For nine or more exhausting months, you’ve put every ounce of your time, energy, patience, and mental fortitude through the ringer to prepare your dancers for their big moment on stage. You’ve fussed over costumes. You’ve agonized over music. You’ve dithered on choreography. And don’t forget all the early mornings, late nights, missed weekends, and skipped meals.
So, when the much anticipated year-end recital finally arrives, your expectation isn’t simply for everything to go well, but for everyone—dancers, parents, families, and teachers alike—to be absolutely amazed. But what happens when reality rolls in and the entire occasion falls short of that lofty expectation? More importantly, what can you do to bolster a better, more triumphant outcome for future recitals? Turns out the solution is right here in our box, and it’s easier than you might think.
First things first, set the bar.
When it comes to the big year-end recital, the first and, potentially, most important thing to remember is you are not selling your dance education services to the dancers on stage. You’re selling them to the parents and family members sitting in the audience. So, the trick becomes changing their perception of “another long and unexciting recital” by upping your entertainment value. This means, if you expect your audience to be wowed by your recital, then you need to raise your own expectations of what your recital could be. Fortunately, we’ve got a “box” of ideas to help get you started.
1. Choose a theme
What value does a theme add? Think of it this way. When you decide to watch a show on a streaming service, your decision to watch is usually based on the story. If you like the story, you’re likely to keep watching. If there’s no story to pull you in, you move on. Your recital isn’t too different. By having a theme, you’re essentially adding the thread of a storyline throughout the entire performance. This storyline gives your audience something they can emotionally connect with. Additionally, it will provide them added entertainment in the moments when their dancer isn’t on stage.
With Recital in a Box, it all starts with a fun and catchy theme. Our goal is to create themes that inspire creativity and interest among studio directors, teachers, choreographers, dancers, and audiences alike. To what extent you implement any given theme into your show is totally up to you. With our unique approach, we provide you with a fully produced storyline narration that is creatively delivered through fun interlude tracks that can be peppered between dances and played as classes take or exit the stage—thereby keeping the flow of your show moving and making it fun and entertaining to watch.
2. Select the best songs
Any studio director or choreographer will be the first to admit that selecting the right music isn’t always easy or fun. There are so many things (and opinions) to consider: tempo, vibe, easy to count, recognizability, appropriateness, etc. You also must consider who you’re picking the music for and who you expect to please with your choice.
With Recital in a Box, our intention isn’t ever to persuade anyone into limiting their music options to only songs that fit one of our specific themes. However, when working within a theme, it’s only natural to want the option to include the occasional song that helps reinforce the theme, as well as adds to that theme’s entertainment value. As such, we’re happy to do the leg work of putting together a list of songs that fit each of our themes. By having this song list at your disposal, not only are we eliminating some of the headache of searching for songs, but we’re providing you with music inspiration to use with recreational or company classes, as you see fit. Consider it one less thing to worry about.
3. Rethink your recital structure
If there’s one common complaint among recital attendees, it’s that a long show is hard to sit through—especially if their dancer has already performed. In those moments, it’s not much of a surprise when people start exiting the show before it’s over. But that’s not what you want. You need the audience on your side. So, making the show interesting and entertaining—even when their dancer isn’t on stage—is important, and some of that can be done by the way you structure your performance.
With Recital in a Box, our thematic packages work well with short or long shows. But our objective isn’t really to instruct on how to run or structure your show. That’s up to you and your needs. However, we’re more than happy to share examples that have worked well for others.
Kalee M., Company Director at Expressions Dance shared:
“We have been using Recital in a Box for years and discovered early on that their theme packages helped us organize and format our shows, so much so that we no longer have to spend so much time doing it ourselves. I love that their packages include an opening track that sets up the theme and welcomes the audience, and a closing track that thanks everyone for coming. That means less time for me on stage, reading a script or filling in the pauses, and more time managing things backstage where I’m needed.”
Amy M., Studio Director at Studio 56 shared:
“Having Recital in a Box actually inspired us to almost effortlessly shift our recital from being one 3-hour show to a few 1-hour shows that were much easier to manage. And our parents absolutely love it. Since many of our rec classes are learning the same dance, we were able to assign those different classes to different shows, while mixing in company performance numbers throughout each. The fun narration tracks then act as the thematic template that everything fits in, while also providing entertainment for the audience as we move classes on and off stage and get everyone on their dots. Recital in a Box has really helped make the flow of our shows easier, smoother, and more entertaining.”
Ultimately, our focus is on making recitals a more enjoyable experience for everyone involved. After all, there is nothing more precious than watching a dancer come to life on stage. And anything we can do to make your job as a studio director easier and more rewarding is what Recital in a Box is all about.
Considering a Recital in a Box theme package? Check out our post on How to Use Your Recital in a Box for more helpful info.
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