Something as simple as creating an overall theme for costume, prop and even some music choices can help create a flow to your recital. For example, a circus theme can provide costume and dance ideas for dancers of all ages and levels. From clowns to acrobats, the circus has been a crowd pleaser for centuries. Dress your MC as a ringmaster and let him introduce the classes as circus acts.
Set your recital in a specific time period--anything from the Old West, with its gunslingers, cowboys and saloon girls, to the 1950s, complete with bobby socks and poodle skirts. Challenge your teachers to think outside the box to create numbers in their style within the theme.
Take your audiences around the world. Create distinctive looks for each class or section of your studio. Geisha girls, Swedish dairy maids and Island hula dancers are just the beginning.
Creating a recital that tells a story presents a creative challenge. Some studios create entire ballets incorporating various styles of dance.
Classic fairy tales, such as Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, are natural fits for dance shows. Use multiple MCs to narrate your story in character to keep the show flowing.
A classic movie can serve as the framework for a dance recital. Movie musicals have built-in scores. If the original versions of the songs don't fit your needs, you can find classic movie musical numbers re-recorded in styles from classical to rock.
Choose a favorite children's story, such as "Madeline" or "The Cat in the Hat." Create set pieces based on the book's illustrations.
Adding a little spice to your traditional recital can also win you big points. Try using unexpected performers or getting the audience involved. "Daddy dances" are always a big hit. Choose a contemporary song to have the fathers of your students dance to. Keep the rehearsals private so that the dance remains top-secret until they hit the stage.
Try an audience participation dance. Teach your guests a few simple moves for something like the classic chicken dance. Save this one for the beginning of your second act as a kind of theatrical "seventh inning stretch".
Bring back an alumna who has gone on to a career as a professional dancer, whether it be ballet or hip hop, and let her strut her stuff in a special number highlighting a few of your older students dancing with her. This is a great way to show where training at your studio can lead.