Performance Pet Peeves

Shara

New member
I hate it when ANY DJ talks over ANY song! I realize the format of some radio stations require that it be done, but I don't like it. I like to hear "song, dj" not "song/dj". And when it is for a dance performance, the DJ is cutting into the dancer's performance, and, yes, that IS very rude! It is also rude to ignore the dancer. Example: instructions with music were to cut the second song at 3:45 but that little bit was not read, so the music plays on.... the dancer makes the "cut" move gracefully across her neck to signal the DJ that he was supposed to cut the song. DJ smiles back at dancer. She turns back to him, makes the cut sign a LITTLE more obviously, and DJ grins. The dancer is ready to kill him! She turns and signals "cut! cut! cut!" with her right hand, then "cut! cut! cut!" with both hands! He finally realizes he was supposed to cut the song! The dancer, by this time, has begun to choke herself as opposed to the "cut" motion!
Yep, true story! My poor dance friend! I was laughing so hard, but felt so sorry for her!
 

walladah

New member
Being out of the rythm is the worst

I just cannot stand it!

Second performance pet peeve is over-filling dance with more and more moves and ornaments as if the dance itself is an exhibition of skill. Music requires certain style(s) and certain set of movements, depending on the choice the dancer might have done concerning the interpretation style.
 

Darshiva

Moderator
Example: instructions with music were to cut the second song at 3:45 but that little bit was not read, so the music plays on.... the dancer makes the "cut" move gracefully across her neck to signal the DJ that he was supposed to cut the song. DJ smiles back at dancer. She turns back to him, makes the cut sign a LITTLE more obviously, and DJ grins. The dancer is ready to kill him! She turns and signals "cut! cut! cut!" with her right hand, then "cut! cut! cut!" with both hands! He finally realizes he was supposed to cut the song! The dancer, by this time, has begun to choke herself as opposed to the "cut" motion!
Yep, true story! My poor dance friend! I was laughing so hard, but felt so sorry for her!

Last year I lost my music so I asked the drummers at a hafla to drum for me. They didn't know any of my 'finish' signals, so I just bowed to them deeply (which worked!) bowed to the audience & exited gracefully.
 

seona

New member
Crappy music systems bother me. Also something else I've noticed before whilst watching on the Internet is when a dancer enters the stage/performance area late into the track. If that happens I don't wait to watch because i find if the music dosent grab me and the track is several minutes in and I'm still looking at an empty stage I don't wait around! Three minutes in and I'm gone. Shame as I could be missing some nice dancing. I don't think I've ever seen it happen in real life yet. Perhaps I wouldn't feel the same for a real live performance, and I suppose if there were live musicians it wouldn't bother me, but on the net three minutes are too long to hold my attention usually.
 

Aniseteph

New member
The wait is pretty normal for an Egyptian magency. Once you get used to it you can hear in the music where the big build up intro ends and the dancer enters. It can feel/look weird to me if the dancer is dancing over the intro.

Sometimes it is really long though, a couple of minutes. :shok:. Unless you are a big name or are confident that your audience will think the wait was worth it, I think it's best to do some cutting, or choose a different piece of music.

My peeve (from the audience POV) is people talking loudly close to me when someone is performing. I don't expect reverential silence in a cabaret/party setting, but I do want to be able to watch the dancing and listen to the music, not your conversation or running commentary.

Extra peeve points for expecting me to join in, for coming out with stupid and/or ignorant comments, and for doing it while a really good dancer is on (yeah, that's a bit wrong - everyone should get respect - but I am more likely to feel like slapping someone who does it while the international visitor is on than I am over the local beginners class). Super extra plus peeve points if conversation involves speculating on the sexuality of male dancers. I mean, sheesh, who gives a hoot? Save it for later PLEASE.
 

Amulya

Moderator
Shara, that is indeed stupid that guy didn't understand. You can avoid it by editing the music and give the CD with only the music you want to be played. I also always put a sticker with instructions written on it with big letters LOL, plus my name and phone number in case they lose it.

