How to make recital day a success for your Ballerina!
Recital time is almost here, and the countdown is ON!
(43 hours til our first show starts!)
We have been working so hard this term to get a great show ready for you. I introduced the songs earlier on in the term this time, did the bulk of the choreography before the term even started, ordered costumes earlier, and just generally have been more organised.
Of course this doesn't mean things always go to plan...
Little Miss Belle (5) told the shop assistant "This is Plan B!" (which I must have said a lot!) after we finally found a handful of plain white t-shirts in the middle of winter. It's disappointing that our original costumes never arrived but hey, 'Plan B' still looks pretty cute, right?!
I work very hard to get the 'recipe' right for our dancers to give it the best chance of things going well on the day.
Building a positive relationship with each child, familiarity with the songs, challenging them throughout the term so they can handle change, getting them motivated with practicing and excited about the day! I also chose our venue carefully, put a lot of thought into the order of the songs, and creating an exciting-but-not-overwhelming environment from the minute they walk in...balloons, music, glitter hair spray, special treats...and a teacher who while being stressed and frazzled on the inside, appears calm and happily greets each student personally as they arrive!
*phew, what a job, right?!*
There are some things you can do at home to help your wee one prepare for the show. Even though performing is lots of fun, it can also be a bit scary. This is very normal- even famous, grown up ballerinas who dance in the big shows feel nervous before they go on stage! Here are some ideas that you can try at home to help your little ballerina be a ready as she can for her special show! Before the day: * Talk lots to your child about the recital. Emphasize the fun parts of the day rather than the importance of her joining in. If she is old enough to understand, try a countdown or mark the days off on the calendar! * Use the practice videos on our Facebook and Youtube pages to do some practice at home. They will love showing you what they can do! Even if they don't practice as such, just watching and hearing the music reinforces what they have learned. * Act like joining in on the day isn't a big deal. Of course, as a parent you do want to see your star up on stage! But putting pressure on her can have the opposite effect: it can make her more anxious if she is worried about disappointing you.
* Consider having a quiet, low energy day planned on the day before the show. Could you put off that play date or library visit for a few days? The more rested your ballerina is, the happier she will be on the day. * Head to bed early the night before. Your wee dancer will be super excited but she needs lots of energy for the next day!
On the day:
* Get everything organised well before you need to leave. Children pick up on their parents cues and if they see you stressing or rushing around trying to find bits for her outfit, she will feel stressed too.
* Remember the basics - food and water! Some good, filling food and drink for lunch. Consider bringing a snack and water bottle along to the venue (especially for our after school show)
* Leave plenty of time for parking. We are expecting a big crowd!
* Arrive on time. This is so important! Your ballerina needs time to get ready and if they are rushed through, they will be unsettled. If your child is particularly nervous, or shy in new situations, consider getting there even earlier so that she has time to warm up to the new environment before everyone else arrives and it gets crowded.
* Make sure you take them for a toilet stop! Nerves and excitement = need to wee!
* Is your child nervous? Stay with your child backstage. I recommend coming back stage and sitting with her rather than in the audience. This gets her used to being there and also keep the audience out of sight! You can either stay until we are ready to begin (4+ years) or until her group is ready to go on stage (under 4 yrs)- we will wait until you are seated til we begin.
* Is your child SUPER EXCITED?!?!?! Some children get really energised from the excitement and hype up! They are welcome to have a dance around on the stage (behind the curtain) before the show starts and have some fun, but keep an eye on them and make sure they don't get too crazy ;-) We want them to have fun but not use up all their energy! In general though, the more comfortable they are before we start, the more confident they will be on stage. * Reassure her that it's normal to feel nervous or have butterflies in your tummy before going up on stage. Even professional ballerinas get nervous before a show!
* Under 5 years- Enjoy the fun! Our preschool ballerinas always have a blast on stage. Things never quite go to plan- someone falls over, or drops their wand, or spends the whole song waving at mum in the audience! But they look ridiculously cute and give us some great laughs, as well as some special moments when they join in beautifully. Remember, it doesn't have to be perfect! Our children are still learning what being in a recital means. Giving it a go is a huge achievement for them! * School aged Ballerinas: Encourage her rather than rescue her.
Our school aged dancers can still get very nervous, as they understand that there is a crowd of people out there waiting to watch them perform. There may come a moment when you have to let go and trust her (and me!) that she will be OK. Let go of her hand, leave her with me, and trust that she can do it. I know each and every one of our wee dancers and love them to bits! I believe in them, and they might just surprise you.
Before our show starts, we gather backstage and I give everyone a prep talk. This is what I tell our Ballerinas: "On our special day, you might feel a bit nervous. It could feel like butterflies in your chest, or a squirmy tummy, or wriggly fingers and toes that don't want to sit still! It's OK to feel this way. You can come and tell me or your mum, and we will give you a cuddle. Once you get on stage and the music starts, you'll remember what to do- but you can watch me if you forget!- and you'll feel much better."
We also talk about What Ifs.
What if you fall down? What if your friend runs into you? What if your hat falls down, your shoe comes off, or you drop your prop? The answer is...keep dancing!
Our older ballerinas- especially those with a solo- worry about making a mistake. "Remember, no-one else knows what the dance is supposed to be, so keep dancing, stay confident, and they won't even know you've made a mistake!"
If it all goes to custard on the day... * ...focus on the good; what they have achieved. So maybe your 4 year old got up on stage for her first songs but freaked out and couldn't do the second one. Didn't she do well to stand up in front of all those people? Maybe your 2 year old loved getting her hair and make-up done but cried when she got on stage and ran off. Pop her in your lap and let her watch- Won't she have some great memories to take away with her? Maybe your 7 year old forgot half the moves, or turned the wrong way. Wow, didn't she do well to remember the other half of it? The most important thing for our children is that their recital is a positive experience for them!
If they get up on stage- great! What a wonderful way to build their confidence, instill a love of performing, and share with you what they have learned. But if your little ballerina ends up watching for most of the show, that's OK too. She would have soaked in the atmosphere, loved watching the bigger ballerinas, and by keeping positive, we ensure that she still takes away a bunch of positive memories from the day. BONUS: (After the show) * Spoil her rotten! Buy her flowers, take her for lunch, ring up the grandparents in Aussie and tell them how wonderful she was (if the reality was a little different, make sure you tell them about at a different time when little ears can't hear!) She has done amazing and deserves to be treated like the shining star she is!!! I hope this has given you some great ideas on what you can do to support your ballerina as we get closer to our big day.
Our recitals are always a magical time and there will be many a happy tear shed by proud parents (and teacher!) on the day :-)
PS...42 hours to go!!!
