When you begin planning the end-of-year showcase for your studio, one of your major tasks will be to choose a theme. There is quite literally a world of choices, and it’s tricky to be both fun and unique with your theme. But, it’s an important challenge to pick a theme that will can show off your creativity and can keep your dancers and their parents interested and engaged. The Dance Exec explains that the easiest dance recital themes are either based on a story or around a general topic. For example, “Fairytales” or “Broadway” are classic recital themes, but they can get old quickly. Here are a few ideas for dance recital themes to make this year’s showcase one to remember.

Things to Think About

There are a couple of factors you’ll need to take into account when you’re brainstorming themes and narrowing down your list.

First, it’s essential that there are enough music and costume options to fit the needs of your show. If you decide on “Arabian Nights” for your studio’s showcase, make sure that there’s a variety of cultural music covered under your music licensing agreement and that you’ll be able to purchase appropriate outfits for all your age groups.

There’s kind of a chicken-and-egg process to go through with costumes and recital themes – as you come up with a potential good idea for a theme, put in a quick 10 minutes and browse around costume websites to see what the availability is like. If in that time you don’t see ANYTHING you might use, you’ll know that your theme might be a tougher option to put together.

Another consideration is whether there are enough performance options to accommodate your different class levels, ages and genres. Studios that offer many different dance styles and have a large number of classes will generally need to pick a broader theme that is open to interpretation. However, if your showcase will feature just fix or six classes, it’s easier to pick a more specific theme to base performances around.

Think Outside the Box

Sometimes you might find yourself in a slump when it comes to brainstorming ideas. When this happens, try browsing Pinterest or your favorite dance forums for inspiration. Don’t just search for dance recital themes, either. Look at wedding and birthday party ideas too! Many are easy to translate into a dance showcase. Here are a few unique ideas to get your creative gears turning.

Word-Based Themes
Choose one word to base your recital around. Many studios have gone this route with words like “dance” or “music,” but don’t be afraid to venture outside dance-related phrases. For example, if you choose to use “Sunshine” as your theme, you could use songs like “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers, “Pocketful of Sunshine” by Natasha Bedingfield, “Sunshine on My Shoulders” by John Denver and any other music that fits with the concept. This particular theme would also lend itself to cheery stage decorations and cute brochures.

Prop-Inspired Themes
If your dancers like to use props in their performances, pick one particular item to be the unifying aspect of your recital. It can be classic props like umbrellas, hats or chairs. You can also get a little wild and use an item like clocks, ribbon wands or hula hoops. Work with your instructors to find unique ways to work the props into each performance. Don’t forget to come up with a witty or pun-based name for your showcase!

Collection Themes
Why not make your recital an homage to some sort of collection? Maybe your dancers would like to depict certain career options. You can plan dances that involve lawyers, writers, travelers and more. As an added bonus, this type of theme allows you to get really creative with costumes. Another option might be to present a collection of important moments in history. Work with your dancers to create performances that highlight the discovery of electricity, the first plane ride, man walking on the moon and other noteworthy events. If those ideas don’t tickle your fancy, what about a theme based on the colors of the rainbow? The options for dance recital themes are endless, so don’t limit yourself to traditional ideas. The more creative your event is, the more memorable it will be for both students and parents.

Example Themes

Check out this list of possible themes, and let us know which are your favorites!

Across America

Around the World

At the Circus

At the Park

At the Zoo

Books

Broadway

Candy Land

Countries

Colors

Decades

Disney

Dreams and Daydreams

Extra, Extra!

Fantasies and Fairytales

First Day of School

Fun in the Sun

Game Night

In Space

iPod Shuffle

Jungle Safari

Magic & Mystery

Music Legends

Night at the Museum

Night at the Oscars

On Vacation

One Hit Wonders

Once Upon a Time

Red Carpet

Road Trip

School Days (Subjects)

Seasons

Superheroes & Villains

Weather

When I Grow Up