In the meantime, we’d love to share what this week is ALL about. We’ve got great students here at Prestige, and we can’t help but show them off! More importantly, it’s a moment in the middle of the year to do something for our Prestige parents, who do SO much for their kids and for our studio. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating your kids’ progress. We promise to impress! 

3 Things We LOVE to Show Off at Our Parent Observation Week:

1. Our Latest and Greatest Skill Progressions

This time of year is usually when our students start to REALLY get it when it comes to difficult skills. Things are clicking in their brains and they are thrilled at the thought of adding them to their recital dances. We invite you to come check out all the stellar progress we’ve made on those leaps, turns, tricks, and more! We know they make us proud. 

2. The Beginnings of Our Recital Dances!

Recital choreography is in full swing! Now is your chance to get a sneak peek of your child’s dances that we’re gearing up to perform in June. Sharing this with our parents really builds the excitement for the kiddos.

3. The Joy and Excitement That Hasn’t Faded Since Fall

Amazing dance moves are great, but we know that those priceless smiles top everything else. Our Parent Observation Week is our way of reminding you of how valuable your support for your child is, and how much joy we witness in class each week. 

So, will we see you there?! During the last 10 minutes of every class, parents who feel comfortable are welcome to stop in and check out what we’ve been working on! If you are uncomfortable being in the classroom during that week, send us an email and we would be happy to help!

Parent Observation Week
February 22nd-28th
The last 10 mins of your child’s class! 

The first dance recital can be full of nonstop surprises for the first-time dance parent. Dance has its own culture of expectations and traditions, and they all converge on recital day.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, the following insider tips can help you make the most of your first dance recital, whether your dancer is a toddler or a teen. Read through our tips carefully, and if you need help or clarification, ask! Our dedicated team is happy to help. We want ALL our dance families to feel prepared and confident as they head into the performance. 

Insider Tips:

Bring snacks and activities. Recitals can seem long to young children, around an hour and a half of dancing in each show. Be prepared to stay and cheer for every number, and, more importantly, prepare for your dancer to be happy when he or she is back stage. Send some things to entertain your child; card games, a sketch pad or stuffed animal can make the wait much shorter. Also plan for your dancer to be hungry. Recital times often coincide with snack or meal times, so bring non-messy foods, such as dried fruit and nuts, cheese and crackers, or granola bars are good options. Avoid sodas and juices- just a cold bottle of water is perfect!

Costume tips and tricks. You may have several costumes to manage. When you pick up your child’s costumes, avoid the temptation to let her wear them before dress rehearsal. They should look fresh for the performance. Costumes can be itchy, too. Sequins and glitter come at the cost of comfort sometimes. All of our hairpieces are worn on the dancer’s right side. It also helps to keep accessories for each costume in a zip lock bag inside of each costume bag. And whatever you do, don’t forget your dancer’s shoes!

Come equipped. Planning and preparation are key. Bring tissues, make-up supplies, plenty of bobby pins and hair elastics. A comb and hairspray are crucial additions to your recital bag. And don’t forget a fresh new pair of tights!

About the hair. Speaking of bobby pins, a little bun know-how can go a long way. Check out our recital hair video here. Dance buns can seem daunting at first, but with a few practices and some insider knowledge, you’ll master them in no time. First, wet or damp hair is much easier to work with than dry hair with all its flyaway action. Texturizing spray is also a great tool to tame and prepare your dancer’s hair. Brush her hair out and pull it into a tight ponytail.

At this point, if your dancer has shorter to medium-length hair, you can use a bun-maker—also known as those squishy nets shaped like doughnuts and invest in some high-quality hair pins to secure the bun. A hairnet will help keep everything looking slick and smooth. Look for pins that are the same color as your dancer’s hair and tuck them in tight. Keep in mind that your dancer is going to be jumping and twirling, arms moving every which way. Building a hair-pin and hairspray fortress will help to keep that bun in place through all the action and in the short time that they wait backstage.

Don’t forget your tickets! All attendees are required to have a ticket for admittance (with the exception of the dancer). Our seating is general admission, so arriving early to secure seats is encouraged.

