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.

Night of Strategy Board Game Giveaway (Ends 6/30)

Welcome to the Night of Strategy Board Game Giveaway!

Sponsored by: Winning Moves USA

Hosted by: Gloriously Green Gal & Savory Savings

Co-hosted by: Joy Makin' Mamas, Dividing by Zero,
Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys, Uniform Mom,
& Michigan Saving & More

Board games are a wonderful way to bring together family and friends for an evening of fun and laughter. Want to bring out the competitive side? Try a few rounds of strategy games like Risk (ok, so this may be the whole evening!) or Aggravation and you will see a different side of friends and family! Krista over at Savory Savings recently reviewed three strategy based board games for Winning Moves and shared her thoughts in this board game review!

How would you like to win three strategy board games from Winning Moves? If you would like a chance to win, enter with the Giveaway Tool below. If you have won a Winning Moves giveaway anytime from another blog in the last 12 months, you are not eligible to win this giveaway. The giveaway will run from June 16, 2014 through June 30, 2014 at 11 PM CST and is open to US residents, ages 18 and older. Entries will be verified. Winner will be notified via email (consider adding gloriouslygreengal@gmail.com to your safe list) – winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim prize or another winner will be selected.

Good Luck!

Entry-Form

Krista from Gloriously Green Gal and Savory Savings received products from this sponsor to facilitate her review, no other compensation was received. All participating blogs are not responsible for prize fulfillment. This giveaway is in no way associated with social media sites including Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. 

My Dad, My Superhero Sweepstakes

From now until June 24th, anyone can enter for free to have his/her dad immortalized as a superhero in an upcoming FarFaria ( http://farfaria.com ) story. The winner will receive a copy of the book and a superhero bobble head that looks just like Dad's superhero character.

Enter the sweepstakes at http://lnc.hr/TqByv

Re-Threads, a uniform consignment exchange in Cary, NC

Not too soon after starting Uniform Mom, I ran across a uniform exchange program at a Cary Christian School in Cary, North Carolina.  I haven't yet been able to connect with anyone that runs the program, but I can see from their Facebook updates, they are preparing for another event at the end of May.

They began communicating the date of the annual sale about 3 months in advance.  They then distributed details on how to participate as a seller about a month out giving families plenty of time to sort through the closet and find items still in good condition that the kids have outgrown.

Sellers are provided guidelines how to price their items based on condition. They are also advised what items are acceptable based on the school's updated dress code. They are asked to hang and tag the items with a simple coding system used for the event.  Items that do not sell can be returned to the families or donated.  The seller is promised 75% of the purchase price and payment is sent via check approximately 10 days after the event.  The event organizers will tag the items for you for an additional fee.

Buyers are asked to bring cash in small denominations or a check for payment. Shopping is open for a short two-hour window of time.  The items are organized by type of item and size making it easy to find exactly the items you need in your child's wardrobe.

The event itself looks to involve several stages for the organizers:

1. Advertising and pre-preparation logistics
2. Event set up
3. Drop off hours for the sellers to bring items to the event (3 hrs)
4. The sale hours when the event is open to buyers (2 hrs)
5. Hours for sellers to pick up unsold items (2 hrs)
6. Post event cleanup and unsold item donation
7. Event accounting close out and disbursement of the funds to sellers

It appears to be a large event that is well orchestrated.  If you are looking to host a similar event for your school, you can reference their event flyer for details. We'd love to hear from you if you've participated with this event, please share your experience in the comments below.  I always like to learn of other exchange programs. If you know of one in your area, please contact me directly.

FarFaria 3 month Membership Giveaway (Ends 6/1)

FarFaria is an app that provides the perfect story time experience. With unlimited reading from their library of more than 600 amazing children’s stories—and five new ones added each week—story time has never been easier. Created for children ages 2-9, FarFaria helps children develop a passion for reading and encourages families to spend quality time reading together. 

Features

●     Interactive experience is fun for kids and easy for parents
●     Every story can be read aloud with a Read-to-Me feature.

●     Reading-level badge on every story cover.

●     Offline access to read Favorite stories.

●     No advertising. No hidden fees.

Try FarFaria for Free: 

Download FarFaria and read one story every day for free with no obligation to pay:

iOS users can Download from iTunes and Android users can download from Google Play.

