Herefordshire & Worcestershire Dancing
Guidance Notes
Herefordshire & Worcestershire Dancing
Thursday 13 July 2017
Congratulations on being a part of Herefordshire & Worcestershire Dancing. We’re very excited that you’re coming to perform and share your work with schools and colleges from across the two counties.
Now for the boring but important bit. We’ve put together notes and information with what to expect in advance and on the performance day.
Forms will need to go out to students and everything returned to me via email to or by post to Dancefest, Angel Centre, Angel Place, Worcester, WR1 3QN by Monday 12 June. If you have any questions, please let me know before then.
Please read through carefully and discuss/share any information with your students.
Check List returned by Monday 12 June:
- Complete & return Programme Note and Tech Information
- Check Tech Rehearsal Schedule
- Complete & return Photo Consent Form
- Complete Exemption from Licensing Procedure
- Send music on CD or file share
- Email approval required from Head teacher
- Learn Dancefest warm up
Photo & Film Consent
Every performer needs to complete a consent form, returned to me by Monday 12 June so we can contact the LEA to get licenses or exemptions. Please double check the forms are fully completed before forwarding to me. Any child aged 16 and under is subject to performance licensing regulations
Head teachers absence approval email
The head teacher of pupils taking part who are of compulsory school age will receive an email from me (which you will be copied into), requesting their approval for pupils to be marked as at an off-site educational activity.
Licensing & Exemption
We are required to forward all the names and addresses of the students taking part to the Child & Employment Officer at Worcestershire County Council. Please complete the attached Exemption from Licensing Procedure form and return to me by Monday 12 June.
Chaperones
Students are the responsibility of the school/college and should be chaperoned at all times, including on and off the stage. Please make sure you have enough chaperones for your group in keeping with the current LEA guidelines.
Tickets
Tickets are available for the public, friends and family to buy from the box office at Artrix 01527 577 330 or online at
£8/£6
Family ticket £20
Unfortunately, we don’t have complimentary ticket allocation this year, so anyone coming from your school or college to watch the evening’s performance will need to buy a ticket.
Technical Rehearsal
Short opportunity to run your piece, check the dancers’ spacing on stage and discuss lighting with the technician.
Dress rehearsal
A lovely opportunity to be an audience for each other and share the work whilst doing a full run through of the show in costume and correct running order.
- Each group will leave the auditorium during the piece before theirs.
- Wait back stage quietly for their turn to go on stage.
- Afterwards returning back to their seats.
Performance
Dancers to be well rehearsed, confident in their focus, movement and performance.
- Focus should be up and out towards the lighting box.
- Entrances and exits are from stage right. (But there is a cross over at the back of the stage if dancers need to enter from stage left).
- The stage manager will be at the side of the stage throughout the performance, communicating with the sound and lighting technicians.
- Dancers will take their cues to enter the stage from the stage manager.
Photographs and Film
- Dancefest will take photos during the dress rehearsal, and we’ll send a selection to each school of their performance.
- Please remind parents & friends that photos or film cannot be taken during the performance under any circumstances.
- We may share photos on social media, our website and with our funders, but only where we have consent.
Technical Requirements & Programme Note
Please complete the Programme & Tech Notes form. This helps give us and the technicians a good idea about your piece and how it is staged. We also use this to create a programme for the audience.
Size of the stage
Depth 7.31 metres
Width 9.6 metres
Certificates
All schools will receive a certificate for taking part, presented in the auditorium during the notes before the dress rehearsal. Please choose 1 or 2 participants that will come up to receive the certificate.
Evaluation
If you find yourself with a free moment, ask your students to complete the evaluation posters that will be in every dressing room. It’s really helpful for us to work out what we do well and what we can improve on each year, and is greatly appreciated.
Finale
From the feedback last year, dancers and audience said they would like to see a finale for everyone and we think this is a great way to finish off a brilliant night.
- Group by group everyone comes back onstage performing the Dancefest Warm Up. Here’s the link so that your dancers can learn it
Food & drink & something to do
- Please ensure dancers bring enough food and drink. There won’t be time between dress rehearsal and performance to go and get food, as the theatre is a bit out of the way.
- There will be periods of time where people will be waiting in the dressing rooms, please ask students to bring something quiet to keep them entertained.
Valuables
The dressing rooms will not be locked so please do not bring anything valuable. The theatre and Dancefest are not responsible for the loss or damage to any personal valuables.
Music
Music fully edited as one track and either sent to me on CD or emailed via a file sharing website (e.g. wetransfer) to by Monday 12 June.
Thank you
I appreciate there is a lot of work to do on this, but it’s all going toward enabling your students to have a really great day performing in a wonderful relaxed and friendly environment.
Artrix is such a great place to hold this event, it’s one of our favourite days in the Dancefest calendar.
We’ll keep the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Dancing page on our website updated, so please check there for further details.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions at all.
Best wishes
Elizabeth Crosswell
Dance Development Team Leader (Adults)
01905 611199
dancefest.co.uk | 01905 611199 |
Dancefest, The Angel Centre, Worcester, WR1 3QN
Twitter: @Dancefest | Facebook and Instagram: dancefestuk
Company no: 4177900 registered in England and Wales. Registered charity no: 1092334