BEHIND THE STAGE – DANCE DATA PROJECT® RELEASES NEW RESOURCE, THE “STAGE MANAGER’S CHECKLIST”

August 18, 2021 | Northfield, IL | Dance Data Project® (DDP) today announces the release of the “Stage Manager’s Checklist,” authored by Nicole Walters of Atlanta Ballet. The new resource outlines the necessary skills required for aspiring and existing stage managers. Nicole was also featured as a part of Global Conversations: Behind the Stage, which DDP released earlier this summer. You can watch our full Global Conversations interview with Nicole here.

This checklist acts as a useful stepping stone for dancers considering the transition “behind the stage,” though the resource is not solely applicable for classical dance companies. It has been universalized to apply to all performance arts/venues, globally.

“DDP is stepping in during these uncertain economic times to help women advance their careers and illuminate possible pathways following a professional dance career,” DDP Communications Lead Isabelle Ramey notes. “Fostering awareness of the skills required for these challenging positions is important– these careers, while both lucrative and more secure, still provide the adrenaline and daily challenge that so many in the performing arts seek.”

Paired with a document illustrating the “Typical Day” of a stage manager, the checklist creates a thorough and clear description of possible responsibilities, as well as some helpful tips to make the role easier. “Nothing ever goes quite as planned,” says Walters, who is always preparing for the unexpected; touting resourcefulness, quick thinking, and level headedness as some of a stage manager’s greatest skills. DDP Founder Liza Yntema quips that “if Nicole had been steering, the Titanic would have never gone down.”

The “Stage Manager’s Checklist” is available here.