Project: Tighter Dance Project: Tighter Dance ProductionsProductions Introduction & History

What is the Five College Dance Department? Formed in 1978 for the mutual benefit of all

member institutions: Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Collaboration based on mutual respect and support for individual artistic and educational perspectives and missions of each member program. [Dymamic tension built into mission.]

Introd. Continued . . .Introd. Continued . . .

Common ideals of mission continue to unify its educational mission: well-balanced curriculum emphasizing a

broad integration of dance studies; wide variety of philosophic approaches to

teaching; diversity of course offerings; sharing resources providing for a rich artistic

and scholarly environment

What does FCDD do?What does FCDD do?

teaches courses in dance studies to undergraduate and graduate dance major students

teaches ... to non-major dance students supports faculty research in scholarly and

creative studies

• presents performances in support of teaching and faculty research

How does it do it?How does it do it?

Dance classes are taught by faculty & adjunct faculty, guest artists, graduate students, and undergraduate students.

Creative work and rehearsals Performances in 9 venues at 5 colleges

• Administration is complicated. Individual campus & Five College responsibilities.

Who are its customers?Who are its customers?• student majors student majors

(undergrad and grad) (undergrad and grad)

• student non-majors at student non-majors at all 5 collegesall 5 colleges

• faculty in 5 college dept.faculty in 5 college dept.

• staff in 5 college dept.staff in 5 college dept.

• admin and staff at all admin and staff at all five colleges five colleges

• consultants and guest consultants and guest artistsartists

• dance faculty & artists dance faculty & artists regionally and nationallyregionally and nationally

• individual college individual college administrators administrators

• five college five college administrators administrators

• parents parents

• alumni alumni

• audience members from audience members from the area and colleges.the area and colleges.

• vendors vendors

• media (newspapers, media (newspapers, online)online)

• critics and reviewerscritics and reviewers

How is it different from other dance How is it different from other dance

depts?depts? -- it’s bigger and more -- it’s bigger and more interesting.interesting. Reputation -- Nationally recognized (whole & pieces)

One of largest dance departments in the nation in number of students and faculty. 140 majors; 2397 students; 13% five college interchange. 10 faculty; 9 adjuncts; 16 guest artists; 8 graduate teaching assts.

One of two “five college departments”. Course offerings include “basics” plus cultural and avant-garde forms) More performance opportunities for students -- has 22 student

perfs, 104 student choreographers, and over 400 different student performers.)

9 Performing venues, 4 of which are dance-studio-theatres operated by the dance programs

• Richness from cross-fertilization of students and faculty from different colleges.

Competitive Priorities Competitive Priorities

C•Q•T•FC•Q•T•F Cost – providing top quality performance

inexpensively Lean budgets Lean budgets Small central Prod. Office Small central Prod. Office 8 venues rental-free 8 venues rental-free 7 venues provide staff; 2 hire-in7 venues provide staff; 2 hire-in Students provide office labor. Students provide office labor. Costumes in closets. Costumes in closets.

(Exception at Amherst College where dance is in the same dept as theatre.)

Competitive Priorities Competitive Priorities (more)(more)

•QQualityuality “state of the art” technical equipment & stages high quality tech & design staff & employees

•TTime -- varies with customizationime -- varies with customization large time commitment for faculty, students, staff “slash & burn” schedules also produce great work

•FFlexibility HIGHlexibility HIGH Multiple venues = simultaneous productions Choice of matching venue size & ambiance

4 Studio theatres operated by the dance dept.

Distinctive CompetenciesDistinctive Competencies• WorkforceWorkforce

Small production office core Various numbers of staff at each college (1 to 10) Small pool (6) of hired-in technical and design staff. Cross-over skills in production, tech, design

• Quality Control SystemQuality Control System Highly trained production, technical & design staff Checklists, checklists, checklists! Identical “systems” for production at all venues Education is a priority in production process for

student producers, choreographers, stage crew positions.

