Abstract

The Dance Program respectfully resubmits our request for financial support to purchase a package of stage lighting equipment with supporting truss and hoists for a choreographic laboratory and student operated dance performance venue in Meany 267. The ability to explore lighting, sound, and video as a choreographic work is developed is crucial to the learning process, critical to making efficient use of the always limited time in a theatre, and essential preparation for work in the dance profession. Dance Program students currently have few opportunities to present their choreographic work to the public, and have no Dance Program operated facility in which to explore the integration of their choreographic work with lighting and audio/visual technology.

As the only performing arts unit at the UW without its own student accessible properly equipped performance space, the Dance Program Seeks assistance to prepare Meany 267 for this critical use. Clarification of the Student Access section is the principal revision to be found in this re-submittal.

Background

The mission of the UW Dance Program is to educate the next generation of dance artists, arts advocates, and cultural leaders. The Dance Program offers a dance minor, a dance major that culminates in a Bachelor of Arts degree, and one of the most respected Master of Fine Arts degree programs in the country. This unique MFA program prepares mature dance artists (with a minimum of 8 years professional performance experience) for a new career in a university setting. There are approximately 50 dance minors, 50 undergraduate majors, and 6 graduate students. Over 900 non-major students enroll in dance courses each quarter. The Program is staffed by six full-time and one emeritus faculty, a Musical Director, a part-time Technical Director, and visiting lecturers. The Dance Program offers a wide variety of interdisciplinary classes in three spacious studios in Meany Hall.

In 2002 the Dance program received a Brotman Award for Instructional Excellence — recognizing collaboration within and among departments, programs and groups that improve the quality of undergraduate education.

For students pursuing an interest in dance performance, the studio and the stage are the research laboratory. The process of finding an artistic voice through movement can only be accomplished by producing work and receiving feedback from faculty, colleagues and the viewing public. With thoughtful use of lighting, sound, and video technology, a choreographic work is both defined more clearly and enriched with additional layers of meaning. The interaction of complex audio/visual technology with the simple movement of a human body in space is at the core of contemporary performance art. Dance Program students need the opportunity to explore this interaction as part of their preparation for work in the worldwide dance community and as educated audience members.

The Dance Program produces four concerts each year serving an audience of approximately 3,500 students and community members. Three productions are scheduled in the 238 seat Meany Studio Theatre: the Dance Majors Concert presents works by Dance Program majors, performed by undergraduates; the Choreographer / Composer Collaborative Concert (C4) presents works by Dance Program MFA candidates, with music composed by School of Music composition students, and performed by undergraduate students; the Faculty Dance Concert presents works by Dance Program Faculty performed by undergraduate and graduate students, and guest artists from the community. In the 1,200 seat Meany Theater, the Chamber Dance Company, the University of Washington's resident professional dance company, presents a concert featuring international works of historical and artistic significance.

As the result of a long standing collaborative arrangement, equipment installation and operation is performed by Dance Program and School of Drama students supervised by the Dance Program Technical Director and Meany Hall staff. Lighting for these productions is designed by MFA candidates from the School of Drama or the Dance Program Technical Director.

In 2003, Dance Program students participated in the American College Dance Festival Association regional event in Bellingham. Two choreographic works, one by a graduate student, the other by an undergraduate, were showcased at this festival. In 2004, the program plans to participate again, sending a student work to the festival convening in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Dance Student Association and the University Ballet Company are student organizations that sponsor a series of master classes by dance artists in the community and each organization has produced informal concerts of works by undergraduate, graduate, and guest choreographers.

Undergraduate Dance students, through an adjudication process, have the opportunity to have their choreographic work produced in the Dance Majors Concert. Of the 15 to 20 students who submit work annually to the jury process, 6 to 8 will have their work presented. All Dance MFA candidates have one work produced each year in the C4 concert. For these few students with access to concert presentation, the process of integrating lighting and A/V technology is severely compressed. After 7 weeks (for graduate students) or 16 weeks (for undergraduates) of studio rehearsals, they will each have about 60 to 90 minutes of rehearsal time with all technical elements available before the concert must be run through and presented to an audience. For performers, only 12 performances are available annually, by audition, through the Dance Program.

