sport Championships has arrived! Here are some helpful hints to head into the weekend with a confidant perspective.

1. Double check your travel and competition schedules.
Timing is as important in life as it is in dancing. Remember to schedule time for packing, travel, eating well and resting after the weekend of fun. Take a few minutes this week to review when the practice times and locations are for your category of dancing at the hotel. Of course you will want to schedule plenty of time to dress up, visit with family and friends and breath before your competition. After the competition you will probably want to rest, eat and relax in the hotel jacuzzi! Go ahead you deserve it.

2. Put your personality and style into your dance performance.
Now that you have all of the moves and technique it’s time to add your smile and personality into your dance performance. As you know from Dancing with the Stars, telling the emotional story of the dance with your facial expressions and arm gestures is very important to the judges.

3. Watch video from your dress rehearsal.
Watching yourself in the mirror while dancing and getting feedback from your dance teacher are very helpful. Seeing yourself on video is another great way to internalize your moves and see where you would like to improve. Don’t try to dance along with the video. Simply be present and take in what you see so you can focus on what you like and what you would like to improve on.

4. Invite your friends and family to the competition for support.
You are on the home court at every Arthur Murray dance event and you will feel even more comfortable with your friends and family cheering you on. Friends and family are also very helpful with last minute costume changes and running out for a glass of water or a snack. If they are not able to attend the competition they can watch the live video stream from the event online.