This is the time when I want to celebrate all you have learned and all we have accomplished together this year!
Instead, I present you with a booklet full of “musts” and “don’ts”! The reality is, however, that the details do matter—they make the difference between a show looking polished and running smoothly or being sloppy and disorganized. Hence, this booklet full of “rules” designed to address those all-important details. I ask you to read it thoroughly and carefully and follow the instructions to the letter. It really will make it easier for everyone!
Oh, and by the way . . . I do celebrate all of you! I’m proud of what we have achieved together. Thanks to all of you—dancers and parents—this year’s Spring Concert promises to be a terrific and entertaining show!
Happy Dancing!
The Schedule
Dress Rehearsal
Thurs., May 28th 3:45-9:00 p.m. (At Tilson Auditorium at ISU; 200 North 7th Street {behind Tirey Hall}
Below is your specific time to rehearse. This is the start time to be on the stage, so arrive early to change into your first costume. One parent may accompany their student.
3:45-4:15p.m.—Beginning Dance and Pre-Technique 4:15-5:00p.m.—All students Grande Finale and notes 5:00-9:00p.m.—Students 1st grade and up. (Beginning Dance and Pre-Tech students are welcome to stay and watch!)
Performance
Fri., May 29th — Arrive 5:00 p.m. (Perform 6:00p.m.)
Sat., May 30th — Arrive 4:00p.m. (Perform 5:00p.m.)
Costumes
- Any alterations or adjustments to costumes must be completed prior to the dress rehearsal. Costumes must be wrinkle-free, on hangers (preferably in garment bags), and carried to the theater for both dress rehearsal and performance.
- Please make sure the dancer’s name is on all pieces of all costumes.
- Dancers must arrive at the theater wearing street clothes; under no circumstances is anyone allowed to wear costumes to the theater.
- No underwear is worn with costumes. Yes, you read that right. You’ll get used to it. Really. (Older dancers with many changes may wear a nude camisole leotard with clear straps)
- Absolutely no jewelry and no nail polish may be worn.
- Please bring an extra pair of tights in case of an accidental run in the pair provided with your costume (and try really hard not to need the extras!). Extra tights will be available for purchase at the manager’s table.
- The Dressing Room Manager will have an emergency kit available for tears, holes, etc.
Tip: If you have to change tights during the show, try this instead—wear your tights in layers. For instance, you need pink for ballet and tan for jazz. Put on the tan first and pink over them. After ballet just peel off the pink and you’re ready to go! It’s so much easier than trying to put tights on a sweaty body!
Shoes
- All shoes must be clean and/or polished and have clean ribbons (if applicable). Soft-Scrub works well on white or pink leather; canvas ballet slippers can be washed in the washer.
- Ballet shoes must be pink. Tap and jazz shoes must be black.
- Beg. Dance, Pre-Technique and Modern dancers should have slip-on shoes or sandals to wear from the dressing area to the stage door (the route takes them outside through a parking area).
- Make sure the dancer’s name is inside all shoes.
Hair
- Each class will be given instructions about how hair is to be worn.
- Hair should be done at home prior to both the dress rehearsal and performance.
- Assigned headpieces only. No decorative barrettes or clips are to be worn. Use hair pins or barrettes that match your hair.
- There will be kits in the ballroom and dressing areas with hair spray, extra hair pins, etc., for touch-ups.
Makeup
- All girls are to wear blush, eye shadow, and RED lipstick.
- Older girls may wear foundation, mascara, and eyeliner.
- Because stage lights wash out facial features, all makeup should be applied a little heavier than street makeup. However, too much makeup can look gaudy and hide the natural beauty of the dancers.
- Makeup, except lipstick, should be applied at home before the dress rehearsal and performance. Lipstick should be applied after costumes are on.
- Please wear makeup at dress rehearsal EXACTLY as you intend to wear it for the show. Appropriateness of makeup will be checked at the dress rehearsal and any necessary changes made at that time.
- There will be makeup kits in the ballroom and dressing areas for emergencies.
