Twirling Over The Rainbow ~ Bravo Bash Recap

As some of you know, Bravo Bash is  a sweet little twist on the traditional recital, perfectly aligning with Tutu School’s mission to cultivate confident creativity and the pure joy of movement and music in children’s lives. We firmly believe that it provides a wonderful and magical introduction to the stage for even the youngest of performers.

Earlier this month, we had the pleasure of hosting our students at the beautiful Herbst Theatre in downtown San Francisco for “Twirling Over the Rainbow.” It was a truly magical day with three fantastic shows filled with twirls, gallops, and tiptoes. Witnessing the confidence and excitement on our little dancers’ faces as they proudly shared their hard work with family and friends was an absolute joy! We had so many incredibly sweet moments, but a highlight was when we had a student who wanted to perform a second time. We asked dancers in the audience if they would like to come back up and we had 11 dancers who came back onstage to join for a second time to perform. What a testament to the joy and magic of dance!

What makes Bravo Bash different? We’re so glad you asked!

We really believe that our Bravo Bash performance opportunity strikes the perfect balance and offers students a low-stress, yet exciting and lovely chance to take to the stage! Bravo Bash is also different from a traditional recital because our little dancers actually remain in the audience with their parents or caregivers and each performance is about 30-45 minutes long. We absolutely adore this because not only do they get their chance to shine onstage, but they also get to practice being a good audience member, which just so happens to be one of our Dance Manners that we highlight in the Opening Circle section of our Tutu School classes. Additionally, our dancers will never be far from their grownup and caregivers and there will never be any extensive waiting backstage. We know that waiting can be quite a lot for our little dancers, so we strive to keep their waiting time to a minimum. 

Once all of our little dancers arrive at the theatre and are seated in the audience, we have our School Director introduce how the performance will work! Groups will be called up to the stage by name and their Tutu Teachers will help them find their spot. We kindly ask that all Tutu Toddlers dancers are accompanied to the stage by a grownup and that they remain close by in case their little dancer needs them. After they finish their performance they will twirl back into the audience for the rest of the show! Safety and magic are our top priorities and our Tutu Teachers and staff are always present to make sure that everyone has a wonderful experience.

 For most of our students this is their first time in a theatre or other large venue, so we love how this opportunity broadens their horizons in a palatable way. It is always so adorable to see the awe on their little faces as they enter the venue and take in such a beautiful space. We also recognize that a big stage can be daunting for our little dancers and they might have some butterflies in their tummies. We aim to mitigate any discomfort by welcoming each student and their family at the doors and our Tutu Teachers are professionals at bringing the excitement on such a big and special day! In addition, we always have two Tutu Teachers who dance onstage with their students. 

While our students should be familiar with their recital dance, there is no need for the dancers to memorize all of the choreography that they learn in class each week. Even if there are students who choose not to participate in Bravo Bash, we believe that learning choreography is a great way to exercise our “ballet brains” and practice putting ballet steps together in a sequence. 

Additionally, we do want to be extra careful not to take up too much of our little dancers’ class time with rehearsals for a performance. Often, when classes become too focused on preparing for a recital, they lose touch with the core content of their curriculum and unfortunately, the attention and interest of their students.

Why is Performing Valuable for Children?

Performing is such a wonderful and formative experience for any child. It is proven to instill a sense of independence and confidence in children after they accomplish something so huge! We have witnessed multitudes of students who might be a little more timid and shy really blossom and thrive in their weekly class after their experience onstage with us. 

In addition to being a milestone experience for our students, Bravo Bash is also a great indicator of if a student is ready to move up to the next age division. A frequently asked question we get is, “How will I know when my dancer is ready to move up?”. While dancers in class might start to show signs of independence and a want for a more challenging class, some dancers might show us they are ready to move up by performing onstage! This is especially true of our Tutu Toddlers division. A lot of times we will have Tutu Toddler students who are ready to perform onstage without their grownup or caregiver. This is a great indication that they are ready to move up to our Exploring Ballet division, our division for 3 to 5 year old dancers. By demonstrating this sense of independence, we are able to support our dancers and make sure they are in the class that is best suited to them. 

Another way to measure this is by observing if a student has really grasped the advanced concepts in their Bravo Bash choreography. We love to challenge our dancers by adding some ballet steps they might not have covered just yet in their weekly class. We adore how this becomes not only a performance opportunity, but a moment to challenge our students and witness their growth. By demonstrating a strong understanding of their recital dance, our teachers and their families will recognize and acknowledge their progress and effort!

What Are Families Saying About Bravo Bash?

One of the highlights of Bravo Bash is sharing the joy and magic of the day with our Tutu School families! We always love hearing about their experiences and always welcome feedback on how we can make the day even more magical!

“The recital was so well done and Georgiana had the best time. It was so special to see her on stage, and they all loved the experience. You all have built such a special program, well done. Thank you!”

“We have been to a lot of recitals and this was one of the best. The logistics, the size, the time and timing, the vibe, the reserved front row. It was perfection. Thank you for making our experience so wonderful.”

“My little dancer had an absolute blast performing onstage at Bravo Bash. Thank you so much for providing such an enriching and exciting introduction to the stage. We can’t wait to perform in the next one!

It is testimonials like these that truly remind us why we do what we do. It is an honor and a privilege to provide these opportunities to our students and their families twice a year and we are so grateful for the trust that they put in Tutu School when choosing us as their dance studio for their children.

Thank You For The Magic!

At Tutu School we firmly believe that all dancers who participate in Bravo Bash will walk away with a sense of accomplishment and new found self-assurance as they leap and twirl off the stage. Whether or not our little dancers choose to pursue dance more seriously, after they graduate from Tutu School we believe that Bravo Bash is a formative and magical experience for any child. We strive to lift up and support our dancers in every plié, tendu, and grand jeté along the way and are beyond glad that we are able to provide this opportunity and support our dancers in such a milestone moment!

Congratulations again to all of our Bravo Bash dancers and their families! Thank you for the music. Thank you for the dancing. Thank you for the magic!