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Erin Joy Swank - Stage Manager
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Tag: Dance

Two-Tape Triangulation Tape Out Method – Part One: Measuring the Points

March 2, 2025 cue2go
Two-tape triangulation theory is shown, using a 3-4-5 right triangle on graph paper

For the longest time, if there has been any “industry standard” for stage management (there are far fewer than most…

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Filed under: Dance, Helpful Links, Real Life SM Stories, SM Tips, Taping the Set

How to Lay Dance Numbers on a Curve…and Help Your Choreographer

February 25, 2024 cue2go
Pencil marks on graph paper show two curves. The upper one has marked out even numbers from center going both ways, with the numbers directly up and down. The numbers match every two lines of graph paper. Text underneath reads How to Lay Dance Numbers on a Curve. The second curve below has numbers evenly marked around the edge, with the numbers angled in towards the center. There are also more numbers around the same size perimeter edge compared to the first. The text under the second reads What not to do.

Okay, you’ve got your set of dance numbers ready (see previous blog post), but have to put them on a…

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Filed under: Dance, Musical Theatre, Real Life SM Stories, SM Tips, Taping the Set

More Options for Dance Numbers

cue2go
Two images - left are white numbers on black cards, all even numbers; on the right is a card with a black 25 on a white background, sitting in a restaurant card stand to show the table number

In a past blog post I’ve talked about creating your own quick and dirty dance number line. I carry mine…

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Filed under: Dance, Musical Theatre, Real Life SM Stories, SM Tips, Taping the Set

Dear Lighting Designers: A Friendly Request from your Calling Stage Managers

October 27, 2021 cue2go
Photo of a stage manager's calling score for an opera, with six cues on one page

If you are a lighting designer, I have a small request on behalf of all the stage managers who will…

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Filed under: Calling Cues, Care and Feeding of Stage Managers, Dance, Musical Theatre, Opera, Opera Stage Management 101, Real Life SM Stories, SM Tips

AGMA & SDC Recommendations for Returning to Work

August 26, 2020 cue2go

I am a member of two different unions for live entertainment, Actors’ Equity Association (for traditional theatre/plays/musicals) and the American…

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Filed under: AGMA, Care and Feeding of Stage Managers, COVID Return to Work Guidelines, Dance, Helpful Links, Opera, Real Life SM Stories

Tipsy Tuesday Talk with Chelsea Janke

May 9, 2020 cue2go
Text: Tipsy Tuesday Talks Hosted by Chelsea Janke

As mentioned in the previous post, I’ve been online quite a bit since the pandemic started. Here’s the video from my…

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Filed under: Cirque, Dance, Musical Theatre, Navigating Unemployment, Nutcracker, Opera, Real Life SM Stories, Recorded Events, SM Tips

LED Stage Markers “In Person”

May 22, 2019 cue2go 1 Comment
A hand holding two LED stage markers, battery operated lights in red and green

Here’s a quick update to my blog post about dance markings. My new LED Stage Markers arrived and they’re pretty…

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Filed under: Dance, Musical Theatre, SM Tips, Taping the Set

Taping the Set for Choreography: Quarter Marks and Dance Numbers

May 19, 2019 cue2go 7 Comments
A portable dance number line made of ribbon sits on a stage manager's script

If you’re stage managing a piece with dance, dancers (and their directors and choreographers) will likely want some marks on…

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Filed under: Dance, Musical Theatre, SM Tips, Taping the Set

Tagged Topics

Adventures with Eeyore AEA AGMA Assistant Stage Manager Calling Cues Care and Feeding of Stage Managers Cirque COVID Return to Work Guidelines Dance Eeyore and Erin Finances for SMs Going as Green as Possible Helpful Links Musical Theatre My Philosophy (or two) Navigating Unemployment Nutcracker Opera Opera Stage Management 101 Pop Culture References Production Publicity Production Reviews Real Life SM Stories Recorded Events Shindig - Virtual Platform SM Tips Stage Combat Stage Management Books Stage Management History Stage Management Humor Stage Management Paperwork Taping the Set Technology in Stage Management Thoughts on Articles Read Training/Certifications/Courses Virtual Events

Recent Posts

  • Using a scale rule to measure points
    Using an Architect’s Scale RulerMarch 16, 2025
  • Two-tape triangulation theory is shown, using a 3-4-5 right triangle on graph paper
    Two-Tape Triangulation Tape Out Method – Part One: Measuring the PointsMarch 2, 2025
  • White gaff tape is layered around a plastic hotel key for storage. The end of the tape is loose in someone's hand, and a roll of the same gaff sits in the background, all on a green velvet background.
    Portable Gaff Tape HackFebruary 28, 2025
  • A spike stick is pictured, with 19 colors of spike tape rolled around a dowel. The dowel has a hole drilled towards one end, with black tieline laced through and tied in a knot as a loop. Above and to the left is a single roll of yellow spike tape.
    For the Love of Spike SticksOctober 30, 2024
  • Two theatrical groundplans are shown with a transparent overlay of the rehearsal hall dimensions, giving alternate layouts
    Taping Out the Set: How to Decide Orientation in the Rehearsal HallSeptember 25, 2024
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