- BOYS: See Patti for special instructions.
Dress Rehearsal
Fact #1: For the show to be terrific, taking time for a thorough dress rehearsal is crucial.
Fact #2: Dress rehearsals are very long and very tedious. When you’re ready to tear your hair out from boredom and frustration, please refer to Fact #1. My apologies in advance . . . and my thanks for your patience!
- Rehearsal will begin promptly to avoid going into overtime.
- Only one adult per dancer may attend the dress rehearsal. Siblings and extra family members are a distraction—everyone’s full attention will speed up the rehearsal process
- Stage Moms will be in the auditorium and will guide the class backstage during rehearsal. Parents are responsible for their children at all other times. Find your Stage Mom when you arrive and sit as a group. If you are in two or more dances, find the Stage Mom for your first dance on the program.
- Dressing Room assignments will be made at this time. Parents that are accompanying the students may remain in the auditorium to watch rehearsal.
- Please bring snacks and drinks with you—and avoid anything that can stain costumes! Food and drinks are not allowed in the auditorium, but you may eat in the lobby. Please clean up after!
- 3:45p.m.—Beginning Dance and Pre-Technique
- 4:15p.m.—Grand Finale Practice for All students.
- 5:00-9:00p.m.– Rehearsal for students in 1st grade and up. We will run the show in order. Beginning Dance and Pre-Technique students may leave at this time, however you are welcome to stay and watch the show!
Performance
- One Hour Before Showtime—Dancers are to arrive at their assigned dressing area wearing street clothes and full stage makeup (they may arrive earlier if necessary). Do not wear costumes to the theater! For the audience, anticipation about what’s to come is part of the magic of the theater. One simple way to maintain the magic is to carry costumes in garment bags so they are invisible to audience members you may pass on the way in.
- Parents please provide dry snacks and clear drinks for your student each evening. Stage moms are not required to provide snacks.
- Parents are to sign there child in with their designated stage mom ,help them settle, and then leave.
- ONLY VOLUNTEERS will remain with the dancers. This rule will be strictly enforced.
- After the show one Female family member must sign your dancer out with the stage mom before leaving.
- Once dancers are in their designated dressing area and in costume, they are to remain there. No dancer is allowed in the lobby once seating has begun. Runners will be available if you need to get a message to someone.
- Fifteen Minutes Before Showtime— PE C, Mrs. Banks, Cook, Helen, Jane,, Michael, Katie Nana, Mr. Banks to stage.
Video Taping and Photography
- A professional video will be taped during both performance and will be available for purchase.
- Parents: If you also wish to video tape, it is preferable that you do so at dress rehearsal. People will be milling about the auditorium anyway, so blocking the view of others is not such an issue.
- Flash photography is strictly prohibited during the performance for the safety of the dancers. Flashes can be blinding and quite distracting. If you video tape during the performance, please be discreet. People running up and down aisles is disruptive for the dancers as well as the audience. Please let courtesy be the key!
A Few Theater Traditions
- Performers often are given flowers following a performance. Parents: While flowers can’t be presented to the dancers on stage, it might be nice to receive them in the lobby afterwards. Hint.
- Entering, leaving, or moving around the auditorium for any reason is acceptable only between dances, never during. It’s a matter of courtesy to the performers as well as others in the audience.
- Unlike sporting events, at theater performances dashing for the exit before the final applause is totally uncool.
· The traditional good luck wish for actors is “break a leg”; for dancers it is “merde” (rhymes with “cared”), a French word meaning . . . well, never mind the literal translation. It’s used to exclaim something like “oh, geez!”
Student Pick-Up
Parents: For the abundance of safety one female family member may meet the student in the dressing area and sign out with the stage mom. * Other family members please wait in the lobby for your child(ren). For the safety and privacy of the dancers, NO ONE ELSE will be allowed in the dressing areas for any reason. This rule will be strictly enforced.
*If you would like to be near your child during the performance, please consider volunteering to help backstage. 😉