Plan for a gift. Recital gifts are a strong tradition in dance. You can pre-order flowers through the studio that you can pick up at the event. And if your dancer is not the flower type, they may love the annual recital animal this year! Younger dancers love receiving stuffed animals to help them remember their first recital for a long time to come.

Save the memories. If you can be at the dress rehearsal at the Paramount, consider taking photos and video there. The crowd is less…crowded, the children are in costume, and this frees you up to just be present and celebrate your child during the actual performance. Cameras are not allowed to be used during the recital performance. Even easier: just order the DVD that we produce. It’s an extra investment that pays for itself and your dancer can even enjoy watching the show at home.

Most of all, remember that our children are little emotional sponges. It’s normal for parents sometimes to feel anxious or nervous about their children’s first events. But work to avoid channeling your nerves to your child, who is just excited for a fun experience. Remind yourself of what’s most important (your child’s enjoyment of the show experience), take a deep breath and cheer for your dancer. If you observe that your dancer is nervous, remind him or her that everyone is there simply to celebrate a great year of dancing and to enjoy the show!

It is going to be another GREAT performance!

ps. Additional recital details, order forms, and schedules can all be found on our recital page! 

With our Annual Recital just a week away, we thought this was the perfect opportunity to thank our studio families. This has been a wonderful year. It would not be possible without the support and energy of our families. Thank you for ALL you do to make Prestige Dance Studio an AMAZING place to dance.  

We are so proud of what we have been able to accomplish together this year. At Prestige Dance Studio, we are very passionate about encouraging confidence building, teamwork, and personal growth. Beyond creating talented dancers, we want our students to be good people both in and out of the dance studio. This mission would not be possible without the trust and support of our studio families.

Parents we would like to thank you for supporting your child’s love of dance. Thank for trusting our vision. Thank you for all the rides to the studio. Thank you for making sure your child has everything they need for class. Thank you for reading our emails! The list goes on and on! Most importantly, thank you for believing in your child’s dreams and our vision for the studio.

Every year we witness SO much growth in our students. From our three-year-olds just finishing their first year of dance to our seasoned performance team members; we are SO proud. Thank you, dancers, for your hard work, positive attitudes, and passion. You encourage and inspire us to become better teachers and leaders.

What better way to finish off a great year than with our Annual Recital? We cannot wait to see our dancers shine on stage June 3. It takes a great deal of coordination to put on a production of this size. Thanks in advance for your energy going into the performance. It would not be possible without your support.

We are so grateful for our Prestige Dance Studio family. We can’t wait to see our students on stage doing what they love!

Recital is getting close, can you FEEL the energy in the air? We sure can! Students, teachers, and families are working hard to make sure the performance goes on without a hitch. Our teachers have been busy in the classroom making sure dances are perfect.  We wanted to share a few tips that you can do outside of the classroom so that your dancer is ready to perform come recital!

Dances

• Encourage your dancer to start a dance journal if they haven’t already. After class, they can write all their notes and changes in the journal. We find that dancers do a much better job remembering corrections when they write them down.
• Practice your dances at home! Practice videos for our 2018 recital dances will be uploaded as they are available. Visit our Vimeo site at: https://vimeo.com/prestigedancestudio to access them.

Costumes

• One of the most important things you can do before the big day is to label your costumes. Put your dancer’s initials on each costume’s tag. There is nothing worse than losing a costume or taking home someone else’s by accident!
• Take a few moments before you go to the theater and get things in order so they are easy to find. This includes tights, shoes, accessories, undergarments, etc.

Hair and Makeup

• Know the specifics. You can find the hair and makeup details on our recital page.
• Practice before recital week. If you are new to recital hair and makeup make sure you practice a few times. There is a tutorial video here and you can always ask teachers for more guidance if needed.

We cannot wait to see our dancers shine on stage Sunday, June 3rd 2018! With any questions that pop up, please remember all of the recital details can be found on our recital page. Our teachers and staff are also available to help before and after classes.

