In episode 77, we're talking about our annual year-end show retreat, sharing our top takeaways, organization hacks, and some creative touches we add to make our year-end show is a fun and unique experience!

Annual Year-End Show Retreat Highlights

• Pre-Retreat Prep
  • Review last season’s recap to set clear goals.
  • Streamline props and sets; reduce and repurpose where possible.
  • Pre-plan with team: collaborative playlists, light decor, idea sharing via Google Docs.
  • Brainstorm preschool production ideas in advance with voice recordings.
• Setting the Creative Scene
  • Retreat held in a decor-rich setting inspired by Oz and Wicked themes.
  • Green decor, custom banners, themed books, and collectibles for an immersive environment.
  • Key team member Beth joined for early insight into props, sets, and coordination for smoother season planning.
• Retreat Agenda
  • Arrange costumes on poster boards for visual organization.
  • Finalize show concepts, music, costume sizing, and themes.
  • Develop massive planning spreadsheets, finalize dress rehearsal schedules, and outline communication materials for families.
  • Compile visual boards for costume inspiration and show themes.
• Costume Planning
  • Quicker costume selection process.
  • Frustrations with character costumes addressed.
  • Organized costumes with garment bags and tags.
  • Finished the lookbook ahead of schedule.
• Fun Elements
  • Listening to themed playlists.
  • Candy bar, themed drinks, bell for costume choices.
  • Oz-inspired “explosion” cake and charcuterie board.
• Top 3 Wins
  • Dani: Detailed notes, organized props and sets, early hand-held prop orders.
  • Becca: Completed lookbook early, streamlined decor, more organized with Beth’s support for team questions.

Pro Tip:
Consider planning a day or afternoon retreat if a full weekend isn’t possible.

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This Course allows you to listen and learn at your own pace to nearly 3 hours of recorded presentations from us, as well as all the notes, guides, resources and more! Purchase it today and your download will be emailed to you immediately!

Related Episodes on Recital and Show Planning

• Planning YOUR Fun Big Show (+ Our Fave Recital Moments)!
• Fall Recital-A-Rama
• Make Recital Planning Fun

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In Episode 76, we're talking all things HALLOWEEK and sharing fun things we do at our studio to make dance extra fun!

Some of the things we talk about are:

• Encourage dancers to dress as a character from our show theme and give out a special sticker if they do
• Staff Pumpkin Pizzazz party
• Staff photo - everyone chooses a character from our theme to dress as and we have an annual group and individual photo to use in program and on birthday posts.
• Halloween decor in our Year-End Show theme
• Class fun - our teachers all have their favorite games they do, from obstacle courses to choreo contests and a fun game called get it got it good
• Halloweek on the Dance Floor - our free Halloween Hip Hop Combo for you to teach to your classes. This is our 9th year! Check out this year's video and link to all our past ones too! You can read all about it in our blog post too, and see link to our past 8 years of fun Halloween videos also!

How to use the combo:

• Have dancers learn ahead of time - make it a competition
• Having an event? Teach to all and record it as a music video in diff areas of studio or outside!
• Learn it and teach it to your classes! Record and make some reels to post during Halloweek!
• Have your dancers get their phones during class and learn it! Give them some time and then have them record and put on your social
• Even have your staff learn it and do it all together. Kids will love that!

Don't overthink Halloweek! Just add something simple and new...use a halloween playlist in every class, share halloween coloring sheets with all your preschool classes, or create a pumpkin patch obstacle course with your elementary age dancers. Make it festive in any way you can and your dancers and families will love it.

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In Episode 75 of Make Dance Fun, we continue our Confetti Conversation with the amazing Melissa McGhee, Head Coach of The Ohio State Dance Team who also owns her own studio, Lineage Dance in Columbus, Ohio!

Make sure you listen to Part 1 if you haven't listened yet! In Part 2, Melissa talks all things team mentality, leadership, how she scouts, recruits, what she looks for in her team members and so much more. This is a great episode for everyone in the dance world to listen to, including dancers!

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