Parents As Partners, Part III
In Part I of this topic, I gave you some hints about how to invite and involve studio parents as volunteers. In Part II, I suggested possible posts to use their help for your Company and Competitive Team needs. Now, in the last part of this 3 part series, hopefully I can help you find some vital positions for your studio parents to fill during your end of the year performance and all related events.
It is important for me to mention at this point that the safety and security of all our students is of prime importance to me. I am confident it is "Numero Uno" on your list too. With that being said, please note, that all of our recital
related events involving the attendance of our students are "closed" to
everyone. We do not allow any parent, grandparent, friend or sibling to attend any of our studio rehearsals, photo
sessions, auditorium dress rehearsal or go backstage during the show unless they are an Instructor, Studio Staff or selected Parent Staff. The parents are well aware of our concerns for their child and they understand the need for our "closed event" policies. On the day of the performance they are welcomed with open arms as an audience
member ...they respect our policies and we in turn respect them for their courtesy.
Actual work for some of the Parent Recital Staff starts long before we reach the recital auditorium. Our volunteer parents help put the finishing touches on costumes, care for the students at all studio rehearsals, photography sessions and auditorium dress rehearsal and create props and scenery as well. Even though some of their assignments are completed before the big day arrives, they are all a hard working integral part of the Recital Staff.
Before any recital event commences involving the attendance of our students we have a:
...Recital Staff Meeting--depending upon the dates of Spring Break vacation, we hold a recital staff meeting at the studio somewhere around the middle of April. All Chairmen, Charge Staff, Recital Staff, Rehearsal Staff and any Parent Staff new to their assigned position must attend. It usually lasts about 2 hours and orientates all those in attendance to exactly what format we will follow. Many times the policies are the same as in previous years, but sometimes there is an update or a change in policy that needs to be announced and discussed. This gathering also allows everyone to meet and greet the old and new faces on board this year. We use this meeting time to pass out the recital staff shirts, that everyone must wear at all times and distribute show order, cue sheets and all printed papers pertinent to the shows' success.
...The Accessories Committee--is a group of women who ban together to create all the accessories, hats, trims, headpieces, gluing of stones etc. for well over 2300 costumes. I make up a sample of what I want them to do and they go from there. It has become sort of a social bi-weekly work-chat session for them and they do enjoy creating their projects one after the other...not to mention how proud and boastful they are when they see their creation on the stage in action! This group of gals is usually deep into their creations by early February and work right up to the end to accomplish all their many tasks.
...Rehearsal & Photo Staff--these ladies are asked to be in attendance for their assigned class at the recital staff meeting, all studio rehearsals, photo shoot sessions and the auditorium dress rehearsal. We determine the number of these positions needed for each class, based upon the class enrollment and age and how many costume changes they will have to make. If the class is babies with no change of costumes we only have 1 mom assigned. If the class ranges in ages from 6 - 9 yrs with 1 or 2 changes we will have 2 moms. If the class is larger than 12 dancers with multiple changes we will have 3 moms to fill this position for each class. These ladies, commonly referred to as the "Rehearsal Moms" are responsible for having their dancers prepared and ready at all events. They watch over the students at studio rehearsals; assist the Recital Staff with changing the dancers at studio photo sessions and on the day of dress rehearsal. We try to assign every Rehearsal Mom to their own child's class. Sometimes this works but sometime if we have too many staff from one class and we are short staff in another class, we do reassign them. A great group of ladies who we can definitely rely on.
...Recital Staff--don't let the title fool you! These ladies are engaged in their involvement long before the Recital starts. These moms must attend the recital staff meeting, studio photo shoot, dress rehearsal and be backstage with their class at the recital. They are in charge of one class and are only assisted by the Rehearsal Staff at the photo session and auditorium dress rehearsal. They, along with the Charge Staff for their dressing room, are the only ones who will be backstage caring for their dancers during the performance. With the exception of our Company Dancers, our students only perform in 1 show, thus the volunteer class staff only works 1 show. They are responsible for issuing a security claim check while signing the students in and out on show day. They change costumes, wipe runny noses, see to the students' personal needs, walk them to and from the stage and personally hand them back to mommy or daddy with a big smile on their face at the end of the show. We provide them with all the cue sheets, dancers' names, show order, staging assignments and notes and papers they need to help them feel comfortable in their job. This is a big commitment and a big responsibility for a group of wonderfully dedicated super moms.
...Charge Staff--is responsible for being the overseer in one of our back stage dressing rooms for all 3 of our performances. This small staff group of 7 is usually comprised of our Company Moms. We select them because they have been more involved at the studio all year. We know their talents and they know our mandates. There are usually 3 to 4 classes assigned to one dressing room per show. This means that there will be approximately 4 to 6 routines that will come out of that section during the rehearsal and show that will need "one last look" from the Charge Staff before they go on. During our closed dress rehearsal our students sit in the audience and watch the show. These ladies make sure everyone stays put in their seat. They assign the teens in their room to be big sisters to a younger class for the entire rehearsal and recital, thus taking a wee bit of pressure off. When one of their groups has a costume problem during the rehearsal, we do not ask the Recital Staff to come chat with us, it is the Charge Staff who we call ...because they are the ultimate in charge person in that room. They are great at stepping in to help another staff when needed and creating a costume from assorted pieces for the dancer who left hers at home. If a problem arises, they act as the buffer. If they cannot solve the matter, they know to immediately bring the issue to my attention or one of the other studio directors. They are "jacks as well as masters of
all trades."