At Prestige, we have SO many amazing things happening but one of our ultimate favorites is recital! We could not be any more excited for this year’s annual recital and want to make sure you are in on ALL the recital details needed to put on our spectacular event. If you haven’t already, make sure to mark your calendar for our production of “It Takes A Village” on June 3, 2018. 

We have added ALL the recital details to our website to keep you informed(link below)! We encourage all of our Prestige families to check the website when questions pop up. You will see sections on dress rehearsal, picture day, forms, costumes, volunteers, practice videos, and so much more! You are free to access this information at any time. Make sure to take a little time to get familiar with these pages. For any family members hoping to catch the recital, share the link to our general information page.

Recital Information For Prestige Families

Recital Information For The General Public

Tickets can be purchased in our studio office Monday – Thursday from 4:30 – 7:00 PM beginning on April 1st for $12 each. Tickets will also be available at the Box Office the day of the performance for $15 each.

We can’t wait to see your dancers SHINE on stage!

Just like dance technique, becoming a stronger performer takes practice! Today we have rounded up several GREAT articles that give dancers practical tips as they prepare to take the stage. We encourage you to share these tips with your dancers! With a little preparation and a game plan, your dancer will feel confident and ready to do their best when they step on stage.

Prime Your Mind to Perform

This article gives a lot of suggestions for things your dancer can do to prepare their mind as they get ready to take the stage. Our favorite tip- mental reps! Encourage your dancer to visualize themselves performing their choreography perfectly. This is a GREAT habit to encourage dancers to do daily. The more they practice, the more effective this type of  “rehearsing” becomes!

7 Secrets of Super Performers

Are you ready to take your performances to another level and become a super performer? This article outlines what “super performers” do when they are on stage. We love the reminder that you are never alone on stage, even in a solo! You have to find a way to connect with the audience. In a group piece, this means also finding ways to connect with your fellow dancers. It is all about intentional focus and energy!

7 Steps to Becoming Your BEST Performer

This article has a lot of great, simple tips for dancers. One reminder that ALL dancers need to remember is to stay open to feedback and criticism as they head into performance season. There is ALWAYS room to improve as a performer. Becoming a stronger dancer and performer is a journey!

We LOVE watching our dancers shine on stage. Seeing their confidence and growth year after year is just one of the reasons we love what we do here at Prestige Dance Studio.

Hopefully, these helpful articles leave you feeling excited and inspired heading into our recital, our upcoming performances, and our competition season. What tips are you excited to share and implement with your dancer? Tell us in the comments or share on our studio Facebook page!

Is anyone else completely blown away that recital is just a few weeks away?! Our teachers and staff are busy perfecting dances, finalizing lighting, and working hard to make sure the day goes off without a hitch. All the while, your dancers are busy remembering notes and perfecting their recital looks! With it being such a busy time of year (not only at the studio but also in your personal life), I’m sure it feels like you are going at 60 miles an hour just to get through it all. We want to make sure that when it comes to recital you are able to slow down and really enjoy the moment with your dancers.

Don’t get us wrong, it is still going to go fast but we hope there are a few precious moments in there that you will really remember. Maybe you will remember helping your dancer get ready or seeing them shine during their favorite number on stage.  Or maybe when you got to meet them after the performance to finally tell them how amazing they were. Whatever moment sticks for you, hold on to that! Write it down in a journal and tell your friends, you’ll want to remember that for years to come!

Another great way to hold on to those memories is to make a keepsake from this year’s recital. We found a few great ideas that you can start this year! A great one for first-time recital dancers is to make a shadow box filled with a recital photo, shoes from this year, ticket stubs, program, and maybe even a dried flower from the show. For those long-time dancers, we love the idea to keep a ballet/tap/jazz shoe from every year and create a display with yearly pictures for your dancer’s room. We think this one is adorable! Make sure to write the year, recital theme, and the name of their favorite dance in each shoe. Finally, for those dancers with a TON of old costumes, make a quilt! What a great way to remember all those years of dance at Prestige Dance Studio! This would make an amazing gift for those seniors going off to college. Queue the water works, right?!

