Thursday, September 10, 2009

Choosing An Artistic Career In Dance

By Peggy Ryersen

There is nothing quite like watching the live performance of talented dancers on stage as they work in a collaborated effort to present a dramatic show. Several people work behind the scenes for months to bring perfection to the art of dance. If you have two left feet and have given up on ever pursuing your dream in dance and music, there are many areas where you can still be a part of a team that is much in demand to make up the opening show.

Musicians and Composers

Dance would not be entertaining or have a certain rhythm without the accompaniment of just the right mode of music. Many times the music has already been written and the Composer or Musician works closely with the choreographer in reworking particular areas of song to allow for certain dance steps and scenes that bring out the best in the dancers or to create a new scene. Other times, writing an entirely new version of song is necessary to match the choreographer's ideas.

The Set Designer

The set designer plays a very important role in the success of a show. To most people who are viewing the show, the different scenes bring the show together by setting the mood with music and the dance to make a story. To accomplish this, it calls for a talented and skilled set designer with foresight since it sets the mood and atmosphere for the dance and music.

The Lighting Designer

Lights are everything when it comes to stage performance. The lighting designer is trained to be able to cast shadows, silhouette, color wash, night and day and spotlight on every move as the scene demands. Being able to switch from an indoor scene to outdoor is not as easy as it looks but for the lighting designer, it is done with ease. This is a very technical area of dance that requires schooling in addition to a love of the stage.

The Costume Designer

Can you imagine watching a show where the costumes were, well, dull and boring? The job of the costume designer is complex and involves working together with the choreographer to discuss and choose colors and materials or textures. The importance of this is the knowledge of how different lights affect various materials and that is an important part of the presentation. All these aspects need to work together.

The Make-Up Artist

The make-up artist must be able to give performers a certain look by just using make-up and brushes. Not only does a make-up artist have to make a performer look young, old, evil, or good, but they have to be able to make the same face over and over again. That ability is the main difference between amateur and professional make-up artists. It must be kept in mind that working on people is different than creating artwork on canvas and on top of that the make-up artist is also often responsible for the hairstyles.

Exploring the various careers related to dance can help many students develop both appreciation and awareness for the cooperation that is needed produce performances and the many careers associated with dance.

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