Dance Recital FAQs
Your Dancer is Performing! What You Can Expect!
It is exciting to perform on a stage in front of family, friends and strangers too! And for some, it can be daunting and scary! At Music House we want to nurture the love of the performance. We believe performing is an important life-skill. Our dance recital is a celebration and a demonstration of all that your dancers have been learning in class presented in a choreographed dance that is prepared and rehearsed for months prior to show day!
And, as an audience member you will see every dance class perform a different dance. This means you will get to see what all of our other dance classes have been working on!
What can I expect the week prior to show day?
It is possible that your child’s dance instructor may request extra time to rehearse outside of normal class time. This is so that dancers feel prepared and confident when they hit the stage. We will be sharing the rehearsal schedule soon. All classes will have a spacing and tech rehearsal prior to show day.
What is a spacing and tech rehearsal and why is it important?
Moving a dance from the studio onto the stage can be disorienting. It often takes a run through or two for a dancer to regain their directional orientation and calibration to a different sized space. It is necessary to dedicate time toward gaining a “lay of the land.” It’s important that all dancers are in attendance so they will be well- prepared, they rehearse movements and interactions with the other dancers and allow their teacher to make any adjustments to the choreography if needed.
Here is what happens at the spacing and tech rehearsal:
Dancers will learn their “starting places” for the beginning of the dance (this might be offstage and it is important to note what “wing” or side of the stage a dancer will come onstage from). The teacher will adjust students' placement until things look balanced. Dancers will then be asked to find their “anchor point”, a fixed location in the theater (maybe an exit sign or something in the wings) that they will reference quickly to ensure they are in the proper space.
The teacher will continue working through this for every time the dancers move to a different place onstage. Dancers will make adjustments to their spacing and find anchor points to reference while performing.
Finally, dancers will rehearse their dance with the music, applying the spacing parameters that were just established.
The “tech” aspect of a rehearsal is for those behind the scenes, especially those running lights and sound. They may ask dancers to make adjustments to spacing or to simply repeat some of the choreography to get the stage lighting right.
It is important to practice dancing with “recital lighting” because that can also be a disorienting element to adjust to!
How do I help my dancer look and feel their best?
We want all of our dancers to shine onstage (and we know you do too!). Here are some tips for looking your very best!
Take care of your dancer’s costume prior to show day. This means that playing dress up with the costume should wait until after the recital. Hang your dancer's costume in a place where it will be safe. Hanging allows for any wrinkles to naturally settle. If your dancer is wearing a tutu, hang it upside down so as to “fluff” the tutu. If you have a steamer, that may be used to help with wrinkle reduction but DO NOT iron your dancer’s costume.
Hair should be secured off of the face. We want to see our dancer’s smile onstage! Your child’s instructor will specify how they want their student’s hair to be styled closer to show day. Hair spray, bobby pins, hair nets, repeat.
Makeup is always OPTIONAL. Part of looking your best is feeling comfortable in your own skin. If makeup makes you feel good, great! If not, no need to bother with it!
Eat a full breakfast and lunch before your call time. It is easy to get caught up in the rush of things to do on recital day, but your dancer needs to eat so that they have energy to perform to their fullest potential!
Am I allowed to record my dancer and take photos during the performance?
No, we will be recording the performance and will have a professional photographer. We respectfully ask that there is no photography. Sit back and enjoy the show!
What do dancers do backstage when they’re not performing?
Spending time backstage is perhaps one of the most exciting parts about dancing in a recital (besides performing of course!). The backstage environment at a dance recital is extremely energetic and supportive. Dancers build comradery as they warm up, stretch, and shake out any pre-performance jitters. Dancers clap for each other and your child’s instructor gives a final pep talk before your dancer’s big moment.
What are ways I can prepare for the stage?
How can you help? Encourage your dancer to practice at home. This helps build muscle memory and will help build their confidence on performance day feeling well-prepared and ready for their big day! Record them at home so they can see their improvement. Have them listen to the music over and over. Do you or your child have any questions? Please ask us, we are here to help! Listening to recital music (even in the car) is a great way to prepare for performance. If you can do your dance at home or even in your head, then you know your choreography. Your child’s instructor may provide music information for at home practice or may even give specific directions of what your child should be working on at home. Set your child up for success and support them as they dedicate time at home to reviewing their performance piece.
I’m nervous for my young dancer to be alone backstage…
It can be nerve wracking to leave your young dancer in what can be considered a vulnerable position. Performing in front of a big audience is a big deal, and we recognize that. All of our dance teachers have been in the exact position that your young dancer is in and can offer support from a place of empathy. The first priority is calming any nerves that may come up, perhaps through song or just plain silliness. The next priority is boosting your dancer’s confidence so that they feel prepared to step onstage and have their shining moment!
What if my child says they don’t want to perform on stage?
Stepping onstage for the first time can be viewed as a daunting task, and we get that it is not for everyone. Sometimes it only takes one time on stage to get comfortable. This is a new experience for first time performers. We recommend encouraging them to try it out at least once before ruling it out forever.
Why should I participate in a dance recital?
Performing builds bravery, teamwork and companionship. On top of these confidence boosting life skills, performing provides a deep sense of accomplishment and serves as a culmination of all of the hard work done in class throughout the year. A young artist stepping on stage is inspiring and motivating to everyone in the audience.
