The Story Behind My Dance Parents Reminder Collection
The similar behaviors between dance parents and sports parents is one facet that explains that to some people, dance is seen as a sport.
Should their studios their kids attend be competitive, and they are part of a competition team, some parents would boo at other studios, especially when they’d snub awards. They’d complain to teachers for not including tricks because their kids aren’t technically trained enough to properly execute them. They’d even get verbally and physically violent with the judges for unfairly scoring their kids’ routines.
Some teachers have ways to deal with overzealous parents. Some would simply un-enroll the child. And in some cases, they’d ask the judges to pull entire routines from competitions to have them behave better.
My inspirations behind the customizable, Zazzle-exclusive product line are witty signs Little League teams would erect mostly on outside perimeters of their ballparks. Sayings vary from:
These are kids.
Their coaches volunteer.
The umpires are human.
You don’t play for (an MLB team of said Little League team’s metro area).
To:
I’m just a kid.
It’s just a game.
My coach volunteers.
The umpires are human.
Any university scholarships WON’T be handed out today.
“YouTube is filled with adults fighting during or after Little League games,” Jerriann Sullivan wrote on ScaryMommy, “Watch 30 seconds of one and you’ll plaster a baseball field with similar warnings to parents to avoid your kids seeing that type of unnecessary violence.”
“Little League games give kids a place to have fun while also teaching them how to be gracious when they lose. The parents and coaches should be the first example of that sportsman-like behavior. It’s just a game and they’re just kids trying to enjoy themselves.”
If those signs would work for Little League parents, I pondered, would the same concepts work for dance parents? Those dance parents who’d - like their sports counterparts - bicker with their coaches? Those dance parents who’d scream, “Werk it!,” every 10 seconds while their child would dance the female variation from Ben Stevenson’s Pas De Deux from Esmeralda at a ballet competition?
With that, the Dance Parent Reminder customizable Zazzle merchandise line was born. Teachers and studio owners CAN customize the lines of text on flyers, wall decals, window clings (great on mirrors too), and other items that motion parents to know that proper theater etiquette and good sportsmanship are required.
“Something that drives student-athletes crazy is when their parents look for revenge with judges or the coaches,” Seattle-based ballroom dance instructor Atanas G. Malamov explains, “Judges are doing the best they can. They have professional integrity; the sport is very subjective, and make human mistakes.”
“Taking your abuse is not part of the job description. But the child- athletes recognize this better than the parents. They feel bad for the judges and coaches. They understand that they are doing their best, the same way the athletes are trying. Your yelling embarrasses them and sets a bad example.“
“These statements can be broken down into one: I love to watch you dance. Notice the unconditional love, complete acceptance of the child, and lack of pressure or attention to performance. Kids already know that they dance to win. They know to avoid mistakes. What they need to know is that you love them no matter what.”
And the Dance Parent Reminder line will help studio owners and faculties ensure that their dance parents will be THOSE good sports!
