5 Ways We Make Recital Memorable for our Dance Families!

This year is a special year for Positions Dance Studio, and we must say, we are in our feels! Recital 2021: Celebrate Good Times is just a month away! Check out one of our past blog posts to learn about what we’re celebrating this year. Most notably, Positions Dance Studio turns 50, a milestone anniversary that makes us want to hit the dance floor! 

One thing we’ve learned after 50 Years is that Recital Season is the sweetest, most rewarding time of the year for both our staff AND our students. It’s the moment where all of our hard work pays off and comes to life. More importantly, it’s the time where our students break out of their shells and create memories that will last a lifetime. 

We know how exciting Recital Day is for our students, so we absolutely LOVE doing everything we can to make it special. After 50 years of recital memories (and many more to come!), we know it’s the little things that you’ll look back on and cherish forever. Memories are priceless, and we’re honored by the opportunity to create a memorable family experience! 

Check out the 5 Ways We Make Recital Memorable for our Dance Families:

1. Dad’s Dance

Recital is a family affair! A crowd favorite in our annual recitals, our Dad’s Dance is a golden opportunity to dust off your dance shoes and show us what you’ve got! Our adorable dancers LOVE watching their dads have their big moment too! It’s a precious dance each year that is ALWAYS a showstopper! 

2. Recital T-Shirts

Have you checked out our T-Shirt design this year? Recital T-Shirts are a great keepsake that your dancer will wear proudly even after recital is over! Be sure to pre-order yours today to be sure your child gets the perfect size. All pre-orders will be available for pick up at the Dress Rehearsal on July 2.

3. Professional Dance Photos

We know you’ll cherish your child’s dance years forever. That’s why we partner with Lasting Impressions Photography to provide adorable photos of your child in their costumes. Photos will take place on June 6th and June 13th and sessions are by reservation only. The reservation window has closed, but please contact us if you missed out and we may be able to accommodate. 

4. Flower Bouquets

If you’re looking for a special gesture to honor your dancer’s hard work, flowers are a classic post-show tradition for performers. We partner with The Commencement Group to offer bouquets for preorder that are available for pick-up on recital day. It’s the most convenient option for our busy dance parents. Pre-order your flowers here! 

5. A Live Stream Option (New This Year!)

Because of the challenges we’ve all faced this year, we are ready to adapt to make sure everyone gets to take part in the wonderful memories. Ticket sales will begin closer to the day of the performance to ensure that we are working with the most up-to-date capacity guidelines. Those who are unable to attend for whatever reason will have the option to purchase a live stream of the performance. 

From costumes, hair, and everything in between, we know a lot goes into getting your child ready for recital. But at the end of the day, the thing that matters most is the priceless joy on your child’s face when they step on stage. We know that feeling will stick with them and we love providing small opportunities to make it memorable. 

Don’t forget to check the Recital 2021 Page of our website frequently for all the most important information. We update it whenever new details take shape. We can’t wait for an AMAZING performance! 

4 Signs That Your Child is READY To Hit the Recital Stage!

Did you hear?! A celebration is in order! This year, our Positions Dance Studio recital theme is Celebrate Good Times. If you’ve recently visited the recital page on our website, you’ve probably marked your calendars for the big day on July 3rd! We thank you for your patience as we continue to confirm all the details.

Have you ever met a child that is a natural-born entertainer?! You know, the ones that take every opportunity to get all eyes on them! Many of our students are similar, and it’s rewarding to see them find their home on stage. What’s even MORE rewarding is seeing our shy students move out of their comfort zones and into the spotlight!

So how do you know if your child is ready for their big moment on stage? Throughout the end of the school year, you’ll notice the excitement start to build! It’s the most adorable thing and we absolutely LOVE sharing the hype with our students! 

4 Signs That Your Child Is Ready to Hit the Recital Stage:

1. They CAN’T Stop Peeking at Their Costume

Over the past couple of months, we’ve been sending our dazzling recital costumes home with students. Check out some of our beautiful costumes on our Facebook Page! 

Costume day can be pretty magical for our students, but what’s even MORE magical is the day they finally get to dress up and head on stage. We tell our students not to wear their costumes around the house to keep them looking fresh. But if you catch your little one peeking and begging to put it on, they are just itching to perform! 

P.S. Click here to check out some more costume care tips in our last blog post!

2. They Love Practicing Their Routine At Home

Are you seeing your child’s stellar moves every time you turn around?! For our older dancers, are their tik tok favorites being replaced by their recital moves? It’s official, they’ve fallen in love with their recital dance! 

Need the zoom links to follow along with their recital video? Email us! 

