PreDance Recital Information
Parents! We understand that there’s a lot of information available about our recitals and how they’ll work. Wading through all the details can be overwhelming for first-time dance parents. We’ll make sure that all the relevant information about your little dancers is included here, so you can easily navigate everything this season!
ALL DANCERS are in BOTH SHOWS, as it will be the same show for both days. You will need to purchase tickets for yourself and your dancer for both shows. This year, we have included discount codes as part of your recital fees. Your dancer will stay with you for most of the recital, coming backstage to us for their routines and being collected by the parents after they dance to change into their next outfit and sit with their families in the audience until their next routine.
Important Dates: June 4,6, 7, 8
Times:
- June 4 In-Studio Rehearsal. 4pm for ALL predance classes. A parent or other adult will stay for the entire hour and sit in on the rehearsal.
- June 6 Dress Rehearsal Arrival 4:00pm @ theatre
- June 7 Call Time 5pm, show starts at 6.
- June 8 Call Time typical at 1pm, show starts at 2.
Location:
Polk State College
Fine Arts Building
999 Avenue H NE Winter Haven, Florida 33881
CLICK the headings to expand each topic.
Costuming/Hair/Makeup
For Pictures/Rehearsal/Recital, be sure:
Be sure you have:
- Both Costumes, taken out of the bag and steamed to remove wrinkles if necessary, with garment bags to keep them protected.
- removed all jewelry and nail polish for pictures, dress rehearsal, and recital. Those things, while beautiful, detract from the uniformity and overall look of their group routines and photos. If you’d like to add earrings or other jewelry for your individual shots, you’re welcome to do so.
- Correct shoes and tights – Refer to the costume notes/pages above:) Both classes will need Capezio Ballet Pink AND nude/skin tone tights as well as the Capezio Black Patent Velcro Mary Jane taps and Cynthia King Light Pink ballet shoes for their costumes. Contact Premier Dancewear and purchase the correct shoes/tights if you don’t already have them!
Costumes
You will have 2 total costumes for your dancer, and must have the specific shoes and tights listed.
If you haven’t done so, be sure to open the costume, try it on and take it for any needed alterations*, and then hang it up neatly inside a garment bag. Label ALL pieces of the costumes. Be sure to steam out the tulle/ruffles so the skirt will lay neatly.
*A note on dance costume sizing*
We do measure your dancer before ordering, so they should have the correct size based on their measurements, NOT based on the size you would expect to see in the label. Your dancer may complain that they feel tight around the neck or the legs, or around the waist. This is normal and expected. They are meant to fit snug around the legs as they are meant to be worn without undergarments for the most part. The neck will sometimes feel tight to a dancer simply because they sometimes have a higher collar or neckline than most street clothes and therefore feel uncomfortable to them. We recommend leaving it unbuttoned or un-clasped in that case until a few minutes before they dance, to minimize their discomfort.
Since the costumes are not custom-made, and dancer bodies are, it is possible that one part or other will be more snug than expected. If it fits well in all other areas then sizing up would lead to the entire costume EXCEPT that snug part needing to be altered, so it’s best to have that one area altered a bit if necessary.
Shoes/Tights
Both Classes will require:
- Capezio Convertible Tights in Ballet Pink and in Nude/Skin Tone (buy backups of each)
- Capezio Velcro Black Patent Tap Shoes
- Cynthia King Rebelle Light Pink Ballet Shoes
CHECK your dancer’s shoes and be sure they have the correct, and correctly fitting, shoes and tights that are in good condition for photos and for the showcase. Some parents choose to buy a new pair of each for photos, then use those for recital. If you do so, please make sure to have them wear them to class at least once or twice as well.
Please remove all jewelry (including earrings) and nail polish on fingers and toes for pictures, dress rehearsal and recital.
Hair/Makeup
Even our littlest dancers will need their hair in a smooth, sleeked-back bun and stage makeup.
Hair
They will NOT need to use a bun donut. Our tiniest dancers with very fine hair will just need to use smaller rubber bands and bobby pins, and plenty of gel to keep all the little hairs in place:)
Ms. Christie at the studio will be more than happy to teach you how to best achieve a beautiful recital bun on even the smallest heads, don’t hesitate to ask!
Makeup
Stage makeup is required so that the stage lights don’t wash out their faces and facial features. It will NOT look so clearly obvious when they’re on stage so please go bolder than you think you’ll need.
