7 Tips for Preschool Recital Dance Success
Creating choreography can seem like a daunting task when it comes to preschool dance. Can you create a dance for them that they'll actually remember? How will they do on stage? Sure, they're at an age where they'll look cute no matter what. But we still want them to succeed, right?
Today, I’ve got 7 tips for you on creating, practicing, and performing preschool dance recital pieces.
1. Choose a Character
Choose a character your preschool dance students can relate to AND WANT TO BE. When students get to BE a character they love, they’ll enjoy practicing it (maybe enough to practice at home too!). They’ll enjoy performing it. Plus, wouldn’t that be a great way for them to end the academic year—a character they loved performing and dancing as?
2. Keep it Simple
Keep the choreography simple and age-appropriate. Use basic dance steps and movements the children have already learned in class. Avoid complicated formations or movements that may be too challenging for preschoolers. My personal preschool recital dance formula? A. Students enter stage with something very simple like walks, passé walks, or runs en demi pointe. B. They do a short combination in place. C. For a less advanced group, they’ll travel side to side. OR, for a more advanced group (or a less advanced one with helpers on stage), they’ll travel in a circle. D. They’ll repeat the combination from part B. E. They’ll curtsy or bow. And for preschoolers, I keep the curtsy extra simple—a demi plié with a slight bow of the head.
3. Keep it Short
Keep the dance routine short and sweet, especially for preschoolers. At this age, remembering combinations and dances (and then doing them on stage, in front of an audience, without a mirror) can be quite difficult! A 2-minute recital dance is plenty for this age group.
4. Practice, Practice, Practice
Make sure to practice the dance routine regularly leading up to the recital. Use class time to rehearse the routine and encourage parents to give the children plenty of opportunities to practice at home. This will help build their confidence and ensure they are prepared for the big day. Two words of caution: make sure parents don’t force their child to practice at home if they don’t want to at this age. Second, don’t start your dance too soon so your students are bored with it by the performance. One way to work around this is to work on a couple of combinations throughout the year that will become parts of the recital dance. This way, some sequences are familiar, but the dance remains a bit fresher for students.
5. Video Students
This one is a bit of an extension of the previous one. And you’ll need to ensure you have parents’ permission (and the studio’s if you’re not the owner or director). You’ll also need to think about how you’ll distribute the video. Text it to parents? Post it as a private YouTube video or a password-protected Vimeo video? You can video your students practicing their dance, then send it home to parents. Their child can watch the video or practice along with it when at home!
6. Have a Helper on Stage
Whether it’s an older student, a teacher, or a teaching assistant, I highly recommend having a helper out on stage with preschool dance students (generally up to age 5). In the primary levels—in which most kids are 6 or 7 by recital time, you can eliminate the helper (or only have one in the wings for classes that need extra help). But for preschoolers, you’ll help them out and save yourself a lot of stress by having someone who knows what they’re doing on stage with them.
7. Have Fun
Remember that the most important thing is for the children to have fun and enjoy themselves. Encourage them to smile and have fun while performing, and celebrate their accomplishments at the end of the recital!
This article was written by Once Upon a Ballet founder and director, Ashley Hartford.