FormyDance formations for 13 dancers
Here are 9 formations that work well for a team of 13, from everyday windows to big moments like the wedge. Every diagram opens in Formy, so you can drag dancers around, add names and share it with your team.
How to read the diagrams: the audience is at the top (FRONT), as on the Formy board. That means stage left is on the left of each diagram.
1. Windows (staggered rows)
A front row of 7 and a back row of 6. Each back-row dancer stands in a gap of the front row, so the audience can see all 13 faces. Most routines keep coming back to this one.
Open this formation in Formy →2. Wedge (pyramid)
Rows of 1, 3, 4 and 5 from front to back, with one dancer at the point, downstage center. It pushes the energy toward the audience. Save it for a big chorus hit or to feature a dancer.
Open this formation in Formy →3. V shape
Two diagonal lines that meet at the front, with one dancer at the point. The open middle makes it good for entrances and for showing who leads the next section.
Open this formation in Formy →4. Circle
13 dancers evenly spaced on a ring. Face in for a group moment, face out to play to the whole house, or use it as a transition between bigger shapes.
Open this formation in Formy →5. Soloist with backup
One dancer downstage center with the other 12 behind in two rows of 6. Use it for a feature, a lyric line or a short solo, then fold the soloist back in.
Open this formation in Formy →6. Two groups
The team splits into two groups: 7 on stage left and 6 on stage right. Good for call and response, a battle section or two different pieces of choreography at once.
Open this formation in Formy →7. Three staggered rows
Three staggered rows of 5, 4 and 4. Windows for a bigger team: each row stands in the gaps of the row in front, so faces stay visible from the house.
Open this formation in Formy →8. X shape
Two diagonals that cross at center. Eye-catching from the audience, and it is easy to reach from a block.
Open this formation in Formy →9. Inverted wedge
The widest row at the front, narrowing to one dancer upstage center (rows of 5, 4, 3 and 1). It frames the dancer at the back and works well for a reveal.
Open this formation in Formy →Tips for staging 13 dancers
Center. With 13 dancers you have an odd number, so one dancer can stand exactly center. That spot gets the most attention, so rotate who takes it from section to section.
Rows. For windows, split the team into a front row of 7 and a back row of 6. With three rows, use 5, 4 and 4. Rotate the rows between sections so the same dancers are not always at the back.
Stage size. Allow about 1.2 m (4 ft) per dancer across a row so arms and turns have room, and about 1.5–2 m (5–6 ft) between rows. A row of 7 needs about 8.5 m (28 ft) of stage width, and 2 rows need about 3 m (10 ft) or more of depth. Shapes with more rows, like the wedge, need extra depth.
Order. A simple order that flows well: Windows → V shape → Wedge → Two groups → Circle → Soloist with backup → Windows. Moving between neighboring shapes keeps transitions short, so dancers are not crossing the whole stage in one 8-count.
Large casts. You can open these 13-dancer formations and save them to your projects for free. The Free plan lets you add up to 10 people to a board, so adding more dancers or building your own large boards from scratch needs Formy Pro.
Questions
What is the best formation for 13 dancers?
There is no single best one, but windows (7 and 6 in two rows) keeps all 13 dancers visible and works for most of a routine. Save the wedge or the v shape for big moments, and use the circle or the two groups for openings, endings and transitions.
Who should stand in the center with 13 dancers?
With 13 dancers, one dancer can stand on the center line. Many teams give that spot to a different dancer in each section, or use it for whoever has the feature in that part of the song.
How much stage space do 13 dancers need?
Allow about 1.2 m (4 ft) per dancer across a row so arms and turns have room, and about 1.5–2 m (5–6 ft) between rows. A row of 7 needs about 8.5 m (28 ft) of stage width, and 2 rows need about 3 m (10 ft) or more of depth. Shapes with more rows, like the wedge, need extra depth.
Can I edit these formations and send them to my dancers?
Yes. Every diagram on this page opens in Formy, a free formation app that runs in the browser. Drag dancers, add names and colors, then share a view-only link. Dancers open it on their phone with no download or account. Adding more than 10 people to a board needs Formy Pro.
Formations for other team sizes
Plan your routine in Formy
Put one formation in each scene, set the counts, and play the transitions back against your YouTube video. Then send your dancers a link they can open without an account.