Our June 13-14 AMA Dance & Tumbling recital is right around the corner! We can’t wait for what will be yet another weekend of AMAzing performances!

We at AMA Dance & Music School are known for our entertaining shows that are fun for the young… and young at heart! Our recitals are equivalent to football’s “Super Bowl” or hockey’s “Stanley Cup!” It’s an afternoon of celebration for your entire family and ALL our friends!

This blog is dedicated to answering any questions you might have as we approach our June shows!

When are the performances?

Saturday, June 13 – 1:30pm
Sunday, June 14 – Noon & 3:00pm

Which show are we in?

All students are assigned one show to perform in, with the exception of our ADF Performance Team – they perform in all shows. Your assigned show has been posted in the office. It will also be distributed in class next week. Please take a look so you know which show to purchase tickets for.

When is dress rehearsal?

Friday, June 12th – (4:00 – 10:00pm)

Do all students have to attend dress rehearsal?

Yes! This is a mandatory rehearsal. Your class will be assigned a window that they will perform in.

Where are the performances held?

We are very lucky to have a venue so close by with plenty of seating! There is ample parking and you are able to buy as many tickets as you need! Many other schools sell limited tickets because they perform at smaller auditoriums that only seat a couple hundred. Our auditorium seats 1200 and every seat in the house is terrific! Both dress rehearsal and all performances are held at:

Maine East High School Auditorium
2601 Dempster St.
Park Ridge, IL 60068

June 2014 performance ballet dancers

DRESS REHEARSAL DETAILS

On Friday, June 12th, we will hold a dress rehearsal at Maine East High School. This is an opportunity for all of our performers to practice their dance on stage, in full costume, hair, and make-up. This helps them feel more confident and understand what it’s like to perform on such a huge stage with all of the lights, props, and scenery!

In May, we will post a dress rehearsal schedule. We will start dress rehearsal between 4:00-5:00pm. Each routine will have a designated time slot to be on stage, usually for 7-10 minutes, so performers have time to practice once or twice. We expect everyone to arrive at least 30 minutes before their designated on-stage time! This helps us to stay on time, or ahead of schedule, all evening! It’s extremely important that the entire class attends this rehearsal so that everyone can look their best on stage for the show!

When you arrive at Maine East High School, you should go into the auditorium and look for the row of seats labeled with your child’s class name. Parents should sit with their kids. They will wait here until a staff member is ready to bring them backstage for their dress rehearsal performance; parents will stay in the audience. After they have performed, they will be brought back to their seats; you are free to leave or stay and watch! If your performer is in multiple numbers, they should change into their next costume and find their next class’ designated row.

June 2014 performance young dancer jumps

You should expect to spend about 90-minutes at dress rehearsal between your arrival and getting your performer on and off stage. We do our very best to get you on your way as quickly as possible! Last year’s rehearsal ran completely on time and very smoothly.

Dress rehearsal is also a great opportunity to watch other routines, and get some great photos and video!

Photography and videotaping are not allowed during the Saturday and Sunday shows! It can be extremely distracting and dangerous to our performers. This year, we have hired two of our own AMA family’s professional photographer and videographer companies for all of our shows on Saturday and Sunday; all recital participants will receive a recital DVD and action shot pictures will be available for purchase within a few weeks of the shows. Please take this opportunity to enjoy your child’s performance with your own eyes and not through a screen!

What does our performer wear?

  • They should be in full costume, hair, and makeup! We will give more instructions on hair and make-up as we get closer to the show.
  • If your child is in just one number, your performer can wear their costume to the venue, but we highly recommend wearing an oversized t-shirt or something else over their costume to help protect it!
  • Performers in multiple numbers should wear the costume they’ll be performing in first at dress rehearsal.

June 2014 performance superhero dancers

RECITAL SHOW DAYS

We will have three completely different shows:

  • Show A – Saturday, June 13th @ 1:30pm
  • Show B – Sunday, June 14th @ Noon
  • Show C – Sunday, June 14th @ 3:00pm

Is my child in every show?

For the majority of our students, the answer is “No.” We have had overwhelming feedback over the past few years that our shows are too long at 3.5+ hours. To that end, to keep our shows under 2 hours, everyone is assigned to one show.

We did our very best to accommodate students with siblings in other classes and students with multiple classes, so that all of their routines will be in at least one show together; this way, your family only needs to purchase tickets to one show! This also means that a few routines will be performing in two shows to accommodate other students’ siblings or multiple classes.

When do we need to be there?

On the day of your show, your child will be asked to arrive at least 30-45 minutes early, so that they can find their dressing room, check in, and finish getting ready for the show. They should arrive ready to perform in full hair, make-up, and costume. Again, we recommend putting an oversized t-shirt/robe/etc. over their costume for protection on your way to the high school!

What do we do when we get there?

When you arrive at Maine East High School, follow signs to the dressing room; most classes will be using the cafeteria as their dressing room. If your child is 11-years-old or younger, they will likely have a parent volunteer assigned to their class. You will need to check in with your class chaperone when you arrive and check out with your class chaperone before you leave. The chaperone will stay with the class in the dressing room to keep them entertained, make bathroom trips, etc. They will also escort them to and from the stage. We’ll have all kinds of games, coloring, a movie, etc. in the cafeteria to keep our performers entertained while they wait for their turn on stage!

After all routines have performed, everyone will return to the stage for our big finale closing number! Students will also receive their recital trophy and we will hand out awards to our ad winners, attendance winners, and more!

After the show ends, we ask that one parent goes down to the cafeteria to check out with the chaperone and pick up your performer.

TICKETS

We are so excited to be working with an awesome ticketing company, making it super easy for you to purchase tickets ONLINE this year! We will still be offering Priority Seating in our first 6 rows and Regular Seating in the rest of the auditorium; however, you will now be able to choose your exact seats in the auditorium when you purchase your tickets online! Ticket prices will range from $16.00-$22.00, depending on where you choose your seats. Ticket On-Sale dates will be released soon!

If I’m bringing a younger sibling, do they need a ticket?

Yes. Every person that enters the auditorium will need a ticket no matter how young. If you do not think your little one will be able to sit through the performance, please consider making other arrangements for them. If you choose to bring your little one, they MUST have a ticket.

Every year, we have a few families that are stunned they need a ticket for their 2-year-old, or 18-month-old, or even 12-month-old. Yes, EVERYONE not in a baby carrier needs a ticket.

We have several reasons for this. The biggest reason is that the youngest children cannot sit through a 2-hour show quietly. They get antsy and bored, start screaming and those parents are up and down the most bringing their kids into the lobby. Those parents miss the show and everyone around you is upset (and believe me, we hear about it).

We have also had many parents hang out in the back aisle letting their toddlers crawl and run in the dark around during the performance, creating a fire hazard and, again, disturbing all of those around them. I LOVE little ones, but having 3 children of my own, I also know their limitations. My daughters could always sit through a show, my son could not… until he was almost 8! It’s just the way it was. I always made other arrangements for my son, as I would not want to ruin a show that everyone works so hard on because my son could not sit quietly. We ask that you be respectful of this policy.

June 2014 performance dancing with Elvis

As you see your child’s routine progress in the next months, we know you will be as excited as we are for the upcoming show! We can’t wait to see our AMA performers show off all of the amazing things they have accomplished this year!

It is going to be a fantastic show, with some spectacular scenery, props, and some special guest appearances by your favorite Disney characters!

It will be our best show yet!!

Have questions not answered in this post?

Check with our staff when you come into our office, or give us a call at 1-847-299-2233.

 

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