How To call a Dance Show when your Unsure

[nmakos]

I am stage managing my first dance concert in a few weeks, this has all been so helpful, thank you!

[BayAreaSM]

Let us know how it goes - and if you picked up any special tips or tricks to share with the rest of us!

Merde!

[ambrosialx]

Let us know how it goes - and if you picked up any special tips or tricks to share with the rest of us!

Merde!

Agree! I'm always looking for ways to make calling easier, I just did a show that averaged a visual cue every 20 seconds for a whole act...it can be tough!

[TechBoothPhantom]

I'm interested in going into dance stage management, as my mentor (I used to call her my college mentor but I've followed her around in the years after graduation too so I guess now she's my life mentor) is a predominantly ballet SM and she makes it look incredibly fun.  She's calm and relaxed about the whole process; she takes everything in stride and moves along like a pro.  She makes it look easy!  (When of course I know it isn't.)  She also recommends using the "make up your own blocking notes" method; she types up an easy-to-read script based on the blocking, with time stamps, and writes cues into it.  I'm used to huge binders full of notes, script changes, company information, etc., but she just uses a little half-inch binder with a fabricated script, some important information about the show, and contact information.

One thing I've noticed that's different with a ballet company (or at least this one) is the SM does nothing if a dancer is injured.  I saw someone sprain their ankle during final dress (with an audience) and the maestro briefly paused to give two other dancers time to get her off stage and into the arms of the PT.  Then, without the SM saying a word to facilitate this, another dancer immediately stepped on stage and finished the solo instead.  This allowed everyone to move on with the show (and the cues remained unchanged), and the new dancer received a modest round of applause.  I was in awe of how normal all of this seemed to everyone!

[BayAreaSM]

One thing I've noticed that's different with a ballet company (or at least this one) is the SM does nothing if a dancer is injured.  I saw someone sprain their ankle during final dress (with an audience) and the maestro briefly paused to give two other dancers time to get her off stage and into the arms of the PT.  Then, without the SM saying a word to facilitate this, another dancer immediately stepped on stage and finished the solo instead.  This allowed everyone to move on with the show (and the cues remained unchanged), and the new dancer received a modest round of applause.  I was in awe of how normal all of this seemed to everyone!

Not entirely true...perhaps it is in that company. Because dance is different than theater and the artistic director/choreographer stays through the run of the production (which is 1 to 3 weeks), it is up to artistic to correct the casting. When a dancer gets injured, while I'm calling the show, I text artistic about the problem and what they want done. I have time stamps in my cue sheet to say when that role needs to re-enter, my staff notifies wardrobe and hair and we wait for artistic. If artistic doesn't respond, I make the decision. And I always fill out Workers' Comp paperwork for injuries.


My very first season, as an ASM, a dancer came offstage injured. I helped him get to the floor, got him a pillow and we paged for the doctor. I knew that he had to go out and hold a maypole for the finale and I told another dancer, who was in the wrong costume (he had been on earlier in the piece) what to do and he did it. It may have looked odd visually, but that's what happens.


And maybe my company is the odd one, but I always take care of my injured dancers. I had a dancer dislocate his hip during a very contortionistic piece, which ended in a black out. It was my job to tell the PSM when he was standing for bows, and when he didn't, I told the PSM to call in the main and I ran out and carried the dancer offstage.


But, yes, dance companies have multiple casts for each role, termed "responsibilities". If someone goes down, and you're responsible for that role, you go in. Unfortunately the smaller the company is, it creates what we lovingly call "the domino effect". As someone gets injured, you end up having to cut roles because you just don't have enough covers/responsible dancers.

[ambrosialx]

I agree with the above. Dancers are more used to being injured and its not uncommon. I also find that there is more likely to be a company manager who will deal with the associated paperwork for injuries alongside you. Dancers I have found are a lot more self sufficient than actors.

[BayAreaSM]

If a company is lucky enough to have a Company Manager...

[LexieTaylor]

One thing I've noticed that's different with a ballet company (or at least this one) is the SM does nothing if a dancer is injured.  I saw someone sprain their ankle during final dress (with an audience) and the maestro briefly paused to give two other dancers time to get her off stage and into the arms of the PT.  Then, without the SM saying a word to facilitate this, another dancer immediately stepped on stage and finished the solo instead.  This allowed everyone to move on with the show (and the cues remained unchanged), and the new dancer received a modest round of applause.  I was in awe of how normal all of this seemed to everyone!

But, yes, dance companies have multiple casts for each role, termed "responsibilities". If someone goes down, and you're responsible for that role, you go in. Unfortunately the smaller the company is, it creates what we lovingly call "the domino effect". As someone gets injured, you end up having to cut roles because you just don't have enough covers/responsible dancers.

We had sooo much domino effect for our Nutcracker this year!
But yes, I feel like in the dance world we are more prepared for injuries than in theatre. The way these performers work just causes more opportunities for things to go wrong.
I am also amazed by the things that adrenaline can do for the body. I have watched dancers come off stage after finishing an act and collapse in tears before telling me that they were injured up to 20 minutes ago! For our company, the policy is that all covers need to stay in the building until the curtain has gone out for the last act just for this reason. Also, we always have medical staff (a PT or doctor or both) backstage.