Leggz Ltd at Madison square Garden

The following is an abstract from an article which appeared in the September 2000 edition of Dance Teacher Magazine. It has been edited for publication on Leggz Ltd. web site.

NUTCRACKER COUNTDOWN
Savvy teachers know the key to Nutcracker success is early planning, at the start of fall classes, if not sooner. Come September, dance directors putting on the holiday classic are already thinking snow and having sugarplum fairies swirling through their dreams. Leggz Ltd. studios' secrets on how they conquered last year's Nutcracker countdown may be just the inspiration you need to jump-start your own show. Here's a week-by-week breakdown of their production.

Leggz Dance Ltd., an award-winning dance studio in Rockville Centre, NY, is going into its sixth year of Nutcracker. Artistic Director, Founder and Choreographer Joan MacNaughton has performed on- and off-Broadway.

Week 1 (September)
A final audition is held (early auditions were held during the summer) and roles are immediately assigned. Contracts with professional dancers are signed and a rental order is placed for a Marley floor.

Week 2
Joan MacNaughton confers with conductor Scott Jackson Wiley of the 75-piece South Shore Symphony Orchestra on the live musical score and tempo changes. "The live music enhances the production," explains MacNaughton. "It adds another dimension."

Week 3
The studio initiates print advertising and the production of a cable-television commercial. Cast members are measured for costumes. MacNaughton reviews the choreography. "Every year, we add subtle changes," she says. She likes to make the characters more vibrant: Last year she created a more eccentric Drosselmeyer and a real bully of a Fritz.

Week 4
Rehearsals begin: Act I is on Saturdays and Act II on Sundays. Tickets go on sale at the studio, with group rates offered for first-time audience members. Aside from ticket sales, there are no other fundraising efforts because Leggz has two major co-sponsors: The Rockville Centre Guild for the Arts and European American Bank (EAB).

Week 5 (October)
Existing costumes are altered and embellished. This year, gold braiding and gold buttons are added to the Soldier costumes, and a new belt is secured to the Nutcracker's costume. "Little things do make a difference", notes MacNaughton. She decides to order new Flower costumes from a costume company rather than have them made in-house because the fabric is exactly what she wanted, and the cost is comparable.

Week 6
The Mother Ginger costume is crafted, which MacNaughton says is "a major undertaking." The set designer constructs a new rig for Mother Ginger, while the wardrobe mistress and a group of volunteers add the skirting and sew the actual costume.

Week 7
With the completion of the choreography for Acts I and II, guest artists are integrated into rehearsals and the production. A new prologue introduces the party guests strolling through the audience, carrying presents and sleds. "It brings a real warmth to the production," says MacNaughton.

Week 8
The new tree is completed. MacNaughton has always used a growing tree in her performances to keep a professional look. "People compare it to New York City Ballet's The Nutcracker and we try to keep ours as close to it as possible," she says.

Leggz Special performances for civic groups and a special-education school are presented. These performances offer a short synopsis of the full production. "It's a give-back to the community and it makes the kids very happy," MacNaughton says.

Week 10
Leggz The clock and throne are completed. Ads are placed in local papers and a cable station runs the commercial with excerpts from the previous year's production. The commercial confronts the competition, announcing: "Is this Lincoln Center? No, it's Rockville Centre!"

Week 11
Leggz Measurements are finalized for all cast members, with seamstresses busy tucking in, shortening and lengthening costumes. Cast T-shirts, designed by one of the dancers who is also an artist, are distributed. "The kids love to wear them and it's good for publicity," says MacNaughton.

Week 12
Leggz Weekend rehearsals intensify. Flyers are sent out to area public schools. MacNaughton discovers that the stage does not have a main curtain and that she needs to order one. Parents sign up to help backstage during performances.

Week 13 (December)
Leggz Scenery drops arrive. MacNaughton focuses on the choreography, spacing and blocking. She does the blocking with and without the orchestra. Three additional rehearsals are added for the week; all are full-cast run-throughs.

Last-minute scenery touches are made to ensure proper proportions. Snags with the growing tree and snow bags are corrected. A professional lighting director who is a former dancer with the NYCB designs the lighting.

Samantha Carrell, Company Member of Leggz

Week 14
Leggz Public performances are held over the weekend at South Side High School in Rockville Centre. Girl Scout troops are welcomed backstage to meet the guest artists, and every child attending is offered autographed photos of the guest artists. "People came to me after the performance and said they really understood Nutcracker now," says MacNaughton. "It gave them a real appreciation of ballet and made them realize it's not so stuffy after all." A cast party at a local restaurant follows the final performance.

Week 15
Leggz Videotapes of the production are made and given out as an educational and promotional tool. They are also made available to dancers' families as keepsakes. MacNaughton delights in the rave reviews published in local newspapers and the regional daily Newsday. Drops are reordered right away for the next year's performance.

Since Leggz Ltd. studio profiled here performs The Nutcracker annually, they've learned to start early to offset the crunch between September and December. Try their ideas in summer 2001.

Leggz gets a leg up on the competition by holding open auditions for all roles in July and August. "We get a better selection of dancers this way, the pick of the crop," says Artistic Director Joan MacNaughton. She places open cast calls in Back Stage and Showbiz; this brings out a large pool of qualified dancers from serious students to professionals for the major roles. Leggz has to construct new sets because the New Jersey studio they used to rent scenery from moved to Florida and sold their inventory. MacNaughton finds a New York City set designer who works for Disney to make a growing tree, a carpenter to fashion the clock, throne and Mother Ginger and an artist to paint them. Scenery drops are also ordered.

Cristina Schmohl, former editor of Parentguide News, is a freelance writer based in Garden City, New York.


