How To Survive Recital - Helpful Tips For Parents

By this time of year, I am sure we are all thinking, “How do I survive recital!”. This is an experience many dance parents go through and I am here to share some tips, tricks and advice. If you have three children doing 20 routines or one child doing one dance, all of us can admit that the end of the dance season is a hectic time! Through countless recitals and competition preparations of my own, I have compiled a few things to help you through this process.

Start preparing the day before. 
There are several things you could do at this time to ensure a smooth sailing recital day! Spend sometime the day before the recital packing up your child's recital gear. Make sure your child heads to bed early so they are fully rested for the next day. Have a big nutritious dinner the night before and breakfast the day of recital. Have your child practice their dances a few times to get their nerves out.

Snacks galore!
​Your child will be backstage of recital for roughly three to four hours, burning all kinds of energy. This makes it incredibly easy to burn-out if you don’t have the proper fuel. Pack healthy things like fruits, veggies, juice boxes etc. Nothing is worse then having to dance all night when you are eating chocolate and chips at every turn. This will give your child an energy crash before they even hit the stage. Just be sure to keep things nut free so that the environment is safe for everyone. We want all our dancers feeling their best so that they can preform their best, for you! Another important thing to remember is water. Pack at least one water bottle for you child. Hydration is key!

What to pack for your child:
It may seem silly if you don’t have too many things to remember, but writing out a list is more important then most might think! I cannot tell you how many kids have shown up having forgotten a shoe or their tights. Here are some things to put on your list (not all may be applicable to your child): Costume, Dancing Tights, Dance shoes, Snacks, Water, Stage Makeup, Hair Ties, Hair Spray, Bobby Pins, Sweatshirt/Hoodie, Outdoor Shoes, Something to Pass the Time ex a Book.

What to bring for you:
A camera for those before and after pictures! For memories it is always great to get a photo with your students teacher to look back on for the years to come. Recital Entry Tickets so that you and your guests can gain easy access into the event. Tickets are for sale through our Website until the night before Recital but be sure to purchase early to ensure the perfect seat.

All of us at RDC want to wish you a fantastic recital season! We are so proud of all our dancers and cannot wait to see them shine on stage! Keep your eyes open for more recital tips that we will email in the next few weeks and cheers to a wonderful ending of the dance year!

Nicole Gornik
Owner & Artistic Director
Royal Dance Conservatory