ABC’s of Recital Preparation
Whether you call your studio’s end of the year show a recital or an annual performance, it takes the same amount of preparation…and that preparation needs to start NOW. All well-executed performances, regardless of size, require well-executed planning. One cannot have a “Scarlet attitude” of “tomorrow, I’ll do it tomorrow”…that attitude is “Gone with the Wind.” You must start to do it today, and then you will always be ready for tomorrow when it quickly appears on the horizon of your Tara.
I have produced, or assisted with the production of, a recital every year for the past 37 years. With technical progress and new innovations coming into our lives on a daily basis, priorities have been adjusted as time lines have changed…but not everything. The majority of items on the “to do” list 37 years ago are still on the “to do” list today.
To aid you in planning your recital this year, I have cataloged my personal thoughts and experiences in ABC order. Be sure to peruse the list from A to Z, as it is not in chronological order. I hope this directory will be of assistance to you each and every year you when you start to prepare and plan for your production.
A
Artistic thoughts and creative ideas should be noted right away. With your mind in a whirl, you are apt to forget something that struck a creative nerve. Don’t let anything slip away from you. Write it down in your recital notebook that you should be keeping.
B
Book and contract your auditorium facility and technical purveyors as early as possible. If at all possible, book your facility and techs at least one year ahead. If this is not possible at the facility, then ask them to pencil your requested dates in until their event availability calendar is open for confirmation.
C
Costume catalogs arrive in early Fall…your preliminary choices should be made early too. It is never too soon to earmark your favorite styles. Once final decisions have been made, be sure your orders are completed and mailed out by mid-December
D
Divide your costume payments into a deposit and balance payment schedule. Forms for costume deposits, which should be stated as non-refundable, can and should go out in mid-October. Schedule to pay balances before the Thanksgiving holiday. This will allow you enough remaining time to complete your missing measurements and prepare your orders.
E
Edit and distribute recital music to teachers before winter break. Once you have your premise in concrete, it is time to select music for your routines. Be sure your selections are edited and keep track of the time for each piece. By giving the music to your teachers in mid-December, they can use their winter break time to choreograph dances to start teaching in January.
F
Flower and refreshment sales at the performance create income or, are a good fundraiser. If you have not thought about doing this before, seriously consider starting it. One or both can be good additional income or you can use the income as a fundraiser for the studio. Use volunteer recital staff to stock and man the concessions.
G
Girth is the safest measurement to use for costume ordering; add 2” to allow for dancer’s growth. Follow the manufacturer’s directions to obtain the proper girth measurement. Then, add an additional 2” for that growth spurt that is bound to happen. Costumes can always be taken in, but trying to make them larger creates headaches.
H
Harvest your creative concepts, thoughts and ideas from many sources. Ideas for music, theme, costumes, hand props and scenery can be found in numerous places. One of the most intriguing, inexpensive and visually pleasing pieces of scenery I ever used was created from dollar store plastic wind spinners rapped in tin foil and strung together with fish line. Think outside the box!
I
Inform your students and their parents of all required recital events and dates ASAP. Do not keep your clientele in the dark once you are committed to specific dates. If this information is not incorporated into your studio calendar handed out at registration, advise your students of the required dates ASAP. With this, parents can plan the family calendar to conform to the studio’s.
J
Justify costs for your recital program printing by having students place or sell ads. For many years, my recital program contained no ads. But as the studio enrollment grew, so did the cost of printing. The income from the ads should offset the cost of printing and, if you are lucky, give you a profit. “We Do It All” ads are the most popular. We accept the text from the parent and then design and layout the ad using the best solo photo taken on recital picture day.
K
Keep your primary focus on all important matters and decisions, but try to delegate lesser chores. In all my years of producing recitals, I always listened to suggestions and thoughts of my faculty, but made the final choices myself. Many intricate parts create the end result, so allocate some of the less important tasks to reliable staff. With this show of confidence in their ability, they will take more pride in their responsibilities.
L
Lottery procedure is by far the best for recital seating. Using a lottery for seat selection evolved from too many years of having studio parents wait in lines with beach chairs the night before ticket sales started. They were annoyed and so was I. Change is not easy to make, but once everyone understood the lottery it was graciously accepted. Try it…you’ll like it!
