Sea Cruise

Act I

Scene I

"Lets Cruise"

Bon Voyage- As the show begins, before the curtain goes up, use the inspirational music from Ulalena, the sensational theatrical show in Maui, Hawaii. To set the scene of the beginning of your recital, have about six of your dancers dressed as sailors. Have them in groups coming on and off stage in front of the current. Act out the captain giving orders from her clipboard to the other sailors, have one sailor bring out a map and have another sailor use a pointer to show the various spots on the map where they are to sail. Then have two sailors go across stage sweeping the deck with brooms. Have all of them march in, salute, and throw anchors over the side of the stage that is decorated with glittery blue table skirting to represent water. After one more salute, the curtain rises and the sailors line up to take tickets from passengers. All of your other students who are not dancing in the first few dances of the show will then come walking down the aisles of the theatre. They will be bundled up in coats, hats, and mittens and carrying a piece of luggage. They file onto stage and give their tickets to the sailors. They are excitedly looking around in awe as they enter the "cruise ship" and then file off stage.

Sea Cruise- As the curtain rose in the beginning scene the first group of dancers were posed on stage. They are the glitzy dancers that you would see in the shows aboard a cruise ship. Have these dancers tap dance to Sea Cruise from the A Child's Celebration of Rock n Roll CD.

Sailors- This group of dancers will be the same sailors from the beginning skit that opened the show. Have them tap dance to Symphony of the Seas from Hooked on Classics 3-Journey Through the Classics.

Sunbathers- Have all of your 3 & 4 years old classes bring their own child's lawn chair. Have the sailors set the charis up. If you have side areas on the stage, you can use these areas for this number. Have all the little girls wear their own bathing suits and come out and sit in their chair. They can do easy movements while dancing in and around their chair to California Girls by David Lee Roth.

Itsy Bitsy Bikinis- Costume your little girls in a cute yellow polka dot bikini costumes. Have them dance to Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini. All the dancers in swim suits depict the people on the cruise ship relaxing by the pool.

Watersports- This group can tap or tumble to Catch A Wave by the Beach Boys. For props you can use kick boards, beach balls, or beach towels.

Limbo Party- Instruct all of your 5 & 6 year old students to wear tropical luau wear. Have two older girls from the next upcoming dance hold a limbo stick in the center of the stage. Each girl will skip onto stage, limbo under the stick, and skip off the other side of the stage while waving to the crowd. Keep the limbo line moving quickly.

Nightlife- The next dance is for high school age dancers. The dance is to represent the nightlife for the mature passengers on the cruise ship. Choose an upbeat jazz routine such as Cup of Life by Ricky Martin.

Raining Men- This dance furthers the nightlife idea and is for again older dancers. Have a solo dancer or a trio dance to Raining Men by the Weather Girls.

Scene II

"Under The Sea"

Coral Reef- Dance a beautiful dance to Orinoco Flow by Enya. Costume your dancers in mixed pastel flowing lyrical dresses.

*After each group in this scene performs, have them pose throughout the back of the stage to represent the life under the sea.*

Clams With Pearls- For this dance use the song Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow from the Muppets Beach Party CD. Use silver metallic balls for pearls.

Lobsters- Costume dancers in a red rumba style costume. Find a costume that has a longer skirt down the back to look like a lobster tail. Get lobster claw gloves for their hands. Dance to the music Hot, Hot, Hot.

Baby Belugas- This is a sweet number for the youngest dancers. Dress them in a cute costume of white & pale blue. Choreograph the dance to Baby Beluga by Raffi.

Fish- Choose any version of Three Little Fishies for these kids to dance to. You can have some other kids come out during this dance and sit on either side of the stage. Dress them in rolled up overalls, barefeet, and sunhats and have them throw a fishing line over the edge of the stage like they're fishing.

Starfish- This group can do a jazz dance to Prince's Baby I'm A Star.

Mermaids- Of course you have to do a dance to Under The Sea from Disney's Little Mermaid. Costume these girls as mermaids. During this dance have a pirate come out on stage with a treasure box. Have the pirate fall asleep on stage holding the box. While the mermaids are dancing, have all or one of the mermaids sneak the treasure box away from the pirate. The mermaids can hide the box during their dance.

Pirate- After the mermaid dance, use the music Also Sprach Zarathustra as the pirate wakes up and discovers his treasure is missing. The pirate looks at all the dancers from this scene that are posed across the back of the stage. The pirate does a short solo with several tricks and tumbling stunts, while stopping inbetween to point to each group to dismiss them to run off stage. After the pirate dismisses the last center group, he finds the treasure box. As the scene ends the pirate poses with the treasure as the curtain comes down. A few tips about the pirate. It may surprise you that the younger kids could be scared of the pirate. Take time to explain about the pirate character and introduce them to the dancer playing the part. Do not use a sword. If you must have one, use a large feather. This piece of music can also surprisingly scare younger kids too. Take time to introduce the music or choose another piece of music if it is an issue.

