Studio owners and directors in Port Orange dance studios have a lot on their plates, from the small, everyday tasks of running a studio to the big-picture challenges. One big-picture challenge that seems to be on everyone’s mind every year is, “What is the recital or showcase theme going to be?”
If you’ve been in business for a while, it can seem like there aren’t any themes left that you haven’t used! Or, themes you can think of might feel too narrow or not inclusive enough for the kind of show you want to put on.
Here are a few ideas for when you’re stuck and need some inspiration for your dance recital ideas for Port Orange dance classes!
Everyone Loves a Throwback
All kinds of people from dancers to parents and friends love a throwback moment. Nostalgia is in full effect these days, from clothing styles to music samples in current tunes. When considering a throwback theme for Showcase at Port Orange dance studios , there are a couple of ways to go about it.
1)Â Â Â A General Throwback – use music from every decade you can think of! For ballet classes, you could go all the way back to the 1800s! Hip-hop music will be easy to find from the 1970s onwards. You can organize the show into decades, or eras, or go even broader with centuries.
2)   A Dance Studio Throwback – if your studio is celebrating a milestone anniversary, you could do a dance studio throwback and use music and routines from each year you’ve been in business. All studios have those favorite routines that they would love to revisit! Take a milestone year and turn it into a nostalgic look into the formative years of your business.
Try a New Take on a Classic Theme
If your dance studio usually does a storyline-driven show, you may want to consider a new take on a classic theme. Snow White, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, and The Little Mermaid have all
been done before, but with a little ingenuity and creativity, you can put a unique spin on an old favorite. Consider revising the entire story so that the ending has a twist.
Or, if you normally don’t include narration, think about casting a narrator to move the story along in between dance routines. You might want to bring in singers or give your more dramatically inclined dancers a chance to flex their acting skills by creating skits in between dance numbers.
Look to Nature For Ideas
Another interesting way to develop a unique theme for your dance recital in Port Orange is to look to nature. Being outside in nature is not only good for us but also inspires the mind to think in different ways. Take walks, visit parks, and soak up all that the natural world has to offer.
An easy option for a dance recital theme that’s inspired by nature is following the seasons. Find music for each dance that represents a certain season of the year, and organize them to follow the natural passage of time.
Winter songs can include holiday music, but make sure to broaden your musical choices. Go down the Youtube and Spotify rabbit hole of playlists for the seasons, and you’re sure to find plenty of choices!If you prefer to go even more esoteric with your themes, you can hone in on one particular aspect of nature, like the underwater world of the ocean. I can think of tons of possibilities for this theme including music for kids’ classes from ocean-themed movies like “Finding Nemo” and “Shark Tale”, as well as beautiful classical pieces for teen ballet from musicians who have also been inspired by the sea.
Get Emotional
Taking cues from movies is always a favorite because folks can relate to things they’ve seen and experienced. Consider the movie “Inside Out”, a Pixar animated film that focuses on characters that represent the emotions that we all go through.
Your dance recital theme could hinge on one emotion, like Love – either using a broad range of music and styles of dance for each level that capture all the ways we can experience love, or a story-driven showcase that follows characters around in their understanding of love.
Or, you could develop a loose plot that takes the audience through a myriad of emotions that humans experience. This type of dance recital or showcase would allow for the most options of music choices.
The Bottom Line
The main thing to consider when thinking about your recital or showcase theme in Port Orange dance studios is how the audience will receive your show. Yes, much of the audience is there to see their child or family member dance in one or two dances. But, you do want them to leave feeling like they were entertained by the entire performance!
Make sure you consider all aspects of the theme before committing to it. Is there enough usable, family-friendly music that follows the theme to create the show? Are you able to utilize all of your students in a way that they feel valued and that they are a special part of the story? Will the audience leave feeling like they would love to see that performance again?
Dance recital and showcase themes can be a challenge to think of, but they don’t have to be! Studio owners are creative individuals and all it takes is one tiny spark of an idea to blossom into a beautiful showcase.
Check out our summer dance classes at Legacy in Port Orange!