We are in the middle of recital planning season – finishing up choreography, placing each dance in the best spot in the order for their show, the last costumes are coming in – recital is the culmination of our dance season and one of our FAVORITE days.
To help make recital as low-stress, fun, and smooth as possible, we’ll be blogging about all of the pieces involved in recital leading up to it. For specific details about Recital 2017 – including picture schedules, dress rehearsal schedules, show times, and more – check out our Recital 2017 page. We’ll keep updating this page with information as we get closer to recital!
Dress rehearsals are a very important part of the recital experience – dancers see the theatre (our recital is in the GORGEOUS Paramount Theatre – the best performance venue in the city!), find their way backstage, practice their dance a couple of times on stage with lighting and costumes, and leave feeling prepared for their time to shine at recital.
We do our very best to keep the time commitments for recital as reasonable as possible – and putting three shows (over 80 routines performed!) together in one week is a big task. We have three afternoon/evenings of dress rehearsal – but no arrival times before 3:30 PM and only one rehearsal past 9 PM (our last night goes until 9:10 – so close!). Our complete dress rehearsal schedule is here and on our Recital 2017 page.
Arrival times listed on the schedule should be your arrival to the theatre – once you are in, please come to the auditorium. At the arrival time, your dancer should be completely ready to dance – in their costume, with their dance shoes on – ready to go! You’ll be in the auditorium for one or two rehearsals on stage – it’s great for dancers to get to see another class doing what they’ll do when it’s their turn! A teacher or TA will call the dance by routine name at their “Backstage Time” to gather all of the dancers backstage, show primary and junior show parents where our backstage area and check-in stations are (each dancer will be assigned a check in color and station when we get closer), and get dancers lined up and ready to go onstage on time for their “Stage Time”. On stage, dancers will walk through every formation or spot for their dance, the instructor will set the lighting and give the lighting director their cues, and the dancers will perform their recital dance once or twice – based on time and need. Parents are welcome to take pictures (no flash!) or record a video of their child’s dance during dress rehearsal. At recital, no photography or videotaping of the performance is permitted.
After your dancer is finished onstage, they are free to stay in the auditorium and watch or leave. All dancers in the Junior and Senior Show also need to attend the Finale Rehearsal – we end our Junior and Senior Shows with a finale dance including every single dancer – they will learn the choreography in their classes in May, and we will help dancers find their places and groups in the finale rehearsal at dress rehearsal.
Soon, we’ll post your check in colors and give details on our new system to check dancers in and out of recital – we are working to reduce the crowding in between shows and improve the safety and security of our performance day.
If you have questions about dress rehearsal – send our office an email and we’ll be happy to walk you through what to expect.
We can’t wait to make Recital 2017 the best one yet – and to CELEBRATE the achievements and growth of every dancer at The Pointe with great performances!
-Vanessa