3. They Ask to Listen to Their Recital Song Over and OVER

Have you downloaded your child’s recital song on your devices? If your child can’t get enough and knows ALL the words, that’s when you know that they can’t wait to perform their routine. Pro tip: grab them a pair of headphones so the sound of their music doesn’t make you crazy before recital! 

4. They Can Perform Their Entire Routine For You With No Help!

The tell-tale sign of a performer who is stage-ready is being able to get through their whole routine without the help from teachers, videos, or classmates. That’s when you can be sure that they really know their routine. 

We strongly encourage all of our dancers to do mock performances at home. It’s one of the BEST ways to combat stage fright and engrain those dance moves into their muscle memory. Make it fun by creating pretend tickets, entering your living room theatre, and turning those stage lights on and off with the music! 

So… is YOUR dancer ready to hit the stage?! If you checked off any of those tell-tale signs, Recital 2021 will be a total hit in your house! We can’t wait!

If you’re loving these at-home recital prep tips, be sure to follow us on Facebook! Over the next couple of months, we’ll be busy posting our Recital Tip Series that is dedicated to helping parents out during recital week! 

We are SO excited to celebrate our students on the dance floor at Recital 2021! Continue checking our website for updates, as we’ll be updating our recital page with important details in the coming months. Happy at-home practicing!

5 Recital Tips for Dance Parents

Can you believe it?! Recital 2021 is just 3 short months away!! Here at the studio, we are gearing up to celebrate on the dance floor! Check out our earlier blog post to learn all about our recital theme this year, Celebrate Good Times! 

With the excitement brewing over here at the studio, we’d like to take a moment to make sure that all that excitement doesn’t turn into stress for our dance parents! We know that recital can be a lot of information. Especially for new dance parents, it can feel overwhelming. 

Whether you are a returning dance parent with years of recitals under your belt, or you’re experiencing your child’s very first recital this year, it’s our goal to make things as easy as possible. So we’ve put together a list of our top 5 tips for a smooth, successful, and joyful recital!

5 Recital Tips for Dance Parents:

1. Be sure to read your Positions emails!

This one is at the top of our list because it is simply the KEY to making sure you stay in-the-know. Over the next few months, our recital details will continue to take shape and we’ll be updating you every step of the way. ALL important information will go straight to your inbox.

If you haven’t marked your calendar yet, be sure to pencil in our photo day, dress rehearsal, and performance day in now! Access these dates HERE. 

2. Handle your costumes with care!

• Keep them hanging up inside their garment bags, away from pets and children.

• We know the kids will be tempted, but don’t let your dancer wear their costume around the house until AFTER recital. 

• Hang tutus upside down in the bathroom for a few days as shower steam flattens the wrinkles. 

• Keep small accessories and hair pieces with each costume in a bag or other safe compartment. 

• Be sure to save an extra pair of tights for recital day, or double check that yours don’t have runs or holes. 

3. Encourage your dancer to practice their routine at-home and perform for family members!

This is one of the BEST ways to limit pre-show jitters and nervous mind-blanks on stage. Practicing their routine at home without other dancers to follow ensures that they REALLY know their choreography well. In addition, getting used to having a set of eyes on them can make them comfortable in front of an audience before the big day! Plus, it’s fun for YOU to see their progress!

4. Practice doing stage make-up and hair before the big day! 

Getting your dancer’s hair and make-up looking stage ready can be one of the biggest challenges for new dance parents. We’ve got some tutorials for you! Click HERE for a great tutorial on ballet buns. Click HERE for a stage make-up tutorial. Dress rehearsal is a great time to try out these techniques, so be sure to leave some extra time and practice doing it exactly how you will for recital day!

Pro Tip: Be sure to secure hair pieces with PLENTY of bobby pins, as they can easily fall off on stage. 

5. Organize everything the night before so you can really cherish the special moments with your child. 

A stressful recital day can take away from the magic that you and your child will feel on their performance day. Trust us, you’ll want to have plenty of time for pictures, smiles, and hugs. Pack your bag the night before, organize costumes, and plan your day out. Thank us later!

Putting this list together already gave us the warm and fuzzies that we feel EVERY single year during recital time. It is truly a magical time for all of our dance families. Parents, prepare to be amazed by your child’s bravery, beauty, and skill when they take the stage. 

To stay updated on ALL things recital over the next couple of months, be sure to check out Recital 2021 Info Page on our website. It’s our one-stop-shop for all of our recital information. We will continue to update it as details take shape. As always, contact us if you have any questions

Recital 2021: 3 Things We're Celebrating On The Dance Floor!

We’ve got BIG NEWS over here at Positions!!! We’re announcing our 2021 Recital Theme: Celebrate Good Times! 2020 didn’t give the world much to celebrate, which is why we are setting out to make 2021 the greatest dance party that you’ve ever seen! 

So what exactly are we celebrating? We can’t wait to share the news with our Positions families! 

