Monday April 25, 2011 – Since I was unable to attend the Dance Against Cancer benefit performance at Manhattan Movement and Arts Center this evening, I had the good fortune to be invited to watch the technical rehearsal which started at noon today. Above: a snapshot I took of Matthew Rushing of the Alvin Ailey Company. Matthew was the first artist to tech today.
A lot goes into staging a dance production and while the major companies have lighting and sound crews and stage directors and stagehands all on staff, for a one-time gala like DANCE AGAINST CANCER, all these elements need to be brought together at the venue in a short span of time on the day of the performance. Having performers from several companies on the programme, the gala coordinators need to mesh schedules with classes and other rehearsals that the dancers might be involved in. Since several of the gala participants are member of NYC Ballet, they were having their traditional Monday off in the midst of preaparing for their opening week of Spring Season which starts on May 3rd. Stars from Ailey, Lar Lubovitch, Keigwin & Co and Carolina Ballet along with special guests Martin Harvey, Alex Wong and Tara Jean Popowich all had to be scheduled for tech sessions for the individual numbers in which they are involved.
What happens at a tech rehearsal? Musical and lighting cues are coordinated; spacing, timings, entrances and exits, even the bows are all worked out in minute detail so that the dancers will know their way around the performance space and the wings. Musicians who are playing ‘live’ for the individual numbers also get a feel for the space, find out where to enter from (invariably in the dark!) and how they will maintain visual contact with the dancers during the showing.
Dance Against Cancer is presented by MMAC‘s Erin Fogarty and New York City Ballet’s Daniel Ulbricht.
Here is the announced programme:
On The Other Side; Choreography: Benjamin Millepied; Dancers: Janie Taylor and Tyler Angle
Love Songs; Choreography: Larry Keigwin; Dancers: Kristina Hanna and Aaron Carr
Mozartiana (excerpt); Choreography: George Balanchine; Dancer: Maria Kowroski
Untitled World Premiere; Choreography: Robert Fairchild; Dancers: Tara Jean Popowich and Alex Wong
Little Rhapsodies; Choreography: Lar Lubovitch; Dancer: Attila Joey Csiki; Piano: Kathy Tagg
Tatum Pole Boogie; Choreography: Daniel Ulbricht; Dancer: Daniel Ulbricht
Untitled World Premiere; Choreography: Earl Mosley; Dancer: Matthew Rushing
Who Cares (excerpt); Choreography: George Balanchine; Dancers: Sterling Hyltin and Amar Ramasar
Untitled World Premiere; Choreography: Attila Bongar (Principal at Carolina Ballet) Dancers: Lara O’Brien and Attila Bongar
Carmen (excerpt); Choreography: Christopher Wheeldon; Dancers: Maria Kowroski and Martin Harvey
After the Rain; Choreography: Christopher Wheeldon; Dancers: Wendy Whelan and Craig Hall; Piano: Cameron Grant; Violin: Arturo Delmoni
I’ve arranged with photographer Erin Baiano, who is shooting the actual performance, to have some of her images for my blog. They will be posted here soon.
Oberon's Glade 