12 Helpful Recital Tips for Dancers and Parents

Please enjoy this guest post, chuck full of recital tips for dancers, dance parents, and dance teachers! Thank to Molly Stroud of Jackrabbit Dance for her words of wisdom!

Dance recitals provide an opportunity for dancers to showcase all their hard work. After months of training, dancers finally get the chance to go on stage and put their skills to the test. Parents are also just as invested in the dance recitals as their kids. After all, which parent wouldn’t want to see their child shine? 

But most parents and dancers will tell you that preparing for a dance recital isn’t exactly a walk in the park. It can be pretty nerve-wracking. Don’t worry, though, because we will give you all the tips you need to relax and do your best. So, take a breath and read on.

Helpful Tips for Dancers

Practice

Practice in Full Costume, Makeup, and with On-Stage Lights 

A day or two before your dance recital is a good time for any last-minute dress rehearsals you need to have. At the studio, experiment with onstage videos to see how it works out at full tilt, especially if it will be your first time performing a specific dance routine.

Also, go over the show’s props and sets, as this will help to make any routine involving props that much more impressive. 

You can either get a hair and make-up appointment at a beauty salon or have someone do your hair and makeup for you at home. 

Practice Without Mirrors

If you have been practicing your routine in front of a mirror, try practicing it without one. This is especially important if you are in a group routine, as you may have been relying on looking at what others are doing.  

Practice in Front of an Audience

You will perform in front of an audience that isn’t restricted to family and friends. Practicing in front of people will help eliminate any nervousness or stage fright you might have. Try doing this at least once before the actual performance. This way, you’ll be used to being onstage and won’t worry about forgetting any steps or moves by the time the big day comes around.

Get Feedback and Ask Questions

If you are performing in front of an audience, ask for their feedback after you run the dance because it will help you know how well your routine went and what they liked or didn’t like about it.

Ask your teacher or a friend to watch your routine and give you feedback. If you are having trouble with a particular move, ask them to help you correct it.

You might have questions that need answering, so ask your teacher or someone else who has experience in dance before the performance.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep the Night Before Your Performance

If you are nervous about your routine, you might be tempted to stay up late the night before. But this isn’t a good idea. Getting a good night’s sleep will help you feel more relaxed and less tired during the performance.

Eat a Good Meal a Couple of Hours Before the Recital

Eating a healthy meal will help you feel less hungry and more energized during the performance. Avoid going to the dance on an empty stomach. That will only make you feel grumpier and more likely to argue with your friends. 

Don’t overeat; keep your portions small. 

Avoid greasy and sugary foods, which will only make you feel more bloated. Instead, eat foods like fruit, nuts, granola bars, or oatmeal to give you more energy and less bloating. 

Warm Up and Stretch Before Performing

Stretching will help you feel more limber and less stiff. It will also help you avoid injury by loosening up tight muscles that pull on tendons or ligaments.

Warming up is equally important because it gets your heart rate up, so you are ready to dance at total capacity right away. It also helps you get your body temperature up so you don’t feel cold on stage (which can make you feel tired).

Helpful Tips for Parents 

Connect with Other Dance Parents

I’ve been a part of several Facebook groups for dance parents, and they are beneficial. I’ve gotten tons of great tips on dealing with the stress of competition and helping my daughter with her nerves. They also have great ideas about coordinating snacks, easily doing hair and makeup, and even finding the best deals on costumes.

Practice Stage Hair and Makeup in Advance

I’ve found that it’s best to practice hair and makeup at least a few weeks before the recital. That way, if your dancer has any issues with their hair or makeup, you have time to fix them before the big day.

Label All Supplies with the Dancer’s Name

This is a no-brainer, but it’s so easy to forget. I’ve had so many instances where I’ve grabbed the wrong bag or forgotten to pack something important because it wasn’t labeled.

Pack Everything the Day Before (and Use a Checklist)

I’m a huge fan of checklists. I use them for everything, and they’re handy when packing for a competition. They help you make sure you have everything and haven’t forgotten anything—costumes, hair and makeup supplies, extra tights, snacks, water, etc.

Don’t Forget About the Importance of Nutrition for Dancers

Dancers need to eat a lot of protein and healthy fats to keep their muscles strong and supple for dancing. They also need lots of water so they don’t get dehydrated on stage (which can make them feel tired). I’ve noticed that my daughter is much more likely to eat well if I prepare her food ahead of time,. This way, she doesn’t have time to think about eating junk food or skipping meals altogether!

Buy Tickets in Advance

I’ve been to recitals where the ticket lines were so long that I had to wait in line for over an hour to get my tickets. If you purchase your tickets in advance, you can avoid this frustration.

Have a Plan for After the Recital

It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and stay at the recital venue after your dancer performs (I know I’ve been guilty of this). But, if you plan what you’ll do after, you won’t feel like you’re wasting time waiting around.

Breathe in, Relax, and Enjoy the Show! 

After the dance recital, you will look back and think that there was nothing really to worry about in the first place. 

And to be sure you’ll be super-prepared for the recital day, I’ll leave you with these final tips: 

• Do a DIY costume if you need to (or if you have the time and talent)
• Don’t put pressure on yourself or your dancer. Dance is supposed to be fun! It’s not worth putting pressure on yourself or your dancer because it will only make everyone miserable. 
• Don’t worry about what others are doing. Recitals are stressful enough without worrying about what others are doing or saying. 

Breathe in and relax! The dance recital will go well.

Author Bio:

A lifetime dancer turned marketing professional, Molly Stroud pulls from her experiences in the dance studio to connect with Jackrabbit Dance clients. As part of Jackrabbit’s Marketing team, Molly focuses on providing Jackrabbit clients with exciting studio management tips and loves sharing the benefits of using Jackrabbit Dance with anyone who will listen! In her spare time, you can find Molly in the backyard with her family, carting kids to and from activities, or in Boone, NC cheering on the Mountaineers of App State!

Jackrabbit Dance’s powerful and flexible dance studio management software is built for the big dreamers of the world by a team of experts committed to helping dance teachers grow their business the way they’ve always wanted. 

For some strategies for helping your dancers be their own mental coaches, steal a few tips from Positive Self-Talk for Dancers!