3 Things We’re Celebrating on The Dance Floor This Year!

1. Positions Dance Studio Turns 50!!!

Can you believe it?! 2021 will be our 50th year in business here at Positions. What better way to celebrate this huge milestone than to hit the dance floor and spread the love?! 

Join us as we celebrate 50 years of stellar dancing, 50 years of building our Babylon community, and MANY more years to come! We are SO thankful for the support we’ve received through the years as it truly means the world. We can’t wait to continue the Positions legacy of being the best dance studio in Babylon, NY! 

2. An Amazing Return to the Studio

The year of 2020 has sure been whirlwind. We know the end of last season didn’t go as planned but things are ALREADY looking up here at the studio. We’ve returned to our facility for a safety-conscious kick off of our Fall 2020 Dance Classes! Our updated COVID-19 Protocols and our dedicated staff have made this year feel like a victory!

While we were dedicated to making the return happen, it’s our parents and students who made this comeback truly something to celebrate! Our students have entered the studio ready to learn and eager to dance. Dance parents have shown great amounts of cooperation and understanding as we work through this transition together. The smiles have been contagious. We invite YOU to join us for a victory dance at Recital 2021!

3. The Joy of Performing! 

While 2021 will be a year of GREAT celebration for us, we have to be honest… our end-of-year dance recitals are ALWAYS pretty festive. There is something about performing that makes a child feel special, and a dancer feel like they’ve accomplished something BIG! Getting the opportunity to perform means the world to our dancers and we can’t wait to share all the details as our plans for Recital 2021 take shape! It’s going to be an amazing show! 

Who will be celebrating on the dance floor with us?! It’s not too late to join the best dance studio in Babylon and save your spot for Recital 2021! Check out our Fall Dance Schedule and register today! Our 50th Anniversary show is going to be a celebration that you WON’T forget.

5 Benefits of Performing

Positions families! We are SO close! Recital is coming right up and we really think that this could be the best dance recital in Babylon yet! Our dances are starting to look fabulous and the students are beginning to feel the pre-show excitement. We can’t wait!

Aside from all the excitement, we also get a little sentimental around recital time. Our staff at Positions Dance Studio all treasure the memories of their dance recitals growing up. It is SUCH a special time for kids and families. We really value our Spring recital because it gives our students the chance to perform. Performing has SO many benefits for children, so today on the blog we wanted to share our 5 favorites!

Benefits of Performing:

1. Self-Confidence

Once you get on stage, the lights are shining, the music is playing, and the audience is watching. There is NO hiding. Performing is a great tool for teaching kids how to step out of their comfort zone and be confident in themselves.

At our dance recital, we see sparks light up in our kids every year. If they have insecurities, they are forced to leave them behind on recital day in order to shine on stage. Knowing your loved ones are in the audience cheering you on is a great feeling. And strutting off-stage after nailing a 3-minute dance routine is an even greater feeling. Performing builds our kids up and teaches them that they are capable of incredible things.

2. Goal-Setting

We love recital because it gives our kids something big to work towards all year. Everything we teach in class becomes a whole lot more meaningful to them when it means they will look AWESOME on stage. We work on setting goals throughout the school year in class and we love seeing them reach those goals on-stage.

3. Overcoming Fears

Performing teaches kids that they can do anything in life, even when it seems scary. It’s no secret that performing in front of a theater of people can be a little intimidating! All eyes are on YOU, which can stir up nerves and anxiety in many kids. We absolutely LOVE giving pep-talks backstage to nervous dancers before they step out. It is amazing to watch as they work through those emotions and get on stage despite their fears. Performing teaches them to let go, trust themselves, and just GO for it!

4. Teamwork

At Positions Dance Studio, we emphasize the importance of working together when performing and perfecting dance routines. We tell our students that the goal is to look like ONE dancer on stage by dancing perfectly in sync with one another. We use counts, music cues, and breath to help our kids stay together and work as a team. Teamwork is an essential part of life! Performing is a valuable tool for teaching kids to step outside of themselves and into something bigger.

5. Sharing Joy

This one is probably our favorite! Performing (and dance in general!) is FUN! It often lights up joyful feeling in kids. We tell our students that the stage is their chance to share their love of dance with others. When a kid learns that they have the power to entertain an audience or put a smile on someone’s face with their dancing, recital becomes so special. It is important for kids to learn that what they give to the world matters.

Putting together this list has made us even more hyped for the big day. Recital is so much more than just another day at the studio, and we hope this list helps our families see how special it is. Performing is fun, but what our kids gain from it is just priceless!

Tickets for this amazing show are available online now! We can’t wait to see all of our dance families in the audience cheering the dancers on. Be sure to check out our recital page to stay on top of important dates and info! See you at the theater!