Dance Pre Concert Advice
For some of you readers out there you may well be in the throws and agonies of Dance Concert time as you read this, however, this blog is more of an advance warning to those parents seemingly secure in the knowledge that concert time is way in the future - sometime in Term 4, even Christmas time and also for those parents who have never journeyed the hazardous and adventurous path of a dance concert before.
Now is the time to check over those old newsletters or ask at your dance school reception for information as most studios will now have a date fixed for this year and at The Dance Centre Peregian Springs it is December 3rd, and has been in most newsletters for some time now but probably overlooked as it seems so far far in the future.
For parents new to dance it may just seem like a date to put on the calendar and then forget but a bit of pre concert planning and some tips and advise will lessen the load when the great event looms closer.
DATES:
Although you probably know not to plan a huge event or holiday on the date set please also factor in times of possible extra rehearsals, dress rehearsals and stage rehearsals and that most young dancers need some extra sleep in the run up to the concert as at least one melt down may be on the cards.
CASTING:
Many enthusiastic dance students would like the main part in a dance or ballet and are sad when they don't get to dance their dream role. Try to be reasonable and explain any audition processes your studio might have with them beforehand to avoid disappointment.
At The Dance Centre Peregian Springs, as in many studios, if a student attends one class a week they will be in one dance, two classes = two dance etc.
The more genre/classes your child attends most probably the more they will dance.
Full Time students or Performance Group students may dance in more numbers considering the fact that they have worked and trained far more than the average student during the year.
Ask your teacher what to expect if your child has high ambitions and see whether upping the amount of classes taken well in advance will ensure more to dance in the concert.
BUDGET:
Most concerts mean costumes need to be bought or hired and this means that budgeting in advance can be most helpful especially if your child(ren) do multiple classes often meaning multiple outfits.
Most studios have to factor in a concert fee as well often combined with your costume fee to cover staggeringly high costs of hiring theatres and stages etc.
Depending upon your dance studio, most costumes start around $60 so if your dancer is doing classes in Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Lyrical even Tap or Musical Theatre this can mean a lot of costumes and accessories.
REHEARSALS, STAGE and DRESS REHEARSALS:
Every dance teacher's nightmare is the family that wants their child to perform but doesn't bring them to the rehearsals. Without rehearsals your child will not be able to perform well with enjoyment and self confidence and will most probably spoil the dance routine not only for her(him)self but all the others in the class.
A concert dance is a shared team effort. View it as a bit like a relay team where one runner doesn't appear or a rowing race missing a crew member when your child doesn't get to rehearsals.