Uniform Mom recently had an opportunity to check out the app in preparation to host this giveaway.  You can check out her review of Farfaria to learn more about it. You can also connect with FarFaria online at their website or via Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Enter to Win a 3 Month Membership:

2 winners. Each will receive a 3 month membership to FarFaria. (ARV $11.97)

The event is open from 5/18/14 through 6/1/14 11:59 PM ET. Open to US Residents only.  The winner will be chosen at random and will be notified via the email they used to enter the contest. If after 48 hours, there is no response, another winner will be chosen. Uniform Mom is not responsible for fulfillment of the prize. Open to US residents, 18+ only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Uniform Mom, the organizer, was recently provided a membership from the sponsor to facilitate an review but was not provided additional compensation to organize this giveaway. Uniform Mom is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Please contact Uniform Mom with questions or to see your business or product featured on the next event! This giveaway is no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

(Photo By Marcus Quigmire from Florida, USA (SlideUploaded by Princess Mérida) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons)

FarFaria, a great app for early readers

I was invited by FarFaria to try out their app. To facilitate this review, they gifted me a subscription to try it out for a few month.  My daughter is in first grade and her class has been focused on learning to read this school year.  My husband and I have been supporting the lessons at school by reading with her or reading to her every night. We have a nice collection of traditional paper books, as well as some electronic books on the iPad. So I was happy to take a look at FarFaria's offering because we welcome any additional access to books at her reading level.

What's included with the App

We downloaded the app with ease using search to find it in the iTunes store.  You can use the free version of the app getting access to one story per day. If you purchase the monthly subscription for $3.99, you get unlimited access to over 700 stories and new ones are added each week. You can also opt for the annual subscription for $39.99.

 How Does it Work

It is skillfully designed with both images and words which enables toddlers and the earliest readers navigate around and explore the app. The stories are organized by categories such as Adventure Island, Animal Kingdom, Fairytale Forest, Mt. Make Believe, Classics Grove, Bedtime Bluffs, Good Land, etc.  When you tap to enter a grouping, you can then view the stores alphabetically, by reading level, newest or most popular.  We found that they have a nice choice of stories for reading levels in each grouping.  Ther are four different reading levels.

Once you select a book,you get 3 choices: Auto Play, Read to Me, and Read Myself.  When we selected the level one books, I had my daughter read those aloud.  Because she is currently a level 2 reader, her teacher suggested we have her re-read easier books to help improve her confidence reading.  We found that the level two and three books give her more of a challenge with words that might be new to her.  With books at a higher level, she can choose the "Read To Me" options.  This option highlights the words as the reader reads the word aloud so early readers can get exposure to more and more new words.

When you mark a book a favorite, it downloads a copy to the local device meaning you can use it in places where you don't have Internet access. We found this feature very useful on a recent road trip.  Our daughter was in the backseat by herself and she could open the app, find her favorite stories and select to have them read to her.  With headphones plugged into the iPad, this made for a peaceful trip for all of us.

The Book Selection

Our first night with the app, my daughter chose to read a title called the "Susie and the Snot Monster", which was about a little girl fighting off a cold. That same night we moved on to find many other titles we enjoyed. Over the past few weeks, we read some classics, some fairy tales, and some animal stories.  The category of "Preschool Playground" looks to contain titles that are now too simple for my daughter, but they are just the types of books we read with her when she was younger.  Families with 2 or more kids at different reading levels can find books at the right level for each one.  With so many titles to choose from, there really is something for everyone.

While researching the app, I learned that the stories are independently sourced and illustrated which is why you won't find the same popular children's stories that you'd find at your local bookstore.  The classics section contains many stories made popular by Disney that many children enjoy, but here they are presented in traditional fashion.  A lesson I learned the hard way is that you need to be careful with classic titles.  We have a hardback book of classics and one night I was reading the little red riding hood to my then preschool aged daughter, I realized halfway through that it was a version of the story where the wolf eats Grandma and the woodsman kills the wolf and cuts Grandma out of its belly. Yea, a bit much for the preschool set.  So, I checked this app and was pleased to find a G rated version of the story where Grandma had been rescued by the woodsman from the closet. Whew- much easier than modifying the story on the fly.

My take

Our daughter is an avid iPad user, so she is very comfortable navigating around various apps.  We have purchased several different types of iPad books for her such as fully interactive stories as well as several classics that were nicely illustrated. While those titles were well done, they cost $3.99-$5.99 per title and she quickly grew tired of them.  I like how this app gives you access to so many stories for one flat subscription fee.

In the evening, we welcome the pop up reminder, "Gather Round FarFarians,..." reminding us that it's story time.  In the few weeks we've been playing with it, we all (my husband, my daughter and I) enjoy using it and I think it is well worth the monthly subscription fee.  They recommend the app with kids 2-9 and I think that their recommendation is right on.  While my 7 year old enjoys chapter books, she isn't ready yet to read them on her own.  These titles are easy to match with her reading level.

Try FarFaria

iPad users can Download from iTunes and Android users can download from Google Play. The free version allows you to read one story every day for free with no obligation to pay. FarFaria is also sponsoring a giveaway which will be hosted here on Uniform Mom beginning on May 18th, 2014.  Two winners will each will receive a 3 month membership to FarFaria. (ARV $11.97)  Please check back to enter to win a 3 month subscription to FarFaria for you and your child to enjoy.

You can also connect with FarFaria online at their website or via Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.