To ask for a shorter show next time?

[RishiRich]

DD does lessons at a dance school. She loves it and I was looking forward to watching their annual show, invited various relatives etc. The ticket said arrive at 1 a 1.30 start, collection for those not attending the performance (the show was over 2 days so most parents just went to one) at 4.30. Three acts with an interval between each one.

Saturday: arrived at 4.30. They hadn't finished act 2. Finally collected DD at 5.45.

Sunday: warned relatives in advance that it was going to be long. Finally got out of there at 6. That was five hours, with one 10-minute and one 5-minute interval.

The performances were all lovely but the length was testing for even the most devoted parents There were multiple dances per group, plus group dances and solos. DD was in 6 dances - I wasn't counting but quite a few of the girls must have been in 15+. DD was exhausted.

Would I be unreasonable to nicely suggest a shorter program next time? And if so, how to put that really nicely?

DD is in junior orchestra, pre covid the concerts had got longer over time, and we did ema to feedback that we loved seeing the children perform but that the programmes were just too long. We can't have been the only ones as the next show was much more manageable length.

@danceinfeet there were gaps in-between each dance. They had to change costumes and a lot of the girls were in multiple back-to-back dances.

Tactful suggestion you could make. I am sure there are some grandparents who would want to watch (or did) and the length of time could be an issue for some of them. Or people who have caring responsibilities or non-participating children.

We had this in DD's first performing arts school. It was a disaster. Too long, DD was in one piece only, chaos in the dressing rooms with children overheated, tired, hungry (because parents provided food for the time mentioned, 2 1/2 hours shorter than it was in the end).

It wasn't the only reason we swapped schools but the current one is on time, organised up to the tiniest detail, they are actually out faster than you think and noone is crying or stressed.

I would look for a different school.

I just counted and there were 40 dances and 2 songs. I'm still trying to think of something honest but diplomatic to say at DD's upcoming lessons.

Was this the first show you have attended?

If so then you could couch it in terms of you just wanted to know if it was the norm for shows to run so long or if it was a one off because you had some elderly family who came to support DD but struggled with the length of the show. Obviously they want to support DD but if all shows are going to be that length/overrun then they can't attend as it is just too much for them, especially with such short intermissions, so is there any way the school could look at the length of the show in the future?

Tbh if there was long gaps between dances it just sounds like it was badly organised - having dances staggered so that kids do one dance and then another group dances while they get ready for the next, as opposed to them being in back to back performances, is organisation 101 - so a bit of proper control, scheduling and editing down the performance list would lead to a much tighter and enjoyable show.

To be honest, even the planned times make the show much too long.

[quote RishiRich]@danceinfeet there were gaps in-between each dance. They had to change costumes and a lot of the girls were in multiple back-to-back dances.[/quote]
Then that is just really poor organisation by the dance school.

You organise the running order so a different group are on when the first group are changing between their first and next performances. Surely that is obvious to anyone with an iota of common sense - you don't need to be a dance expert.

Having to sit through 40 dances is also ridiculous. They must be aware that most adults there have only come as they feel obliged to watch their own child. I mean, you know there will be others you have to sit through, but 40 is just ridiculous.