Hello Starlight Studios Recital Parents,

I understand that you may be concerned about the long day for your little one and I want to reassure you while your concerns are absolutely valid, we have worked very hard to lay the day out in a way that takes the best possible care of your child’s needs. Here’s what your child’s day will look like.

9:30 - 9:45

Dancers getting into costumes and touching up their hair and makeup. Everything is high energy and excitement.

9:45 - 10:00

We give all the performers a short tour of the space, show them where they need to be and what to expect. Most importantly, we go over safety so then when it is dark backstage they feel safe.

10:00 - 11:30

We run the entire dance show (minus the theatre parts), all the way through with lights and music and costume changes, stopping and starting to make adjustments and make sure all the dancers know where on stage we are going. A professional photographer will also be taking pictures throughout this rehearsal. This is the BEST part of the day as a dancer (and was always one of my favorites as a child) because when the dancer is not onstage they get to sit in the audience and watch the show! As a little dancer, watching the big kids and all the sparkly costumes is just MAGICAL. They will have parent volunteers with them in case they need anything.

11:30 - 11:45

The entire cast joins us onstage for a fast rehearsal of the finale dance. This is the only time we will ever have run it all together.

11:45 - 12:00

Change out of costumes, hang them up and get ready to go home

LUNCH BREAK 12:00 - 2:00

2:00 - 3:00

Getting ready for show! We use the bathroom, eat a snack (we will provide pretzels, goldfish and water but feel free to send anything else you want as long as it is peanut free) and then get into costumes, touch up our makeup and play some warm up games.

3:00

It’s showtime! When it is your dancer’s turn they will be guided upstairs a few numbers ahead of their routine to get prepped in the wings and line up in order while we remind them of where to stand onstage. After their number they will be escorted back to the dressing rooms to change into their next costume or the finale shirt (and shorts/pants or leggings they arrived in). When they are not actively dancing or changing we have SO MUCH to entertain them! We have a bin stocked with snacks, all kinds of fidget toys, ball bearing puzzles, pop its, slinkys, playing cards, coloring pages and coloring pencils, an ipad with Encanto playing, sticker activity pages, i-spy books and more. They can be loud in the dressing rooms. Plus there is a green room where they can even watch the show live on tv from backstage! They will have a team of backstage moms with them at all times who are entirely focused on keeping them safe and happy. At the end of the show everyone will join us onstage for the finale dance and awards!

This may seem like a big and crazy day, and it is. Your child will be tired at the end of it but I absolutely promise that it is a wonderful and exhilarating day! We have at least 8 backstage parents and 9 paid Starlight Staff members there to look after your children. We have your phone numbers on our emergency contact sheets and if there were an emergency and we really needed you I would not hesitate to stop the show myself to make an announcement and find you to get you to your child. Keeping kids safe and happy is what I do! I love these kids and I know exactly how wonderful it can be to be a part of an experience like this. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I am happy to help. Also it’s not too late to sign up to be a backstage volunteer. Click here for details.

Thank you for trusting me with the most important people in your world!

Sincerely,

Chelsea Gaskin