The Ultimate 2025 Dance Show Prep List for Dance School Owners

By November, most dance schools are already well into prepping for their 2025 showcases. Choreography is underway, and costume orders have been placed (or are currently haunting your inbox), and your student group chats are 90% “which tights do I need again??”

Even if you’re ahead of the game, this checklist ensures nothing slips through the cracks- so your dancers shine and your audience have a seamless, unforgettable experience.  

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1. Lock in the Essentials

Even when you think everything is confirmed, this is the moment to reconfirm- because surprises at showtime are only fun when they’re choreography.  

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• Venue & date confirmations: Have you reconfirmed contracts, insurance, and venue capacity?

• Double-check seating capacity, dressing rooms, and loading access.

• Staff assignments: Make sure each team member knows their role—stage manager, costume coordinator, tech lead, volunteers.

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Financial Check

• Review actual costs so far vs projected budget

• Confirm whether costume/production fees have been invoiced to parents (no awkward follow-ups two days before curtain)

Pro Tip: A single shared document with responsibilities, deadlines, and contact info prevents last-minute chaos.

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This is where class management software earns its standing ovation.

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Class management software takes an enormous amount of admin stress out of show season.  

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Instead of:

• Juggling parent messages across WhatsApp, email, Facebook, text…
• Trying to remember who has paid what and when
• Manually reminding every class about extra rehearsals
• Tracking attendance on paper  

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Your class management software helps you:

✔ Keep all parent communication in one place
✔ Track fees and payments (no awkward “just following up…” messages)
✔ Schedule extra rehearsals as classes so reminders + registers happen automatically
✔ Keep attendance records (super important as show day approaches)
✔ Reduce staff admin time so you can focus on the dancing

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In show season, clarity = calm

And calm = better performances (for everyone)

Want help choosing the right software for your studio? Read our guide to the [.pink__text]Best Dance School Management Software.[.pink__text]

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2. Rehearsal & Choreography Wrap-Up

By now, choreography should be set, so this stage is about clarity, confidence and consistency.

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• Finalise any last-minute choreography tweaks and musical edits (and back them up- one device always dies on show day)
• Confirm that all dancers have received spacing notes for the stage.
• Schedule full dress rehearsals, ideally on the stage with props and tech in place.

‍Pro Tip: Stagger rehearsals by group if space is tight—this prevents crowding and burnout.

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3. Costume & Prop Crunch Time

This is where dance shows often get stressful- so the organisation here matters. Late November is prime time for checking and double-checking costumes:

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• Ensure all costumes fit properly, including shoes, accessories, and undergarments.
• Label everything clearly, including props, to avoid backstage mix-ups.
• Plan transport and storage for props during rehearsals and show day.

Quick Hack: Assign a volunteer “Costume Captain” to handle last-minute repairs, pins, or forgotten pieces.

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On the look out for dance show costumes? We have an incredible offer with our partner IDS, who offer a huge variety of dance costumes to fit any theme. Join us today and you get 3 months of ClassForKids for free and £150 IDS voucher! Check out the offer [.pink__text]here.[.pink__text]  

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