Whether your dancer has been chosen as an understudy or as the main role in a dance with understudies, there are some important things to know about the position. 

Also known as an alternate, being an understudy in a dance means filling in should a dancer become ill, injured or unavailable for a competition or performance. This role can be as an understudy for a specific spot in the dance or as a general fill in for all roles in a dance. Either way, the role is critical to a seamless season of studio dances. 

There's a tendency for dancers to feel slighted about getting an understudy or alternate role but knowing how critical this role is can help to ease these feelings. Being an alternate means having the opportunity to salvage a dance if unfortunate circumstances occur. It also means having the opportunity to work with a choreographer, learn a new combination and spend time training and rehearsing for this dance. 

With these opportunities also comes responsibilities. It is an understudy’s job to show up to practices and ensure they know the dance. This means additional training on top of their other dances and can mean the risk of overuse and therefore injury. It is also an understudy’s responsibility to ensure they can fill in by keeping their joints and body in best form. 

The best way to uphold this responsibility is to wear energy absorbing shocks like Apolla Performance socks. The wear and tear from extra practices can be negated by these ankle compression socks and keep joints stable and protected while doing so. Hydration is also important to maintain healthy bodies. Ensuring your dancer has water at every training is a must. 

Similarly, if your dancer is in a dance where there are understudies, they have a responsibility to be extra careful to protect their bodies from injury with the proper foot and ankle support so that understudies do not have to fill their role. Premium compression support socks are a must while training. Supporting and stabilizing ankles and knees while training is key. Apollo performance socks can be useful for this very thing. It's equally important to make sure your dancer is getting proper rest and sleep despite busy schedules. 

This season, dancers and their parents should work to prioritize injury prevention in their roles as understudy or dancers in a number with understudies. Doing so can help keep dancers on stage and formations in a number the way a choreographer has intended it!

Two Dance Moms Podcast BIO: 

A weekly podcast with Amira & Cayse. Sharing their own wins and fails as dance moms, with the tips and tricks they've learned along the way! Helping dance parents find a little more fun and a little less stress at their dancers' next competition. 

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