M
Music for recital should include classical, oldies, pop, jazz, vocal and instrumental selections. Mix it up! Too much of what you might think is a good thing can be boring. Search different music libraries and select something apropos from various decades. A performance with musical variety will engage all members of your audience.
N
No one, other than students and uniformed recital staff, should be allowed backstage. Recital security should always be #1 on your priority list. Act wisely, do not skimp, have a strong security system in force. In addition to uniformed police, use your volunteer dads and granddads to patrol the backstage areas. Have them, as well as all of your backstage staff, wear printed studio t-shirts.
O
Organize your thoughts and actions into a feasible and plausible timeline. Do not place yourself into an impossible timeline or workload that will result in a disaster. Start early and work consistently. I knew my recital themes at least three years ahead. Find interesting music and props and produce a show that is different and exciting as compared to those that are “been there, done that.”
P
Photographer and videographer should be booked and made aware of your requirements. If you are pleased with your current photographers, book them ahead for next year. If not, investigate other options thoroughly. Make sure you state your expectations and then put them in writing. Once satisfied, put all providers under contract with a minimum deposit payment to secure their services.
Q
Quotes and bids for tickets and program printing should be finalized by January. There are many outlets for printing services, both local and national. Check them out, compare prices and the quality of goods produced, ask for samples of their work and make sound decisions. Do as much work “in house” as you can before presenting the final draft for printing. It will save you money.
R
Recital T-shirts, for all recital staff and students, are a great form of advertising. All our students receive a t-shirt that is imprinted with the recital artwork on the front and cast names on the back, which students love. In addition, we give the same type of shirt, in a different color and with no cast names, to all recital staff. This identifies their position and areas they are allowed to enter.
S
Scenery or stage sets are important to your show; reserve them now. Scenery, stage dressing or stage sets are visually pleasing when used properly. Draw it, build it, rent it or paint it, but do try to use something. Not all facilities have fly space for scenery. Homemade sets can work just as well and for sure are less costly.
T
Total time-span of your performance should not exceed 3 hours. I do not care how fantastic your show is—no one, including the proud grandma, wants to be in a theatre for too long. When molding your show, keep track of “time on stage” for all classes. Be sure not to overexpose any one group or age division. Give your wee ones equal time too, as they are the future growth of your studio.
U
Utilize a management calendar for recital planning with dates and deadlines for each function. Format a timeline calendar. List all events to be done for your recital preparation and performance on a specific day. Keep track of your progress and be sure to stay on track. Enlist the help of other staff to assist you if you become overwhelmed. Mentoring is valuable for teacher and student.
V
Volunteer staff should be requested early and confirmed by December. I have learned through a few negative experiences to only use volunteers you know well and can rely on. Invite your volunteer staff instead of having them sign up, which will minimize problems. Confirm their service early, so if they are not available, you can ask your second in line.
W
Wrangle with yourself whether or not your enrollment demands more than one performance. This assessment should not be based on enrollment numbers alone, although these are key in the equation. Think beyond income and look at expenses and costs. What is your price tag to produce one show? Can you command enough paying audience to help defray costs of more than one show?
X
Xcited students create happy parents. Once you start teaching recital routines, your students’ anticipation should continue to grow. Hype them up and keep them wanting more. Tease them, along with their parents, by having a preview board of recital costumes. Be sure to let your dancers know it is their day to shine and their parents’ day to applaud everyone’s hard work, including their own.
Y
You are only as good as your last show… (“you” having the definition of “your studio”). Although we all would like to think this not to be true, it more than likely is. I am a strong proponent of organization. It is the root of a successful establishment and the route to a profitable business. Don’t be lax; demonstrate your business organizational skills from registration day right through the final curtain of your performance.
Z
Z z z z…try to get some rest…your prep work is done and in the bag! Or is it? I hope your answer is “yes.” Do not procrastinate. Do not drag your feet. Preparation and planning for your annual performance is the key to a successful and enjoyable show for you and all those involved. Break A Leg!
Until next time, let’s chat at daniebeck@danceruniverse.com