...Studio Tech Crew--is comprised of a group of dads, moms, siblings and friends who are busy with tools and paint creating useful dance props, unbelievable floor props and unique hand props that the dancers need to facilitate their routines. These folks transport all the props to and from studio rehearsals and photo sessions and then bring them to the recital auditorium. The first day in house, after assisting with "load in", they spike all the props for proper placement on stage in a set change or black out. They then mark and store all props in their correct places for the dancers in run-thrus and performance. Then, under guidance from select Faculty, they put the stage numbers and floor tape down, then mark and fly the rented scenery. At this point in time, many of them go on to become the Recital Stage Crew. We treasure them and their contributions.
...Recital Stage Crew--work all the rehearsals and performances. We hold our recitals at a non-union house so we are able to bring in our own stage crew in addition to the professionals we hire for lights, sound and video. I have a young man on the "fly rail" now who started working back stage when he was a student at the studio and has gone on to work every recital since for the past 28 years. That's called
dedication and loyalty...we are so lucky to have him and the entire crew! After all is said and done and the final curtain has come down, this crew strikes
everything from the stage and dressing room area, loads it out into the truck, takes it all to the studio or storage, unloads it and ...then its time to
celebrate a job well done. A great bunch of folks!
...Quick Change--located in both wing areas is staffed by 4 company moms. With competition experience backing them up, they are experts at getting dancers in and out of costumes in a matter of minutes. We provide them a list of student's names and dressing room assignments for the dancers who will need their services. They are responsible for getting all costumes, shoes, hats etc in the area prior to curtain. They also make sure the students know who they are and where they will be located when needed. True quick change artists!
...Assistant Stage Managers--are 2 former students who are now volunteer studio moms. Because they have been exposed to all the backstage operations during their days of performing, they are knowledgeable with all the procedures. This valuable tool of experience makes their assignments much easier.
...Backstage Runners--are needed in our auditorium because we do not have a pager system in most of the dressing room areas. These volunteer staff takes directions from the Stage Manger to go to the various dressing rooms and advise the Charge Staff of what classes should go to the stage for their performance. This is a great job for energetic "rookies."
...Door Committee--is comprised of a minimum of 12 parents per show. They greet the audience at the doors, take their tickets and stamp their hand for reentry. They man these positions at intermission and help with crowd control at the end of the performance. There are 2 chairmen who organize the committee assignments and supervise the action at all 3 shows. These particular 2 ladies have held this job for the past 9 years, even though their children have graduated and moved on. We are fortunate to have such great folks.
...Ushers--a great place for dads! The ushers take over where the door personnel leave off. They pass out the programs, show the audience to their seats and try to solve any seating issues that might come up. If there is a problem they cannot fix, the Door Committee Chairmen are great at resolving the matter. Because we restrict going in and out of the auditorium during the show, they are seated near the doors to control the flow. Having a smile at all times is a must!
...Security--force is made up of 6 dads who "prowl the entire premises" during all rehearsals and shows. Some of them are actual law enforcement officers so they have the know how that they share with the others. While keeping a constant lookout, they help with crowd control and stay in constant communication with the House Manager thru Walkie Talkies or cell phones. They also assist the city police officer with parking and traffic flow. Good guys!
...Cast & Crew Lunch--is prepared and set up by a committee of one super woman. She does everything but pay for the supplies. With a matinee and early evening performance on Sunday, the turn around time is very short. In order to keep our crew and those cast members performing in all 3 shows happy and content...we feed them! A healthy and nutritious meal set up "brown bag style" in a pavilion on site. Hard work makes happy people!
...Refreshments--are sold outside the auditorium before and after the show and at intermission time. An unrelenting committee of 2 does all the
purchasing and set up. They are
assisted by other staff during sale times. If you choose the right person for this job...we use a mom and dad who own a restaurant...everyone will be pleased, especially the audience.
...Flower Sales--has a chairmen and a committee of 3 to help with this event. The flowers are ordered thru a
wholesaler and come as a nice bouquet wrapped in paper. We pre-sell the majority of them at the studio during April and May, so we know the amount to order plus a few extras. This
committee ties ribbons on the bouquet, inserts an extra goodie such as a
pinwheel or long pencil and then attaches a printed studio gift card. The flowers are picked up before the show or at intermission. The parents enjoy having this extra service provided by the studio, and we enjoy seeing the smiles on their child's face when they greet them with the bouquet at the dressing room door.
Wow!...that's a lot of people. Do you have parents who can work on the 15 recital committees or positions listed above? I am absolutely sure you do. Look around, spread the word and I know they will come. But remember to be selective in your choices.
In addition to all the volunteer staff we use, we hire professional companies to do lights, sound, video and photos. We use our studio faculty and staff to work as Production Directors, Stage Managers, Box Office Personnel, Sound Operator and House Manager to
complete the entire production team...and team effort it is. Everyone is valuable to the success of the show. They are all wonderful helpers and we would not receive all the compliments and plaudits that we do without their contributions.
This is the final installment of the "Parents As Partners" series. Sometimes finding just the right approach with parents becomes a real challenge. Do hope that you were able to use some of the information and tidbits in these articles to help you achieve a great collaboration with your studio parents...even a better one than before. Keep me posted on your rate of success at danceun@aol.com. Until next time...Thanx for chatting!