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Hats
Off For Props!
By Diane Gudat
Putting something in your students' hands can be risky — and rewarding.
What would a chimney-sweep dance be without a broom? Numbers like “Steppin’ Out With My Baby” positively scream for a top hat and cane. You simply cannot do a tarantella without a tambourine or expect Spanish dancers to go without fans. And how could you possibly do “It’s the Hard-Knock Life” without a bucket and rag? A recital without props seems close to impossible, but with every one comes an inherent risk. Chances are good that any given prop will run out of batteries, shed, or deflate or get lost, broken, or dropped. It will roll off the edge of the stage, get caught in another dancer’s costume, or end up on the floor. One dancer will set hers down, then pick up the wrong one later, leaving another dancer frantically trying to find hers.
Over the years my studio has accumulated a large treasury of props that can be used not only in recital dances but also in class, as creative tools. My first rule of thumb is that all props and hats belong to, and are stored by, the studio. I allow only teachers and responsible class parents to transport props to and from performances. Students never take them home; experience has proven that they will forget or sometimes damage them. If you want students to practice with props at home, purchase twice as many as you need so that a complete set remains at the studio at all times; that way you’ll have them when you need them. In fact, buying more props than you need is always a good idea. If you have a class of 12 dancers, order at least 16 canes. Delicate ones, like parasols and fans, should be doubled.
My second rule is that a dancer must use a prop for at least half of a routine. For example, if she begins seated on a chair, she must return to it and use it as an integral part of the choreography. Simply returning to the chair at the end is not sufficient. Props like portable chairs, ladders, small staircases, or boxes should be included in formations and to create levels. (Consider placing rubber tips on the bottom of chairs and other set pieces that must support a dancer’s weight to prevent them from sliding, eliminate noise, and protect the floor.)
All props must be of a size and weight that they can be easily carried on- and offstage by the dancers. Anything larger than that falls into the category of scenery and requires a different discussion.
Prepare for disaster
What do you
want your dancers to do if they drop or lose a prop onstage?
When should they pick up a hat and when should th
ey
let it lie where it falls? Should they kick a dropped prop out
of the way? Who is responsible for picking up dropped props as
the dancers leave the stage? What should the dancers do if the
chair they are using collapses? Be sure to discuss the action
you would prefer them to take and insist that dancers who drop
or lose props during rehearsals continue with the dance
according to plan.
If you decide to use props, order them early. The coordination required to use some props may take time for some students to master. Also, having a group of dancers share one or two props during practice will not give you the opportunity to clean the look. If you plan to use part of a costume as a prop—for example, having the students grab a skirt, remove a jacket, or swing a cape—allow them to wear the costumes and practice for several weeks to ensure that all will go smoothly. I’ve seen students fake grabbing a skirt or pinch an invisible hat instead of actually using the skirt or hat they are wearing, which I can only attribute to lack of practice.
Any prop that requires batteries should have a fresh set for every performance.
Add interest and uniformity
Props can lengthen the look of the dancers’ arms and add color and dimension to a routine. They are also an excellent way to make the group’s arm and hand movements uniform. Students who have not yet mastered the fine art of port de bras or have difficulty matching hand shapes can look cleaner and more together with prop in their hands. Scarves, floral hoops, and parasols keep a young ballerina’s hands employed while complementing their costumes.
Boys love routines that blend their interest in sports with dance. Balls, mini-trampolines, bats, handlebars, steering wheels, and hats of any kind work wonderfully for young men. Skateboards, roller skates, scooters, bikes, and even battery-powered cars can keep them excited and enthusiastic.
Students love props that make noise, like tambourines, maracas, and jingle bells, but these require extra patience from teachers during rehearsals since students may find their noisemaking ability irresistible. It is best to have the dancers set these down for part of the dance to give the audience a break from the noise.
Props for tots
Using props
for younger children can be a fabulous idea—or a nightmare.
Consider the ages of the children and what will be safe for
them to use, especially in close proximity to a
nother
dancer. Handing a 4-year-old a stick or cane is asking for
trouble. A soft teddy bear or doll is a much better idea. Hats
are fun, but the bigger the better for little hands. Purses,
handheld plastic mirrors, large stars, snowflakes, or wrapped
gifts can keep little hands busy and help to develop a theme.
