Author Topic: Number Markers for dance?  (Read 14353 times)

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SGU312

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Number Markers for dance?
« on: Mar 02, 2008, 04:30 pm »
I don't know if this belongs in this forum, so mods feel free to move it.
Anyways, I am in high school and we are doing Bat Boy the musical. Last week the cast spent rehearsals learning the songs. Tomorrow we start blocking. I got an email from my director today who wants me number 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 etc. from center going both stage right and stage left (every two feet) on the stage before rehearsal starts. Until our set comes in (late April), she said the numbers could be temporary. However, the space is shared and there will be other people on the stage. So I want something durable but also cheap. My stage is 40 feet across, so I have to buy/make 21 numbers. Any suggestions or ideas? This is my first time numbering the stage.
Thanks

hbelden

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Re: Number Markers for dance?
« Reply #1 on: Mar 02, 2008, 05:05 pm »
The easiest thing is to print out numbers 3 or 4 inches high and tape them to the stage using packing tape. 

If this is too disruptive for the other users of the space, see if you can get strips of luan that are eight feet long and fix the numbers to that.  Then lay the luan down from center line at the edge of the apron for each rehearsal, pick them up and stack them in the side after rehearsals.
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Celeste_SM

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Re: Number Markers for dance?
« Reply #2 on: Mar 02, 2008, 05:09 pm »
I was in a rehearsal situation where we were cycling between four different rehearsal spaces, and only one (the stage) was numbered.  I made my own portable number line with a long piece of fabric and iron-on numbers.  I just roll it up after rehearsal and carry it with me to the next space.  

In a place where you can put down permanent or semi-permanent numbers, you can can purchase number stickers at a hardware store (usually in the section where they sell numbers for houses) and put those down.  Individual reflective ones cost .89 to 1.69 each, but you can buy packages of multiple numbers for about $6 each, and it only takes a couple of those to number the full stage out to 22' each side.

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Re: Number Markers for dance?
« Reply #3 on: Mar 02, 2008, 05:19 pm »
If you want a discussion where money isn't necessarily an object, see http://smnetwork.org/forum/index.php/topic,966.0.html

If you can put them down and keep down for several weeks, we used to do it with the hardware store type numbers...but see if you can get ones that have every number the same width...especially when you get to double digits, the "center" of the number becomes harder to define.  And if your stage is very wide, of course check how many of each number is in the pack, as you may have to buy quite a few packs to get the right number of 2s, etc.

Erin

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Re: Number Markers for dance?
« Reply #4 on: Mar 02, 2008, 10:01 pm »
Whenever I've done this, it has just been a rectangle of white gaff with the numbers written with a Sharpie.  Quick, cheap, easy, never a complaint.  I like the idea of strips of luan, though, if you are roaming from space to space.  The fabric would be more easily portable, but I would think it would need to be a non-stretchy fabric.

John

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Re: Number Markers for dance?
« Reply #5 on: Mar 03, 2008, 03:17 am »
Love the rope lights - no idea where to buy it but a great thing for a theater to have

it's a rope light with center and every 2 ft marked with colored lights - and it can even live there during a show if your stage has a lip

OR

spike or painters tape make great numbers too...quick, easy, comes up - you could mark at the wall on your downstage side and prob just leave it there...

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Re: Number Markers for dance?
« Reply #6 on: Mar 05, 2008, 02:41 pm »
The only problem with a Colored Light every 2 feet is that some actors have trouble counting quickly and the farther out from Center they get - the more lights they have to count.  Not trying to make fun of actors but I've had them complain about it.

I've used numbers that were painted onto heavy clear plastic (used Black on 1 side and White on the other depending on the color of the stage floor).  That worked fairly well.

Of course, if you can paint on the stage - Glo-Paint works really well as the actors can see it clearly in the dark.

smejs

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Re: Number Markers for dance?
« Reply #7 on: Mar 05, 2008, 02:49 pm »
We used to just use 3 lights on our number line.  White at center, and red at 8 feet each side.

Erin

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Re: Number Markers for dance?
« Reply #8 on: Mar 05, 2008, 04:29 pm »
I have used numbers from the hardware store designed for street address (big, metal, easily read, reflective).

Rope light can now be purchased at Target or Home Depot - very common.  I have used gel over white rope light to mark center.  Rope light does the added feature of of marking the edge of the stage.
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jspeaker

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Re: Number Markers for dance?
« Reply #9 on: Mar 05, 2008, 11:29 pm »
I have always loved that Tony Walton designs the dance numbers into his floor treatment.  ie. For Forum they were roman numerals, Guys and Dolls they were dice... FUN
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nmno

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Re: Number Markers for dance?
« Reply #10 on: Mar 06, 2008, 02:04 am »
I have always loved that Tony Walton designs the dance numbers into his floor treatment.  ie. For Forum they were roman numerals, Guys and Dolls they were dice... FUN

While a cute idea, it seems like it would be less than effective.  II, IV, VI, VIII, X, XII, XIV?  I can't imagine my dancers being down with that...
For permanant numbers, I use stick on numbers that you can get from office supply places.  (Depending on the show, sometimes have a number line upstage as well as downstage.)
Do the math to figure out how many packages you need but take a look at the numbers and see if you can use unused numbers to stand in (especially for temp rehearsal #'s).  eg, an upsidedown 5 or 7 might work as a 2 or cut up 7's to make 1's and 4's, or 3's to make 8's. 
Along the lines of Heath's luan idea, I've used a long strip of heavy duty material (burlap perhaps) that can be rolled out on to the floor.  Write the #'s on pieces of white gaff then tape them to the strip in 2 feet intervals.  It can then easily be rolled up at the end of rehearsal and is small and light enough to put in a totebag or kit with other rehearsal items.

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Re: Number Markers for dance?
« Reply #11 on: Mar 06, 2008, 07:13 am »

Do the math to figure out how many packages you need but take a look at the numbers and see if you can use unused numbers to stand in (especially for temp rehearsal #'s).  eg, an upsidedown 5 or 7 might work as a 2 or cut up 7's to make 1's and 4's, or 3's to make 8's. 
Along the lines of Heath's luan idea, I've used a long strip of heavy duty material (burlap perhaps) that can be rolled out on to the floor.  Write the #'s on pieces of white gaff then tape them to the strip in 2 feet intervals.  It can then easily be rolled up at the end of rehearsal and is small and light enough to put in a totebag or kit with other rehearsal items.

I have done that too.  Back when I did musicals all the time, I made myself two numberlines (using the vinyl numbers).  I used white numbers and black paper and then covered each piece in clear marley tape.  I still have it buried in the bottom of my kit in case I ever need them again.

For traditional dance, I mark the stage using T's and X's and -'s (I use spike tape).  I have also pre-made these and clear coated them for tedious touring, though most of the time, I just lay down new tape and cover it with clear marley tape.

jspeaker

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Re: Number Markers for dance?
« Reply #12 on: Mar 06, 2008, 01:56 pm »
I have always loved that Tony Walton designs the dance numbers into his floor treatment.  ie. For Forum they were roman numerals, Guys and Dolls they were dice... FUN

While a cute idea, it seems like it would be less than effective.  II, IV, VI, VIII, X, XII, XIV?  I can't imagine my dancers being down with that...

As long as thats what they have in rehearsal its fine.  Going from 4,5,6 to IV,V,VI is a nightmare!
Jess W. Speaker, III
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