	Nutcracker Countdown
		September, 2000

The following is an abstract from an article which appeared in the September 2000 edition of Dance Teacher Magazine. It has been edited for publication on Leggz Ltd. web site. NUTCRACKER COUNTDOWN Savvy teachers know the key to Nutcracker success is early planning, at the start of fall classes, if not sooner. Come September, dance directors putting on the holiday classic are already thinking snow and having sugarplum fairies swirling through their dreams. Leggz Ltd. studios' secrets on how they conquered last year's Nutcracker countdown may be just the inspiration you need to jump-start your own show. Here's a week-by-week breakdown of their production. Leggz Dance Ltd., an award-winning dance studio in Rockville Centre, NY, is going into its sixth year of Nutcracker. Artistic Director, Founder and Choreographer Joan MacNaughton has performed on- and off-Broadway. Week 1 (September) A final audition is held (early auditions were held during the summer) and roles are immediately assigned. Contracts with professional dancers are signed and a rental order is placed for a Marley floor. Week 2 Joan MacNaughton confers with conductor Scott Jackson Wiley of the 75-piece South Shore Symphony Orchestra on the live musical score and tempo changes. "The live music enhances the production," explains MacNaughton. "It adds another dimension." Week 3 The studio initiates print advertising and the production of a cable-television commercial. Cast members are measured for costumes. MacNaughton reviews the choreography. "Every year, we add subtle changes," she says. She likes to make the characters more vibrant: Last year she created a more eccentric Drosselmeyer and a real bully of a Fritz. Week 4 Rehearsals begin: Act I is on Saturdays and Act II on Sundays. Tickets go on sale at the studio, with group rates offered for first-time audience members. Aside from ticket sales, there are no other fundraising efforts because Leggz has two major co-sponsors: The Rockville Centre Guild for the Arts and European American Bank (EAB). Week 5 (October) Existing costumes are altered and embellished. This year, gold braiding and gold buttons are added to the Soldier costumes, and a new belt is secured to the Nutcracker's costume. "Little things do make a difference", notes MacNaughton. She decides to order new Flower costumes from a costume company rather than have them made in-house because the fabric is exactly what she wanted, and the cost is comparable. Week 6 The Mother Ginger costume is crafted, which MacNaughton says is "a major undertaking." The set designer constructs a new rig for Mother Ginger, while the wardrobe mistress and a group of volunteers add the skirting and sew the actual costume. Week 7 With the completion of the choreography for Acts I and II, guest artists are integrated into rehearsals and the production. A new prologue introduces the party guests strolling through the audience, carrying presents and sleds. "It brings a real warmth to the production," says MacNaughton. Week 8 The new tree is completed. MacNaughton has always used a growing tree in her performances to keep a professional look. "People compare it to New York City Ballet's The Nutcracker and we try to keep ours as close to it as possible," she says. Week 9 (November) Leggz Special performances for civic groups and a special-education school are presented. These performances offer a short synopsis of the full production. "It's a give-back to the community and it makes the kids very happy," MacNaughton says. Leggz' Mary Carpenter and Micah Kurtzberg Week 10 Leggz The clock and throne are completed. Ads are placed in local papers and a cable station runs the commercial with excerpts from the previous year's production. The commercial confronts the competition, announcing: "Is this Lincoln Center? No, it's Rockville Centre!" Week 11 Leggz Measurements are finalized for all cast members, with seamstresses busy tucking in, shortening and lengthening costumes. Cast T-shirts, designed by one of the dancers who is also an artist, are distributed. "The kids love to wear them and it's good for publicity," says MacNaughton. Week 12 Leggz Weekend rehearsals intensify. Flyers are sent out to area public schools. MacNaughton discovers that the stage does not have a main curtain and that she needs to order one. Parents sign up to help backstage during performances. Week 13 (December) Leggz Scenery drops arrive. MacNaughton focuses on the choreography, spacing and blocking. She does the blocking with and without the orchestra. Three additional rehearsals are added for the week; all are full-cast run-throughs. Last-minute scenery touches are made to ensure proper proportions. Snags with the growing tree and snow bags are corrected. A professional lighting director who is a former dancer with the NYCB designs the lighting. Samantha Carrell, Company Member of Leggz Week 14 Leggz Public performances are held over the weekend at South Side High School in Rockville Centre. Girl Scout troops are welcomed backstage to meet the guest artists, and every child attending is offered autographed photos of the guest artists. "People came to me after the performance and said they really understood Nutcracker now," says MacNaughton. "It gave them a real appreciation of ballet and made them realize it's not so stuffy after all." A cast party at a local restaurant follows the final performance. Week 15 Leggz Videotapes of the production are made and given out as an educational and promotional tool. They are also made available to dancers' families as keepsakes. MacNaughton delights in the rave reviews published in local newspapers and the regional daily Newsday. Drops are reordered right away for the next year's performance. Summer Preview Since Leggz Ltd. studio profiled here performs The Nutcracker annually, they've learned to start early to offset the crunch between September and December. Try their ideas in summer 2001. Leggz gets a leg up on the competition by holding open auditions for all roles in July and August. "We get a better selection of dancers this way, the pick of the crop," says Artistic Director Joan MacNaughton. She places open cast calls in Back Stage and Showbiz; this brings out a large pool of qualified dancers from serious students to professionals for the major roles. Leggz has to construct new sets because the New Jersey studio they used to rent scenery from moved to Florida and sold their inventory. MacNaughton finds a New York City set designer who works for Disney to make a growing tree, a carpenter to fashion the clock, throne and Mother Ginger and an artist to paint them. Scenery drops are also ordered. Cristina Schmohl, former editor of Parentguide News, is a freelance writer based in Garden City, New York. Return to Articles Listings