Dress Rehearsal
General Details for Dress Rehearsals and Recital Day
Location: Dress Rehearsals and Recital will take place at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater at 603 Edmonston Dr, Rockville, MD 20851.
Parking: There is plenty of parking on site--behind the theater (by the Social Hall) and across from it.
Food/Drink: Only water is allowed in the auditorium.
What to Wear: Your dancer should come to rehearsal and the recital IN FULL COSTUME with hair done and their correct dance shoes. Makeup is optional for both the rehearsal and recital.
Document Clarity: There are three documents to understand.
The Dress Rehearsal Schedule is each class’s time slot when they need to be at the theater. (Find it below)
The Dress Rehearsal Order is the order the dances will be rehearsed at the Dress Rehearsal. This order could change once we are on-site. (Find it below)
The Recital Order is the order the dances will appear on Recital Day (different than the order at the Dress Rehearsal). This document can be found here.
Costume Changes: Please check both the Dress Rehearsal Order (below) and Recital Order (in Recital Information Link) to see which costume your dancer should arrive in on each day. In a few cases, your dancer will arrive in a different costume at the Dress Rehearsal than they will at the Recital. Please study both documents carefully.
At the Dress Rehearsal, parents will help their dancer change into their second costume in the bathrooms.
This is different than at the Recital where there will be "Costume Change Helpers" who will change your dancer backstage in dressing rooms. Upon arrival (they should already be wearing their first costume), your dancer will be directed to carry their other costume(s)/shoes/accessories to a Costume Change Helper. This Helper will bring your dancer backstage to their designated spot in a dressing room, help lay out their entire costume, and then bring your dancer back to their class. Reminder! They will change back into their first costume after Recital A and lay out their second costume again. We will remind them of this, but we ask that you reinforce this as well.
What happens during Dress Rehearsal?
When you arrive at the theater, you and your dancer can find a seat in the auditorium. Your dancer is welcome to sit with you or with their class while they wait for their turn to practice on stage. In the meantime, they will enjoy watching the other dancers rehearse! At some point in your rehearsal time block, your dancer's class will be called to line up with teachers who will take them backstage. Parents will remain in the auditorium.
Expect a lot of waiting and some organized chaos! There are a lot of moving parts to a dress rehearsal. Although we will try to be as efficient as possible, each class needs time to block and rehearse their dance. There is a chance we run over the designated time. Please be understanding if this happens.
Finale: All dancers will participate in the Finale practice that will start at 4:15 and/or 5:30 on their rehearsal day. Classes will have one Finale practice except for those who are called for the 4:15-5:45 rehearsal block--they will have two Finale practices. If your dancer is done with their class's rehearsal before 4:15 or 5:30, respectively, DO NOT LEAVE until the Finale has been rehearsed.
What do parents do during Dress Rehearsal?
Parents and other guests are welcome to sit and watch rehearsal QUIETLY!! Parents can also use this opportunity to take videos and photos. We will professionally record the recital and make that video available free of charge!
Parents should not approach the sound/lighting booth or the teachers during dress rehearsals. If you would like to connect, we would be happy to find a time outside of rehearsal.
Families are not allowed backstage but are invited to watch their dancer from the auditorium seating area.