Dance Works is the fall showcase of the University of Cincinnati’s dance department. It featured a mixed repertoire of works from ballet to modern. The two main goals for the fall dance show are foldback and playback. For the dancers, I want to make sure that the stage is evenly covered by the music, so that anywhere they dance they can easily hear the piece. Due to the production being in the Patricia Corbett Theater, we have a thrust to cover along with the rest of the stage. In order to keep a clean stage, I want to utilize the two d&b 10s install positions downstage of the proscenium and focus speakers towards the stage to act as side fills. This will be accompanied by four JF80s on upstage line sets aimed downward and two more d7b Y10P side fills just upstage of the proscenium to provide an overlap so there is no drop in coverage as dancers move across the stage in either direction. For music playback, there will be three Y7P speakers to provide coverage for the three areas of seating along with surround to supplement the rear seats of the theatre and front fills for the first couple rows. The design aims to avoid as much of the sound slapping back off the back booth as possible by angling the main PA farther downwards. Whether someone is on stage or in the audience, I want to provide the best possible listening experience for both sides of the stage.

I included this show because this was my first design at CCM, and my first time drafting a full speaker plot. By planning ahead for extra speakers to adequately cover backstage, I did not have to add anything last minute and the dancers were very happy. Overall, the show went off without a hitch and everyone was able to easily hear the music.