Well, here we are again. At the end of another year. In today’s blog post, we will not be discussing technique, hacks or career how-tos. Instead, today we are simply here to say “Thank you”, and last minutes things to help you transition into recital with ease!

After coming off of a year that was like no other, season 8 was truly great. We watched you all grow in talent and technique. Our studios are full of bright and shining up and coming stars. We couldn’t be more proud.

Within this season it truly felt like the dance world has made it back on it’s feet. Curtains are rising on recital stages once again with ease. We are entering year 2 of facing new normals, and we are so happy to have had you along for the ride. We have worked our way back up from virtual dance classes to full dance studios. It has been such a joy having yet another year moving forward with our Reach For The Barres family.

With all the joy and triumphs our year is winding down, and our recital is right around the corner. With that we are excited to announce, that it’s going to be a spectacular show! Our students have worked hard in the studio to make sure their dances look flawless and fun! We have no doubt in our minds about the magic you are going to see on stage.

To our parents, we are so thankful that you allow us here at Reach to teach your children the art of dance. We know there is much that comes with being a dance parent, and know you are doing your part in making sure your child has everything they need to shine on stage! We truly can’t say thank you enough for all you do to support your dancer and know it’s a lot to keep track of. To make your job a little easier, we thought we would give you a mini list of everything you need in your child’s dance bag to have a successful show day.

Read through the list below and pack your child’s bag before the big day. You will be able to check a few things off your list so you can enjoy the moment with your child!

All costumes labeled with your child’s name.

It’s SO important to label your costumes. The last thing you want is to be missing an accessory or shoe when it’s time to dance on stage! Your child’s things could get mixed up easily so it’s best to be safe and mark your child’s initials into all your costume items, shoes, and accessories. Please make sure to mark costumes and shoes on the inside so we don’t see them on stage. This is especially important for our dancers in multiple numbers.

Dance shoes

This seems obvious but it’s worth saying, there is nothing worse than missing a shoe on recital day! Make sure to have your dancer try on their shoes before the big day to catch any holes or shoes that are too tight. Need new shoes? Stop by the studio where you can buy anything you need for the big day.

Extra tights

We have provided your dancers with tights in their costume bag. But we all know that tights can rip easily! Throw in an extra pair of tights for your dancer along with the ones they will wear on stage. That extra pair could save the day for your dancer!

Costume accessories 

Do any of your child’s costumes come with headpieces, layers, or other accessories? These items are just as important as your main costume to have in your dance bag.

Our summers are jam packed with fun! You may know about all our fun themed camps for our elementary school aged students as well as our intensives for our older students… but did you know we have special days of fun for our smallest of dancer!

⭐️LITTLE STARS REACH FOR THE BARRES CAMPS⭐️

What are the LITTLE STAR CAMPS?                                                        

This super, fun three-day camp is the perfect introduction to dance for your tiniest dancer.Each day, your dancer will learn ballet and/or tap|tumble basics in a fun and positive environment. Meet new friends and have a dance-a-riffic time!👯‍♀️

Who are our little star camps for?⛺️                                                          

This camp is for our smallest of dancers and shakers. The ages rage to be approved is 2.5-3.5! We ask that your dancer  tuned 2.5 by May 1st! 

What’re the themes this summer?☀️                                                            

We have a handful of fun themes for your mover to enjoy this year! Let’s check them out below ⬇️

WEEK ONE: TINKERBELL’S TREASURE COVE🧚

Monday, June 19-21 | 4:00-4:45pm

WEEK TWO: TWINKLE + TWIRL’S PRINCESS PARTY👑

Monday, June 26-28  | 4:00-4:45pm 

WEEK THREE: OLAF’S SNOWY SHUFFLE☃️

Monday, July 10-12 | 4:00-4:45pm 

WEEK FOUR: ANIMAL CRACKERS ON PARADE🦁

Monday, July 17-19 | 4:00-4:45pm

WEEK FIVE: TUTTI FRUTTI TROPICAL CUTIES🍉                  

Monday, July 31st-Aug 2  | 4:00-4:45pm 

WEEK SIX: RAINBOW DASH BIRTHDAY BASH🌈                    

Monday, Aug 7-9 | 4:00-4:45pm 

What will my dancer need to enjoy the LITTLE STARS CAMP?    

