Community Nutcracker Rider

WHAT IT IS:

Nutcracker performance presented by Dance Alive National Ballet using in addition to the professional dancers, local area dance students for Act l party scene, mice and soldiers, and Act ll tumblers in the Mother Ginger section. Fantastic opportunity for students to learn from professional dancers and promises a filled house!

HOW IT WORKS:

DANB will send a representative to conduct an audition for local dance students for the following roles in THE NUTCRACKER:

  • Soldiers – age 7-12. One year minimum dance experience required.
  • Party girls – age 9-13. Must be experienced ballet dancers. No pointe required.
  • Party boys – age 7-13. One year minimum dance experience required.
  • Clara’s Friends – ages 12-18. Must be strong ballet dancers. No pointe required.
  • Ten (10) Mice – ages 12-18. Must be strong jazz dancers.
  • Ten (10) Tumblers – ages 7-18. Must have cartwheels, front walkovers, back walkovers, splits. headstands and back handsprings or aerial tricks.

Following the audition, DANB will teach the choreography. It will all take ONE DAY, including audition, from 9 AM to 6 PM.

Presenter will assign a coordinator who selects a local dance teacher to be at the audition and initial rehearsal and to conduct six (6) rehearsals afterwards in a selected local studio prior to the final dress rehearsal onstage the day before the actual performance. Costumes will be handed out immediately prior to the final dress rehearsal. The day of the performance, a rehearsal will be held immediately prior to the performance so that they can practice with the professional adult dancers.

AUDITION PROTOCOL

The Artistic Director or her representative will conduct an audition which is one hour long that includes steps from all of the roles. The casting will be posted 30 minutes after the audition ends. This is normally all in one day (usually Saturday).

The schedule is generally the following: 8-9 AM registration.

  • 9 AM – audition
  • 10:30 AM – casting posted
  • 11 AM – 1 PM -Soldiers
  • 12 – 1 PM – Soldiers and mice battle scene
  • 1 – 3 PM – Mice
  • 3 – 5 PM – Party Scene
  • 5 – 6 PM – tumbler

AUDITION AND CHOREOGRAPHY

Children should sign in and fill out a sheet that includes, their name, their parents’ names, address, email, phone, age, height, dance studio and number of years of training. This sheet should be NUMBERED. The same matching number should be on a label which is then pinned to the front of their dance attire. EACH STUDIO PARTICIPATING SHOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT COLOR LABEL SO AS TO ENSURE. THAT CASTING IS INCLUSIVE.

Parents should sign and agree to the following conditions which should be included on the registration form:

  1. I understand, if cast, my dancer must attend the choreographer’s first rehearsal immediately following the audition and the final technical and/or dress rehearsal on stage.
  2. I understand my dancer must attend 5 out or 6 rehearsals in between the first rehearsals and the final dress rehearsal.
  3. If cast as an understudy, I understand my dancer must attend the same.
  4. I understand dancers may be replaced at the discretion of the rehearsal coach for the following reasons: unexcused absences from rehearsals, injury, illness or poor behavior.
  5. I understand that if my child is cast as a party girl, I must provide an appropriate dress.

AGREEMENT

PROVIDED BY DANCE ALIVE NATIONAL BALLET:

  1. DANB will provide sets and costumes for all DANB personnel.
  2. DANB will provide choreography, which is not to be changed without the written consent of the Artistic Director.
  3. The DANB Artistic Director or her representative will conduct an audition, post the casting and teach the choreography in one day, date TBA between the DANB Artistic Director and Presenter.
  4. DANB will provide costumes to include:
    • Soldiers: Pants, jackets, guns, hats, (up to 32).
    • Mice: Body suits, masks (up to 16).
    • Party girls: Pantaloons for party scene (up to 16).
    • Party boys: Knickers and shirts for party scene (up to 4).
    • Clara’s Friends: Pantaloons and dresses (up to 10).
    • Tumblers: Bodice, pants, ankle ruffs, bows (up to 15).
  5. Combined final rehearsal onstage with DANB cast prior to performance.

PROVIDED BY PRESENTER

  1. An audition space and subsequent rehearsal spaces.
  2. Appropriate advertising for the audition through telephone, flyers and media to inform teachers, dancers and parents of the audition. This requires contacting dance studios and gymnastic schools.
  3. A coordinator for the entire project. This person should be:
  4. The main coordinator for your end.
    1. The person who handles the organization of the audition, is present during the audition and initial rehearsal period to answer any questions.
    2. Should be at All stage rehearsals and performances.
    3. Should organize backstage, make-up and waiting areas for dancer/students during the performances.
    4. Should organize food plans, costume changes and any parents needed for above.
    5. This may or may not be the same as #4 above. IT is at your discretion as a Presenter.
    6. One qualified dance person to organize and run rehearsals in between the initial audition period and the performances or to delegate rehearsals to other instructors.
    7. Anyone in charge of rehearsals must be at the auditions and the initial rehearsal when the choreography is taught and must also be at the final tech and dress rehearsal and at performances.
  5. This person will be responsible for:
    1. Checking that all party dresses are similar, and that colors are jewel tones that blend.
    2. Will be responsible for assisting the Artistic Director or her representative in handing out costumes loaned for the performances at the final rehearsal and checking in immediately following the final performance. All costumes are numbered, and an inventory sheet will be provided.

FOR AUDITION AND REHEARSAL, THE PRESENTER WILL PROVIDE

  • A large space with wooden floor, preferably the performance stage
  • Work lights on stage and houselights in audience.
  • Table and chair set up down-stage center.
  • Sound System to include playback system with hookup and microphone
    set up on a table at the DS center of stage.
  • Room must be at a moderate temperature level no less than 72 degrees.

COMMUNITY DANCERS MUST PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING COSTUME WEAR
(UNLESS ARRANGED IN ANOTHER MANNER BY THE PRESENTER)

Soldiers:

  • White leotards, red leotards, or pink leotards and pink tights, whichever the majority already have is the best way to handle this. ALL MUST BE THE SAME.
  • Black ballet shoes with white or pink elastic. ALL MUST BE THE SAME.
  • Wrist length white gloves.
  • Red felt cheek circles (applied with false eyelash adhesive).

Mice:

  • Black tights or black unitards. ALL MUST BE THE SAME. If there are any double cast with party scene, black tights are best with nude colored camisole leotards.
  • Black ballet shoes or black slip-on jazz shoes. ALL MUST BE THE SAME.

Tumblers:

  • White tank leotard and white tights or white unitard. ALL MUST BE THE SAME.
  • White thin soled tennis shoes or acrobatic shoes. ALL MUST BE THE SAME.

Party girls:

  • Party dress as specified with matching hair bow, pink tights and pink ballet shoes.

Party boys:

  • White tights and black ballet shoes with white elastic.

ANY DANB COSTUMES MISSING WILL BE BILLED TO THE PRESENTER:

  • Soldier Pants $20
  • Soldier tops $40
  • Pantaloons $15
  • Mouse suits $50
  • Mouse masks $75
  • Tumblers $100

IMPORTANT: FOR THE PRESENTER

DANB needs access to the theatre the night before the performance to hand out costumes. This will be followed by rehearsal for the students.

The schedule is generally 4-5:30 PM costume handout, 6-7 PM rehearsal.
DANB will make every effort to make this the best show possible. We strive for perfection and take pride in our flexibility. If there are any questions, please contact us at your earliest convenience: Kim Tuttle, Artistic Director [email protected] 352.359.2007

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