by Andrea James Lui
Over the years, we’ve had several members ask for comp and showcase prep advice, so I’ve compiled a list here of everything that’s ever been shared in the PoleSphere Members’ Lounge!
CREATING THE SHOW
* Start with a song and theme
* Check the show criteria
* List your moves – definitely and maybe
* Set deadlines ie music, skeleton, run thrus, etc
* Compartmentalise your training time ie. dance/basework, spin combo, static combo, slow mo, with music, character, musicality, etc
* Set training alarms if necessary ie. 15 mins warmup, 45 mins spin pole, 1 hr floorwork, etc
* Write out the story of your show
* Find a coach who speaks your language
* Don’t be afraid to cut, change, create new transitions
* Plan contingencies or create a warm up version and an ideal version of your show
* Meticulously plan and specify every detail ie entries, exits, transitions, deliberate hand placements
* Use your music to choreograph for timing, accents, etc
* Prioritise clean over difficult
* Focus more on how you do it, rather than what you do
* Run sections, then combine sections to build up stamina
* Film yourself
* Rehearse in a few different environments in front of different people
* Train with confidence, no hesitation!
COMP TRAINING LIFESTYLE
* Sleep well ie. deep, uninterrupted, long, and thorough!
* Stay hydrated
* Eat wholesome and nutritious food, including protein and carbs eg chicken, fish, brown rice, oats, fruits and vegetables
* Sample meals: poached eggs and avo; tuna, rice, veggies; porridge and fruit
* Minimise junk food, sugar, alcohol
* Maintain low stress ie meditate, slow down, clear your plate, reduce work/life load
* Protect yourself from illness eg take probiotics; avoid sick people; public places; hand sanitise; face mask etc
* Take care of your body eg massage; yoga; baths; rest days
BRAIN TRAINING
* Actively visualise your ideal show
* Listen to your music constantly eg in the car; in bed; in the shower
* Visualise your show as yourself, and as the audience
* Imagine yourself performing effortlessly, with confidence
* Rehearse your inner monologue ie self talk
* Self talk reminders eg straighten legs; point toes
* Self talk affirmations eg have fun; stage time is a privilege and opportunity; the audience is cheering for you
WEEK OF PERFORMANCE (IF PERFORMANCE ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING)
Monday: short training session eg warm up; dance run; 1-2 run throughs; cool down
Tuesday: rest day or light training day
Wednesday: short training session eg warm up; dance run; 1-2 run thrus; cool down
Thursday: rest day; maybe massage; no training, stretching, or teaching if possible
Friday: relax; travel for interstate comps; run errands eg tan
COMP DAY – WHAT TO PACK
* Comfy warm up clothes eg zip up hoodie and trackies/onesie; knee pads; uggs; headphones; phone charger; phone with lots of storage space; snacks eg coconut water, protein bars, berries, banana, nuts, etc; pole grips; hand towel; costume; props; hair; makeup
COMP DAY – WHAT TO EAT
* Eat a big breakfast
* Plan whether you will eat another meal later in the day or if you prefer snacking
* Simple, familiar, bland, high protein, long lasting energy food eg chicken, fish, eggs, oats, brown rice, etc
* No untested/heavy/spicy/oily/creamy food; no alcohol
COMP DAY – WHAT TO DO
* Arrive early to find your space and get settled
* Plan time for hair, makeup, warmup, tech, eating and drinking, getting into costume
* Spend some of your downtime quietly alone to focus, visualise, listen to your music, and self talk, keep moving, stay warm, go for a walk, light stretching, gentle yoga
* Do nothing new ie physically or digestively (food or drink!)
TECH TIME
* Set up a tripod or ask someone to film your tech time
* Full run thru is optional
* Rehearse all props and costume changes
* Check spacing for chorey
* Check speed of spin pole
* Check pole height of long combos and tumbles
* Check pole bounce for flips and dynamics
WAITING IN THE WINGS
* Keep moving and stay warm, try a few push ups to get your blood pumping and muscles activated, practice breathing exercises to ground yourself
ONSTAGE
* Be present in the moment, ready to troubleshoot
* Finish proud and acknowledge the audience
POST COMP AFTERMATH
* Don’t forget to take photos of yourself in costume after your show to celebrate the moment
* Take a couple days to recover mentally and physically
* Post comp blues and burnout are real!
* Look forward to your amazing photos!
I hope you find this to be a useful resource that you can refer back to anytime, and if there’s anything you’d like to add, we’d love to hear from you in the comments!
ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS ON ORIGINAL POST
“Setting deadlines resonates with me so much as time can really get away and before you know it prop submission and music deadlines fast approach 😅 I always film my tech runs!! And getting in the zone is so important for me!
Just remember everyone’s journey is so different so some of these points will gel with you more then others 🥰 Happy comp training!!!”
– MEGAN B
“Always helps when comp organisers give lots of information to help you prepare mentally and in planning your routine and schedule in the lead up and on the day so I would add to ask questions if you need more information.”
– JOANNA LITTLEWOOD-JOHNSON
“You need to add:
– tell the theatre tech your starting and end position for your lighting and sound start/end
– tell the theatre techs your lighting preferences (colour, mood, side lighting/above lighting)
– have the techs run your entire track to check levels (and that the music doesn’t skip)
– have the techs run any projection”
– MV
