Choosing Costumes

A Different Way Of Choosing Costumes

Are you trying to think of a way to stop parents from complaining about what their child's recital costume looks like or how much it costs? I saw a dance teacher use this technique and I thought it was crazy. Afterwards though, it wasn't a bad idea. After choosing what each class is going to "be" in your recital, choose 3 or 4 costumes choices which you like. About 2 weeks before, post a sign and send a note home with students in inform parents of the day that they are invited to stay at dance class and vote on their child's recital costume. On the scheduled night, invite parents into the dance studio as you tell the students what they will be performing in the recital. Then play the music for everyone and answer any additional questions. While the dancers continue with the rest of their dance class, gather with parents outside and give them a short casual presentation of a few costume choices. By this time all students performing in the recital should have made their enitial costume deposits. Go through each costume choice, explaining the details of the costume. Explain what is included in each costume. Be clear about additional costs over the amount of the deposit for each costume. Usually what will happen is there will be a few parents that will be very into the costume choicing process and others who will not really care. It's surprising, actually, how quick the selection happens. Sometimes there are a few parents who just kind of guide the group into a selection. The purpose to doing costume selection this way is to hopefully stop any future complaining, because they picked it. You chose all selections, so it will be something that you like too. For the parents who didn't show up to vote, then they really can't complain either, if they were informed of the day and time in advance and didn't show up. Another tip is to not show the costume choices directly from the costume catalog with the name of the manufacturer on it. Cut out the picture of the costume from the catalog. Also, parents and most of all students sometimes have wondering eyes to pages of costumes that just aren't for them. It's fine for you and the parents to pick the costume for younger students. It is up for you to decide if you want older students to vote or give options on their costume selection.