By Beth Deitchman
Some of the biggest names in entertainment are taking to the stage for a nationwide concert tour. Put on your dancing shoes and have those cell phones at the ready—the on-stage entertainment is spectacular, but the audience reactions will melt your heart. Mickey Mouse and other beloved Disney Junior characters are headlining Disney Junior Dance Party on Tour—an interactive concert experience that launches today in Thousand Oaks, California. Here is the scoop on what you need to know about the high-energy show now making its way around North America.
1. Disney Junior Dance Party on Tour is designed to be a first concert-going experience for kids.
Knowing that today’s parents have grown up enjoying a wide variety of concert venues and festivals, the Disney Junior team wanted to create a live performance that families could enjoy together. When Disney Channel launched tours inspired by High School Musical and Hannah Montana, it marked the start of something new for older kids, and now they’re bringing the best of both worlds—favorite television series and the concert experience—to the younger set. “In [live preschool entertainment], shows typically try and replicate a television episode on stage—and in our experience that just doesn’t work,” said Jennifer Rogers Doyle, senior vice president, Brand Development & Integrated Planning, Disney Channels Worldwide. Instead, the Disney team focused on allowing kids and parents to experience the full portfolio of Disney Junior characters in one show, rather than just one at a time.
For inspiration, the creative team looked to the Disney Junior Dance Party! at Disney California Adventure. “We decided that it was such a fun concept that we wanted to figure out a way that we could blow it out and make it bigger,” said Joe D’Ambrosia, senior vice president, Original Programming, for Disney Junior.
3. The biggest challenge was narrowing down which of Disney Junior’s greatest hits would be performed.
“We took great care in selecting songs that were vibrant, fun, and energetic, and that kids were really familiar with,” said Jay Stutler, vice president, Music, Disney Television Animation. Disney Junior Dance Party on Tour also features two brand-new original songs. Stutler shared, “We had Beau Black (Mickey and the Roadster Racers, The Lion Guard) write the song “Disney Junior Party.” “It’s a great opening number that will get kids out of their seats and ready for a dance party.” The other original song—“The Power of All of Us,” written by John Kavanaugh (Elena of Avalor, Sofia the First)—brings together all of the Disney Junior characters for a musical finale—and marks the first time ever that audiences have heard a song featuring Mickey and Minnie, Sofia, Elena, Doc McStuffins, and newest hit character, Vampirina.
4. You and your kids will learn some new moves.
What’s a dance party without a mirror ball?! Over the course of the concert, Mickey Mouse is on a mission to locate the magic disco ball and return it to the theater in time for the party. “This is not a show where kids are going to sit down and passively watch,” Rogers Doyle says. Two DJ hosts—the aptly named Dee and Jay—interact with the crowd even before she show begins, inspiring them to get up and dance and learn a few signature moves, including the “Disney Junior Power” and the “Mickey Magic.”
5. The show features so much Disney magic.
The creative team has captured all of the characters and the qualities that make them so magical, and each enjoys a special, unique introduction with the help of a huge screen shaped like the ears of a certain mouse. “I think it’s going to be really exciting for kids to see their favorite characters come to life before their eyes—and they do come to life magically on stage,” says D’Ambrosia.
6. The Muppet Babies are part of the fun… and other new characters may join the party, as well.
Muppet Babies debuts on Disney Channel on March 23, but you can catch a glimpse of them ahead of that in Disney Junior Dance Party on Tour. “We love the songs and the characters from that series so much that we definitely wanted to include them,” says D’Ambrosia, who explains that the show has been designed to be flexible, allowing for new segments or new songs to be added down the line. As upcoming series begin airing on Disney Junior, their characters could conceivably join the tour, as well.
7. The tour begins today and it’s coming to a city near you.
Performances begin tonight at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza in Thousand Oaks, California, and the tour will stop at such noteworthy venues as the Fox Theatre in Detroit, the Peabody Opera House in St. Louis, and the Grand Old Opry in Nashville. You can see the full schedule and purchase tickets at DisneyJuniorTour.com.
8. It’s an unforgettable experience for the entire family.
With 22 musical numbers and a host of Disney Junior characters, there’s lots to take in on stage—but parents may spend more time watching the watchers. “I think parents will love seeing this show through their kids’ eyes as their favorite characters come to life. It’s really special,” shares Stutler, a dad himself. Disney Junior Dance Party on Tour brings the magic directly to kids and the feeling that comes with seeing the Disney Junior gang up-close is infectious. “You see the show and you just feel happy,” says Rogers Doyle. “You can bring your older kids, you can bring your younger kids. It’s designed to be for the preschool audience, but it’s really just a lot of fun.”