Stage management for dance

[jot100]

Hi all,

 

I just wondered if any of you stage managers out there have worked on dance productions and could help?

 

I will be giving a talk to a group of NCFE, Nat Diploma and probably BTech National Diploma dance students on the role of a Stage Manager and wondered if anyone could tell me the difference in the jargon used. I have been in discussions with stage management tutors here who are unclear on the terminology used and I have been unable to contact out freelance stage manager who has done various dance productions.

 

The talk is going to be quite basic as these students do not wish to become Stage Managers but as part of their cousre at some point have to fulfill the role here. Its a strange set up as we do not do big dance productions they are small showcases of their work. I have therefor tailored the talk to this set up but would like to introduce them to using the correct technical terms and stage management jargon.

 

We do not have any books in our library that address stage management for dance. I will do a quick goggle search as well but thought I would approach the nice people here at the blue room for some help!

 

Many thanks

Jot

[Freddie]

<snip>I will do a quick goggle search as well <snip>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Would that be at PPE.com? :)

[paulears]

There isn't any specific stage management dance jargon - just dance jargon. If you SM dance then you have to be able to use their language. The only major difference I've found when dealing with dancers is that they are not too spacially aware - odd when you think about it? Obstacles that could hurt them, edges, shin-busters etc need to be pointed out very clearly or they just bump into things. If you're doing a talk, it's probably worth mentioning any restrictions you may have to place on them - noise is my number one, they just make so much noise off. Limbering up against flats or other items that aren't designed for it. Ballet needs some discipline in the use of rosin trays etc, but mainly they are just the same as any other performer. I've found that if they need to be blocked accurately due to lighting or set concerns, they are pretty good at hitting marks - once you've explained why.

[sam.henderson]

Have a look at this book:

 

Musical Theatre Choreography - Robert Berkson

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0713632739.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg

 

Its got all the dance jargon in and some useful advice as to how to record dance moves (for use in the prompt script).

 

Sam

[paulears]

Good book, but it does rather assume that the SM actually understands dance, as in a dancer, doing SM, rather than a technical person doing dance - if you get what I mean. The problem with any form of graphical notation is that it depends on how deep you want to go (to be fair the same applies to SM's who read music - do they read music, or can they follow a score. It's not quite the same. If you start to specialise in dance and start to understand choreography, you begin to move into a highly specialised area. If you ever look at Equities stage management register, you'll see all the many different skills on offer. I've been doing it for quite a while, and still have trouble recording dance moves. I can plod my way through laban, but not in real time.

 

If you are a dancer - the book works for you and deals with staging quite well. I'm not sure my "lurch, lurch, stagger, stagger, hop" style of recording is that useful!

[jot100]

Thanks for your comments, I will suggest the book to the library as the students here have to cover choreography as part of their course and it may be a good reference point.

 

I'm going to keep the talk simple, ie a whos whos in the Stage Management team, what a Stage Managers role is and touch on Health and Safety. As I said these students want to be dancers not a Stage Manager but as part of the course have to include a study on each technical role. If there are no major differences between dance and theatre I should be fine.

 

Jot

[Grahame]

this is perhaps a trifle OT, but I can't resist posting it.... I find point (x) to be particularly relevant! :)

 

TWIRLY Operating Instructions

 

• INTRODUCTION

 

Thank you for working with the latest version of TWIRLY operating system. New information has been made available in the past few weeks as to how the TWIRLY actually operates. Please read on to gain a detailed insight into the functions and features of your TWIRLY or TWIRLYS.

 

• OVERVIEW

 

Your TWIRLY is shipped from college or dance school with a default set of System Parameters. These Parameters cannot be changed in any way, but with careful and patient instruction new ones can be installed. However, once these Parameters are added, it becomes impossible to reverse the process. When using more than one TWIRLY, particular attention should be paid to the Parameters each TWIRLY is installed with. Failure to follow instructions is likely to create a clash of interests within your LINE of TWIRLYS, rendering them useless.

The useful lifespan or your TWIRLY is limited. Burnout from excessive Bouncing or the sudden desire to be a children’s television producer will usually render your TWIRLY useless within 5 years. TWIRLYS that do not suffer from the above disorders find themselves hunting for a powerful and preferably rich producer or director and once found, they will devote their time to persuading the chosen victim into marriage or giving them a job doing absolutely nothing at all. Remaining options are choreography or starting a Dance School that will enable them to influence a new generation of TWIRLYS and so ensure the survival of a fragile and endangered species.

TWIRLYS will automatically pair themselves with a buddy TWIRLY. The major bonus to this is that you will only have to install certain parameters into each TWIRLY. See Additional Software for further information. The downside is that your TWIRLY will spend less time with you and you will begin to lose control of them.

 

• DEFAULT OPERATING SYSTEM

 

All TWIRLYS have a base operating system that cannot be changed. There is no point in trying to change these parameters, as you will become easily frustrated and waste your valuable time.