With the recent loss of the UW Summer Arts Festival, two additional performance opportunities for Dance students were lost. As a part of the annual festival graduate students, with advanced undergraduates, performed in the Studio Theatre, and undergraduates performed in Dance on the Quad.

While the Dance Program's production program appears comprehensive in print, the reality is quite different. In 1996, the Dance Program Ten Year Review noted that "despite Program efforts there was limited access to regular high quality performance venues." It was further noted that
"in order to address this concern and the already mentioned feeling by some majors that they do not have sufficient opportunities to perform, the Program is developing one of its studios into a modified performance venue."

Eight years later, the Program has made progress toward developing a performance venue, though this work has not been completed. Meany 267 (Studio 267) now has black stage draperies and a performance grade sound system.

Unfortunately, over this same time period, "access to regular high quality performance venues" has been reduced. The Dance Program has been able to add one additional day in the Meany Theater, increasing our residency from 7 to 8 days, but, due to increases in School of Drama use, has lost two to three days of annual residency in the Meany Studio Theatre.

The Dance Program is one of many clients served by Meany Hall, the operations unit responsible for scheduling and staff support for the Meany Studio Theatre and the Meany Theater. Because of the academic and rental demands on these theaters, the Dance Program is only able to schedule one week in the Meany Theater, and three two week residencies in the Meany Studio Theatre each year. Within these short residency periods the following work, which can only occur in the theatre, is scheduled: 16 to 32 hours to install and adjust lighting, sound, and video equipment, and scenic elements; 12 hours for technical rehearsals (when lighting, scenic and audio/visual elements are integrated with the performers on stage); 2 dress rehearsals; 4 public performances; 2 to 4 hours to remove Dance Program equipment and restore the facilty equipment.

All of this work occurs within a context limited by the class schedules of all the students involved and 8 hour daily maximums to avoid Meany Hall staff overtime. The large amount of time required for installation exists because of the specific, and different, equipment and space use requirements of the variety of clients that use the Meany Hall theaters. Dance has unique needs for floor surfacing and lighting equipment distribution that contribute to installation complexity.

The Dance Student Association (DSA) was originally created by Dance Program students to address the lack of choreographic and performance opportunities available to our students. DSA has produced concerts at the School of Drama's Cabaret in Hutchinson Hall, and at the Ethnic Cultural Theatre. Due to scheduling needs of the primary users of these venues, time for DSA events is extremely limited. For the 2003-2004 year, a full schedule of Drama student use has prevented the DSA from booking any time at the Cabaret. Additionally, both of these facilities, because of their small stage size and the rough condition of the floors, are inadequate for the needs of Dance presentation. The University Ballet Company has presented work in Meany 267, but without any lighting support.

The Dance Program, with assistance from STF, the Brotman award, and the College of Arts & Sciences, has acquired audio and video equipment that students use extensively while developing their work. However, no Dance Program operated facility includes lighting equipment.

The ability to explore lighting, with sound and video, as the choreographic work is developed is crucial to the learning process, critical to making efficient use of the always limited time in a theatre, and essential preparation for work in the dance profession. Dance students need an environment where they may have the time and facilities to hone their skills as artists and as users of technology.

Benefits

Dance Program students, with the support of their faculty, are requesting financial support so that Meany 267 may be upgraded with lighting equipment. The addition of lighting equipment will complete the development of a choreographic laboratory where students could explore the impact of lighting, video, and sound design on their dance, their dancers, and the dance space. This equipment would be available for rehearsal use, for research into and exploration of visual ideas without the pressure of a pending public performance. This facility would also be available for informal showings of student work and occasional public performance use.

Meany 267, one of the Dance Program's three classroom/rehearsal studios, is now equipped with appropriate floor surfacing, stage draperies and performance quality sound equipment. The addition of a lighting system in this room would create a space where students could work with all elements of production throughout their development process, and provide students an informal public performance venue without the constraints imposed by the intense overuse of the Meany Hall Theaters.

In Meany 267 the time required to prepare the equipment will be minimal, so more time will be available for rehearsals. More rehearsal time will allow more time for exploration at the interface of technology and human performance. More time spent in experimenting with design choices, and learning to communicate about these choices with others, will yield significant time and labor savings for projects intended for production in the Meany theaters.

