Lighting
  • Side lights are essential to a
    dance performance, it makes the
    dancers appear more sculptural.  

  • Front lighting is reserved for
    color washes or specials.  

  • Too much top lighting can make
    peformers look shorter and
    heavy.

  • Kickers (floor Side lights is
    essential to a dance
    performance, it level lights at
    the front of the stage) were used
    for level lights at the front of the
    stage) were used for years to
    light dancers legs, give a great
    vintage years to light dancers
    legs, give a great vintage
    vaudeville look, but can cast
    strange shadows on vaudeville
    look, but can cast strange
    shadows on the face.

  • Using Gobos (metal sheets cut
    with patterns) and back lighting
    on the curtains provides depth
    and shows off the background
    but keep it simple!

  • For dance performances with
    young children keep your
    lighting nice and bright so we
    can see them and they can see us
    (the itsy bitsy dance babies can
    also get scared in the dark)!  For
    older dancers you can useless
    light but add more contrast.  

  • Keep colors pink and pretty for
    Ballet, more saturated tones can
    be used for Modern and
    contemporary pieces.  Color and
    saturation level help create
    mood but can also cut down on
    brightness so you might have to
    add more lights.

  • From there you can start
    thinking about adding effect
    lights over your general wash.

  • Avoid solid saturated colored
    party gels in all blue, red,
    orange or green.  Nobody looks
    good under all green lights
    unless you are doing a dance
    performance about aliens.  Don't
    allow the light colors to clash
    with the costumes.  

  • If the lights seem to bright and
    strong, adding a soft diffusion
    gel can help soften without
    cuting down light and make the
    eyes feel better.

  • And remember the lights will
    wash out your makeup so make
    it strong and clear.  You won't
    "show up" on film if your
    wearing everyday makeup. For
    theater makeup use more than
    usual because it accentuates
    your features.   Eyes, lips and a
    good base to even out skin tones
    is a must.
  • If using the microphone on the
    camera to record sound
    accompaniment of the dance, it
    is best to locate the audio
    source near the camera for best
    sound recording.  Remember
    the camera will pick up all
    sound, including audience
    noise, applause and the
    occasional heckler!

  • If sound accompaniment is pre-
    recorded on a CD, take a line
    feed from your the player or
    sound board directly to the
    input of your camera will
    provide the best/sharpest
    sound.  If this cannot be done
    due to set up or distance, ask
    the sound tech to record a live
    feed from the mixing desk to
    either a computer, or CD.  This
    will give you a perfect mix of
    the audio to synchronise with
    the video in post production.  
    The final option is to provide
    your vidoegrapher with a copy
    of pre-recorded music and it
    can be dubbed over during
    editing.  

  • If using a live band, make sure
    the musicians are adequate ly
    amplified and zills may not be
    picked up by a camera placed
    far away.  Using a floor
    microphone ads extra impact
    during a flamenco solo.



British Columbia Professional
Videographers Association webpage
Performance

Lighting for Dance with diagrams
from Northern State University

Lighting for Dance from Mac Sound

SPOTLIGHT TUTORIAL:  Lighting
Design for Dance by Angstrom
Lighting

How to prepare Music for your Belly
Dance Show  by Denis Kavemeier
from Magical Motion, Belly Dancing
with Atea' & Friends
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Productions, unless otherwise noted.  Any use in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission.