In the world of competitive dancing, there are many types of interesting people. Having danced at a studio since I was three years old and having competed for most of my life, I have met the girls that have become some of my best friends. The bad part about spending so much of my time with them is that I have found that they can be catty and rude when they want to be, but I have to try my hardest to ignore these qualities about them. What scares me, though, is where they learn these negative qualities from: their moms. While I’ve encountered some evil girls at dance competition, I’m even more terrified of the dance competition moms because along with setting bad examples for their daughters, they also act more like children than their daughters do.
The “My Daughter’s Perfect” Mom

There always seems to be one girl who feels that she is better than everyone else. The reason she feels this way, though, is probably because her mother pounded that thought into her head because the mom truly believes it. These moms work their daughters even when they are not at practice by making them do ballet work at the stair rail at home, leap down the grocery store aisles, and practice turns at skating birthday parties. When speaking to other moms at competition, this mom says, “I don’t know why there are so many people entered in this category, I mean, my daughter is going to win…she is perfect.” It might sound crazy, but I’ve heard it, and these moms do exist. While yes, their daughters may be extremely talented, these moms are usually the ones who are more upset than their daughters (and the moms who may even cry) when their daughters don’t win, but come in second…as if that’s not good enough. These moms need to calm down, accept reality, and stop trying to live vicariously through their daughters.

The “I Don’t Want to Be Here” Mom

These moms are actually some of the funniest ones. This is because they get so excited to put their daughters in dancing, and they write out check after check, yet somehow are always too busy to actually come to competition. One might think that their daughters would get upset, but they usually don’t because if their moms were there, they’d probably embarrass them. When there happens to be a miracle and the moms do show up to competition, these moms are the ones who find a ride for their daughter and then show up ONLY when THEIR daughter is competing. These are also the annoying moms who talk on the cell phones the whole time, or even better, get up to go smoke a cigarette…what a good example! Sometimes, even the dads find themselves in this category because they sit there reading the newspaper and somehow find the effort to look up while their daughter is dancing, but otherwise only pretend to care. These parents are the ones who give a fake smile or thumbs up when their daughters win. It sounds horrible, but it’s true. Hopefully, one day, these parents will get down off their high horse and start to care about what their daughter loves to do.
The Over-Involved Mom

These moms are the ones that got on everyone’s nerves because they NEVER leave the studio. They actually seem to spend more time at the studio than their daughters do. While they may contribute some very good ideas, they can become annoying VERY easily. They meticulously rhinestone costumes and organize trophies so often that people begin to ask if they work at the studio. These are also the moms who ironically worry about keeping the studio clean, yet have loads of laundry and a sink full of dishes waiting to be washed at home. They hardly even have time to cook dinner, so they dine on gourmet McDonald’s meals every other night. Another thing that these moms love to do is to position themselves practically on the stage while their daughter is dancing. While these moms should be commended for what they do for their studios, it’s about time that they toned it down and balanced out their responsibilities at home.
The Supportive Mom

These moms are the perfect example of how moms of dancers should act. While they are proud of their daughter’s accomplishments, they do not think that their daughter is perfect. They may not want to be at every competition, but they do not completely ignore their daughter. Along with helping out at the studio, they treat their home and studio responsibilities with equal importance. These moms (and dads) are the ones who encourage their daughters to do their best. No matter what the outcome may be, win or lose, they are happy as long as their daughter had fun. They reward their daughters with positive reinforcement when they win, but they do not get mad at them if they lose. These are the moms that tend to stay out of the constant drama and are usually happy as long as their daughter is happy. This is how my mom is, and I’m so glad that she is not like any of the other moms. If all the other moms just acted like the supportive moms, then maybe competitive dancing wouldn’t be so catty…with the dancers OR the moms.

So, if one ever has the chance to spend time at a dance studio or at a dance competition, I’m sure it will be easy to find these types of moms. While each mom has a different way of looking at things and causes all kinds of drama, dancing school would not be the same without them. Hopefully, one day, these moms will start acting like adults, and moms of all kinds can come together to make competitive dancing truly enjoyable for their daughters.