Beyond Butterfly Kisses — 12 Tunes for Dancing Daddies and Daughters

Father’s Day is this weekend so in honor of Dance Dads, I’m adding a list of songs that might just be perfect for a father/daughter recital choreography, a wedding dance, or other performances. These range from sentimental to spirited. Hopefully you’ll find something new or a song you’ve never considered before. (And in case you think I’m neglecting these — look for father/son, mother/daughter, and other combinations in the future!)

Father and Daughter — Paul Simon; Surprise

Audiences will enjoy this bouncy tune with its affectionate message without overdosing on sugar:

“I’m gonna watch you shine; Gonna watch you grow
Gonna paint a sign so you’ll always know
As long as one and one is two
There could never be a father who loved his daughter more than I love you”

Daddy — Kristen Chenoweth; Let Yourself Go

This one is a cute jazz number that would be tongue in cheek since the “daddy” in this song is not necessarily a father figure. However, the singer wants “a diamond ring, bracelets, everything” and tells Daddy “You oughta get the best for me.” Play up the superficial stereotype of having Daddy wrapped around his little girl’s (gilded) finger and you could have a cute number on your hands.

My Heart Belongs to Daddy – Sophie Milman; self-titled

There are lots of versions of this song and you could pick one you like but I’m suggesting this version by Sophie Milman because this recent update has a tempo that moves yet maintains the feel of a jazzy standard.

Colorful — Rocco DeLuca; I Trust You To Kill Me

Not an obvious choice, perhaps. The lyrics are ambiguous but couldn’t every father say that his little girl is “the most colorful thing that I’ve seen…”?

Daddy’s Girl — Katey Segal; Room

If you’d prefer something that’s a little bit country, the genre is not wanting for daddy-daughter tunes. But this one from actress Katey Segal may not be as familiar or overdone even though she performed it on the popular sit-com 8 Simple Rules.

She’s a Dancer — Phil Keaggy; Way Back Home

Christian artist Phil Keaggy has a Beatles-esque sound. With lyrics like “As you reach for the sky, love, and pirouette ‘cross the room, just remember that you are my love, and no other can replace the face of you” this one seems pitch-perfect for a dance recital. Keaggy’s lyric is not without Christian references, particularly in the last stanza, so it may not be for everyone but, it is sure to charm most.

To Make You Feel My Love — Billy Joel; Greatest Hits Vol. 3

Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel) — Billy Joel; River of Dreams (or Greatest Hits Vol. 3)

There’s a father/daughter two-for-one deal on this Billy Joel Greatest Hits album. To Make You Feel My Love is actually a Bob Dylan tune and has been covered by numerous artists over the years, including most recently American Idol’s Kris Allen and British singer Adele. These versions are sweet but I’ll always have a sweet spot for Joel’s version. Pick whichever you’d like but a male vocalist will accentuate a fatherly interpretation of this lyric, especially when performed with teen or older dancers.

Lullabye is perhaps more appropriate for choreography pairing a daughter (or daughters) with her father, and could work for both younger or older students. The song has a bittersweetness that any parent in the audience could appreciate.

Sweet Child O’ Mine — Guns n’ Roses; Appetite for Destruction

Dads will feel like the rock stars they are when dancing to this tune. It’s not your average little girl theme but could be a super sweet number all the same.

Winter — Tori Amos; Little Earthquakes

Tori Amos will put a contemporary/lyrical dance spin on the traditional father-daughter dance. It would be interesting to see how fathers could be incorporated into the dance and movement with this one. It is tender without being overly sentimental and if done well might just be a show-stopper.

Wild World — Cat Stevens; Tea for the Tillerman/Greatest Hits (or try the Mr. Big version)

This one may not be specifically written for a daughter but the lyric is close enough that it could work in this setting. Plus, those familiar with the song may enjoy this unique interpretation of a favorite tune.

When The Stars Go Blue — The Coors (with Bono); Dreams: The Ultimate Coors Collection

Again, this lyric is somewhat ambiguous but as a duet that mentions dancing in a wedding gown it could be a lovely father/daughter choreography or wedding dance. Though the Ryan Adams song has been covered by others, I’m partial to The Coors version (and not just because I will be a fan of U2’s Bono “until the stars go blue”) but because of its crisper tempo and the complimentary vocal tone of the duo. This is often found as a live track but the studio version is on the album listed above.