Distinctive CompetenciesDistinctive Competencies• LocationLocation

– Five College area is magnet for artists and audiences. Haven for dancers. More dance performances than Boston. Large dance audience in area.

• CapacityCapacity– “Huge” (9 venues) Too much – Not enough weeks or staff for full utilization

• InventoryInventory– Plenty of students. They leave after 4 years.

Distinctive CompetenciesDistinctive Competencies• TechnologyTechnology

Best-available technology in each venueOn-line technology for lighting design. On-line tech information for each venue On-line video transfer for choreographers.

• Supply ChainSupply ChainNew students arrive each year. Dancers are a “dime a dozen.”Choreographers asking for perf space Staff difficult to find -- compensation low

Flow ProcessesFlow ProcessesDance Concerts follow flexible line

processes, often simultaneously – promotion, box office, theatre production, documentation, etc.

This project looks at the theatre production portion – from when the creation is finished by the choreographer – to when it is viewed by the audience and finally when the stage is struck. We will be looking at 4 of the 5 colleges.

Flow ProcessesFlow Processes• Line – production -- 3 Major LinesLine – production -- 3 Major Lines

Identical production systems throughout each line

Major Faculty Concerts – 60 hours prod in 7 days including weekend)

Student Concerts – 60 hours prod in 7 days including weekend

Slash & Burn” Concerts – 10 hours prod in 2 days

Smith College Faculty Dance Concert

15-17 November 2007

Hours DATE TIME3 hrs. Fri. 11/9 Crew Tech11 hrs. Sat. 11/10 Light Cues3 hrs. Sun. 11/11 Light Cues9 hrs “ Tech Rehearsal5 hrs. Tues. 11/13 1st Dress Reh5 hrs. Wed. 11/14 Final Dress Reh4 hrs. Thur. 11/15 Perf4 hrs. & Fri. 11/16 Perf4 hrs. & Sat. 11/17 Perf3 hrs. Sat. 11/17 Strike

Total 51 hrs.

Hampshire Winter Concert5-7 February 2009

DATE TIME4 hrs. Thurs. 1/29 Crew Tech & Video11 hrs. Sat. 1/31 Lighting Cues2 hrs Sun. 2/1 Crew Tech5 hrs. “ Tech Reh5 hrs. Tues. 2/3 First Dress5 hrs. Wed. 2/4 Final Dress4 hrs. Thu. 2/5 Perf.4 hrs. Fri. 2/6 Perf.5 hrs. Sat. 2/7 Perf. & Strike

45 hrs. Total

“SLASH & BURN”

AWD-Rogues8-9 May 2008

DATE TIME

Sun. 5/4 no tech spacingMon. 5/5 no tech spacing

5 hours Wed. 5/7 All Tech5 hours Thur. 5/8 Perf4 hours & Fri. 5/9 Perf & Str14 hrs. total

Faculty & Student Concert Schedules

Flow ProcessesFlow Processes

• FlexibleFlexible Each concert has different artistic director, Each concert has different artistic director,

choreographers and related artistschoreographers and related artists Each is highly customized to accommodate Each is highly customized to accommodate

artistic and technical requirements. artistic and technical requirements. Concerts are presented at 4 different colleges

in 6 different venues, each with differing administrative and staffing configurations.

The ProblemThe Problem 10% budget reductions, and elimination

of all staff overtime. Cannot exceed 35-37.5 hours in a week

w/o overtime. Less money for hiring hourly specialized

technical consultants --Technical Directors, Lighting Designers, Riggers, etc.

Demand exceeds capacity

Alternative StrategiesAlternative Strategies• Do Nothing

• Faculty & Student Concerts: Eliminate 5 hour Final Dress Rehearsal and up to 3 hours of Technical Rehearsal buy bumping forward one of the weekend days.

• Student Concerts: – expanded “slash & burn”.

• Consolidate concerts into fewer events and rotate.

• Restrict lighting and tech on concerts. (quality issues)

• Substitute “Student Festivals” with little or no technical rehearsal.

• Technology improvements ?