In addition to the research and performance benefits to Dance Program students, this facility would provide an additional research resource for lighting design students in the School of Drama who wish to work with dancers.

The proposed equipment package includes lighting fixtures, computer control of dimmers, color scrollers and intelligent mirror devices, necessary cable and accessories, portable dimmer racks and aluminum truss components with electric hoists. The quantity of fixtures requested is based on the coverage needs of the space using the variety of angles most typically used for dance lighting. The specific lighting fixture selection includes a range of fixture types to meet a variety of design needs and provide student access to equipment typically found in professional facilities.

The inclusion of color scrollers and intelligent mirror devices is integral to the flexibility and ease of use of this system. Color scrollers add change of color capability to lighting fixtures with control through the dimming control console. The intelligent mirror devices similarly provide control of focus points (the location of light output on stage) through this same console. Additionally, the use of these devices reduces the total number of fixtures required. A single fixture will be capable of producing 16 different colors, or adjusting focus from one part of the stage to another, with a simple adjustment from the computer console.

Portable dimmer racks allow placement flexibility and may be stored outside of Meany 267 when space use needs require more open floor space. The use of trusses to support the lighting system minimizes the number of structural attachment points to the building and permits flexibility in configuration. The use of hoists allows the trusses to adjust in height from floor to ceiling, for design flexibility, and to permit equipment to be serviced from the floor without need for ladders or personnel lifts. Minimizing the use of ladder and personnel lifts saves time, provides a safe working enviroment for students, and reduces risk of damage to the expensive flooring system present in the room. Hoist and truss support of the side lighting "ladders" (vertical stacks of lighting fixtures arrayed for maximum sculpting angles) will allow these lighting positions to quickly and easily be raised above head height for use as a dance classroom. The truss package contains interchangeable components allowing the size and shape of the truss configurations to be modified as desired.

The portability of this type of equipment may also benefit other Dance Program productions in the Meany Theatres where additional dimming equipment, fixtures, devices and accessories are frequently needed and subsequently rented.

As the recent Brotman award indicates, the Dance Program has a proven record of excellence in serving students. Financial support for this lighting equipment system would help the Dance Program serve more students more efficiently.
It would provide Dance students ownership of a space where their work and innovation is at the forefront. This laboratory would also put the Dance Program on par with peer institutions.

For more information about equipment specifications and for drawings please visit http://depts.washington.edu/dancers/STFProposalHome.html

Student Access

Meany 267, one of the Dance Program's three studios, is available for non-instructional use Monday-Friday 4:30pm-11:00pm, Saturday and Sunday 8:00am-11:00pm, and other times as available. Meany 267 is utilized as a Dance Program classroom from 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday.

Meany Hall building hours are 8:00am-11:00pm seven days a week (105 hours a week). Our class schedule varies each academic quarter, but Meany 267 is generally, but not always, used for instruction up to 42 hours a week. Meany 267 is available, at a minimum, for non-instructional use the remaining 63 hours per week, or at least 60% of the week. Students involved in activities approved by the Dance Program may sign out building and studio keys. In this way, we are able to accommodate students wishing to use the space after staff leaves the building.

Registered students, faculty, and staff are permitted to reserve time in Meany 267 on a prioritized basis. Users of Meany 267 must sign up for time slots in advance. A calendar of reserved time slots shall be posted outside Meany 267. Two hours is the maximum time slot permitted, with 90 minutes suggested to allow as many students to have access as possible. Priority of use will be given to Dance Majors rehearsing for performances presented by the Dance Program, the Dance Student Association or the University Ballet Company and for workshop presentations of work by majors.

Control equipment for the lighting system and the electric hoist systems will be secured by keyed locks with permission for use granted only following safety training. The Dance Program Technical Director will be responsible for this training. Loose equipment not installed on the support trusses, stored at ceiling height, will be stored in locked cabinets in Meany 267 or Meany 59L.

No food or drink is allowed in Meany 267, except water in a lidded container, which will not be permitted around the lighting equipment.

