A note for New Dance Parents 🤗
What to Expect on Recital Days:
Children get checked in before the show begins: This is called a "call time". Typically their call times are between 30-60 minutes before the start of their show. There are large rooms backstage where they will wait with their classmates.
They will be with their regular Teaching Assistant, the same one that is in their classroom each week. They will also have a "room mom" staff member or veteran volunteer who stays with their class the entire time backstage, except when they walk with their teacher to and from the stage.
Their teacher will come visit them before they perform. They will warm up with their teacher, just like they do in class. Then the assistants will practice the dance with them. We also have lots of other fun activities and games backstage to help your child stay occupied and build memories with their friends. The "backstage" experience is where a lot of life-long friendships are strengthened!
On stage, their class assistants will stand off to the side and do all the dance moves, just like they do in the classroom. Some children will remember the choreography all on their own, while other dancers will be happy to have the reminder and a familiar face while they are in front of an audience. As your child finishes their dance and takes a bow or waves, the feeling they will experience from a cheerful and happy audience applauding for their job well done, is a feeling that not many children forget! Over and over kid's will tell us that their favorite part was "when everyone clapped". So please, make sure to clap as loud as you can for every child who performs that day!
At the very end of the show, your child will walk across the stage to take their final bow as part of the show's finale. Then dancers will be dismissed (1 to 1) to their parent or guardian. Some will be dismissed at the check in gate, while others will be dismissed from the stage. Pay attention to the announcements during the show to find out where to pick up your star performer!
A note of encouragement for first time parents:
First time nerves are normal and nothing to be feared. They are part of the growing process, and what helps us learn to be resilient! We are there every step of the way to help your child through this important and exciting experience. We also have your phone number ready at all times if there is a situation that arrises where we might need a parent's assistance. This rarely happens, but we understand that the nerves sometimes flow both ways between parent and child, and we want you to know we're prepared for anything!
-Your EDMC Team
