ShowSort in a Nutshell
Think of a dance recital like a busy airport on a holiday weekend. Each performer is a traveler with a packed itinerary — they need to make their "flights" (routines) in a specific order, and some of those layovers are very tight. If a dancer finishes Tap and needs to be in Ballet two routines later, that might mean a lightning-fast costume change backstage.
ShowSort is the air-traffic control system that figures out the smartest sequence for every routine in your show — one that keeps as many of those costume changes relaxed and manageable as possible, for all of your performers at once.
Who is it for?
ShowSort is built for dance studio directors and recital coordinators who need to set a performance order for shows where performers appear in multiple routines. Whether you have 50 numbers or 200, the same problem exists: you can't please everyone manually. ShowSort does the heavy lifting for you.
How does it work?
- Import your data — Upload a spreadsheet that lists which performers are in which routines.
- Configure your show — Add intermissions, groups, locks, and other constraints to reflect your vision.
- Optimize — Click "Start Optimizing" and watch ShowSort find the best possible order.
- Export — Download print-ready reports for your team, your performers, and your program.
What's a "quick change"?
A quick change happens when a performer appears in two routines with only one routine in between — meaning they barely have time to change costumes backstage. ShowSort counts these and tries to minimize them for everyone.
The default sensitivity is 1 routine apart, but you can adjust this in your show's preferences to suit your backstage workflow.