Author Topic: DANCE:teaching dancers how to move set  (Read 3760 times)

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ambrosialx

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DANCE:teaching dancers how to move set
« on: Sep 26, 2014, 12:41 pm »
I'm back with more questions!

 So we have a show that is moderately set heavy, not a large set but a lot of specific moves which the dancers are required to do. They are struggling to say the least. Everything is spiked and we rehearse the bits a lot but is there anything I can do to help them with this? My plan is to do a little warm up exercise before every rehearsal where I basically drill them (they are triangular columns with a red side a painted side and a mirror side on casters) making them make the different formations or do a different side with no for warning just to get them more familiar with moving the actual units efficiently.

Ideas? oh ya and we only have them until Oct 7 as we have to ship them to germany....
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KMC

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Re: DANCE:teaching dancers how to move set
« Reply #1 on: Sep 26, 2014, 01:21 pm »
Treat it like choreography, not like a scene shift.  Can you give them numbers from center for each shift in addition to the spike marks? 
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ejsmith3130

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Re: DANCE:teaching dancers how to move set
« Reply #2 on: Sep 26, 2014, 02:06 pm »
Whenever I am doing scene shifts with my kids at the high school, or university level, I make sure I have pictures or layouts posted backstage. I have an overhead view of the stage, with the set pieces mapped out where they have to go, and then label the names of who is supposed to be moving what. Post these on both sides of the backstage areas and go over them with the dancers. Having a visual reminder will help when they are not 100% focused on moving the item, because hey- the dancing is going to be taking up most of their brainspace. So don't make them have to think too hard.

If possible, try to have the same people move the same things throughout the piece so it is easier for them to remember.


LexieTaylor

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Re: DANCE:teaching dancers how to move set
« Reply #3 on: Sep 26, 2014, 03:27 pm »
We had a show like this last spring in Milwaukee.
I agree - treat it like choreography to the music and then rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.
Also, if you can, post a list of who's doing what when backstage. You'd think that dancers could remember scene changes if they can remember a full-length ballet....but anything that you can do to remind them should help.