Available Resources

Financial:
The Dance Program has limited funds for purchase of technology and will welcome STF support. We have aggressively pursued sources for funding with the following success: This proposal represents the fifth phase of a six phase project to adapt Meany Hall 267 for use as a choreographic laboratory and student accessible performance space. Phase One included installation of dance performance flooring at a cost of $30,000. Phase Two included a $7,500 installation of stage draperies and track in 1995. Phase Three was completed this past summer with the installation of a $9,000 performance quality sound equipment package, using funds from the College of Arts & Sciences, a portion of our 2002 Brotman Award and other Program sources. For Phase Four, the Dance Program received approximately $30,000 from Capital Projects to install additional electrical power for a future stage lighting system. This project was completed in March 2004. The Dance Program will fund the estimated $2,500 cost for engineering and installation of the ceiling anchors required to support the hoist package requested in this proposal. Installation of a $25,000 telescoping seating riser system is the sixth and final planned phase. This lighting equipment proposal is the only phase of our Meany 267 choreographic lab project for which the Dance Program has sought support from the Student Technology Fee Committee.

Revenue from ticket sales to Dance Program concerts currently funds Dance Program production expenses. This source, and additional revenue from public performances in Meany 267 will support the added maintenance costs and costs of consumables (lamps, color media, templates, etc) required by this equipment.


Personnel:
The Dance Program Technical Director will be responsible for supervising equipment maintenance and the training of students in the safe use of the equipment. Dance Program staff will provide scheduling supervision.


Space:
Meany 267 is a beautiful room equipped with a sprung dance floor, rehearsal barres, and theatrical track and draperies. A new sound system provides for up to 8 powered speakers and a subwoofer, and mixing capability for the use of microphones, CD and Minidisc players, and other input sources. A Company Switch supplying 200 amps at 208 Volts AC (3 phase) is available for powering portable stage lighting dimming systems. Storage space is available in Meany 267 and Meany 59L for equipment not in use.

Installation Timeline

Months 1-3: Purchase and inventory equipment. Engineer and install ceiling anchors.

Months 4-6: Prepare equipment for installation.
Install equipment. Refine plans for access and usage.

Months 6+: Train students. Utilize and maintain equipment.

Departmental Endorsement

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22 November 2003
To: Student Technology Fee Committee
From: Professor Hannah C. Wiley
Dance Program
Re: Lighting Equipment for Choreographic Laboratory

I am writing in strong support of the Dance Program's proposal for lighting equipment in Studio 267, Meany Hall. Equipping the studio so it may serve as a space for choreographic experimentation and viewing will be an addition to our unit that is long over due.

As the artistic director of the Chamber Dance Company, a professional troup composed of graduate students (frequently with undergraduates performing minor roles), I set up several outreach lecture/demonstrations for the Company each year. These have included the UW Retirement Association, high school dance students, immigrant school children, and arts education advocates, among others. For the untrained eye, it is difficult to "see" a dance in a studio space busy with barres and windows, and generally lit with fluorescent lights. It is much easier to understand a dance when it is framed and lit in a way that eliminates other competing information. With the addition of equipment that frames the works being performed, the educational effectiveness of our outreach program will be greatly enhanced.

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November 24, 2003
Dear Student Technology Fee Committee:

This letter is in support of the Lighting Equipment for Dance Program Choreography Lab proposal. I am an Assistant Professor in the Dance Program and teach several subjects including Composition (aka Choreography). Currently, one of the things the program is lacking is a venue for students to show their work regularly. As George Balanchine said, “You have to make 100 bad dances in order to create one or two masterworks.” You don’t get to that place unless you make a lot of work.

Students are hoping to implement a monthly showcase in order to show their work in both informal and formal formats in Studio 267. The showcases will be followed by discussion and feedback sessions. Faculty will attend these showings to offer feedback as well. However, the thrust of the showings is that students will begin to train their eyes and their creative voices. It is imperative that students learn to make dances without letting the editor in their heads get in the way, and that they learn to get and give feedback in a thoughtful, intelligent, open way.

Support from the Student Technology Fee committee will allow students to proceed with the monthly showcase. Students will increase their technological knowledge and learn to make technical choices about lighting, sound, and multimedia elements. They will be able to conceptualize their work completely. They will build a strong community by meeting regularly to show and talk about work.

