Department of Dance
Dance 255 and 355 - Dance Production Practicum
In Production Practicum courses, students complete individual assignment(s) in technical production work related to dance performance. Assignments are intended to develop backstage skills in the following areas: stagehand duties, basic electrics, stage management, lighting console operation, sound equipment operation, videography for dance, and other functions of backstage personnel during dance performances. Crew assignments vary in their time requirements, depending on the event being staged. Some concerts rehearse and perform within a one-week time frame and usually require 18-26 hours. Others span two weeks and can consume 40 hours or more. Grading is based upon an assessment of the quality of work performed together with a tally of hours worked. Grading criteria include demonstration of dependability, initiative, cooperation, and understanding of professional discipline regarding dance performance.
At the beginning of each semester, planned concert schedules are posted on the main Departmental bulletin board and on the University’s Blackboard website. During the first week of classes, Production Practicum students are expected to complete forms (posted beside the concert schedules) indicating which crews they would prefer to work. Student preferences are matched as closely as possible with concert needs in making crew assignments. Crew assignments are then posted on Blackboard and communicated to students via email. Class meetings coincide with crew rehearsals for the semester’s performances, so students will "attend class" for only the crew(s) on which they are working. Production hours are tracked on time sheets maintained for each individual crew. Students may log up to 15 additional production hours as front-of-house staff or occasionally on independent projects in costuming, video, audio, or lighting. This supplementary work is reported by each student individually, separate from assigned running crew duties. Throughout the semester, email contact between instructor and students is vital, and is handled through Blackboard. Assignment confirmations and reminders are communicated in this fashion.