Dancing for Young Audiences

This book has systematic directions for those who are creating a dance company for young audiences: how to handle bookings, write effective grants, handle crowds of children, keep their interest high and deal with the unexpected—backstage, or onstage or costume! Important also: how to maintain the support and the appreciation of presenters, teachers and principals. Profiles of ten successful dance companies who perform for children are provided. The book’s touring and production information can be applied to almost any performing group that uses the medium of dance to deliver its message—from professional dance companies to university, high school and studio dance performers.

Ella H. Magruder is a professor of dance at Sweet Briar College in Sweet Briar, Virginia. She lives in Amherst.

Ella H. Magruder

Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 220
Bibliographic Info: 64 photos, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2013
pISBN: 978-0-7864-7102-7
eISBN: 978-1-4766-0026-0
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments vi
Foreword by Lynnette Young Overby      1
Introduction      3

Part I—Dreaming and Creating 9
1. Defining Your Goals 10
2. Choreography That Appeals to Children… (Is Choreography That Appeals to Everyone!)      17

Part II—Producing 25
3. Production: Putting the Show Together 26
4. Marketing: Don’t Sell Yourself Short 44
5. Publicity 52
6. Finance 62
7. Booking 71

Part III—Dancing 89
8. Touring: Basic Equipment, Checklist and Travel 90
9. In the School and Theater: Check-In, Set-Up and Safety 97
10. Good Liaisons Make Good Residencies 101
11. Teachers Who Help, Teachers Who Hinder 103
12. Arranging and Seating Audiences 105
13. Your Performance Voice 109
14. Performing for an Audience: Numbers, Cautions and Facts 114
15. Audience Participation 118
16. Don’t Be a “Drop-In, Drop-Out” Company: Master Classes, Workshops and How to Handle Them 123
17. Assessment and the Structure of Evaluation: Questions to Ask Yourself and Your Audience, and Why 131

Part IV—Dancing Their Dreams: Ten Successful National and International Dance Companies, and Interviews with Their Artistic Directors/Choreographers 137
18. Dr. Schaffer and Mr. Stern: Two Guys Who Dance about Math 139
19. Plankenkoorts: A “Dutch Treat” Trio from the Low Country 144
20. Frequent Flyers Productions: Soaring Through the Air, Rocky Mountain Style 152
21. Flatfoot Dance Company in KwaZulu-Natal: Outreach in South Africa 155
22. Peanut Butter and Jelly Dance Company: A Sticky Boston Quartet Named for Food 158
23. Jasmine Pasch & Phew!!! Arts: London’s Visionary and Her Company of Art Collaborators 161
24. Kinnect Dance Company: A University Troupe in Utah 165
25. CoMotion Dance Project: In Motion in Montana 169
26. Kaleidoscope: Seattle’s Rainbow of Dancing Children 171
27. Dance Imagination: Creative Kids in Canada 175

Part V—Epilogue 181
28. “Dancing with the Lettuce Leaf”: Things That Can Happen While Touring, with Suggestions and Advice 182
Appendix A: More Successful Companies 191
Appendix B: More Dance Performing Groups: Children, Professionals and Schools 195
Appendix C: Websites, Resources and Publications for Dance Companies, Dancers and Dance Educators 200
Chapter Notes 203
Bibliography 205
Index 207

“Helps dance students, dance companies, and performing arts educators learn how to create, produce, and dance in productions for children”—Reference & Research Book News.