In episode 79, we're taking you behind the scenes of our 7-month journey from our October Year-End Show Retreat all the way through dress rehearsal week! We’re sharing how we plan, what gets done when, and how our team brings it all together to create a magical show experience.

Here’s a month-by-month breakdown of our show planning timeline:

November:

• Met with full staff to recap retreat plans
• Saw Wicked (three times!) for creative inspiration
• Sent show day/time and costume info to families
• Master spreadsheet begins!

December:

• Ordered costumes
• Continued editing music for every class

January:

• Delivered music to staff
• Launched costume lookbooks and theme reveals
• Started choreography and prop planning
• Costumes began arriving and were sorted into garment bags

February:

• Finalized music (voiceovers, sound effects, etc.)
• Continued choreography and prop building
• Began building our personalized show app
• Started early logistics planning with DRT (ticketing partner)

March:

• Choreography goal: complete by month’s end
• Uploaded practice videos for dancers
• Preschool show leaders began working directly with classes
• Started planning backstage team

April:

• Routines finalized and shared with characters
• Set pieces in full creation mode
• Began building show program
• Ordered merch + goody bag items
• Released full show info packet to families

May:

• PURE MADNESS (and lots of magic!)
• Final staff meeting before the big week
• Tickets and merch sales go smoothly
• Hosted our character photo shoot
• Dress rehearsal week! Rehearse, group photo, photo ops, and more
• Finished and printed the program – a fan favorite!
• Created fun new photo ops and custom merch experiences
• Filmed our Welcome Video – 15 years strong!
• Set the finale and wrapped up with final rehearsals
• Packed up every last thing needed for the theater

Final Curveball:
Just days before the show, we were hit with a last-minute venue construction notice! We had to pivot quickly, reconfigure logistics, and communicate new plans—all during a major storm! But with quick thinking and teamwork, everything came together.

Challenges:

• Delays due to waiting on music tied to the Wicked movie
• Balancing a busy comp/convention season with show planning
• Last-minute venue access change

Wins:

• Incredible production value and theme
• More creative and fun merch options
• Our custom app made info easy to access
• Our rockstar team made it all happen!

Every season is a new adventure—and we’re always learning and improving. Stay tuned for our next episode, where we’ll dive into everything that happens at the theater—from load-in to load-out!

Thanks for listening! Have a tip or trick that works for your studio? We’d love to hear it.

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We’re back with Episode 78! And we’re recapping six big things that have happened over the past six months at Rhythm and Confetti on the Dance Floor — and giving you a sneak peek at what’s coming this summer. From new Camp Confettis to our biggest announcement ever (we’re moving!), this episode is packed with all the fun, chaos, and sparkle you expect from us. Here's what we cover:

1. New Camp Confetti Themes
We launched Pink Bubbles & Emerald Energy (Wicked-inspired) and Bark in the Park: A Big Blue Adventure (Bluey-inspired), and we’re loving all the pics and videos coming in. These two new themes have been a huge hit with studio owners and dancers alike.

2. Studio Owner University with MTJGD
We attended Studio Owner University in beautiful Amelia Island with our team—Krista, Kelsey, and Shelley—and left full of inspiration, ideas, and to-do lists. SOU is always a reset, and having our team there this year gave us fresh perspectives on everything from tuition to communication. Plus, our Confetti booth had one of its best events yet.

3. Summer at Rhythm is in Full Swing
Even though summer registration launched in February, we officially kicked off summer camps just a few days ago. After a quick regroup post-show, our team is dialed in and ready—improving everything from communications and staffing to crafts and content creation. The energy in the studio is high, and we’re loving it.

4. We’re Moving and Expanding
After 32 years (and 25 in our current building), we’re making a massive move to a brand new, 9-studio, 25,000 sq. ft. space later this fall. It’s a huge milestone and we’re still in permitting, but we’re so excited to share this journey with you. Expect full episodes soon about this transition—we’ve got big plans to make this the most Rhythm space ever.

5. Survived Competition & Convention Season
January through April was wild. From intense schedules to dazzling custom costumes (shoutout to Beth for sewing every piece!), we made it through the busiest season ever. Our production number continues to be a huge creative outlet—we may not choreograph it anymore, but we’re still deeply involved in all things music, costuming, and storytelling.

6. RHYTHMerald City OZtravaganza is in the Books
We just wrapped our epic Year-End Show and we’re still buzzing. From the vibrant theme to the over-the-top production, this show might be one of our all-time favorites. There’s so much to share, we’re planning a deep dive soon. If you have questions, send them our way.

Plus: Our Summer Confetti Schedule

• Dance Teacher Summit – August 8–11, New York City
• Energize Conference – August 14–17
• Dance Educators Collective – August 28–31, Nashville

Thanks for catching up with us—we’re excited to be back and have so much more in store.

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In episode 77, we're talking about our annual year-end show retreat, sharing our top takeaways, organization hacks, and some creative touches we add to make our year-end show is a fun and unique experience!

Annual Year-End Show Retreat Highlights

• Pre-Retreat Prep
  • Review last season’s recap to set clear goals.
  • Streamline props and sets; reduce and repurpose where possible.
  • Pre-plan with team: collaborative playlists, light decor, idea sharing via Google Docs.
  • Brainstorm preschool production ideas in advance with voice recordings.
• Setting the Creative Scene
  • Retreat held in a decor-rich setting inspired by Oz and Wicked themes.
  • Green decor, custom banners, themed books, and collectibles for an immersive environment.
  • Key team member Beth joined for early insight into props, sets, and coordination for smoother season planning.
• Retreat Agenda
  • Arrange costumes on poster boards for visual organization.
  • Finalize show concepts, music, costume sizing, and themes.
  • Develop massive planning spreadsheets, finalize dress rehearsal schedules, and outline communication materials for families.
  • Compile visual boards for costume inspiration and show themes.
• Costume Planning
  • Quicker costume selection process.
  • Frustrations with character costumes addressed.
  • Organized costumes with garment bags and tags.
  • Finished the lookbook ahead of schedule.
• Fun Elements
  • Listening to themed playlists.
  • Candy bar, themed drinks, bell for costume choices.
  • Oz-inspired “explosion” cake and charcuterie board.
• Top 3 Wins
  • Dani: Detailed notes, organized props and sets, early hand-held prop orders.
  • Becca: Completed lookbook early, streamlined decor, more organized with Beth’s support for team questions.

Pro Tip:
Consider planning a day or afternoon retreat if a full weekend isn’t possible.

Did You Know? We offer a recital planning course! Your Fun Big Show is a Complete Recital Planning Course with an extra fun Confetti factor! We’ll provide you with a proven formula and lots of tools to plan the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, CONFETTI-ational Fun Big Show ever!

This Course allows you to listen and learn at your own pace to nearly 3 hours of recorded presentations from us, as well as all the notes, guides, resources and more! Purchase it today and your download will be emailed to you immediately!

Related Episodes on Recital and Show Planning

• Planning YOUR Fun Big Show (+ Our Fave Recital Moments)!
• Fall Recital-A-Rama
• Make Recital Planning Fun

Let's Get Social!

• Join our FREE Confetti Circle
• Request to join our private Facebook Group
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