Have your own song suggestions? Add them below!

Backstage Bliss: 11 Rules of Thumb for Students in a Dance Recital

Whether it is your first recital or your fourteenth, it never hurts to be reminded about proper backstage etiquette and behavior. Your studio owners and teachers may have specific regulations and procedures for you to follow. Adhering to these rules helps the performance to run smoothly for you and the others around you. Recitals can be hectic and stressful for those trying to make the day/evening go off without a hitch. I know your teachers will appreciate not having to remind you or your friends of these basics on recital day.

1. Don’t mess with other people’s props or costumes

This is a top directive of any backstage situation. Playing with or moving someone else’s props or costume pieces always results in one of the following: A) items will not be in the correct place when they are needed, stalling the show or leaving someone without, B) items get broken, torn, damaged, stalling the show or leaving someone without, C) someone being rather upset with you. If the prop or costume is not yours, don’t touch it! Even if you think it’s in the wrong place and are trying to help, you should just tell the person to whom it belongs or an appropriate adult.

2. Stay in your designated area

I know it can be annoying to be restricted as to where, when, or how you can go somewhere, especially when you are quite familiar with the building or backstage area. It can also be tempting to want to move from your green room (or waiting area) if your friends are required to be in another location. However, it is important to stay where you are supposed to be throughout the recital process. Why? Teachers and recital helpers have a lot of kids to keep track of during a performance. When their requests are ignored, you stand the chance of missing your entrances or causing someone else to miss theirs. Even worse, is that no one knows where to look for you should something unfortunate occur.

3. Bring something to do

Recital performances almost always involve a lot of waiting either during dress rehearsal or on show days or both. Even if you think you’ll be busy, it’s always a good idea to bring something quiet to do backstage as you wait (in your designated area). Some possibilities include a book, a simple card game, pens and paper, coloring books and crayons, puzzle books, even a hand-held video game if the sound can be turned off. It is alright to play games with friends as long as you can keep the noise levels down. Just make sure you are ready and in your next costume before engaging in an activity, and that you can drop what you’re doing immediately when asked to go.

4. Always stay one step ahead

Be on top of things and be responsible for yourself. Don’t rely on others to know what’s next, know where you are supposed to be, or what you have to do – not if you don’t have to or are old enough to do it yourself, anyway. This involves laying out your costumes ahead of time and knowing what order they go on, keeping track of where your dances are in the performance (and what’s before them), knowing what hair or makeup changes are made and when, being sure about which side of the stage you enter from, double checking that you have all you need before you leave the house.

5. Keep socializing to a minimum

There’s a lot of energy in the atmosphere at a performance. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement with your friends backstage, allowing noise levels to escalate and/or creating a distracting environment for yourself or others. To have the best show possible it is important that everyone stay calm and focused. After a successful show is the appropriate time to party. During the show choose calm activities (see #3) to occupy yourself and your friends and reserve your energy for your performance onstage.

6. Stay quiet in the wings

The immediate backstage area is not the place to go over choreography, have a conversation, or ask a question. Sound from backstage can carry surprisingly well to the “house,” or audience. If you are prepared, calm, and focused there should be no reason for talking in the wings. If a peer asks you a question, nod (if the answer is yes or no), and/or calmly remind them to be quiet with the universal symbol at left. Making noise in order to quiet others is not only unhelpful, it doesn’t make much sense! Which leads me to…

7. Be responsible for you and you alone

Unless you are specifically put in charge of a person or group, allow a teacher or someone in authority to take care of any disorderly students. If you know that someone missed being given an important direction, for example, when it is time to line up, calmly let them know and then move along yourself. Don’t waste time helping those who are not helping themselves because your only job is to be responsible for you. When you occupy yourself with what others are or are not doing, you risk missing your own cues, entrances, costume changes, etc.

8. Stay warm, stay safe

It is important to stay safe and free of injury backstage. If you know you have some downtime between numbers, wear a warm-up and/or legwarmers over your next costume (just remember to take them off!), staying active and mobile with full-body movements like noiseless jumping jacks or body swings, and doing some stretching to keep your body warm and limber while you wait. Other safety measures include not wearing soft shoes or bare feet in areas that have not been swept clear (especially in the immediate backstage area where often there can be shards of wood or glass, or things lying about from other performances). Your teachers will let you know if an area is safe to be barefoot but wear shoes/flip-flops if you are going to be moving about backstage in zones that may not have been cleared.

