A Mom's Guide to Surviving Dance Rehearsal and Recitals

(c) Rene Shonerd All rights reserved.

If you are new to dance recitals, you are probably wondering what to expect and how best to prepare. Having been through the recital routine for many years as a student and now as a dance mom, I thought I'd share my approach.

Pack snacks and activities to keep kids busy backstage.

Give this some thought beforehand.  If you wait until last minute, you are likely to forget or to make less than ideal choices.  The anxiety of performing on stage puts many young dancers on edge and rehearsal day can be one of the longest days of the year.   Since most young girls do not do the whole "waiting quietly" thing very well, many things can go wrong backstage.  Food or drink can get spilled on the costume.  The costume can get rumpled while sitting down.  Boredom takes hold quickly and stomachs begin to growl. All of these things can lead to backstage tantrums by children or by the grown ups.  

To keep the peace, pack activities that can entertain and that can be shared.  Coloring books or Mad Lib books are a great idea. Take only colored pencils which are less likely to make a mark on a costume.  Markers and crayons are a no-no. Reading books are good for those of reading age. Playing cards and travel games are also a good choice.  Toys that make noise are a very bad choice.

For snacks, avoid things that could leave stains or make a bunch of crumbs.  While fresh fruit such as apple slices or grapes are good, messy fruit like watermelon is not. Carrot sticks and celery work well, but I wouldn't advise giving the little ones any dip while in costume.   Avoid potato chips and Doritos that lead to orange fingers.  And avoid chocolate anything. For drinks, stick to water or clear juices such as apple juice.  If you allow soda, stick to a lemon lime variety.

Packing Costumes

• Hang each costume on its own hanger.
• Tights - you probably purchased new ones just for the recital. If you haven't, you probably should.
• Take an pair of extra tights in each color used with each costume. If you get a run in the tights backstage, it is better to change into the tights you've been wearing to class all year than wear tights with a run onstage.  So pack your old tights as backup. 
• Ensure you have all accessories for each costume such as hair pieces, gloves, etc.  Even with one costume, you may have some accessories for tap and different accessories for ballet.  Pack items for each in a clear plastic bag and label them with the dancer's name and the class name.
• Then pack the jewelry that will be used with costumes suc h as earrings, necklace chokers, ribbon chokers, etc. Again, plastic bags labeled.
• Before you pack your dance shoes, clean them.  Wipe tap shoes with a damp cloth and rub off any scuff marks.  Clean leather ballet slippers with a damp cloth and a touch, just a touch, of hand or dish soap. You'll be surprised how well they clean up.

Getting Ready

Most studios encourage you to NOT to travel to the rehearsal or recital in costume.  If you've every tried to get a seat belt around a tutu, you understand why. Besides the undesired wrinkles, by getting dressed backstage you simply avoid opportunities for something to get spilled or smudged on the costume.  You can do much of the stage preparation at home before you leave for the recital venue.

If your dancer wears "everyday" jewelry, take it off.  Put baby powder on her legs to make it easier to get tights on during hot and humid weather.  Baby powder also helps make itchy costumes feel less itchy.  If your child is in multiple numbers, they might be wearing different colors tights for each dance, such as pink for ballet and tan for tap.   Go ahead and put on tights for the dance that will be performed first.

If she has a quick costume change, then put one pair of tights over the other, with the color that match the costume for the 1st number to be performed on top. Once backstage for a quick chance, she can take off the top pair, but then not have to fuss with getting into fresh tights when already sweaty.

Since you don't want to wear the costume in the car, give her a pair of shorts or a skirt to wear over the tights. Maxi skirts are perfect as they cover and protect the tights from any snags in route. On top, opt for a button-up shirt for traveling to the recital location, so you don't have to pull a t-shirt over her finished bun.

For girls with longer hair, you've likely been instructed by the studio to style your daughter's hair in a high bun.  Do her hair at home while it is still wet, or at least damp.  It will give you the clean, slick look with no wisps or strays.  It is also easier to work with and pin. There are some great tools out there these days to help create the perfect ballerina bun, but each of them takes practice to learn to use them with ease.  Watching videos on You Tube can be very helpful.  After the hair is tied back in a perfect bun, then do the stage make up.  For tips and how to's, you can check out my recent post on stage makeup.

"Just in Case" Supplies for Backstage

Even when you've done hair and makeup at home ahead of time, you might need touch ups.  You also want to be prepared with a few tools to handle any mishaps backstage.

