Helpful
Production FAQs.

Our annual end of year production is many things to many people.

For our students, it’s an opportunity to showcase to a live audience the work they have learnt throughout the year. Students gain a great deal of confidence and satisfaction from being involved in our production.

They learn about working in a theatre, gain valuable stage experience, and most of all, they receive recognition, praise, and are congratulated for their efforts. Not only from their teachers and family, but from an applauding audience.

Dressing up in costumes, and putting on makeup is always an exciting part of the production as well! Learning to work in a group and develop a stage personality is also a very valuable lesson.

For parents, and the rest of your whānau, our production is when you all get to enjoy watching your children and their friends perform on an amazing stage.

Production is a lot of hard work, but so very rewarding! Our backstage crew are responsible for all the props, as well as ensuring each dancer makes it on stage before the lights come up. We then have many dance mums, dads, and studio friends involved in costumes, as well as our lighting crew, front-of-house helpers, and especially our wonderful teachers. Production for them, is an amazing creative experience.

For many of our students, and for all of our teachers, production is the most exciting, enjoyable and rewarding time of the year.

Our annual production is held at the end of term four. Please see here for this year’s dates.

The venue for production is Hawkins Theatre – 13 Ray Small Drive, Papakura. We've held our annual production at the theatre since it was built in 1990!

Younger children tend to find performing every night too tiring, so we split them into two groups, and they perform on alternate nights. Generally Grade /Level 1 classes and below.

Please make sure you inform your teacher if you are unable to perform in each show. Group A and B show dates are listed here.

Absolutely! When we move to the theatre, we run a week of classes on stage. These classes allow our dancers time to get used to the larger space dancing on stage. We then run a full weekend of rehearsals with classes grouped based on the sections their dances are in.

For the week leading up to opening night, each group will do one technical rehearsal and one dress rehearsal. This is to ensure all students have an understanding of the show order and know when they are to be on stage.

We endeavour to run to schedule during rehearsals, however, thank you in advance for your patience if we are running behind.

Rehearsal dates will be available on the studio noticeboard, as well as here on our website.

Technical rehearsals are held for students to get used to being on stage interacting with the technical aspects of production; music, props and lighting. Our backstage and tech crews will also be finalising prop transitions and lighting plots and projections. Dancers may wear regular class attire.

Dress rehearsals run the same as a normal show. Dancers are in full costume, hair and makeup. Props and full lighting are also used.

When you arrive at the theatre, dancers should have their hair and makeup done (if possible). Teachers and helpers will be available to assist with hair and makeup application. Also ensure nail polish and jewellery is removed.

Your costumes will be named and available in your assigned dressing area.

Dancers will remain in their dressing area until closer to their stage time. Teachers will bring younger classes downstairs to the hallway to wait to go backstage.

You’re welcome to leave once you’ve danced all of your routines but we do encourage you to try and watch the show in its entirety with your whānau.

Generally, you should arrive at the theatre 30 minutes before the show commences. You will, however, be advised more specifically once the programme has been finalised.

For dress rehearsals, please be at the theatre one hour before you are scheduled to be on stage to allow time for hair, makeup and anything else.

You are free to leave as soon as you have danced, unless advised by your teacher.

All dancers will be fitted and issued a costume for each routine they are in. These will be named and hanging in their dressing area from dress rehearsals onwards.

Please remember when wearing your costumes, these must be covered before the show and during half time.

Costumes must remain at the theatre. They need to be hung up in the dressing areas for the next group/show. Do not take your costume home.

If you notice an issue with your child’s costume; rips, marks, etc. – please inform one of our amazing costume committee members as soon as possible.

These ladies will make themselves known to you, and they’re in charge of ensuring that all costumes stay up to performance standard.

Hair

Each routine will have a set hairstyle. This will be related to the dance style, routine, or character - pony tail, pig tails, bun, etc. Your teacher will let you know the hairstyle for your routine.

We’ll be sharing some tips and tricks closer to production, but you might want to make sure you’ve got hairspray ready... It’ll become your production bestie!

Makeup

Dancers will apply full stage makeup prior to performing. While the makeup may look harsh under normal light, on stage, it’s perfect!

Under strong and colourful stage lighting skin tones are washed out, so wearing stage makeup allows the audience to see the joy on everyone’s faces, which is why it’s an integral part of the performing arts.

Staple items to have are foundation, blush, and lipstick. Often the lipstick you’ll need can be purchased from Kmart, The Warehouse, or a Dollar Outlet.

Teachers will also help with makeup instructions and application.

Underwear It is recommended to have dance-specific underwear to use under your costumes. These are high-cut, tan, seamless underwear. White underwear is another suitable option. No black, bright colours, patterns, etc.

Please also remember that all personal jewellery, nail polish and earrings need to be removed.

Due to limited space in the hallway and backstage areas, and some changes to dressing areas, only one designated parent for each pre grade class routine will be permitted backstage, as well as the class teachers.

Our teaching team will assist all other classes.

For anyone to watch our annual production, they must purchase a ticket. This includes dancers who wish to watch when they’re not on stage.

Tickets go on sale late October via our website. More information will on the studio noticeboard and website, once available.

Please note that you are unable to run into the theatre and watch your child’s class. This is due to Hawkins Theatre safety regulations, as well as to not disturb the audience.

If your child is watching the show as well, we recommend purchasing tickets near the end of a row, to avoid walking in and out in front of other audience members. Only make your way to or from your seats in between routines.

Please also ensure that all costumes are covered in the theatre during the show.

You are welcome to take videos and photos during theatre rehearsals or in the dressing rooms only.

During dress rehearsals and performances, no videoing or photography is allowed inside the theatre.

We also ask that you do not share any photos of the costumes until our show has begun.

Our show is professionally filmed and those participating will receive a link to download the edited video.

There is a small production contribution levy for students dancing in the show, as a contribution towards lighting, sound, props, and other general production costs.

In addition, a production costume levy is added to your account in term four. This levy varies based on the number of routines each child is performing in and is capped at 6+ costumes.

As Production and our Medal Test weekend are extra activities, they are not included in your general term fees.

In term four, term fees cover regular classes, as per the studio timetable, for students to learn their production routine/s, as well as all lessons and rehearsals at the theatre.

All outstanding term fees must be paid prior to rehearsals unless a payment plan has been agreed upon.