I have a ton of shorthand when taking notes on ballet. When I get to typing up my notes, I actually type out the full words, since, well, I'm typing up my script and there's no reason for it to be shorthand anymore.
Sh sit = Shoulder Sit Lift
Piro, Dbl Tour, Prom, Bour, Chain, arab = Pirouette, Double tour, Promenade, Bourree, Chaines, arabesque
PDD = Pas de Deux
Cpl = Couple
Diag = Diagonal
DC-->UR = moves DC to UR
XX = 2 Opposite lines of dancers cross the stage, crossing each other
hh = hold hands
Ent and Ex are my favorites.
And the one I still use shorthand, even when I type
FC FBB = Full Company Forward, Bow, Back
I got my ASM so used to it, that we actually say only the letters when giving bow notes to each other. We're slowly getting our Principal Ballet Master to accept the short hand and understand just the letters. Now he's using it in his bow notes!
When working on a ballet with a set, we create our own ground plans then number chairs and letter tables, so it's easy when referring to 3 at A, means to us: chair 3 at table A. We make a point to be consistent within each scene, so we never have to refer to chair 1, just 1.
I find when working a staged reading, I do the same thing with music stands and stools. I tend to assign whatever mic is nearest the music stand the same number (I then letter my stools) as the stand. Then it's easy for me to communicate to the sound engineer with regards to what mic # needs to come up at a certain time.