Theater etiquette guidelines for parents and friends

It's great to support your dancer when he or she performs.  If you are not a dancer yourself, the etiquette of the theater may be new to you.  Here's a little overview of expected behavior from a theater audience.

1.  Dress appropriately.  Most of the time, theater dress ranges from business casual/ "church wear" to formal.  At the very least, men should wear kakis and polo shirts and ladies should wear dress slacks or skirts and blouses.  If you can help it, do not wear jeans.  If there is a reception or party after the show, it's better to dress fancier.

2.  Arrive on time.  Normally the performance will start 5 to 10 minutes late.  This is usually due to staging difficulties.  Audience members should always arrive at or before the starting time listed on the tickets.  It is exceptionally rude to arrive after the program has started, as opening the door of the dark theater can let in light and distract the performers and other audience members.

3.  Don't leave your seat, talk, or get out your phone until intermission/the end of the show.  Unless you are having an emergency, stay seated.  You can go to the bathroom and check your messages at intermission or after the program ends. Any noise you make is distracting to the audience and the performers.  The only general exception to this is if you have a child with you.  If the child is misbehaving, take him or her into the lobby for a while until the behavior is under control.  If you have a very young child (under 5 years old) or a child with behavior problems, it may be best not to bring the child to the performance.

4.  Don't critique the performance (at the performance).  If something goes wrong, like a dancer falls, don't mention it in a negative way.  You may say it was a "good recovery" if you bring it up at all.  If your dancer asks you for any critiques, you may give them honestly at home after the performance.

5.  If you attend opening night, bring a small gift.  Flowers are the traditional option, but anything in a flat box (like chocolates) or envelope (like a fancy card) works too.  Don't feel obligated to spend a lot of money, this is mostly a gesture to your dancer that you care and to others that you are proud of your dancer's achievements.

Any other questions about specific situations?  Ask in the comments!