#1

Basics Lighting Ideas

-Introduction/class goals

-Talk about light

-Properties, experience in life

-Talk about light in theater/dance

-why its used

-what can it accomplish

-what can it help/hurt

-Lighting angles+Lighting Color?

-DEMO: angles/color in studio theater

#2

Lighting Equipment and Control, Timing

-Look at lighting equipment (lights)

-Lighting control –intro to light board (is it the express or Ion?), overview of
dimmers, circuits, etc.

Discussion

-Cueing and timing: how does the lighting get put together.

-DEMO: writing cues, changing timing with some piece of simple

choreography. (bumps up and down, slow and fast fades, etc)

#3

Music/Light

Students bring in music, talk about light (assignment: bring in a piece of music that
gives you feeling about light)

Look at worklight choreography, talk about lighting ideas

DEMO: Use same piece of choreography, different music, change lighting to support
music.
DEMO: Use same piece of choreography, different lighting, discuss differences in
effect.

How to talk about lighting/mood/effect (language, metaphor, reference)

#4

Approaching a Dance Piece as a Designer:

Discussion with choreographer---where to begin? (concept, choreoraphy, space,

music, tone)

Which choices are the “ right” choices….how to contribute to choreography

-Sometimes support, sometimes contrast…..idea of piece may require

significant contribution from design/environment to achieve desired effect.

-Pacing, helping create narrative

-Outside eye

Other design choices: scenery/environment, costumes, media, sound

-black background vs. cyc vs. brick wall…..intimacy, scale, etc.

-color choices to work with costumes

#5

Approaching Design as a Choreographer:

-Building choreography from lighting/scenic ideas---know what light is capable of

so you can make use of it.

DEMO: Tight downlight boxes, narrow strips of sidelight, silhouette, uplights

-Talking with Designers about your ideas: how to communicate/collaborate.

-Unconvetional Lighting & Unconventional Spaces

 -Fluouorescents, floodlights, bare bulbs, LEDs, Neonwire on body, flashlights,
sunlight, streetlights

-Qualities of light—theatrical vs. raw

-Videos of neon wire dancers, LED costumes

EXERCISE: Take an unusual lighting angle or instument and create some

choreography. (for next class)

#6

Look at exercises from #5 with lighting-inspired choreography.

Converting lighting “idea” into reality

-Lighting systems

-light plot

-focus, tech, etc.

Look at complete lighting paperwork…Plot, section, magic sheet, worksheets,

hookup

EXERCISE: Devise choreorgraphy, light one another’s pieces, critique

#7

Discuss Dec. Concert pieces, choreo, etc. Discuss plot, design choices.----

Look at EXERCISE from #6

#8

critique/discussion of Dec. Concert lighting

Look at EXERCISE from #6