Ballet Showcase 2024

Ballet Showcase 2024
Summary
Dates 17th - 18th May 2024
Location New Athenaeum
Creative Team
Lighting Designer Simon
Production Team
Stage Supervisor Nathan George
Stage Manager Iz Brett
Deputy Stage Manager Pim Unhasuta
LX Programmer Jamie Burke
Technical Stage Technicians Trudy Nelson, Grant Haddow

TSD

Flys Preset Check

Master fly cue list

Fly operator track - Grant

Stage Management

Anvil Make

I started by looking up reference pictures and talking to the choreographer. Because of the ballet process, the piece had already been choreographed so I saw a recording of how it is used. This allowed me to determine how many people sat/stood on the anvil so how strong it needed to be.

I then took those references and created sketches of the finished product. I then spoke with Nate about how to create the internal structure using a IKEA ODDVAR stool. He helped me to attach the additional wooden pieces needed to create the base structure. Using knowledge from cosplay forums, I came to the conclusion that EVA foam would be the best material to create the desired metallic look while still being soft and lightweight. EVA foam is commonly used to create fake weapons in cosplay communities so I looked through forums to find the best shaping and sealing methods. EVA foam is also non-porous so will not absorb any water, making it ideal for paining.

I used children’s EVA foam mats as the foam, so any additional material could be used in future shows. As I needed it to be lightweight, I made the decision to make it as hollow as possible, so used the flexibility of the foam to create the curves instead of making blocked of foam and carving it. I cut the shapes using a Stanley Knife to create the wanted anvil shapes. Due to the symmetry required, I made paper templates to allow for uniformity on all sides of the anvil.

I then used hot glue to attach the foam pieces to the wooden stool structure.

I then sealed the whole piece using a 3:1 pva glue to water solution which created a sealed item, filled all crevices and allowed for easier painting.

To paint, I used mixed white and black acrylic to create the different shades required.

I the sealed the whole thing using the PVA water mix to allow for longevity.

Sledgehammer

For the sledgehammer, I bought children’s croquet mallets as they were the right size. I then used leftover EVA foam to enlarge the heads to make them a more conventional size.

I sealed them the same as I sealed the anvil.

I then painted to match the anvil, using acrylic paint for the head and handle. I then sealed over the paint to aid longevity using the same 3:1 PVA glue and water mix.