Your dancer won’t need much to fully enjoy these parties. All they truly need is a smile & some dancing shoes 🩰. We do ask that your dancer is also dressed in proper dance attire, shoes + pull hair up and out of the face, daily.

Our recital is right around the corner. There is nothing more exciting than getting on stage with your sparkly costumes. We practice all year for these moments. For our friends and family to see of the hard we have put, and cheer us on. Even though we practiced and practiced all year long sometimes our performance or stage presence can get lost with the bright lights and nerves. But have no fear we are going to walk you through some tips to help you shine your brightest this year on stage!

Tip 1: How Interested Are You In What You’re Doing?

The easiest way to shine bright on stage is truly having love and interest in what you are doing. The more you are interested the more you enjoy it, and that will shine through to the audience. 

Tip 2: Focus

One of the easiest ways to stay engaged and interested mentally and physically in a performance is to keep track of your focus. When dancers start to think about the steps too much, their eyes tend to wander. This can make you seem unengaged with your body language when in reality you are just thinking too  hard about your your moves.

Tip 3: Listening

A dancers who “listen” to the moment might also seem more at ease when they are executing their movement. Dancers who truly listen to the music are less likely to rush timing, they might be using their breath more, their eyes are engaged and they often look more grounded.

Tip 4: Practice

Any performance is easier when you’ve rehearsed enough to let your mind and body focus on something other than the steps. When you do that, you welcome the audience into your performance and begin to share your own style with them. The more you practice the less you have to think about the steps. You can let your body take control, and really give yourself over to the performing aspect. 

Tip 5: Confidence is key

If you are willing to feel and look silly or embarrassed, oftentimes you end up projecting confidence instead, because your willingness to feel any feeling is where your true confidence lies. True confidence does not come from how confidently you know you can land a triple pirouette, or how perfect you know your tilt is. True confidence comes from fully embracing every possible human feeling that could occur in your dance performance. 

In 2023 we want to take time to recognize all the wonderful people that make this studio possible. We have an amazing staff with qualifications out of the roof… but they are more than just dancers and educators. So for the next couple of weeks, we will be getting to know the humans behind the teacher, and their little fun facts. 

This week we are diving into the little details of Miss Reyana! 

If you know Miss Reyana you know she is a person who lives in a world full of color. Everything she touches is brought to life with sparkle✨. You can tell she navigates through a kaleidoscope lens when you step into her studio👯‍♀️! Even though she loves all the colors in the rainbow she does hold one color high above the rest. What is that special color you ask? FUCHSIA 💕

Just like her Miss Reyana loves to enjoy something sweet. When it comes to favorite foods she loves to enjoy a delicious ice cream cone🍦. Can we blame her though? Who doesn’t love a sweet treat. Especially living in Los Angeles🌴 it’s perfect for anytime of the year🗓.

For everyone here music is engraved in our lives like no other. It’s a big part of our job. With that sometimes it makes it hard to pick just one. But when we asked Miss Reyana she knew right away which song has stole her heart ❤️ . ‘Rhiannon’ By Fleetwood Mac☁️ is a solid choice. We don’t know anyone who doesn’t love this classic🎹.

When it comes to favorite artist it was a little bit hard for her to choose on this matter. There is simply too many to count🔄. Miss Reyana’s first love was music 🎶 (and dance) growing up. So answering this question felt impossible to her 🤷‍♀️.

We are made of memories☁️, and as we grow older we become a product of all the things we have experienced along the way. Some memories stick out more than others💬. When it comes to Miss Reyana she looks back and favors summers on the lake with her family, in South Texas where she was raised ☀️.

Even though everyone here is an amazing dancer our teachers are much more than that. Outside of the studio, Miss Reyana loves to travel✈️, visit Disneyland🎡, and experience live music🎵…but most often she can be found playing records she’s collected. Working on crafts🎨, puzzles🧩 , playing board games♟, or watching F1🏎️ with her hubby.

Our teachers here at Reach For the Barres are fountains of knowledge⛲️. They are people who are full of amazing advice. What Miss Reyana would like to pass on to the students here is “Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine”💕

These are just a few of the things that make Miss Reyana so special!