However you decide to commemorate this year’s recital, we are so excited to show you all that your dancers have accomplished this year. We know you will be beaming with pride and will have a blast!

Check here for more recital information, we can’t wait to see you there!

As some of our dancers are busy attending competitions and community performances, others are gearing up for recital. Where ever your dancer is in their performance season, it is never too early to start planning for a smooth, stress-free event. From quick changes to event safety, we have collected the best dance performance hacks from the web so you can breathe easy. At Prestige, our best advice is to plan ahead and go through the big day with your dancer so they know what to expect and you are both on the same page. Who is helping them change? When and where can they eat? When can they relax for a bit? Dancers generally will feel more prepared and less frazzled when there is a plan in place and as a dance parent, you will feel better too!

• Labeling Garment Bags For Dance Competitions and Recitals – This article tells you exactly how to label and organize your costumes. Quick changes will be a breeze and lost costumes will be a thing of the past if you follow this method.

• Dance Bag Organization – We think using a reusable wine/beverage bag from a grocery store does an AMAZING job at creating little compartments within your dance bag. The dancer in the article uses the bag alone but it would fit inside of your normal bag too. You could even use more than one! It would make finding shoes and accessories SO much easier!

• How to Clean Practically Anything Dance Related – Dirty shoes, dancewear, or costumes, this article has got you covered!

• A Snack Plan– This is an easy idea to keep all your dancer’s snacks organized. We all know it takes a lot of fuel perform at your best so make sure your dancer is well stocked with healthy options!

• Event Safety – We love this article and video on how to keep your dancers safe during performances. Although we do our best to make sure every event runs as smoothly and safely as possible, sometimes things happen. Having a first aid kit on hand as a simple way to ease your mind during a very busy day.

We love seeing our Prestige dancers perform on stage! With these simple hacks, you will be able to relax and enjoy the show!

Our annual dance recital will be here before we know it! Below we have included the important dates leading up to the performance. Please review the dates and let us know if you have any questions. Look out for the recital packet at the studio in March. Recital time is a busy time… but all the hard work is worth it! Promise! Students get so much out of performing. Beyond the flowers and applause, there are many lessons that come from taking the stage including:

Cooperation-  Dancers starting as young as three learn how to work alongside their classmates to put together something they are proud of. Making lines, changing formations, working with a partner… all lessons in how to work with others!

Confidence- It takes a lot of guts to step on stage in front of an audience! Dancers that perform gain poise and confidence that translates to whatever they take on. They get an opportunity to push beyond their comfort zone and know that they can do it. Bring on that school presentation or speech!

Attention to Detail- Are the shoes the right color? Do you have lipstick on? Are you on your spot? Dancers quickly learn that these things really do matter when it comes to putting on a fabulous production. Another lesson that translates outside of dance.

Resiliency– Live performance doesn’t ALWAYS go perfectly. Mistakes happen. Dancers quickly learn they have to be able to think on their feet and make quick adjustments. In a performance, a dancer doesn’t get a lot of time to wallow.. the show must go on! Drop a prop? Quickly pick it up. Fall? Quickly get up. Performers get MANY opportunities to practice quickly recovering from a setback.

2017 Important Recital Dates

February 6 Tight pre-order begins

February 27- March 5 Parent viewing week

March 1 Recital packets ready for pick-up in studio office

March 13-19 Spring break

April 1 Recital tickets available for pick-up and purchase in studio office

April 10 Flower pre-order, host mom sign-up, and seat reservation begins

May 7-13 In-studio dress rehearsal and dance pictures

May 17 and May 18 Dress rehearsal at Paramount Theatre- no classes held

May 28 Last day of regular dance classes

May 31 and June 1 Regular dance classes held- makeup from Paramount dress rehearsal

June 4 “Bright Lights, Big City” Recital 2017 held at the Paramount Theatre

Recital packets will be available for pick up at the studio on March 1, 2017. While you wait for more information, check out our AMAZING costumes by clicking on the gallery below!

We can’t wait to see your dancers SHINE on stage!

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