I have another story, and this one is a beauty of annoying-ness:

so I had this gig that was paying very well for a big company. They wanted me to dance at the reception before dinner, 2 sets. I told them that I will enter when I hear the music. I was waiting, waiting and waiting....till someone came in the room frantically: "he music is already playing, the people are waiting". I did not hear any music, but came out anyway. And there it was.....
a TINY boombox with nearly no sound coming out!
Eventually I sorted it out by dancing at the dinner, there was a huge dance floor and a complete sound system :shok: What is wrong with these people not to have thought of that??? It was clear that they had too much money to spend to even care (they paid me through an agency, so they had to pay double: in total $4000 for them)
 

Shara

New member
Just "Wow!" They didn't think to put your music on THE SOUND SYSTEM!!!! Brilliant!!! Doncha love it? It really is hard to dance when you cannot hear your music! I mean, I sometimes dance to music in my head, but I try to keep that at home.... others may look at you funny if you do it elsewhere!
 

Azrael

New member
Bad sound guys. Not sure if it falls under "performance peeves" - but it really bothers me! My boyfriend is a sound engineer, so whenever we go out he usually has something to say about the sound, so I've obviously picked it up!
Now, bad sound just bothers me! I've had an incident where a sound guy bumped the table during our performance, causing our music to skip and we all lost our place in the dance! :(
Also, I've had it where the sound system is set up in such a way that the bass is louder and so overpowering that you can't hear your music underneath it. :( Blegh!
 

Starmouth

New member
People's kids running around during performances!

My troupe put on a hafla last month and we all invited friends, family and the general public. There was quite a good turn out, and of course we put 'children welcome' on the flyer. Because they are! But not when they're running around, screaming, fighting, throwing things at each other and trying to get on stage whilst people are dancing.

Whilst the parents smile indulgently. Seriously, you wouldn't let your kids behave like that anywhere else, and we had practiced long and hard to put on a good show.
 

seona

New member
The wait is pretty normal for an Egyptian magency. Once you get used to it you can hear in the music where the big build up intro ends and the dancer enters. It can feel/look weird to me if the dancer is dancing over the intro.

Sometimes it is really long though, a couple of minutes. :shok:. Unless you are a big name or are confident that your audience will think the wait was worth it, I think it's best to do some cutting, or choose a different piece of music.
.

Yes, I could imagine if it was a live performance and not the Internet I may not feel like that! I think times too sacred on the net lol! I wish I could remember the 3 min plus intro's I've seen, as I'd post. I get what your saying about Egyptian music with the intro/build up. And of course if there was live music it wouldn't matter I imagine, but staring at an empty performance space via the Internet is another matter!

Azrael, I totally agree with you on bad music systems! That bugs me also!
 

Amulya

Moderator
But not when they're running around, screaming, fighting, throwing things at each other and trying to get on stage whilst people are dancing.


I am thinking hip drops with kicks...:mad:

Yes, I could imagine if it was a live performance and not the Internet I may not feel like that! I think times too sacred on the net lol! I wish I could remember the 3 min plus intro's I've seen, as I'd post. I get what your saying about Egyptian music with the intro/build up. And of course if there was live music it wouldn't matter I imagine, but staring at an empty performance space via the Internet is another matter!

Azrael, I totally agree with you on bad music systems! That bugs me also!


Or fluorescent tube lights on the ceiling!

About the long intro's I hate them with an empty stage, but with an orchestra it's no issue. Sometimes I secretly think the dancer must really like herself allowing such a long buildup haha. Of course it also depends on the audience. Western audiences don't get such a thing, they hear music and get worried when there is no dancer any time soon.
 
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shiradotnet

Well-known member
Seriously, you wouldn't let your kids behave like that anywhere else.

Actually, the kind of parent who would let their kid run around, scream, fight, throw things at each other, and try to get on stage whilst dancers are performing is probably also the kind of parent who would let their kids do these things in a nice restaurant, at a wedding reception, in a grocery store, or anywhere else in public.
 

Ariadne

Well-known member
I will agree with Shira, however... I have kids I have brought to supposed "family friendly" events only to find out that the people who told me they were welcome had unrealistic expectations and no idea what "children welcome" really means. Outside of trying to get up on the stage I have no idea (not being there myself) if you are talking about normal behavior or indulged poor behavior. Don't invite the kids unless you are prepared to deal with some level of rambunctiousness, otherwise make it 12 and up. Under 12 and there is no way most children will sit still for artistic performances (as I found out myself the one and only time I tried to take my kids to one).
 

Sirène

New member
otherwise make it 12 and up. Under 12 and there is no way most children will sit still for artistic performances (as I found out myself the one and only time I tried to take my kids to one).

