Just a short post today, folks, on the biggest gap I see in dance students’ educations when it comes to live music: exit music.
I attend a lot of live music events. I maintain the Facebook page and Google calendar for Mike Gregian’s Open Zills at the Athenian Corner in Lowell, MA, which is, for many dancers, their first experience dancing with a live band. And the most awkward thing I see, over and over, is those who don’t know when it is time to leave the stage. You can see the panic in their eyes – “When do I make my exit? I’m stuck up here and I don’t know what to do…” The band is wondering how to signal them to leave. Dancers in the audience are wringing their hands in sympathy and wondering how to help. Non-dancers in the audience can feel the awkwardness and aren’t sure what the cause is.
What is actually happening: the band has played your final song, wound down so you can take a bow, possibly called for a round of applause for you. As you straighten up from your bow, they begin playing lively music again. This is where many student dancers, confused, begin performing again. The band isn’t going on with the show; they are playing your exit music, so you aren’t walking off the stage in silence. You might want to take a few moments here to circle the stage, gesturing your thanks and appreciation to the audience. I encourage my students to follow this with a “Vanna White” – stand to one side and grandly gesture to the band. Then, get the heck off the stage. I like to grab my discarded veil with a flourish, and play my zills as I disappear from view.
You can see a video of my exiting to exit music here:
Now you know. 😉 Go forth, have a good time, and keep dancing to live music alive!