Sunday, November 24, 2013
The Impact of lights on stage
One of the biggest
and most important aspects of performance other than music is
lighting. Lighting is very important when creating a production.
Lighting production is used in both dance and theater. We use
lighting for many reasons in dance, the most important factor being
is to simply make the dancers look flawless. Lighting increases body
appearance from an audiences perspective. Certain colors used on the
stage can increase the muscle structure on a dancers body, making one
look much stronger then they may appear walking down the street.
Lighting is also used to compliment the costuming that the dancers
are wearing to support the intent of the piece. Lighting can be very
complimentary if used correctly, but can also create conflict on
stage when rushed or not planned out. Special effect lighting can
also be used to create imagery on stage. In some cases the lights
will be flashing to portray the intent that the choreographer is
trying to investigate and show their audience. Spotlights are used a
lot during performance to focus the audiences attention on a specific
dancer or group of dancers. Spotlights can be very effective because
it really focuses all the attention on the dancer and distracts the
audience from the rest of the other movement happening on stage.
Lighting is very important in stage production and makes a big impact
on the dancers. Although the dancer is the prime importance on the
stage, the embellishments of lighting, music, and other technological
media make an extreme impact on the stage.
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I have seen a few productions and can agree with you that lighting is an important aspect of the performance. I know that color can affect or display a specific mood. Lighting allows this feeling to be felt by the audience, like background music in a movie. I remember when I was in the eighth grade and was one of the few who were left in charge of handling the spotlight. I did not realize how important that was then, but you have clearly stated its relevance. I feel that it could apply to life outside of a school setting. What else takes our full-attention away from the things happening in the background? The logistics, if you will.
ReplyDeleteStrobe lights are fascinating because it makes a moving object look like it is moving slow. If possible, I would like to learn what how to set up and produce a great lighting production.
Particular lighting setups really can create landscapes and settings that would not be possible without the technology. This is true in my area of music as well as in dance. Lighting has the ability to enhance or bring out aspects of the dance that otherwise may have gone unnoticed. I have seen shows where the lighting is used to allow smooth transitions while others still perform. There are many times where the performers are moving in the dark just like I have seen musicians play in the dark during mesmerizing light shows. Doesn't that make things difficult at times? You must really know how everything lines up without even looking. I find that amazing. I can also see how if the lights are used poorly, could create a lot of problems!
ReplyDeleteI do not know much about dance and theater, but the plays that I have seen always have different kinds of lighting for different scenes. The lighting makes the whole stage light up and when a spotlight is used I know to focus on that area of the stage. This tells the audience that something important may happen. I was unaware that lighting could bring out muscle and make the performers look better. This is very interesting to me.
ReplyDeleteLighting is really like makeup for a stage or any sort of performance venue. In fact the are light shows that are just different staging setups synched up with musical soundtracks. Dance and theater would not be the same with out lighting. Though we often overlook the importance of what seem like a simple technology, it good to see someone paying close attention to the little details and technologies that go into a bigger picture.
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