Arabesque presents “MARY POPPINS” Recital 2025

When: Friday, May 23rd and Saturday, May 24th

Where: Marion Civic Center, Marion, Illinois

PICTURE WEEK: Wednesday, April 9-Saturday, April 12 (Willow Street Studio location)

Committment forms are due, December 5th! Forms can be picked up at the front desk!

First-time Recital Parents

The first dance recital can be full of nonstop surprises for the first-time dance parent. Dance has its own culture of expectations and traditions, and they all converge on recital day.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, the following insider tips can help you make the most of your first dance recital, whether your dancer is a toddler or a teen. Read through our tips carefully, and if you need help or clarification, ask! Our dedicated team is happy to help. We want ALL our dance families to feel prepared and confident as they head into the performance. 

Insider Tips:

Bring snacks and activities. Recitals can seem long to young children, around an hour and a half of dancing in each show. Be prepared to stay and cheer for every number, and, more importantly, prepare for your dancer to be happy when he or she is back stage. Send some things to entertain your child; small games, a sketch pad or stuffed animal can make the wait much shorter. Also plan for your dancer to be hungry. Recital times often coincide with snack or meal times, so bring non-messy foods, such as dried fruit and nuts, cheese and crackers, or granola bars are good options. Avoid sodas and juices- just a cold bottle of water is perfect!

Costume tips and tricks. You may have several costumes to manage. When you pick up your child’s costumes, avoid the temptation to let her wear them before dress rehearsal. They should look fresh for the performance. Costumes can be itchy, too. Sequins and glitter come at the cost of comfort sometimes. All of our hairpieces are worn on the dancer’s right side. It also helps to keep accessories for each costume in a zip lock bag inside of each costume bag. And whatever you do, don’t forget your dancer’s shoes!

Come equipped. Planning and preparation are key. Bring tissues, make-up supplies, plenty of bobby pins and hair elastics. A comb and hairspray are crucial additions to your recital bag. And don’t forget a fresh new pair of tights!

About the hair. Speaking of bobby pins, a little bun know-how can go a long way. Dance buns can seem daunting at first, but with a few practices and some insider knowledge, you’ll master them in no time. First, wet or damp hair is much easier to work with than dry hair with all its flyaway action. Texturizing spray is also a great tool to tame and prepare your dancer’s hair. Brush her hair out and pull it into a tight ponytail.

At this point, if your dancer has shorter to medium-length hair, you can use a bun-maker—also known as those squishy nets shaped like doughnuts and invest in some high-quality hair pins to secure the bun. A hairnet will help keep everything looking slick and smooth. Look for pins that are the same color as your dancer’s hair and tuck them in tight. Keep in mind that your dancer is going to be jumping and twirling, arms moving every which way. Building a hair-pin and hairspray fortress will help to keep that bun in place through all the action and in the short time that they wait backstage.

Don’t forget your tickets! All attendees are required to have a ticket for admittance (with the exception of the dancer). Tickets for our recital go on sale on May 15th, so plan accordingly. Our tickets are reserved seating, so its first come first serve!

Plan for a gift. Recital gifts are a strong tradition in dance. You can pre-order flowers through the studio that you can pick up at the event. And if your dancer is not the flower type, they may love receiving stuffed animals to help them remember their first recital for a long time to come.

Save the memories. If you can be at the dress rehearsal at the Civic Center, consider taking photos and video there. The crowd is less crowded, the children are in costume, and this frees you up to just be present and celebrate your child during the actual performance. Cameras are not allowed to be used during the recital performance. Even easier: just share the recital video we are having professionally recorded.

Most of all, remember that our children are little emotional sponges. It’s normal for parents sometimes to feel anxious or nervous about their children’s first events. But work to avoid channeling your nerves to your child, who is just excited for a fun experience. Remind yourself of what’s most important (your child’s enjoyment of the show experience), take a deep breath and cheer for your dancer. If you observe that your dancer is nervous, remind him or her that everyone is there simply to celebrate a great year of dancing and to enjoy the show!

It is going to be another GREAT performance!