Sming for Dance

[Balletdork]

I'm teaching some SMing for dance Master Classes for USITT soon- does anyone have any suggestions for discussion topics?

Any ideas are welcome!

Thanks!

[centaura]

There's a lot of great information in the current thread on dance sm (here in the other forum).  Several of the things that have come up in member's discussion would work as discussion topics for your classes.  I.E. stop watch or no stop watch?  How are different prompt books/cue lists written for dance?  The differences between a dance show and a musical.  Those are a few discussion topics that jump immediately to mind.

-Centaura

[BalletPSM]

The differences between actors and dancers.

What the backstage atmosphere is like during rehearsals/performances.

The extreme importance of safety and taking all necessary precautions.

Choreographer v. director -- what's the difference? What can you expect to encounter?

Those are just some random 2 am thoughts...How much time do you have for each class session?

[Balletdork]

Time is the reason I'm requesting suggestions! A total of 5 hours of 2 days- yikes!

[BalletPSM]

So...I'm assuming that each class is a different set of people, or do you have some of the same students?

You could also talk about the importance of being familiar with ballet terminology and the importance of being able to read music (at least I think that's important...maybe you have different thoughts).  Are you only addressing stage management, or are you addresing company and production management as well? 

Whenever I do workshops, I usually bring in one of my scores and one of my production books and then take the group through my process as a stage manager from hire to closing night.  Since at the ballet I fill two roles, I tend to also talk about my role as the prod. manager and how this works in tandem with stage managing all the ballets.

Hopefully this gives you more ideas. 

[centaura]

Making a cheat sheet of common dance terms and talking about them is another idea.  I have a book that is basically a dictionary of dance terminology, unfortunately its packed so I can't get at the title and author.  When is your class?  I'll be moving in a couple of weeks and would be able to dig that book out then.

Also taking choreography blocking, what are different styles for notation, etc. and how important is it to that production?  Some companies want all the choreography recorded, while others only need the parts that are pertinent to cueing / etc.

-Centaura

[ljh007]

Some ideas:
- Footwear and its care
- Understanding athletic and nutritional needs of dancers
- Some of the well-known ballets and brief summaries, notable cueing sequences, famous roles, etc... just some basic coverage of standard rep.

[DAE]

Hi,

Sounds like you might have some time.
Like every proffessional dance company, yours probably tapes everything and if you can get permission from your company to borrow a tape, I would bring it and let the students call the show off the TV. Talk about what you look for, dance terms, the importance of timing, why you do your cues a certain way (whether it's score, cue sheets, dance sheets, or whatever...).

Something I did in college (many moons ago) and found very helpful.

My two cents,
Have Fun!

[BalletPSM]

let the students call the show off the TV.

How do you do this?  Give them a copy of the score pages with cues written in?  I'm curious, as I have to do a workshop in december and am looking for some new ideas too.

[Balletdork]

Just a follow up- The classes went really well, all my feedback forms were thumbs up and smiley faces (or so I'm told.)

Thanks for all of your suggestions!

[duckduckgoose]

Hi,

That was in Birgingham last week right?  I was at your class for stage management for dance.  As a dancer who is enrolled in a stagemanagement class I really enjoyed your class.  You made a really good bridge between the two fields.

But yeah, it was a really good class.

 

[Balletdork]

Thank you! I was just glad that no one feel asleep!

Are you one of the girls from Montgomery?

How'd the weekend go?

I was thinking of you-all (ya'll)  in performances!

[duckduckgoose]

I was the one who came in late as you were asking for people who have dance experience.  I do, but I felt kinda silly raising my hand as I ran in.  I'm from Winthrop University in Rock Hill in South Carolina.  But yeah, I really enjoyed the lecture.  I was also wondering how you got into the profession of stage management. 

[smejs]

let the students call the show off the TV.

How do you do this?  Give them a copy of the score pages with cues written in? 

I've brought in video or dvd of a show before, and have copied the script pages onto clear overheard projector pages.  Some of my cues are color coded (for q-lites), so those I then take a marker and color in.  All the students can then see at the same time.

Erin

[Balrina]

I went to Balletdork's classes and really learned alot. Thank you for the oppurtunity to speak with you afterward!