Makeup and Hair
Foundation, peach pink blush, neutral yet dramatic eyeshadow, black eyeliner and mascara, red lips. Some parents may find it easier to use false lashes versus mascara on the littles dancers, they may tolerate it better. Plan to do your makeup as it will be for the recital.
Boys need blush, mascara, light lip color.
Low bun, center part. Hair should be smooth with no whispies. Curly hair does NOT have to be straightened, just use lots of gel to keep all the whispies contained.
Use lots of gel, spray, pins, etc. no donuts. Make bun flat against head and very secured WITH bobby pins and a hairnet! Do not use a bun-builder or “donut.” Our tiniest dancers with very fine hair will just need to use smaller rubber bands and bobby pins, and plenty of gel to keep all the little hairs in place:)
As a recommendation, style hair while wet with lots of gel, then smooth back into the low pony and the bun while still wet/damp, using a smoothing brush to get the low pony nice and smooth.
A note on jewelry, manicures/pedicures, etc.
Please remove ALL jewelry and nail polish for pictures, dress rehearsal, and recital. Those things, while beautiful, detract from the uniformity and overall look of their group routines and photos. If you’d like to add earrings or other jewelry for your individual shots, you’re welcome to do so. In addition to affecting the cohesive look of the group, jewelry can be a safety hazard, potentially catching on costumes, causing injury, or becoming lost. Colorful or distracting nail polish can detract from the overall look of the dancers and the performance.
Practice Videos/Music
PIcture Day
We will have costume picture day for our Pre-Dance classes NEXT WEDNESDAY, April 16th! Please be sure your dancer is present on these days or they will NOT be in the yearbook! The group photos will be for the yearbook and are required. The individual photos are optional, if you would like to purchase pictures from the photographer. There will be order forms available on-site.
Schedule
We will follow this general schedule:
- 4:00 – The Glow Group Photo
- 4:15 – The Glow Individual Photos (optional, if purchasing photos)
- 5:00 – Sunshine Group Photo
- 5:30 – Sunshine Individual Photos (optional)
- 6:00 -I See The Light Group Photo
- 6:15 – I See The Light Individual Photos (optional)
- 7:00 – Fireflies Group Photo
- 7:15 – Fireflies Individual Photos
Rehearsals
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Dress Rehearsal
Dress Rehearsal Friday June 6 Mandatory for ALL DANCERS We follow a different program for dress rehearsal than we do the real show. This is so our youngest dancers do …
Rehearsals
PreDance will NOT need to come to the main in-studio rehearsals during recital week. PREDANCE CLASSES WILL HAVE A REHEARSAL ON WEDNESDAY FROM 4:00 TO 5:00 PM. Both the 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM classes will combine for their final studio rehearsal before Friday’s dress rehearsal.
PreDance WILL need to be at the Friday dress rehearsal and BOTH the Saturday and the Sunday shows that will take place at the theatre. They will come ready to go for dress rehearsal, and will stay in the audience with their adult until time for them to come onstage (more details on that below). They will be able to leave after their routines have been rehearsed, and we typically do theirs at the start of the night so they won’t need to stay there the entire evening.
Loved Ones
Loved Ones Dance
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Loved Ones Dance Information Page
Loved Ones Dance! What Is Involved in the Loved Ones Dance? Rehearsals We’ll rehearse every Friday until recital week. We have two actual groups this year and two songs, “You …
Don’t forget to sign up for Loved Ones! We start FRIDAY APR 11!
Practice Videos can be found at THIS LINK and in your app each week!
Gran Finale
Gran Finale
ALL dancers, including our predancers, will be in the Gran Finale! This takes place at the END of our recital showcases, so it’s important that our littles stay through to the end on BOTH showcase days. Find more information about this routine below:
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Gran Finale
Gran Finale – Recital 2025 ALL DANCERS, Including Predance, will be in the Gran Finale! “DANCE IN THE DARK” All dancers are in this routine at the end of the …
Recital Shows
Recital Shows
PreDance classes typically will NOT need to arrive at call time, but will come in with their parents closer to the normal time, dressed and ready to go in their first costume and wearing a cover-up. We do recommend waiting until just before they come backstage to put their lipstick on:)
Dancers will stay for the entire shows, unlike with dress rehearsals. They will need to stay so they can be a part of the Gran Finale at the end of the show and take part in the bows.
We also typically give all the dancers a little commemorative medallion at the end as well.
Once the final bows are complete, parents will come to the front of the stage and collect their little ones there. Our older dancers and adult helpers will be keeping them safe until the parent or other caregiver comes to the stage to collect them.
