the next generation of Dance as Art

where do you hold your recital?

I am looking to get out of holding the recital at school auditoriums. Does anyone hold it at a different type of location? How do you set it up? Suggestions would be great. I am looking to do this as a permanent entity--to stand out (and to get away from the studio that leaves a poor impression on the school system!)

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Permalink Reply by Jeffrey E. Salzberg on January 5, 2011 at 10:56am

Well, I don't see how they could stop you from bringing in an outside designer. They have every right to mandate that only their people may touch their equipment, but it's not a designer's job to operate equipment anyway.

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Permalink Reply by dance817 on January 5, 2011 at 11:21am

the schools contract specifically states that technicians come from their school and while i understand what you are saying about a lighting designer (the business does not warrant electricians, techs etc to be hired on) however-it states that no outside crew is permitted--the students are required to report their experience of the event, therefore, anyone extra would be reported thus resulting in no approval for the following year-so not worth the gamble.

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Permalink Reply by Jeffrey E. Salzberg on January 5, 2011 at 11:31am

With all due respect, you don't seem to understand what I'm saying at all. The designer is not "crew"*; he's an artist, just like the choreographer, and there's no reason for the designer to touch the equipment. You don't even have to call him or her a "designer":

"Hi, this is Mr. Jones. He's the Acting Associate Assistant Artistic Advisor, and he'll tell you what we need in the way of lighting."

* Any more than a carpenter is the same as an architect.

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Permalink Reply by dance817 on January 5, 2011 at 4:11pm

I DO understand that and I DO know the difference. I'm not sure you understand how detailed the contract and town actually is with this--THIS IS WHY I WAS DISTURBED BY THE NATURE of it. (and the contracts state that ANYONE in the booth is strictly limited to the person in charge of the event--who signed the contract-the stage manager on headset giving cues for dancers AND THAT IS IT. The people the district assignsare the lighting and sound--this is how the students get the experience and they get credits and projects from the events-THEY ARE THE LIGHTING DESIGNERS--THIS IS THEIR ASSIGNMENT. the design, the sound, the equipment EVERYTHING--which is why my point is--a student does not have the life experience

Permalink Reply by Jeffrey E. Salzberg on January 5, 2011 at 4:13pm

I see.

If you'll email me and tell me where in the country you are, I may know people who can help you find a more appropriate venue.

jeff@jeffsalzberg.com

Permalink Reply by Jeffrey E. Salzberg on January 5, 2011 at 10:52am

You're required to use their technicians. You're not required to use their designers, nor should you, any more than you would allow the theatre to dictate what your costumes, choreography, or any other artistic element of your production should be.

There's a difference between a lighting designer and a technician. Unless your instructions yto them are as explicit as, "Put this light here, color it this color (and I mean a specific color, by swatch book number, not just 'blue' or 'red') and focus it here," you're asking them to perform design functions.

Believe me, if you come in with an experienced designer, your credibility with the crew will go way up.

How often are you required to give them that 30-minute break?

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Permalink Reply by dance817 on January 5, 2011 at 4:19pm

will do--i will email you--thank you for your continued input--I only hope that someday I am not limited to a 17 year old lighting the show!! Oh how I miss the days of true performance!!

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Permalink Reply by Diana Parnell on January 6, 2011 at 3:33pm

Aha! I wasn't reading carefully. They do the lighting set up and all I do is decide which color or ask of it be brighter down stage. I occasionally ask for some special thing like one spotlight over centre, but we send that in early so that when they set up it's already on the list. They do a billion recitals so they are good at knowing the general lighting that works for most schools.

In an 8 hour day they get 2 15's and a 30 minute. It depends what time we start or if we spend the afternoon techning things and then started rehearsal at 4. I can't remember how many hours go by before we are required to do that. There's always some crabby parent who doesn't understand the full scope of putting on a rehearsal that gets mad that we have to take a break.

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Permalink Reply by Jeffrey E. Salzberg on January 6, 2011 at 3:51pm

So you're doing what a designer (or an "Acting Associate Assistant Artistic Advisor") would do, but (probably -- please don't be offended, but I'm playing the odds) not as thoroughly or with as much knowledge and experience.

One hour's worth of breaks in an 8-hour day isn't much. In a union house, there would be at least 3 10 minute breaks and an hour lunch break.

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Permalink Reply by Diana Parnell on January 7, 2011 at 11:19am

Oh, totally, I am no lighting expert. I just put the opposite color of their costume behind them and it looks good enough to me. Red costume, blue light behind them and the general lighting remains the same.

I once did this massive lighting thing for our 20 minute production and it took three hours to load and I actually had to go home and practice the lighting cues with my script while playing the music. My SO at the time had to pay a ton of overtime to all the technicians which was REALLY generous for me to get the chance to do it. At the end the technicians asked me to go out for beers with them which I take as a tremendous compliment!

Permalink Reply by Jeffrey E. Salzberg on January 7, 2011 at 11:25am

It was, indeed, a compliment.