9. Be conscious of bleeding light

This is one that even those helping at a recital sometimes forget. If you’ve ever stood in a dark room when someone opens the door to a room that is lit, you understand that light has a way of “bleeding” into the darkness. This is why it is kept dark in the backstage area with only blue or other filtered lights illuminating the area. Being conscious of this means waiting until someone from the inside (who knows when it is “safe”) opens a door to the backstage area, or listening for the appropriate time yourself. Typically when you know that the dancers onstage are performing and being lit, it is safe to enter but do so quickly, quietly, and close the door behind you. Any light from backstage can affect the lighting design onstage.

10. Be conscious of sight lines

This is another one of which novices to the stage may not be aware. Sight lines are imaginary lines that distinguish what is visible to the audience and what is not. A good rule of thumb is that if you can see an audience member, they can see you. However, you must be aware of your whole body, not just your eyes. When waiting in the wings, it is a good idea to stand close to the curtain (without moving it) and back from the very edge. Some studio owners will place a line of tape for students to stand within or behind when waiting backstage. Though it can be tempting to try to see everything happening onstage, stay out of the audience’s line of sight. If your cue for entering cannot be seen from where you are waiting, dress rehearsal is the time to figure out a new cue!

11. Don’t argue

Last but not least, it is important to be courteous and respectful toward others, especially during a performance. This includes the teachers, parents, and others who are helping backstage at a recital. By showtime you should know (by face, name, or by an identifying badge or button) teh people who have been designated as helpers and what role they play in helping the performance to run smoothly. If you are instructed to do something or go somewhere, asked to quiet down, or are otherwise asked to respond to a request – just do it! Don’t question, don’t argue, don’t grumble.

If you happen to be absolutely positive that you are being misdirected, ask nicely to check the facts – “I am sure that I am to be in Room C, not Room A right now. Can we double check, just to be sure, please?” People’s patience can run thin during a high-stress situation like a performance. If your respectful response is not appreciated, don’t react. Simply do your best to comply with the direction given.

For those of you who still have recitals ahead, I hope that this list will come in handy. Remember that everyone backstage at a performance wants the same thing – a great show that runs smoothly and is fun for the audience and participants. Though the show’s organization may not be something you can control, you still have the power to make sure you are fulfilling your role to the best of your ability. Following these eleven rules of thumb will help to ensure that. Have a great performance!

What are some other things students should do or remember when they are backstage?

What are some things your studio does to keep things running smoothly at a performance?

Costume Crisis

I recently read a post at Citystreams about a color guard uniform order gone wrong. It was an all-too-familiar account that I know many dance studios face year after year as recitals approach. Costume companies are a hot topic on dance message boards each spring.

Humans all make mistakes. However, if a costume company has made a mistake and customer service has failed to recognize or meet your needs when time is of the essence, it is hard to know what to do. Interestingly enough, a reader at Citystreams (who also happens to be a Customer Relations Manager) posted some great advice for dealing with problems of this kind.

Please read her entire response here. Below is my paraphrasing of her advice.

1. Call the company and demand to speak with the manager (or higher). Do not hang up until your request is granted or, if you must end the call, be persistent and continue to call back.
2. Write a letter that clearly states your problem and overnight it to the attention of the company president (be sure to keep a copy). Add photos of your students wearing the costumes if they don’t fit. You could probably also include photos of poorly constructed or damaged costumes if this suits your case.
3. Keep all documentation of the order, shipping details, and keep a record of each interaction with company representatives (don’t forget to get names).
4. Suggest that the company take care of your problem by the performance date or you will take legal action. Make sure you follow through on any threats, however.
5. Do what you have to make sure your dancers are costumed for their performance. If you need to have the costumes altered or if you’ve had to find replacements in a hurry, keep all receipts.
6. Spread the word that you’ve had problems with this company, particularly if your issue is not resolved. Report them to the Better Business Bureau.

I think some key points here are that studio owners must stay organized when dealing with costume companies. Most studios order from multiple companies. It is easy to make mistakes or misread catalogs and information can get lost in the shuffle. It can be very confusing when you’re also preparing other aspects of a performance so keep excellent records for each costume ordered. Don’t wait until something goes wrong to make sure you have all the documentation needed to support your case.

Do any of you have suggestions to add that may help others when facing a costume crisis?