Regular showings will increase their chances to have their work seen and will motivate them to choreograph more often.

Another strength of this proposal is that it will help launch the Dance Program into the 21st Century technologically. The proposal is in direct alignment with the university’s goals of being at the forefront of current technology. There is the potential for students to do advanced media work in Studio 267 with lighting, computer and video technology.

I fully support this proposal and encourage you to give it your strongest consideration. Our students need more opportunities to show their work and the lighting equipment will complete the process that creates this for them. Thank you for your time.

Jennifer Salk
Assistant Professor
Dance Program

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November 25, 2003
Student Technology Fee Committee
Dear Committee Members:

I am writing in support of the Dance Program Student Technology Fee Proposal titled Lighting Equipment for Dance Program Choreography Lab.

As a faculty member in the Dance Program, and a former student (MFA ’96), I am keenly aware of the need for an additional student performance and choreography venue. The conversion of studio 267 into a flexible, fully equipped space with lighting and sound equipment will provide necessary space and equipment for the integration of student choreography with lighting and audio/visual technology. Currently graduate and undergraduate students have very few options to explore the intersection of technical theater (including lighting design, sound design, and scenic design) with their choreographic studies. The few options they do possess offer only minimal time in the performance space prior to public performance, leaving little room for true exploration. In addition, student-led groups including Dance Student Association and University Ballet Company have had to seek performance spaces outside of the Dance Program or settle for using spaces without any lighting equipment.

The outfitting of studio 267 with necessary technical equipment as outlined in the proposal will enrich the undergraduate and graduate student experience in the Dance Program. The improved facility would allow for curricular and extracurricular enhancements that at present are noticeably absent from the University of Washington.

I vigorously support this proposal, and will happily provide any assistance I can to see that it is funded.

Sincerely,

Peter Kyle, Lecturer
Dance Program
Box 351150
pkylejr@u.washington.edu
206-685-2687

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1 December, 2003

I whole heartily endorse the STF proposal for converting the dance studio into a light-able,
perform-able space. In teaching lighting to the Drama School students I think it is essential that the students have opportunity to design lighting for dance. It is my hope that the conversion of this space will create more of those opportunities for students both in the Dance department and in the Drama department.

Sincerely,
Geoff Korf
Artist In Residence
School of Drama

Student Endorsement

November 30, 2003

ATTN: STF Committee

When I first heard about turning Studio 267 into a performance space I thought it was neat, but the significance didn’t really hit me right away. As a performance and choreography focused dance major I have truly reaped the benefits of the UW Dance Department. This year in particular, I am performing in every UW Dance production and showcasing my own choreography. It is a blessing to be in my position, indeed, not everyone has so much opportunity. From the outside it seems that I should be satisfied with the way things are, but as I approach dance-making in the real world – beyond academia – I realize that I’ve only gotten a small taste of what’s possible. If the mission of the UW Dance Department is to prepare the next generation of cultural leaders, then a choreography lab where students can work with lights and production techniques is an essential component of the major.

Turning Studio 267 into a performance space unlocks a new creative dimension, empowering young contemporary choreographers to dig deeper into their artistry. Under the current state of the arts at the UW, dance majors are artistically limited by our access to available technology. This shouldn’t happen at a world class University. Part of the biggest developments in contemporary dance performance over the past few decades has happened in relation to technology. The seminal works of Alwin Nikolais, for example, show how lighting design can transform the stage space into a whole new world. The multimedia works of Bill T. Jones show the power of dance to become more than what we ever thought was possible. The freedom to work with multimedia concepts allows for a greater depth of artistic exploration, uniting dance into a total theatrical production.

Students at the UW shouldn’t be limited by technology; we should be expanded and enriched by it. The capstone of being a dance major is choreographing for the Dance Major’s Concert. Approaching this process I realize that my choreographic concepts are unnecessarily limited by our access to technology. I know that I’ll only have one technical rehearsal to practice the dance with lights. As an artist, I have to make practical decisions. The dances I make here can’t depend too much on lighting concepts; the power of light cannot be harnessed and fully integrated into my creative process. Instead, I am forced to alter my choreographic visions in order to concentrate on movement in time and space; something I know I’ll be able to rehearse. Essentially, I am relegated to producing modern dances instead of being able to explore contemporary multimedia and production techniques. Renovating Studio 267 is an excellent step towards expanding the choreographic possibilities for future dance majors, especially those of us who truly want to make a difference in the world through dance.

