Sing the Arms: Recital Readiness Series with Tiffany Henderson

Do you struggle to get your littlest dancers to learn and perfect their annual recital dances? Here are some tips on how to make your youngest dancers shine:

Have the dancers sit down in a circle or line and go over just the arms before you stand up to teach the recital dance. 

Sometimes when they are standing and facing the mirror they become distracted and miss the choreography. They can only learn if they are focused. When standing they are also thinking about what their feet are doing. 

Learning the words with arms first is best!

Make sure to match words or sing the recital dance song as you are going over the arm movements, and have the dancers sing with you. This will help alleviate any distractions. 

After you ‘Sing the Arms” stand up and add the arms and feet together. Remember if they can say it they can do it!

Talk through the dance until you see their attention start to fade. At that point do the dance with the music and continue past the section that you taught them. They should be able to follow along with you and do that dance. 

Want more insights and practical advice? Join me for a dance studio owner weekend getaway to Pinnacle Dance Conference and Retreat this July 20-21, 2024 at the Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain.

Meet Tiffany Henderson 

Tiffany Henderson is an industry leader and dance business expert. Tiffany owns and operates multiple Tiffany's Dance Academy locations in Northern California. Her video-based teacher training system and curriculum, Twinkle Star Dance, is currently implemented in 300+ dance studios worldwide.

Teaching Holiday Recital Dances

Recitals are an important tangible goal for our dancers. They are also crucial to our business success. 

This week, we are busy preparing for our upcoming Dancin’ Holiday Magic and Nutcracker shows. I make it my goal to get as many of my dancers to participate in two shows per season - holiday show and spring recital. 

Here are some teaching tips to prepare your preschool and school-aged dancers for the stage: 

Spatial awareness is as important as teaching the steps in the recital dance and will continue to be crucial in their dance training as they grow up. I recommend using the following:

• Single line marley tape in the studio

• Glow tape line onstage

• Have dancers hold hands and pull apart until their arms are extended

• Imagine a “Pretend dancer” in between each “real dancer”

• Dancers practice in the same space each week in class

• Practice entering and exiting stage in class

Sing the song with them with arms while seated before you stand up to teach the dance. Sometimes when they are standing and facing the mirror they become distracted and miss the choreography. They can only learn if they are focused. When standing they are also thinking about what their feet are doing. Learning the words with arms first is best.

When teaching them, talk through the dance until you see their attention start to fade. At that point do the dance with the music and continue past the section that you taught them. They should be able to follow along with you and do that dance. 

They will give half of what you give them. When you teach babies you have to give 200% energy and enthusiasm for the movement as well as exaggerate your arms and steps.

Only work on the recital dance for 10 minutes max in each class. This should be a part of what they are learning and running the dance 2-3 times in each class will keep them excited and eager to come back to class the next week. 

Free Webinar

On top of offering the Twinkle Stars and Showstars Curriculum and Choreography subscriptions, Tiffany strives to provide real-time business insights from her experience of owning and managing multiple dance studio locations. Each month she holds free webinars. Learn more: https://www.twinklestardance.com/webinars

Meet Tiffany Henderson 

Tiffany Henderson is an industry leader and dance business expert. Tiffany owns and operates multiple Tiffany's Dance Academy locations in Northern California. Her video-based teacher training system and curriculum, Twinkle Star Dance, is currently implemented in 300+ dance studios worldwide.

Model Musical Connection

Connecting to music and moving your body is how we fall in love with dance. Music is pleasurable and plays an essential role in our wellbeing. Many researchers also believe that music strengthens social bonds and connections. 

Dancing to music increases coordination and cooperation with others; gives us an oxytocin boost; and strengthens our ”theory of mind” and empathy for others. 

Music works a lot like language does—except instead of words and ideas, emotions and intent are communicated. In this way, similar to language, music and dance can be passed from generation to generation. 

Here are some tips to model musical connection in your dance classes:  

Discuss How to Listen to Music 

Talk about the set of 8, beat, and tempo with your preschool and recreational dancers. Practice counting the 8-count and clapping the beat with them. Discuss how the speed of the beat is the tempo. 

When choreographing for preschool and recreational dancers try to keep phrases in 4’s and 8’s with a repetitive chorus. Use musical cues in - they can hear them and it makes the dance interesting. 

Use themes that are appropriate for the dancer's age and stage. For example, Twinkle Babies 2-3 dancing to “Cuddle Bug Boogie” with imagery of ladybugs, gardens, etc. 

Sing the Song

When teaching them, talk through the dance until you see their attention start to fade. At that point do the dance with the music and continue past the section that you taught them. They should be able to follow along with you and do that dance. 

Sing the song with them with arms while seated before you stand up to teach the dance. Sometimes when they are standing and facing the mirror they become distracted and miss the choreography. They can only learn if they are focused. When standing they are also thinking about what their feet are doing. Learning the words with arms first is best.

Perfect Practice Makes Progress

Preschool and recreational dancers will give half of what you give them so when you teach babies you have to give 200% energy and enthusiasm for the movement as well as exaggerate your arms and steps.

Only work on the recital dance for 10 minutes max in each class. This should be a part of what they are learning and running the dance 2-3 times in each class will keep them excited and eager to come back to class the next week. Give them as much time as you possibly can to learn the dance.

Face them away from the mirror and/or cover mirrors one month prior to your show. Sit down with your hands behind your back and watch the class do the dance one month before the recital. This will give you a true assessment of what they know without your help and what you need to work on. You will automatically want to help them, so that is why you need to put your hands behind your back. 

Rediscover your light at Spark Mini-Conference Series.

https://www.twinklestardance.com/spark-chicago

https://www.twinklestardance.com/spark-new-jersey

Meet Tiffany Henderson 

Tiffany Henderson is an industry leader and dance business expert. Tiffany owns and operates multiple Tiffany's Dance Academy locations in Northern California. Her video-based teacher training system and curriculum, Twinkle Star Dance, is currently implemented in 300+ dance studios worldwide.