When using props like hula-hoops or ribbons, make sure that
they are the right proportion for the child. Eliminate the
chance that they will trip or fall over what they are using.
I discovered a handy trick for marking props for young children when I had a group of 3-year-olds begin their dance seated in chairs across the stage. No matter what I did, it turned into a game of musical chairs every week as the little ones fought to find their seats. Although I have tried assigning each student a color and then color coding their props, I found that placing their picture on the seat of their chair worked perfectly. This method works equally well inside hats and on the back of other props.
Wayward props
Beware the prop that remains onstage after the dancers leave. Feather boas can look spectacular and add pizzazz to a routine, but the shedding that results can cause problems for the rest of the show and bring any competition to a screeching halt. Be sure to give boas a good shaking before each use and have a crew ready to pick up the feathers left onstage. Brooms are ineffective, creating a strong air current that sends the feathers flying and makes the next routine reminiscent of the opening scene of Forrest Gump. Pixie dust from fairies, glitter from a Material Girl, or flour from a group of bakers not only leave residue on the costumes that follow but can create a slippery hazard for the rest of the show.
When using any prop that rolls, have extras backstage ready to be thrown on by a helper who knows the routine, and never expect them to stay where you place them on the floor. Trashcans and baskets can be used onstage to capture these objects. I have also found that a small cereal bowl makes an excellent stand to keep balls from rolling away.
If you must have the dancers throw something, do it before an intermission or off the edge of the stage. Always avoid throwing a prop at a judging table. While serving as a judge I have been pelted by balls, gloves, hats, candy, and glitter, and rarely, if ever, have I enjoyed it.
Costumes as props
Costumes can
become props: Jackets can be reversed, hoods can be put up or
down, and coats can be opened and closed as part of the
choreography. (This kind of action is most
successfully
managed by the older, more experienced dancers.) Hats can be
used to accent movement, but be sure they fit well and can be
easily placed on the head. Girls’ hairstyles must be carefully
planned to avoid problems with the fit of a hat. Foam hatbands
and fillers can keep hats from slipping down over a dancer’s
eyes.
A surprise prop can be lots of fun and pep up the end of a routine. Scarves, drumsticks, flashlights, fans, and ropes can be hidden in a pocket or up a sleeve or even be incorporated into a costume. Smaller props like handheld fans should have wrist strings to prevent them from being dropped on the floor. I have seen elastic and rope used as a costume element and then unwound from a leg or an arm, creating beautiful geometric patterns at the conclusion of a production number. Again, practice is the key to success.
Props as scenery
Smaller props can be danced with and then incorporated into scenery or grouped to form set pieces onstage. Puzzle pieces can be joined to form a whole picture; colored boxes can morph into keyboards; trains and cars can be built from many small pieces carried on by individual dancers. I have seen an entire house be constructed from bricks and an airplane materialize from nowhere.
Props can liven up a production and make audiences laugh. They can help dancers get into character and make them look as sharp as the Rockettes. They can spark choreographic ideas and present new challenges. I have presented entire recitals in which every dance revolved around a different type of hat or utilized some type of prop. Both stretched my creativity and patience, and both were favorites of the dancers and their audiences. If you haven’t experimented with props yet, give it a whirl. And let me know if you pull off a clean jump-rope routine—I truly believe there is an extra throne in heaven for the teacher who can do that!
Contact:
Goldrush, P.O. Box 2150, Norton, MA 02766,
Phone: 888-i-dance-9, 508-285-6650, Fax: 508-285-3179,
Email: Goldrushdance@aol.com
Copyright 2006 Goldrush Magazine, a division of the Rhee Gold Company and Gold Standard Press, LLC. Goldrush Magazine and Goldrush Online is published twelve times annually. No contents of Goldrush Magazine and Goldrush Online may not be duplicated in whole or in part without permission of the publisher. Inclusion in the Goldrush does not imply endorsement by Goldrush or its employees
