Dinner and dance entertainment in Singapore is the programme that runs around the company's annual D&D: the emcee, the music for the dance floor, the feature acts between the speeches, and the timing of all of it against the hotel's dinner service. We plan that programme as one run sheet, book every act and keep the night on time, so the committee can look after the guests instead of the cues.
Price: a basic D&D package for up to 150 guests usually costs SGD 3,000 to 7,000, and a standard production for 150 to 400 guests with a live band, two to three acts and basic lighting SGD 7,000 to 15,000. Venue, food and AV are billed by the hotel. See D&D and event entertainment prices.
What a D&D programme includes
A standard dinner and dance package covers an emcee to run the programme, a live band or DJ for the dance segment, one or more feature acts and basic sound. Bilingual hosting in English and Mandarin is common, so tell us what your guests need. The emcee also runs the awards, the long service recognition, the games and the lucky draw.
Feature acts give the night its high points. Dance acts are the most requested category for a company D&D, because they suit mixed age audiences and photograph well for the internal newsletter afterwards. Magicians and close-up performers suit the cocktail hour before dinner. A lion dance gives an auspicious opening, especially near Chinese New Year. Cultural acts from Indian and Malay traditions alongside Chinese ones, or a bhangra and dhol act, are a lively way to open the night before the formal segment.
Not every package includes lighting design, a rehearsal or a backup for an act that cannot perform. We say in the quote what is in and what is not, and we arrange a replacement if a booked act falls ill.
Build the run sheet with the hotel
The most common reason a D&D runs late is the gap between the hotel confirming the dinner service and anyone confirming the full run sheet. The hotel times the courses without knowing there is a 20 minute award segment or a band changeover. A ballroom dinner service often takes about 90 minutes, and the room has a hard stop. We build the run sheet the same week the venue is booked, then share it with the banquet team, so the speeches, the courses, the acts and the dance floor all fit inside the evening.
For 800 guests or more, plan two emcees working in shifts, or one bilingual emcee with a stage manager cueing from the side. Sound check and stage setup usually start three to four hours before the doors open.
Theme ideas
A theme ties the entertainment, the dress code and the decor together. Themes we plan entertainment for include Hollywood Glamour, Masquerade Ball, Great Gatsby Jazz Night, Tropical Paradise and Futuristic City. For a Gatsby night, a jazz band and themed dancers carry the era. For a futuristic night, LED acts and a DJ fit the look. Choose the theme before booking the acts, so they match the stage and the photos.
When to book
November and December are the busiest months for company D&D nights, and the most popular emcees and acts take several bookings across the same season. Book six to nine months ahead for those months. For a date outside the peak, three to four months is usually enough, and a quieter month such as March or August can cost 10 to 20 percent less than December.
Send the date, the hotel and the headcount through the quote form, and read the planning guide for the questions to settle with your committee first.