• Basic Parameters

I. Standing at “10 to 2†when in standby mode.

ii. Counting (not including arithmetic). Most TWIRLYS have the ability to count from 1 to 8, but not as far as 10. The most likely cause of this is a complete misunderstanding of their 8-Bit Programming. Some early models were fitted with 16-bit Programming but this had to be scrapped due to the chaos caused during rehearsals.

iii. The ability to stand and stretch in the most inappropriate location possible, i.e. staircases, doorways, cash machines etc.

iv. The ability to chat and make noise in silent locations, i.e. anywhere in a theatre.

v. Inversely linked to Parameter (iv), a sudden attack of laryngitis that renders them completely unable to sing during a rehearsal or performance. Note that in applications that do not require the use of the built-in sound module this parameter is liable to manifest instead as a hardware fault, such as a pulled muscle or sprained ankle. In either case, this parameter is over-ridden when a relative, or more importantly, their agent, has arrived to see their adopted TWIRLY in action.

vi. After consuming vast amounts of food and alcohol at a company night out, the ability to stand up and argue that they only had a side salad and a mineral water, thus their share of the bill should only be a fiver, before ######ing off and leaving the technicians to foot the remainder of the bill.

vii. A complete lack of common sense.

viii. Bouncing and Bopping as soon as music is audible.

ix. The need to use a hair dryer at least 4 times a day.

x. The ability to not stand in the light allocated to them whilst on stage but quite happily get in the way of any lights when lurking in the wings.

xi. Upon entering a theatre or venue TWIRLYS lose the ability to step over anything more than an inch high. How they cope in the outside world with kerbs, pavements, and escalators is completely unknown.

 

• ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE

 

Any everyday function of a normal earth-dwelling humanoid can be programmed into your own TWIRLY. The more complicated the function you wish to install, the more time and patience you will have to devote to it. It is NOT advised that you start with Quantum Mechanics or Astrophysics, as these parameters will be totally useless due to Default (vii).

• Suggested installations

1. Self-Dressing. Saves hours waiting for a dresser to arrive.

2. Coffee and Tea Making. You don’t want them to dehydrate through excess chatting.

3. Advanced Navigation. Incorporates home, work, and leisure locations only.

4. Taxi Finding. A must if you have more than one TWIRLY. If installed along with Advanced Navigation in a single TWIRLY, it will spend its entire time trying to persuade other TWIRLYS in your LINE to travel home with it.

5. Shoelace Tying. You wouldn’t want your TWIRLY to fall over unnecessarily.

6. Door Shutting. Stops them pissing your mates off. See further installation on Advanced Door Operation.

7. Food ordering. Essential if you plan on letting your TWIRLY out unattended otherwise they will just sit in a restaurant complaining that their food hasn’t arrived, not realising that they haven’t actually ordered. Don’t let your TWIRLY starve. You’ll never hear the end of it.

8. Fashion. Should never be installed, as your TWIRLY will end up looking a complete ####. Due to an unfixable bug in the main operating system most TWlRLYS have a default of Fashion ON. This can become contagious in groups of 4 or more TWIRLYS and will result in them wandering around fashion stores for days trying to buy the same outfit as the contagious TWIRLY. In some extreme cases TWIRLYS have been known to self-destruct in high street stores causing untold damage when they have not found the desired garment.

9. Shagging. Should really be the first installation as the instruction is fun.

10. Advanced Door Operation. Includes opening and closing doors by pushing, pulling and handle use. Known problems occur on stage when your TWIRLY needs to understand the motivation behind using the door and exactly how they should make their entrance. When the door in question is built into a flying piece they completely lose the ability to shut the door and lock it behind them. This seems to be linked once again to Default (vii).

11. Intelligence. Not a viable option.

12. Dancing. No need to install. Although not a true part of the default system most TWIRLYS seem to learn this incredibly quickly, probably due to Default (viii). Take them to a club, turn the music on and sit back with your lager and watch them TWIRL. If your TWIRLY goes out with a group of fellow TWIRLYS make sure a TWIRLY installed with Taxi-Finding is part of the group.

13. Technology. Walkmans, CD Players, Cameras, Videos etc. Although TWIRLYS fall in love with this sort of gadget they seem to be totally incapable of operating them. The idea of plugging something into the mains never even enters their minds. They also lack the ability to understand that batteries do not last forever and have to be changed or charged. They will be completely astonished when having dropped an item, and watched it smash into a million pieces it fails to work again. Most will burst into tears when you tell them it’s completely ######ed and you cannot fix it.

14. In-built communications system, more widely known as a mobile phone. This function is particularly useful as it enables your TWIRLY to contact you in the inevitable event of navigation failure.

 

• OPERATING NOTES

 

Never expect too much from your TWIRLY. No matter what you install they will always suffer from Default (vii). Don’t get frustrated.

There are two things a TWIRLY will never say even after extensive programming:

1 Nine.

2 Can I buy you a drink.

[Guest lightnix]

Maybe not quite as OT as you might think.

 

This may be generalising slightly, but, dancers tend to be dancers through and through, often think of little else and are broadly unaware of the world around them. They far more, um... naïve and childlike than actors and usually require a far higher level of care, attention and general mothering than actors do. For instance: even if the venue / rehearsal rooms are right next door to a train station / bus stop, you may still need to provide a map and full written instructions on how to get from one to the other.

 

It might be a good idea to include this point in your presentation, maybe using the last post as a semi-serious example of what to expect from them.

[Freddie]

Do you really think they'd appreciate that 'nix? (I can see the headline now: SM KILLED BY MOB OF DANCERS AFTER "ADVICE" GIVEN ON FORUM...)

 

On a not-particular connected note, surely counting to 8 would only take 4bit programming and 16 would take 5bit...