Main Street U.S.A

Main Street U.S.A.

This show is based on the theme of the all american town!

Act I

Scene I- "Dancing In The Streets"

Block Party- The opening dance is based around a block party. Music suggestion- Jenny from the block by Jennifer Lopez

Get This Party Started- The second dance is also based on the "party in the street" atmosphere. Music suggestion- Get this party started by Hitz 4 Kidz. I suggest using a kids version of this song to avoid unnessary lyrics.

Home Town Cheer- The final dance in the first scene is based on a cheer/pom theme to celebrate that homecoming spirit. Music suggestion- ESPN Jock Jam Megamix

Scene II- "Around Town"

This scene represents the places that you would see in any town in america.

School- Music Suggestion- Goody Two Shoes by Adam Ant

This is a great tap number. It is also an opportunity for non-expensive costumes. Have each student come up with their own short school uniform type skirt, white button up style shirt, ponytails, and knee socks or bobbi socks. All dancers will look slightly different, but it will look great. Have your dancers each bring a hard covered book to dance with as a prop.

Radio Station- Music suggestion- Shake Your Groove Thing or use this opportunity to use a very popular song that you are really wanting to use, but are not sure where to place it in your show. You could have someone on or off stage do an introduction DJ style to start off this performance.

Church- Music suggestions- Let There Be Praise By Sandi Patty, Prayer of the Children by Kurt Bestor, or the Lord's Prayer for ballet, lyrical or modern dance. You can also use I Will Follow Him from the Sister Act soundtrack with tap students as nuns and using tamborines as props.

Restaurant- Use the theme of waitresses and use serving trays as props. Visit the deli section of your grocery store to get the disposable trays used for catering. Music suggestion- Be Our Guest from Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

Bus Stop- If you have a "Mommy & Me" class for toddlers 2 years old and under, use the song wheels on the bus along with the simple hand and feet motions that go along with it. Have parent and toddler on stage and use yellow and black as the theme color, just like the colors on a school bus. Have the toddlers wear their own black leotard and have them wear matching yellow tutus. Forget the tights, chucky little baby legs are so cute. You can have the kids go barefoot or spray their ballet shoes matching yellow. You can have the parents wear any bright yellow shirt and black pants. For scenery you can use a couple pop up kids play bus tents. Remember, it is a success if toddlers go out on stage and stay there, even if they don't do much dancing. Because they're so cute, this group will get some of the biggest applause of the show.

Dance School- Use this dance for a young group that may need some assistance on stage. Use the song Look At Me, I'm Dancing by Barney's Colorful World Live. Have a few older students on stage pretending they are dance teachers. You can also have a barre on stage as a prop.

Jail- For this dance use the music Jailhouse Rock or Psychokiller by The Bobs. Costume dancers in Black & White Strip Jail suits or black pants & white or orange tops.

Newstand- For a tap or musical comedy number, use newspapers for props and the song No Bad News. Costume dancers in black pants, matching shirts, hats, and suspenders.

Car Wash- Using the song Car Wash, have dancers do lively choreography using colorful pieces of material as rags to dance with. At the beginnging of the song during the clapping portion, have a few younger children drive their battery operated riding toy jeeps onto the stage. Have them drive across the stage, around in a circle, and park in a straight line. Have the dancers dance in front of them and around them. While the dancers interact with the drivers and wash the jeeps, have the drivers stand up in their jeeps and dance also. At the end of the dance have the jeeps drive in another circle and off the stage.

Act II

Scene III "Down Town Shopping"

Antique Shop- This is great for pointe choreography, especially beginning pointe students. Use the song Second Hand Rose by Barbara Streisand. You can have the dancers find their own longer second hand shop type dress along with a few thrift shop looking accessories like a hat, pearls, scarves, or gloves. Have two older trucks in the background that dancers can use to take some of the accessories out of before putting them on.

Music Store- This is another great opportunity to put another piece of choreography to a popular upbeat song that you're not sure where to fit it into your show. You can use your older students or a competion dance that you really want showcased in your recital.

Pet Shop- Have a fun time and use the song Hampster Dance by Hampton the Hampster or Who Let The Dogs Out by the Baha Men. These would be great dances for beginning jazz students.

Toy Store- Do some simple, pretty ballet choreography to the song My Coloring Book by Barbra Streisand. Divide the dancers into 3 groups and costume each group in a different pastel color.

Drug Store- Tap dance to Poison Ivy from the Smokey Joe's Cafe soundtrack. This would suit young and older dancers.

Clothing Store- Choreograph a comical modern piece to Red Hooded Sweatshirt by Adam Sandler. Costume dancers in black dance pants and matching red hooded sweatshirts.

Scene IV

"Central Park"

Feed The Birds- This is a great opportunity to do a dance with older and younger dancers together on stage. Have the older dancers dance first. Then have the young dancers come out when the "feed the birds" chorus begins. Costume the little girls like pretty blue birds. Have the older girls do some similar movements to help the younger dancers stay together on stage.

Birds- Have all the dancers from the previous dance move to the back of the stage and pose while this group comes out on stage to dance. These dancers are also birds, but costume them more colorfully. Use the music The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room from the Walt Disney Records Archive Collection Vol. 2. This is a great dance for beginning jazz students. You could also have a group tap dance to Rockin Robin.

Bumble Bees- Dance to the song Hey There Little Insect. Remember the Mommy & Me Class the performed wheels on the bus in scene II? Well, you could have that group also perform this dance, using the same yellow and black costumes.

Teddy Bear Picnic- Costume little girls in party style dresses and have them dance with their favorite teddy bear. Put some picnic blankets on stage with a picnic basket. Have them dance to any bear song like Teddy Bear Teddy Bear- Teddy Bear's Picnic by Kidzone, Bears- Animal Alphabet songs by Cecilia DiMusio, B: Barney the Bear- ABC Alphabet Fun by Kidzone, or even Bare Necessities from Disney's Jungle Book.

Grande Finale- Have a Main Street Electrical Parade! Use the music from Disney's Main Steet Electrical Parade. During the grande finale divide all dancers by age group and have each group come out, dance together, and position themselves on stage. Fill the stage with all your dancers and have them positioned at different levels, to give everyone a chance of being seen from the audience. Have the mommies from the mommy & me group waving and pulling their toddlers across the stage in wagons to represent the floats in a parade. After all dancers are on stage, turn off the stage lights and have the dancers pull out glow sticks. Have the dancers perform with glow sticks for a portion of the music. It is a very cool for the audience to watch! As the music ends, bring the lights up and have some of the older kids in the center of the stage turn around backwards. On their backs have letters spelling out "The End"

When your recital is over it is always nice for you, the director, to come out on stage to say thank you. Thank your dancers, parents, & guests. Acknowledge everyones hard work & dedication. Make any awards presentations quickly. Keep your presentation at the end of the show short & sweet!