Hello. Just sticking my nose in really. Had a brief look at your forum. I am a technical manager of a small scale venue here in O-land (Oxford) and i'm branching into dance lighing. (Did a couple of pieces at Resolutions recently) I would be happy to comment on general stuff. I deal with all types of people on the small scale touring side. I know my insight is of a lower level than what you guys appear to be dealing with but it's nice to talk to other "pro's" from time to time.<BR><P>------------------<BR>Ads

Hello Adam Leigh - welcome to the board.

Don't worry about being at a "lower" level; there's no such thing -- only different experiences.<P>Tell us about your impressions as a recently-new dance designer.

Thankyou for a warm welcome.<BR>Where do i start. Well i've been "lighting" pieces that visit my venue for a while. Mostly taking their rig and adapting it. The few local companies want my input into the things they perform here as they often cannot afford a freelence designer. (par for the course in small scale stuff. The resident is looked upon as the in house LD) So when Gelede Dance(new-ish resident company) and Pretty Good Girl Dance Theatre (very new assisted company) approached me to light them at Resolutions i jumped at it. My only real experience of dance lighting, other than the venue i work at, has been these two gig's at The Place recently. What a great venue to light things from. Nice big space, very well kept, excellent equipment, Techies who know what they are doing and have an approachable attitude. I could go on but i think it would be a waste of screen space. Is there something in particular you would like to know about how i have found things so far? There is something i would ask of you. Who/what/where does specific LD training for dance? I'm aware of the Laban MA scenography course but that may be to committed for me. I would like to further my skills in this particular arena and i think without some focused (sorry!) insight i may well flounder in the dark! (sorry again!)<BR>Yours ads<P>------------------<BR>Ads

And what it's like on the other side of the pond.<P>What kind of dance have you been working on/with/around?

As i have realised that most of the input to this forum is from the good old US of A please diregard my quetsion about training unless there are any uk members. Well across the pond is pretty like being in it as it rains all the bloody time! I must emigrate somewhere warm. Any jobs in california?<BR>I have solely been working in contemporary (cont) dance (what, not ballet?) The cont scene has really gained some momentum here in the last five years and has spouted all sorts of successess (Ballet Rambert, Richard Alston, Siobhan Davies, Russell Maliphant......)You probably know all of this stuff, sorry. Anyway, venue i work at is primarily a youth arts centre promoting performing art to the local youth and community. We have a rsident youth theatre of about 400 or so form 3 to 25 yrs. we also support Local youtth dance and again provide support and space to local professional practioners who teach varied skills from jazz, tap, cont, ballet, you name it, we have someone who can take a class in it. I should stress that we are not an educational establishment but more like a large arts youth club. Some of our members have gone on to take professional training. (Yehaaaa) But most carry on with their normal lives although somewhat enriched we hope. I guess my overall reflection of life in the arts in good old blighty is very strong at the moment. Yeah, there are companies struggling to survive and there are those who are rolling in success and funding. The biggest landmark in recent years has been the recognition the performing arts is a credible profession (should be, been going on long enough, none of this banking, accountant, estate agent malarky!)More and more schools are encouraging their pupils to express themselves through art. Our government just flounders around in the background and pretends to be important but ordinary people tend to just get on with it and make the oppurtunities happen. The only real setback is that the topflight training (degree level) is to expensive for most, even to those who do have obvious talent, and this, i'm affraid to say, will not change for some time. <P>------------------<BR>Ads

Welcome from me too, Adam. For our US readers here is the link to our coverage of the Resolution! festival, which continues in London till mid-February:
http://forum.criticaldance.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=16&t=000182

<small>[ 08-10-2002, 04:51: Message edited by: salzberg ]</small>

Adam welcome! We love to get perspectives on what goes on in Merry Olde England! Do keep us posted on your observations and news from there.

Everybody is so nice. Is it my imagination or is this internet forum phenomenom breaking down the barriers of race, class and all those type of things so people can communicate on an even footing. (i can't believe i just typed that. Its 8.43am and i've only had two sips of coffee!!!!! quick, pass me the scotch)But am i right? This has got nothing to do with dance i realise but possibly an interesting debate on how this situation could be translated into the everyday world. Then you would be able to talk to dancers because they wouldn't be afraid/ timid/ uneducated/ whatever. The SIHO (Read **** ) would be educated on the finer points of company life and know when to F~@k off. And i imagine there would be a thousand other benefits. Life would be boring though, especially without the catty gossip!

Well said.<P>And I love catty gossip.

Meow too.

I think you're right Adam. The barriers to entry here (and in some other places on the Net) are minimal. Anyone on the planet(with internet access, which is certainly a limitation) can take part in these discussions and, as long as it's courteous and relates to dance, they will be welcome.

Thanks for that. Anyway, getting back to dance stuff, do you have festivals like Resolution stateside? Is contemporary dance as strong as Traditional? I include myself in generalising American performing arts as Broadway musicals. So little of your culture scene appears over here or am I just not looking in the right places? What do you hear of british arts? Can i ask any more ordinary questions?

I think of British dance as CAts or The Royal Ballet. British contemporary? What's that. But I think I will blame that on the media, because they don't cover it. Reading the UK forums here has really expanded my appreciation for the diversity of the dance scene there.<P>Here is SF, the modern dance scene is very well established, though sometimes unorganized and sloppy. It is just as active (if not more) than the ballet scene. I can't speak specifically for other parts of the country, but in general I think that many people are making modern dance, not just ballet or musical theater, even though that's probably what you hear about the most over there.<P>The one issue I fight for the most hear is an improvement in production value by the hiring of PROFESSIONALS. Of course this is slightly self-serving, since I am a professional designer and technician (and so is my husband. But you have to pay for good work, and any professional is going to put a better product onstage than your mother's second cousin who once sewed costumes for a high school play 20 years ago. After all, our professional reputations are on the line as much as yours.<P>But enough ranting. Do you face the same obstacles where you are, working in the capacity you work in?

Hear, hear, LMC!<P>I often hear people complaining about the lighting at their last concert or recital, and when I ask if they had a professional designer, the answer is invariably, "Oh, no, we let the people at the theater handle that."<P>To any directors who might be reading this: it's your responsibility, not the theater's, to provide the artistic personnel. You wouldn't expect (or allow) the theater to furnish your dancers and choreographers, would you?