I'm on the opposite side of the fence. I happen to know a 7-year-old and a 4-year-old who are amazingly well-behaved (their mother has been taking them to shows and museums since they were tiny) and I'd hate to think of them excluded from something because of a number.

To me, this is the real problem:

they're running around, screaming, fighting, throwing things at each other and trying to get on stage whilst people are dancing. Whilst the parents smile indulgently.

Children need to be taught how to behave in public. Parents can hope that their children will be the perfect angels, but if not, they need to be prepared to haul their little butts out of the room even if it means the parent is going to miss the show/cake cutting/movie/etc. It's the risk the parent runs for bringing their child. It is not something the audience/performers/guests/etc should have to suffer regardless of what the flyer/invitation says.
 

Ariadne

Well-known member
Children need to be taught how to behave in public.

I would have agreed with you until I had children of my own. I even went out of my way to teach my children how to behave in public just like your friend until I discovered it has absolutely nothing to do with what I have taught them and everything to do with the individual child. As I said "I have no idea (not being there myself) if you are talking about normal behavior or indulged poor behavior." The fact remains that you need to have a realistic expectation of just what children are like. Don't invite them if you are not willing to accommodate them. Of course if they are behaving badly the child should be removed but it is not fair for a parent to bring a child to something they were told they would be welcome at only to find themselves completely excluded because the parent discovers to late "children welcome" really means "if you kid isn't a perfect angel don't bring them". If your children really are little angels get an exception made for them but don't be surprised when you discover that they aren't as perfect as you thought they were.
 

Shanazel

Moderator
Got to agree with Ariadne. Although I was an exemplary mother in every way (excuse me while I adjust my halo) my daughter at the age of seven lay down on the floor between pews during a Christmas music program while my twelve year old son folded his arms and looked like a thundercloud (albeit a quiet one). They were (and are) nice kids, but not interested in ninety minute musical performances. I was mortified until the older gentleman sitting behind us took time to tell me how much he'd enjoyed watching my children and how glad he was that I'd brought them. Bless his heart, I wanted to hug him every time I saw him after that.
 

Ariadne

Well-known member
I was mortified until the older gentleman sitting behind us took time to tell me how much he'd enjoyed watching my children and how glad he was that I'd brought them. Bless his heart, I wanted to hug him every time I saw him after that.
I bet you did. What a lovely thing to do for you.
 

Sirène

New member
my daughter at the age of seven lay down on the floor between pews during a Christmas music program while my twelve year old son folded his arms and looked like a thundercloud (albeit a quiet one)

Actually, while I would call their behavior undesirable from a mom's pov, as a fellow audience member this wouldn't bother me in the least. I don't expect any child (or adult) to sit perfectly straight with their hands folded in their lap. Doesn't happen. In fact, adults can be far worse - yawning during solos (yup, I've been present for that) or worse yet, whipping out cellphones (heard about it, wasn't there).

As long as kids aren't disturbing the people around them or the performers, they can be as bored/miserable as they want. :lol:
 

LadyFatima

New member
Actually, while I would call their behavior undesirable from a mom's pov, as a fellow audience member this wouldn't bother me in the least. I don't expect any child (or adult) to sit perfectly straight with their hands folded in their lap. Doesn't happen. In fact, adults can be far worse - yawning during solos (yup, I've been present for that) or worse yet, whipping out cellphones (heard about it, wasn't there).

As long as kids aren't disturbing the people around them or the performers, they can be as bored/miserable as they want. :lol:

Now I DEFINITELY agree with that one!:lol:

It's hard for most people (I think) to maintain focus for any extended period of time. I'm 20 years old and I can sit through a 2 and a half hour movie without getting up and going to the bathroom and all that. . .but I am most definitely guilty of the fidgeting, foot shuffling, adjusting my position in my seat several times, stretching, even yawing, sighing, etc. . . .(although i would never do such things at live performances)

Sometimes you just have to put yourself in the mindset of a kid: there's a difference between a kid who is PURPOSELY being unreasonable, and a kid who is just plain bored. And just because an event is kid friendly, it doesn't mean you HAVE to bring your kids, you know? (I don't have any of my own, but I've babysat plenty of times for close relatives, so I kinda know how it works. . .)

I can't sit still with my hands folded for too long, so I surely wouldn't expect someone under the age of 12 to do the same. (or under the age of 40 in a lot of cases:lol:)
Yep, I'd say as long as they're being unreasonable in a quiet, non-disturbing way, I wouldn't really be bothered by it either)
 
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