This might sound really stupid but here goes...I assistant teach in a bunch of preschool classes and we have a christmas recital coming up in december. Yes, I know a ways away, but we have started the christmas dances and I can not keep them straight because they all use the same simple steps but in different orders. I have to go on stage with all of the classes and it would be extremely embarassing if I messed up a preschool dance. Do you guys have any tips for keeping them all straight?

I would say write them all down right after the class so you can look over your notes later, possibly even right before the performance. You could even explain the sitch. to the teachers, maybe they woul write them down for you. When I do practises with students, I try to say the excersise over in my head so i don't forget what i am doing, I don't know how that would work for you though. Hope these help!

Thank you! I do have them all written down in a notebook that I take with me to classes and look over before each different class starts. That isn't helping right now but maybe if I try it for a longer time it could work. I can remember the dances it is just that when I want to do them my feet get mixed up after a step (such as heel toe heel step) that is done in all of their dances and I start doing a different dance in the middle of the song. If that makes sense? Haha...any other advice would be appreciated!

~Mandie

I wouldn't worry too much. If you talking the itty bitty ones like 3 & 4 year olds, I have many times messed up a dance -- gotten the order of the steps wrong here and there (I'm the teacher & many times the one helping in performance) but they are following you. As long as you don't totally add a step they have never seen before they will just follow along.

Of course, you should try very hard to get the dance exactly right for them, but I wouldn't sweat it. It's more important that they are having fun, smiling, enjoying the experience of being in front of an audience.

Do your best, and if you mess up and they say something it's a great time to set an example of what you do when you mess up--keep going and no one will ever know.

You'll do fine. If it gets to be too much, I would express you concern to your teacher(s) and perhaps they can make some small changes to make the choreography more consistent.

I'd try to say the steps when you're practicing with them. Of course you'd have to remember what group you're with at the time. If they have different costumes, that's a good way of remembering the groups. Anyway, yah say the steps out loud. The brain comprehends it better when you do it and say it out loud.

maybe if the songs have lyrics you can put the steps to lyrics and then it might help to straighten you out

Maybe you can do it this way - remember what kids are in what dances, and then maybe that will help you out a little bit?