Before You Compete: 9 Questions to Ask as You Prepare to Perform

You know your variation. You've been working on it for weeks and you're making great progress.

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But you know that performing is more than just who did the most pirouettes or had the highest extension. There's a second half to the preparation work that rehearsal schedules rarely include.

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Artistry is what separates a very good performance from an unforgettable one. The best part? Artistry isn't a talent some dancers have and others don't. It's a set of choices, and choices can be made deliberately.

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This guide gives you a set of questions to ask about the variation you're preparing so your artistry can develop alongside your technique.

What's included:​​

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• Four questions about your variation's context 

• Nine artistry questions 

• Two examples of the specific details judges watch for and most dancers skip

• Strategies that can be applied more than once so you can grow your artistry with each performance and role