Do you want to have an easy, stress-free dance performance season? Well, then this guide will help you have your best performance season possible with timelines and tips to help you be completely ready.
For every dancer, performance season can be stressful. There is so much to get ready and prepare, sometimes months beforehand. That is why as a dancer with over fifteen years of experience preparing for performances, I have created this performance prep guide and timeline to help anyone get ready for any type of dance performance.
You are going to learn about some of the best times to buy dance performance essentials, how to organize everything, what must-have items to have, and what to do once the performance arrives.
After reading this post you will be prepared to have the best, stress-free, and most organized dance performance season ever.
This post is all about preparing for your next dance performance
Preparing for Dance Performance
At the beginning of the Season
Scheduling
Your timeline for preparing for dance performances begins when rehearsal season starts, months away from the actual show.
Block out the dates of the actual shows in your planner or digital calendar along with the anticipated dates for dress or tech rehearsals. Even if you might receive a more detailed schedule later on, it doesn’t hurt to block certain days out you might have those rehearsals.
Costumes, Shoes, and Tights
Within at least a few weeks into your dance season you will more than likely have an idea of what type of pieces you will be in along with the shoes and costumes you’ll have for the performance. Make note of the type of shoes, tights, and costumes you will need for your performance along with how many you will have of each.
By knowing what you will need for shoes, tights, and sometimes costume accessories you can be prepared if a sale or occasion arrives to purchase those performance essentials.
1-3 Months Before Performance
Organization
Start to set aside and prepare the larger dance performance needs like costumes, shoes, tights, and sometimes makeup at least one month in advance. This will keep you from scrambling to get everything together right before the performance.
Costume Organization
If you are given your costume to take home make sure to keep it safe by storing it in a garment bag. Some costumes will come with a garment bag but with others, you may need to get your own.
Check out some options to purchase below to hang and store your dance costumes:
Waterproof Hanging Bag with Pockets
Makeup Organization
If you have any makeup particular to your dance routines or that you only use for the stage, start to set it aside. Check any product that you have owned for a while to see if it is still good. If anything is running low or expired, throw it out.
Make note of products that need replacing and any new products you need to buy for this performance.
Have a separate organization case or bag for dance performances. Unless you have a small show where you need minimal makeup, I recommend a decently sized organizer.
Here are some different options for performance makeup organization
Makeup Bag with Adjustable dividers
Shopping Lists
Once you have started to organize your performance items you probably have a good idea of the items you need to stock up on and buy before your performance gets started.
Make a list of items such as tights, undergarments, makeup, and new shoes to purchase as you notice what you need throughout the time leading up to the performance.
Having a working list of products to buy will help you as sales or opportunities come up.
Add some of the products that you might buy online to a virtual wishlist. This can sometimes make it easier to quickly buy items in the future.
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2-3 Weeks Before The Performance
Shoes
If you haven’t already, buy the shoes that you need for your performance.
This is also the best time to make sure your current shoes if you still plan on using them for your performance are properly maintained. This includes polishing tap shoes, resewing elastics on ballet shoes, cleaning dirty spots, and fixing any other problems.
Since many dance shoes need to be broken in, buying them 2-3 weeks before your performance is best. Break your shoes in either on your own or by swapping new shoes in during rehearsal.
For pointe shoes, it is also best to rotate between pairs based on how hard you need your shoes to be. If possible, have at least two good pairs of pointe shoes for the performance so you don’t have to worry about them dying during your performance run.
Costumes
For costumes that easily wrinkle or become unmanageable, make sure to steam them. You can do this with an actual fabric steamer or by shower steam in the bathroom. Most dancers know the trick of hanging their costumes up in the bathroom when taking a hot shower to expedite the process of steaming.
Check your costumes to see if there is anything that needs to be adjusted or fixed for the performance.
Keep all of the accessories and costume pieces together. To keep the costume pieces organized throughout the dance performance process, write out a list of everything you need for each piece.
Even if you leave your costumes at your studio or theatre, making a list for each piece can be helpful when dealing with quick changes. Add all of the details that will make your list most helpful to you. You can include shoes, tights, and even hairstyles with each costume on your list.
Hair and Makeup
Make sure you are familiar with the hairstyles and makeup looks you will have to do for your performance. The weeks before the performance are the best time to practice. This way you can be prepared with the right products and not have to worry about figuring it all out last minute.
Week of the Performance
Rehearsals
Make sure you are familiar with your dance studio or company’s tech/performance week schedule and expectations. This will help you know how to prepare for each day you have rehearsal.
I recommend being prepared with all of your shoes, costumes, and undergarments. It is also a good idea to have the basics of your makeup and hairstyling products just in case you need to use any of them.
Have a notebook, journal, or planner to write down notes throughout the week. This is a strategy proven to help you improve your performance as a dancer and can help you stay organized during a hectic week.
Staying Healthy
Finally, you need to make sure you are taking care of yourself during dance performance season. As dancers, our bodies and minds are our instruments.
Drinking plenty of water and staying properly fueled during performance week. Keep a stock of healthy snacks to eat before, during, and after rehearsals.
These are some of my favorite dance snacks that are quick and simple for performances:
Cliff Bars
Goldfish
Instant Breakfast/Protein Shakes
Tangerines/Any Fruit
Liquid IV for Hydration
Yogurt and Granola
Staying Stress-free
Make sure to keep track of everything that has been going on including notes, schedules, and tasks to do before the performance. Keep a planner, calendar/reminder app, or journal with everything going on throughout the week. This can be especially helpful when performances overlap with the school year to help you juggle everything that’s happening.
For more ways to stay confident and stress-free as a dancer check out Confidence Tips for Dancers: How to be THAT Confident Dancer
Showtime!
After all that hard preparation you are finally at your performance and more organized than ever. Stay tuned for another post about tips for the day of the performance for more details about staying organized, stress-free, and having fun during your dance performance.
This post has been all about how to prepare for your next dance performance
