choreography
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Directing
Forum Discription: For questions about handling shows, actors, crew, board members, children ...or do we repeat ourselves?
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2191
Printed Date: 11/23/24 at 2:21pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: choreography
Posted By: MeMarge
Subject: choreography
Date Posted: 12/29/06 at 4:53pm
 Sometimes I am at a loss when choreographing for community theatre (and professional for that matter) when the empahsis is almost always on voice not dance ability. How much variablility can I use with "step-together-step-together-turn-around".....I've been pretty successful, but starting to feel 'burnt-out'.......any suggestions??
 ------------- MeMarge |
Replies:
Posted By: Theatrestation
Date Posted: 12/30/06 at 2:31am
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I am sure many of your cast members can do more than "step-together-step-together-turn-around" Make it a bit more challenging, perhaps focusing much of the number or numbers on those that have more dance ability. ------------- http://www.castbuilding.com http://www.theatrestation.com |
Posted By: suzecue1
Date Posted: 12/30/06 at 9:04am
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I think you may be underestimating their ability. When auditioning for your shows, you should have an area on the audition form where they can put down their dance experience. Then you can put those with the most experience in your dance scenes.
Ours is also a small community theatre, without dance "professionals", but our choreographer gets the best out of everyone. Even the men with zero dance experience can learn something new. Challenge them. Think of yourself as a dance teacher, and not a choreographer, and be proud of your results. ------------- Sue ***** So many hats.....so few heads! |
Posted By: MeMarge
Date Posted: 12/30/06 at 10:09am
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Thanks, for the most part, I AM successful, and our plays look terrific and everyone gives me 110%.......I'm just looking for input and other ideas. ------------- MeMarge |
Posted By: B-M-D
Date Posted: 12/30/06 at 10:54am
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A couple of thoughts:
Don't mess with succes.
Look for more challenging shows for yourself that might require more experienced or talented dancers.
If you're feeling burnt out maybe it's just as simple as taking some time off from it for awhile. ------------- BD
"Dying is easy, comedy is hard." |
Posted By: DWolfman
Date Posted: 12/30/06 at 12:11pm
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Please accept these virtual thanks from a less than graceful participant who greatly appreciates your KISS (keep it simple, "sweetheart" ...yeah, I know) approach.
I have suffered under one particular choreographer, herself a lithe and studied dancer who expected all of her actors to accomplish the same steps and routines as her equally adept steppers. The pre-workout "warmup" left me (and a few others) in knots. A fellow sufferer remarked that "when I bend like she wants, it's feels as if I'm trying to fold a watermelon."
A more appreciated and understanding choreographer (equally as lithe and graceful as the afforementioned) won my admiration when in the first dance rehearsal for "Guys and Dolls" she took all us men into a private room and said "Let's do a few simple steps and see what we've got." She then proceeded to build her choreography around the few who could handle more movement and give the rest of us supporting, chorus, and small group work. She did, however, expect us to "excel" in the work she gave and really made it an enjoyable and entertaining experience.
There are no small actors...but you seem to be a great choreographer who can do the small things well.
Thanks again, and enjoy!
------------- Even a man who is pure of heart... |
Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: 12/30/06 at 12:30pm
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I agree with DWolfman. Finding your castmember's strengths and weaknesses and developing your choreography AROUND them makes for a better experience for all (cast and audience). One of my most frustrating experiences working with a director/choreographer was his insistence that the ENTIRE cast be involved in these Busby Berkley-like chorus numbers where EVERYBODY had to move on cue. Even though they were just simple maneuvers (raising an arm, turning their head, etc) he would spend HOURS drilling, drilling and drilling.Eventually it became torture for the cast because no matter how much time was spent there would always be SOMEBODY off by a beat or fraction thereof. (We had a cast of old people, young people, experienced, inexperienced and some admittedly with the attention span of a gnat).
Needless to say, there wasn't a single performance where the ENTIRE cast did the moves "correctly" and the director was crushed, believing his show was "ruined!"
I firmly believe it was his own fault. He had unreal expectations and -- instead of working with what he had -- wasted HOURS of rehearsal time pursuing a goal that only he cared about.
Sometimes one must be reminded about the adage of the dancing bear -- it's not so important that the bear dances WELL, but that the bear dances at all. ------------- "None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone |
Posted By: MeMarge
Date Posted: 12/30/06 at 4:51pm
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Thank you all sooooo much for your support.....I HAVE learned a few tricks along the way ie: "If people cannot give you 100% of what YOU want, it's because they are giving 100% of what THEY have" When I keep that in mind I'm usually OK, AND, by the time opening night comes around, it is no longer my show..........thanks again....I'll be choreographing 'dancing bears' soon again so this fresh show of support is GREATLY appreciated. HAPPY NEW YEAR. ------------- MeMarge |
Posted By: red diva
Date Posted: 1/02/07 at 6:11pm
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Another suggestion.....you might want to focus on "choreographed movement" rather than "choreographed dance". Not everyone is able to dance, but everyone (well, with a few exceptions) is able to move! Instead of having everyone do a "step-step-touch- turn" to get from here to there, have them walk with the beat in choreographed patterns on the stage. Focus on moving from one stage picture to another. In this way,
you can have the "non-dancers" serve as background for those cast members that can dance.
Also, use your environment in creating movement....if it's in a restaurant, have the actors sitting at the tables using the dishes, silverware, and chairs to create choreographed movement. I once set the number "It's an Art" from "Working" with everyone sitting down except the waitress, doing synchronized movements with the props while the waitress moved (danced) from table to table.
Let those that can dance, dance, and those that can move, move! ------------- "I've worked long and hard to earn the right to be called Diva!" |
Posted By: MeMarge
Date Posted: 1/02/07 at 6:39pm
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Thank you Red Diva (LOVE that).....I've done something very similar when I did HELLO DOLLY and had no, I mean NO dancers for the "Waiters Gallup" that is supposed to be HUGE... it introduces Dolly.......so to the music I had the 'waiters' (they were women to boot!) set the stage to the music. The tables, tablecloths, plates, cups etc etc....worked out great. I'll remember your last line tomorrow nite (I start a new show)..those who can dance, dance and those that move, move. :-) ------------- MeMarge |
Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 1/02/07 at 7:28pm
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I saw a production of "Anything Goes" with a cast of 60. The choreographer was brilliant. She put all the dancers in front and had everyone else doing choreographed movement with an occasional tap all together. It truely looked like she had taught all 60 members of the cast to tap. I was impressed with her ingenuity. When I spoke with her later she said that she had broken the cast into groups based on experience and ability. She then choreographed to each group working the whole thing into a big number. It made all the dance numbers impressive and enjoyable for everyone on stage and off. Linda
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Posted By: red diva
Date Posted: 1/03/07 at 7:07pm
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Great way to deal with a dancerless cast for "Hello, Dolly", MeMarge! For more ideas on how to use the stage environment and props in choreography, watch any old Fred Astaire movie....he was a master of integrating dance/movement/environment! ------------- "I've worked long and hard to earn the right to be called Diva!" |
Posted By: dancingbarefoot
Date Posted: 3/02/07 at 12:07am
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There are a lot of great comments here. I just wanted to add that even when utilizing professional dancers, great choreographers like Fosse, Robbins, and even Susan Stroman show their genius with the simple things, the little movements, the gestures that define a character. Anyone can throw some virtuosic steps at a well-trained performer and have them look like dynamite. But the things that most often blow my mind when watching the masters of choreography are the "simple" things.
P.S. Did everyone see that dance has it's own forum? Yay! |