ChrisBogg Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Hi Guys I have been lighting designing for musicals for a number of years but have recently been doing more and more lighting of dance productions. While im reasonably happy with the results I am getting Im getting interested in dance lighting more and so Im looking for good books on the subject. I know about the plasa book store and have read lots of other lighting texts so please only personal recommendations of dance related (or written by dance LDs etc) would be greatly appreciated. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 I have been similarly searching for a book on lighting design specifically for dance, on and off the for the last couple of months - I am beginning to think such a book doesn't exist. The best I have been able to find are the two chapters in Simon Benniston and Neil Frasers The Handbook of Stage Lighting. Generally an excellant book, giving very practical examples - in these two chapters on dance and ballet. The advice seems to much the same as for drama - take to the choreographer/director, read the score (if the is one) or listen to the music/soundtrack, attend runs in rehersal but expect things to change and have reasons for doing what you do. So if any one does know of a book on lighting design for dance, I would be very interested. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Allen Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 I went and got a book on dance choreography that explained all of the basic moves that they use, it is lines parallel to the stage front. diagonal to the stage front, circles and lines parallel to the wings. Then they go into variations. Once you know what they are going to use, you can use a shorthand sketch method of noting where they move, with arrows (but no seeing eye dog) and number the sequential moves. It is best to videotape if you can as you only get to see it maybe once, but it takes a while to plot. Remember with dance it is sidelight, backlight, front fill as a general guide of importance. When lighting lines, the first dancer blocks the light for the other dancers, so consider using a high side to cover along the line, and focus slightly upstage. dega vu here. A search of BR should turn up several discussions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisBogg Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 Thanks Guys. It seams that books on this subject are few and far between. Keep them coming if you think of any while I go get my copy of the handbook of stage lighting out! (blows of dust from book!) Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lightnix Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 It seams that books on this subject are few and far between...That's possibly because there isn't really enough to fill a whole book with ;) No disrespect to dance / ballet LDs at all (far from it), but the basic techniques of dance lighting can probably be summed up in a chapter or two - after that it's a simple matter of watching and learning from experience (just as it is with other sub-disciplines), before taking your finely-honed skills and using them to help fulfil a director's vision :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Allen Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 Here is a lighting for dance pdf Selecon Newsletter Vol 6 Google shows up a few sites Lighting The Dance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisBogg Posted April 1, 2009 Author Share Posted April 1, 2009 Thanks guys I had already taken a look at the Selecon link. I have sifted though the first page of google and found a few interesting pages but was just hoping there would be a specialist book on the subject like say the one on lighting for theatre in the round etc. Not to worry thanks for your help Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclesteve Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Hi Chris, found this on the internet. http://www.northern.edu/wild/LiteDes/dance.htm It might be of some use. See references at top of page as well as useful info in articles. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I have a book called "Staging Dance" by Susan Cooper which has a chapter on lighting. It's only an introduction and doesn't really say much. There's also three pages in "Stage Lighting" by Richard Pilbrow about dance lighting - they are actually written by John Read and are quite interesting. I wrote the date I bought this book in it - 21/1/95 - 14 years ago - my goodness I am getting old, and I'd been doing lighting for years before then. The book first came out in 1970, but mine is the second edition, published in 1979. It's a classic book and recommended reading for all lampies! Most of my lighting work is for dance, although I wouldn't claim to be an expert in the field. One thing to remember is that there are different forms of dance that require different approaches to lighting. Some styles of ballet are quite narrative and I've found they often need to be treated a bit more like drama, but as you get more abstract (contemporary dance, modern ballet, and the more romantic ballets with hoards of fairies etc!) you can be a lot more creative with the lighting. Often you find different styles within the same show, and different scenes need radically different lighting, and it can be quite a challenge to get enough variation out of a small rig. I'd second Don's comment on using high side light (as well as booms) - sometimes called pipe-ends for obvious reasons. Also look out for moments where you can productively employ specials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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