Michael Helland
Community and Environmental Planning, College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Class of 2003
Dance, Class of 2004

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December 1, 2003

Dear Student Technology Fee Committee:

The mission of the Dance Student Association (DSA) is to provide undergraduate students with opportunities to further their involvement within the dance department at the University of Washington. DSA is organized and managed by the student elected officers who convene weekly to further the interests of the group. Members of DSA include students from within the dance program as well as students from other academics within the University community.

Throughout the year DSA networks with local and international teachers and choreographers to bring alternative forms of movement into the dance program. These classes and workshops provide students with unique opportunities to experience dance from outside of the University of Washington. The classes are funded by the DSA and donations from supportive students and faculty. Since these special classes are limited throughout the year, the classes often fill to capacity, each one increasing the popularity of this student organization.

One of the biggest events the DSA sponsors every spring is a student-produced performance of undergraduate choreography entitled Spin. Officers and members of DSA begin preparations for Spin early in fall quarter to ensure a quality performance venue. The most significant challenge is adapting to the many restrictions of accommodating student interests for a dance performance. The venue must be in an accessible location on-campus, it must accommodate the performance material as well as a sizable audience and it must be a reasonable cost that DSA can manage.

Unfortunately in years past, the quality of Spin has suffered due to lack of resources to meet our basic requirements. The majority of theaters on-campus are available for student rental, but are particular to the needs of drama students and have little incentive for a dance performance. Other venues are either too expensive, have a less than adequate stage or insufficient space within the house to accommodate the increasingly large audiences of Spin.

Spin has been an excellent opportunity for undergraduate students to present their choreography as well as a chance to engage students in the production aspects of performance. A studio theater would allow the DSA the flexibility to provide students with numerous opportunities to improve as choreographers, dancers, producers and administrators. As undergraduates, these experiences are crucial to our education, and beneficial to the future of dance performances within our communities.

Tiffany Blodgett
Amanda Morrison
Danielle Payton
Kira Elste
Michelle Moravan

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December 1, 2003

To: Student Technology Fee Committee
From: MFA Candidates in the Dance Program
Re: Lighting Equipment for Choreographic Laboratory

Dear Committee Members:

As Graduate students in the Dance Department, we strongly endorse the proposed plan to equip room 267 with stage lighting equipment in order to make the space suitable for student performances. The program strives to create a supportive environment for students and faculty in the creation and performance of new dance works. The prospect of having an additional theater space for performance opportunities adds to the program’s ability to provide its students with skills and experiences that they can apply in the professional world.

Stage lighting is a crucial component for allowing choreographers to fully realize their creative vision – in short to create their “world”. As part of the graduate curriculum, we create dances for a concert that is presented each fall in the Meany Studio Theater. In this process, we have experienced the frustration of having very little time to work with lighting designers to create the full stage design. The collaborative process would undoubtedly be vastly enhanced if student choreographers and student lighting designers were given more time and opportunities to develop their ideas in a theater space.

The unique experience of performing in a fully equipped theatrical space, versus a barren dance studio cannot be stressed enough. Currently, the students have few opportunities to experience all of the elements that go into putting on a production. Only dance majors have an opportunity to present their work enhanced by a lighting grid. Other students such as dance minors would no doubt benefit from the chance not only to perform more frequently, but also to explore the technical aspects involved in production such as lighting, sound, video and set design. With the increased interest in composition, the dance program has added additional sections of composition. This convertible theater space would provide showing opportunities to the composition students thus furthering the realization of their creative vision.

Thank you for your consideration,

Sarah Carlson
Rebecca Chisman
Chalie Livingston
Carolyn Pavlik
Kory Perigo
Stephanie Scopelitis

MFA candidates in the Dance Program

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Items

Below are the items making up the current proposal. The asterisk (*) beside items signify that they were approved by the committee. This however was not implemented correctly for our database before 2005, so earlier years may not show this.

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