Performance Guidelines
Stay organized. Be on time.
The week before, be sure to gather everything that will be needed and put it in your dance bag. Gather all costumes, accessories, shoes, tights, makeup, hair supplies (no glitter sprays please unless your costuming specifically calls for it). If you don't know how to make a ballet bun (using bobby pins and/or hairpins) please speak with Ms. Sunny, Sarah, or Becca and they can give you some tips.
Label all belongings: costumes, accessories, tights, and shoes. All strings in ballet shoes should be knotted, cut to about an inch in length, and tucked into the shoes so they cannot be seen.
REMEMBER, treat dress rehearsal as a performance. Wear the correct costumes, tights, undergarments, shoes, hair, etc. Have your hair in a proper ballet bun (no mussy buns, bouncy sock buns, ponytails, dangling hair, or side tendrils). Very short hair needs to be pinned back. Avoid glitter sprays.
Keep all your personal items in one area – a bag or backpack is very helpful for younger students. If you have a lot of costumes and accessories a small laundry hamper may help. Place costumes in a garment bag for travel.
Guys wear a dance belt.
No nail polish, watches, bracelets/ankle bracelets, rings, necklaces, or other jewelry. A simple stud earring may be allowed but you must first ask your instructor for that particular costume. Avoid glitter sprays.
Do not touch or move props that are not yours. If you use a prop, make sure you know where it is before each performance. Do not play around with your props. Respect other students’ space and property in the dressing rooms. Stay organized and keep your things together.
Get a good rest! You need your body and your brain to be in tip-top shape.
Be on time so you have plenty of time to dress, warm up, and be ready for any pre-performance notes or practice. Do not miss warm-up and notes because of hair or makeup. Use the restroom upon arrival. Do not hold up the bathroom for those who need it by using it as your personal dressing room. Dressing rooms will be assigned by classes. Guys have a separate room.
Pay attention to when you are supposed to be on stage and be available on time. Know your quick changes! Treat dress rehearsal as a performance and use it to make sure everything works, looks good, and sort out any mid-performance costume issues.
Backstage assistants will help the young children be ready for their cues. Stay in your designated area so people are not running around looking for you. Do not go into the auditorium. Students and helpers must remain backstage/in dressing rooms during performance nights. No running in and out of the auditorium during performances.
Pick up after yourself – everyone tends to move very quickly through the backstage area and clutter is dangerous. Keep your things together and not strewn around the dressing room. Do not throw costumes or any accessories on the floor. Keep clothes hung up or in your bag or hamper not on the floor.
At the theater, the dressing room is for changing clothes, not the restroom in the dressing room. Please keep the restroom open for people that need to use it.
If you create garbage and there’s no trash can, tuck it into your dance bag to dispose of later. Do not throw papers, tissues, wrappers, or anything else on the floor. Pick up after yourself!
Costumes
Getting ready for performances: Respect your costumes! When you finish a piece, your costume should be hung up or placed in your "basket." NEVER throw your costume on the floor and allow others to trample on it! If you have a quick change, you may lay it over a chair or drape it on a hanger and come back to hang up later... but take care to make sure it is protected (and doesn't get lost) in that short time. -- a small laundry basket may help you keep your things together and not strewn around the dressing room --
If performing more than once, organize everything all over again after the first performance, before leaving, so you are ready for the next performance either later that day or the next day. Check over everything all over again when you get back to make sure all is still where it should be.
After the final performance, always gather up all your costumes & their bags, accessories, shoes, and anything else you brought and take home. Return borrowed items. Check the gift tables. Put garbage in a garbage can. Pick up after yourself!!!
Keep track of your things and RETURN anything that you borrowed from another dancer or belongs to the studio.
Hair
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It should continue the shape of your head rather than stick out away from the head. Buns should be as flat against the head as possible. It is acceptable to have a large bun however it should not be sticking out in a “knobby” manner.
No messy buns, sock buns, or “door knob-looking” buns, dangling tendrils, or prom hair. Hair should be neat, clean, secure, smoothed back and off the face and neck.
Use hairspray to keep hair smoothed back and control flyaways. You will need hair elastics and bobby pins or hairpins. Do not use hair clips, barrettes, or scrunchies to make your bun.
Low bun, high bun, or French twist may depend on your costume accessories/hats/headpieces. Ask your teacher.
Ask Ms. Sunny, Sarah, or Becca for help if you are having trouble getting your hair into a ballet bun.
Link to hair tutorials on the link page of our website: http://hosannadance.blogspot.com
~ THEATRE PERFORMANCES ~
DRESS REHEARSAL
Dress Rehearsals at Riggs Theatre are 5:30-8:00 pm
Be at the theater around 5pm. Find your dressing room and get organized.
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| Stage Makeup - brows, eyes, cheeks, lips. The left eye shows liner, shadow, mascara. |
And REMEMBER treat dress rehearsal as a performance. Wear the correct costumes, tights, undergarments, shoes, hair, etc. This is where you make sure everything works, looks good, and you can sort out any mid-performance costume issues. Keep costumes off the floor!! Read PERFORMANCE GUIDELINES.
Little tidbit… the professional photographers often take performance photos during dress rehearsal. 😊
PERFORMANCE DAY
Performances at Riggs Theatre at 2 p.m. afternoon matinee & 7 p.m. evening performance
Dancers: Be at the theater at noon for the first performance. Be back at the theater at 5:00 for the second performance.
➤ Be at the theater at 12:00 pm to get organized in dressing rooms, finish hair, makeup, etc. if not done already.
Everyone be on stage by 12:30 pm for notes and warm-up and any extra practices that you may need. If hair/makeup is not done you will need to stop and go back to it later.
Doors open to the public at 1:00 pm so stay backstage.
Costumes on at 1:30 pm.
Curtain at 2:00 pm.
➤ Break 3:30-5:00 pm
➤ Be back at the theater at 5:00. Make sure everything you need is reorganized and in its place. Keep the dressing rooms picked up. If you haven't done so this would be a good time to put recital gifts for classmates out on the tables.
Makeup/hair redo or touch-ups at 5:00 pm.
Be on stage in class clothes at 5:30 pm for notes and warm-up.
Doors open at 6:00 pm so stay backstage.
Costumes on at 6:30 pm. Curtain at 7:00 pm.
➤ After: Check the gift tables out front, pick up all your costumes/accessories/shoes, pick up after yourself. Return borrowed items. Pack up! See you back at classes!