Souls Of The Sea- This is a modern/contemporary piece for older students. Use music from Ulalena and costume dancers in longer flowing tunics and pants. During the instrumental part of the music, have other dancers float across the stage in different directions with "fishsticks." These are colorful, double sided fish and sea creatures that are mounted on long sticks. The main dancers will then pick up a long piece of blue tulle material that was stretched across the back portion of the stage floor. They will pick it up, move with it down off the front of the stage. They will stretch the material across the front of the audience and run all the way down and up the aisles with the tulle going above the audience's heads. The dancers will then run back up on to the stage and give the ends of the material to two other dancers waiting backstage on both sides. As the dancers finish the dance the two dancers in the wings will float the tulle material up and down across the stage like an ocean wave. The dancers in this dance can also dance with rope lights as the lights are dimmed. You will need to have light sockets in the stage floor.

Act II

Scene III

"Sail Around The World"

Mexico- Dance to Oye Como Va (old school mix) by Cali Aleman, India, Tito Puente & Tito Puente Jr. & The Latin Rhythm.

*Once again, when each group is finished dancing, have the group pose around the back of the stage until the scene is over. It provides live scenery as the scene progresses.*

Carribean- Costume this group in cylpso outfits and large straw hats. Give them maracas and have them dance to Cuban Pete for the Mask Soundtrack. If you have a younger group with a boy dancer, this would be a great dance.

Africa- With an older group or a small group of kids that can tumble or do lifts, do a short performance to the theme from the Survivor TV show. Have the dancers dress in jeans, white t-shirts, and bare feet.

Spain- This is a good time for a pointe performance from a solo or a group. Get spanish costumes with short or long tutus and dance to the spanish dance from the Nutcracker suite or to Carmen. Use a black fan for a prop.

China- This can also be used as a pointe piece. Dance to the Chinese dance from the Nutcracker Suite or use any interesting Chinese piece of music. Dancers can use Chinese laterns as props.

Hawaii- Costume younger children in grass skirts and leis and have them dance to Tiny Bubbles by Don Ho. The kids can blow bubbles as props or you can incorporate sumersaults and tumbling tricks into the dance. Dress an older student in a hula skirt and have her go on stage to lead the group, if these little dancers need help.

Egypt- These dancers can wear heirum pants and do modern or pointe work. Use Hindi Sad Diamonds from the Moulin Rouge Soundtrack.

Australia- Turn some little dancers into kangaroos and have them dance and hop to Kangaroo Hop.

France- Choreograph a can-can to the music from the musical Can-Can, from the movie Moulin Rouge, or Hooked On A Can-Can from Hooked on Classics. Shake the ruffled skirts, lots of high kicks, and splits. During certain parts of the dance, you can have all the other dancers in the background join in on the kicks to create an exciting moment on stage.

It's A Small World- To close the scene, choreograh an exit combination and bow for each of the above dance groups. Remember to stay in character as the country which the dance represents.

Scene IV

Patriotic Celebration

*All costumes should be red, white, blue, or a combination*

Hope You Dance- This is a tear jerker! Combine Mommy & Me class members with ballet students that are about 5th to 7th grade. Have the Moms start on stage facing backwards. As the dance starts have them walk around to face front showing the audience the littlest dancers they are holding. Have the moms dance with their babies that are under 1 year old. At the first chorus, have the older dancers run in to dance as the mom and babies go off stage. Integrate the mom & me class members one more time to do simple movements while the dancers dance around them. At the end of the dance, all should pose together.

Lord's Prayer- Dance a solo or group to any lovely version of the Lord's Prayer. Wear white flowing dresses.

I Have A Dream- This dance is a mix of Sweet Dreams by the Eurythmics and Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech. It is by Fusion Sound. This is a good song to use with a group that practices pom or dance team technique. At the beginning and end of the dance you can have other dancers run in wearing red, white, & blue street clothes and hold hands in a circle around the dancers or wave flags at the end.

God Bless America- Choreograph a beautiful dance to God Bless America by LeaAnn Rimes. If you want an upbeat song try Proud To Be An American by Lee Greenwood.

Believe- End the show with a strong group of dancers and a powerful song like Believe from Fusion Sound. Incorporate jazz showing tricks and strengh.

Grande Finale

Cruising Back To America

For the grande finale, use Coming To America by Neil Diamond. Have entire cast wear matching t-shirts with the recital logo with white shorts. Have each age group come out, do a short combination, and take a bow. Towards the end have all the dancers wave small flags.