• Bobby pins
• Safety pins (various sizes)
• Hair brush/comb
• Makeup bag
• Hair spray
• Travel sewing kit 

The costumes used by most studios today are mass produced and low quality.  The last few years, I've experienced backstage mishaps when costume accessories or straps have failed in some manner.  For example, last year my daughter's costume had a fake buckle on the straps.  That buckle broke off two different costumes backstage while the girls were getting dressed.  With my handy sewing kit and despite by novice sewing skills, I was able to tack the buckle to the costumes so it wasn't noticeable to the audience. I ran out of time and fastened the second buckle with a bobby pin and a hairband. Both impromptu repairs lasted through the performance and until the next costume change, which is all that was needed. Moral of the story is to be prepared and be resourceful.

Once you arrive and get your dancer changed into her first costume, then you can take some pictures backstage. But please, DO NOT take any pictures in the dressing room itself. Even if your young dancer is photo ready, you must be mindful of mirrors and reflections that might capture other dancers in a state of undress. Instead, go into a hallway outside the dressing room.  You can take family pictures after the show when everyone is relaxed.

Good luck surviving dress rehearsal and the recital.

Have additional suggestions? Please share them in the comments below.

How to Apply Stage Makeup for the Annual Dance Recital

(c) Rene Shonerd All rights reserved.

It's dance recital season! Every year, dance studios all over the country hold the annual dance recital. The kids have been practicing their dance routines, costumes are purchased, and the kids are ready to get dressed up and show off their skills to friends and family. I've been through this process myself many times as a child.  I am dancing again as an adult and will be in this year's recital and my daughter will be performing in her 3rd. After having more than 20 of these under my belt, I thought I would take the opportunity to talk about stage make up and share some lessons learned.

Why use stage make up at all?

Some parents that are new to dance ask why a young child needs to wear any makeup at all. I agree that our young dancers are naturally beautiful as is, and that any makeup, yet alone heavy makeup, is inappropriate on a young child. However, I do understand the need to use stage makeup on the young dancers.

When you sit in the audience of a dance recital watching kids other than your own, you might 1) pick out the best dancer in the group or 2) be entertained watching a seriously cute young lady try to overcome stage fright and 3) you also notice the kids on stage with either too little or too much stage make up. When parents are afraid to put makeup on their child, the child sticks out looking like a pale ghost under the bright stage lights. On the other hand, when the makeup goes too far, the child can end up looking like a clown.

Striking the right balance is key! 

Some dance studios will provide you guidelines for how to apply stage makeup. The studio where my daughter and I attend even sells recommended products in carefully selected colors right in the studio. Other studios allow parents more flexibility with their selections.

Items from my stage makeup kit:

I think at a bare minimum, you need blush, mascara and lipstick on a young dancer.  With my daughter, I will be  combining some of my everyday products with studio's suggested products. Here are the products I plan to use this year.

• Bebe cream -  apply it just to cover any imperfections or to even out the skin tone.  It also makes blush easier to apply. We like this one.
• Blush - apply it heavier than your normal daily routine to compensate for the bright stage lights.
• Eye shadow - I recommend a natural color. Our studio recommends a gold shimmer (like this one).  Avoid blue which can easily look clownish on stage. 
• Eye liner, depending on your child's tolerance for it. Avoid pure black with young girls with light coloring. Instead opt for a brown or plum/raisin color. Skip it all together if putting it on causes tears and messes up the other makeup you've already applied.
• Mascara is a must to open up the eyes. I use the blink method with my daughter, where I hold the wand near her eye and let her blink slowly to apply the mascara.  Put it on the lower lids, only if it doesn't cause an upset. 
• Clear mascara (we use this one) on the eyebrows. When you comb the brow with the wand and it darkens them just a bit.  I recommend it instead of an eyebrow powder or pencil which can smear easy.
• Glue and Eye Glitter - This is new to me, but it is popular with many studios these days. This is where I think the stage makeup goes beyond enhancing natural beauty and adjusting for the stage lighting. If you do have to use it, it is important not to go overboard. I've seen some otherwise beautiful young ladies look utterly ridiculous under a heavy application of eye glitter. To apply it, use the specialty products designed to be used on the eyelid which will not irritate the eye.  You apply the clear glue using the built in applicator (like this one), then lightly dab the glitter (like this one) on the upper lid with your fingertip.  
• Lipstick - It is important to use a dark pinkish/red color which blends well with many costume colors. I've seen some really bad lipstick color choices make a child stand out in a bad way on stage. Avoid orangish or coral colors altogether. Browns don't give enough color under the stage lights . And gloss without color doesn't translate well on stage. In fact, I would avoid a glossy product altogether. Because your little one may be sitting backstage for long stretches waiting for her moment to shine. I recommend lip stains that do not easily kiss off and are less likely to end up as a smear on a costume from a backstage mishap.