Dance conventions can be fantastic learning opportunities where dancers can meet industry professionals, fellow dancers, and artists from all around the world. In this post, we’ll explore some more reasons why going to a convention is a great idea.

What is a Dance Convention?

A dance convention is typically a group of workshop classes that are taught by one or multiple teachers over a number of days. These workshops can be very specialized (such as an advanced ballet convention,) or be a mix of many dance styles and skill levels. Sometimes conventions will include a competitive portion where dancers can win prizes based off their performances. Conventions can be held in pretty much any type of building big enough to accommodate a large group of people - theatres, hotel ballrooms, convention centres, and even sports arenas.

Benefits of Dance Conventions

Broadens Horizons

Conventions offer a special opportunity to grow as a dancer and as an artist. They’re designed to bring people together and unify them under a single goal: to push yourself out of your comfort zone and leave a better dancer than you were when you arrived. You’ll meet people with different skill levels, specialties, and approaches to dance. These workshops are often run by highly experienced industry professionals, so they also present a chance to learn from and connect with dancers that you may have admired from afar. These variable situations also force you to learn in different ways than you’re used to. It’s easy to get comfortable with a certain type of teaching style when we find an instructor we work well with, but if you intend to work in the dance industry, you’ll be constantly learning from new people so it’s good to improve versatility.

Builds Confidence

Dancing with a group of strangers can be quite liberating. You can express yourself in ways that you might not feel comfortable with when it comes to your regular studiomates. For this same reason, it can be tough to go to a convention, but you’ll feel a huge sense of accomplishment when you push past that fear and really let loose. The beauty of bringing dancers together like this is that everyone has something to share. Feeling like you’re contributing to something greater can be a huge source of inspiration. You also get to make new friends, learn new things, and even bring something back to teach your studiomates!

Whether or not you think going to a convention is worth it is up to you, but we highly encourage you to give it some thought. If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call or stop by our store to speak with a dancewear professional.