Contemporary Dance Lighting: The Poetry and the Nitty-Gritty dynamically guides students toward aesthetically, creatively, and skillfully becoming lighting designers for dance in the 21st century.
The book is organized in three parts, covering everything from the aesthetic considerations of lighting for dance to the tools and technology designers use to create compelling artistry. Part I, "Beginnings" establishes context, explaining the structure of the book and illuminating the history of contemporary dance and lighting. Part II, "The Poetry" elaborates on the key artistic and aesthetic elements of contemporary dance lighting: visual narrative; controllable functions and qualities of light; use of space, color, and time; importance and intricacies of collaboration; and continual effects and evolution of technology. Part III, "The Nitty-Gritty" steers students through the technical knowledge and skills necessary to design lighting, including understanding your tools and positioning instruments; creating layered light plots; organizing extensive paperwork; and archiving. The dance Artifice, choreographed by Jerry Pearson, is sequentially explored throughout the book to convey key concepts. "Further Reflections" conclude each chapter, written by a diverse group of renowned professionals, inviting young designers directly into the world of lighting design.
This textbook is for use in Lighting Design and Design for Dance Lighting courses at the university level, along with professional training programs.
Author(s): Carol M. Press, Vickie J. Scott
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 270
City: London
Cover
Endorsement
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Table of Contents
About the Authors
About the Contributors
Acknowledgements
Foreword
Part I Beginnings
1 Book Design
Part I: Beginnings
Part II: The Poetry
Part III: The Nitty-Gritty
Appendices and Glossary
Artifice Guides You
Notes
2 History Lights Our Way
A Brief History of Contemporary Dance
History of Lighting for Dance
Adolphe Appia (1862–1928)
Loïe Fuller (1862–1928)
Beatrice Irwin (1888–1956)
Stanley McCandless (1897–1967)
Alwin Nikolais (1910–1993)
Jean Rosenthal (1912–1969)
Thomas R. Skelton (1928–1994)
Jennifer Tipton (1937–Present)
Beverly Emmons (1943–Present)
United Scenic Artists (USA) (1897–Present)
United States Institute for Theater Technology (USITT) (1960–Present)
Dance and Technology (Late 20th Century–Present)
Notes
Part II The Poetry
3 Visual Narrative
Important Similarities in All Lighting Design
Important Differences in Lighting Between Theater and Dance
Lighting Design and the Visual Narrative in Dance
Overarching Visual Narrative and Artifice
The Visual Narrative and Artifice
Notes
4 Controllable Qualities and Functions
What Is Light?
How Does Light Behave?
Refraction
Reflection
Diffusion
Diffraction
The Controllable Qualities of Light
Intensity
Distribution
Movement
Color
The Four Basic Functions of Lighting Design
The Functions of Lighting Design Use Controllable Qualities of Light
Functions of Lighting Design, Controllable Qualities, and Artifice
Note
5 Space
Stage Space
Stage Directions
Stage Zones
Space in Artifice
Notes
6 Color
What Is Color?
Seeing Color
Additive and Subtractive Color Theories
Designing With Color
Color and Artifice
Notes
7 Time
Light Cues
Time and Artifice
Notes
8 Collaboration
Choreographer/Lighting Designer as One
Creating Collaborative Art
Collaboration and Sweet Summer Suite
Final Collaboration and Artifice
Notes
9 Technology
Computer Software and Mixed Media
Technological Advances and Artifice
Under-the-Skirt Fixture
Video Evolution
Notes
Part III The Nitty-Gritty
10 Your Tools
Your Instruments
Lamps
Incandescent
Light-Emitting Diode (LED)
Reflectors and Lenses
Fixtures
Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlights (ERS/Leko/Profile)
Fresnel Lights
Parabolic Aluminized Reflector (PAR, CAN)
Enhanced Reflector PAR (E-PAR)
Enhanced Reflector PARNel
Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Fixtures
Intelligent Fixtures
Clamps
Your Positions
Front of House Positions
Balcony Rail, Architectural Beam
Onstage Positions
Tormentor
Side Lighting
Low Sides, Shinbusters, Or Shins
Middle Sides, Mids
Medium Sides, Head Highs, Heads
Pipe Ends
High Sides
Top Light/Down Light/Rim Light
Straight Back Light
Diagonal Back Light
Focusing Your Lights
Light Boards
Dimmers
Your Tools and Artifice
Note
11 Your Light Plot and Paperwork
Creating Your Light Plot
Computer-Assisted Design (CAD) Or Hand Draft? That Is the Question!
Vickie’s Light Plot for Artifice
Layer 1: Theatrical Space With Lighting Positions
Layer 2: Masking and Additional Electrics
Layer 3: Side Lights and Floor Fixtures
Layer 4: Overhead and Front of House Fixtures
Layer 5: Instrument Key, Title Block, Notes, and Border
Vickie’s Paperwork for Artifice
Inventory List/Shop Order
Instrument Schedule
Channel Hookup
Dimmer Hookup
Cheat Sheets
Cue Sheets
Cue Synopsis
Other Supporting Design Documents
Focus Charts
Magic Sheets
Track Sheets
Other Design References
Photos/Films/Videos
Software
Vectorworks
Lightwright
WYSIWYG
Archiving
Notes
Appendix 1 USITT Recommended Practices for Theatrical Lighting Design Graphics
USITT RP-2, Recommended Practice for Theatrical Lighting Design Graphics - (2006)
Preamble
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Special Considerations for CAD Drawings
2.0 The Light Plot
2.1 Information Contained in the Light Plot
2.2 Luminaire Symbol Information
2.3.1 Designation and Numbering of Conventional Mounting Positions
2.3.2 Numbering Luminaires Within Conventional Mounting Positions
2.3.3 Designation and Numbering of Mounting Positions in Non-Proscenium Venues
3.0 The Lighting Section
3.1 Information Contained in the Lighting Section
4.0 Title Block
4.1 Information Contained in the Title Block
5.0 Legend Or Instrument Key
5.1 Information Contained in the Legend Or Instrument Key
6.0 Symbol Guidelines
Appendix 2 Endless Questions for You as a Collaborator
Questions for the Choreographer and Design Team
Questions for Analyzing the Music
Appendix 3 Sweet Summer Suite: Original Notes, Light Plot, and Paperwork
The Evolution of Sweet Summer Suite
First Communication—Summer Sessions Dance 2003
Sweet Summer Suite Background
Definitions From New Oxford American Dictionary: Www.oxfordreference.com
First Incarnation of Sweet Summer Suite—Summer Sessions Dance 2003
Meeting: July 9, 2003
Early Ideas—July 24, 2003
More Complete Version of Sweet Summer Suite — Fall Dance 2004
Initial Ideas for the More Complete Piece—September 23, 2004
Evolved Ideas—September 23, 2004
More Evolved Ideas—October 7, 2004
More Evolved Ideas—October 14, 2004—new Title: Sweet Summer Suite in the Fall
Appendix 4 Stage Managing for Dance: A Guide for UCSB Dance Concerts
Stage Managing for Dance
A Guide for UCSB Dance Concerts
I Initial Preparation and Setup
II Production Meetings
III Rehearsals
IV Costume Fittings
V Showings
VI Hatlen Theater Orientation
VII Paper Tech
VIII Level Sets
IX Technical Rehearsals
X. Performances
XI Assistant Stage Manager
XII Crew
XIII Schedules and Scheduling
XIV Troubleshooting
XV Archival Photos
Appendix 5
Suggested Further Reading
Glossary
Index
