Author Topic: Dance Notation and Cue Sheets  (Read 26407 times)

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SMJ88

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Dance Notation and Cue Sheets
« on: May 01, 2010, 11:54 pm »
Dance documentation, it seems, is a very personal document, with each stage manager creating a method that works for them. I am very interested to see some of the forms that are being used for calling dance performances. I have noted various forums on SM Network on Dance Cue Sheets and Dance Notation, but am yet to see examples of these documents. I am a very visual person so thought I would post a template for the form I use. Please note that this form is a hypothetical form only (I am yet to use this form in a real life situation, have only practised using this form to notate a video recorded ballet). I would love to see more examples of dance cue sheets and notations so I can begin to find my own method and prepare myself for my first dance call (should the opportunity arise).

Looking forward to your replies.

Staycee.
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gelo141

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Re: Dance Notation and Cue Sheets
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2010, 02:05 pm »
These dance notation sheets are a variation on the blocking sheets that my director refuses too use  (long story, we won't go there).  It allows you to draw in the dancers as xs, os, triangels, squares, etc. and still maintain relative stage position.  The four sheets are all variations on the same theme.
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Jason2025

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Re: Dance Notation and Cue Sheets
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2010, 04:35 pm »
Hey those sheets are great, could be very handy. I'm SM for a new work this fall, I may just use them :)

Cheers.

J\

Sarah

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Re: Dance Notation and Cue Sheets
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2010, 07:01 pm »
This post will make better sense if you look at the document first. I use a variation of a form with the time signature of the music, i.e. 4/4, 3/4, 7/8, etc., written out  line by line. Most often though, I'll use a page of 8 counts and just cross out any unnecessary beats. I use the empty box at the front of the line to put in the measure number, 1, 6, 23, etc., and  then note major or unique visual or audio cues on the beat (or not) on which they occur, to help me keep track of where I am in the music if I lose count. In this example, the caret might indicate a cymbal crash and the slashes things like a solitary drum beat.

SM_JenD

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Re: Dance Notation and Cue Sheets
« Reply #4 on: Jul 17, 2013, 12:27 pm »
I found this while stumbling around Google --
thought it might be helpful to you all out there, it is totally making me a little calmer and prepared for this show .
Thanks!

Norah Jane Scheinman

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Re: Dance Notation and Cue Sheets
« Reply #5 on: Jul 25, 2015, 10:08 am »
I just created this Dance Notation form for "Comedy of Errors" here at Shake&Co, because our Choreographer didn't have an Assistant and he was creating most things in the room with feedback from the director. I wanted our Dance Captain, PSM and LD to have common language, so I created this template and then edited it according to the counts of the dance and whether or not there were lyrics. You can see how I handled multiple tracks in both examples, and how I used lyrics not counts for Whitney Houston.

Let me know your thoughts/questions!
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