Q: Sound systems: How best to play music at my performance site?
A: One suggestion: rent portable speakers with rechargeable batteries. No cables, cords or electrical outlets are needed. Just charge them up and they can play up to 6 hours. You can plug in an iPod or portable CD player, and for extra money you can add wireless microphones. Party rentals often rent sound systems like these. (In Minnesota the 2-speaker system cost $160 to rent for the entire weekend so we used it for our dress rehearsal as well)
Q: Are we free to interpret the video for Section III any way we want?
A: The only point we we envision global synchrony is at the end, with the unison moves performed three times, so that all are doing the movement together. In the whole section, there is a lot of room for interpretation. There is a story line provided, and as this dance is meant to be a global united front, we want to all be telling the same story. If you want to enhance this story, it is great. It is up to you to find some transitions, and you also decide on the length of time for each image. Some may have a short stream section and a long ocean part, for example. Or you might want to enhance or ease the movements in accordance to the ability, style, technique, or age of your specific group of dancers.
Q: Where can we find the Motif Writing for Section III?
A: On the GWD website, on the “For Choreographers” page
Q: Which is more important, the video footage for the film or the live streaming?
A: The footage for the final film is more important than the live-streaming. Not all of the sites will be live-streaming. We plan to make a final film with images from all of the sites. Information on how to live-stream will be coming in a newsletter few weeks before the event
Q: How will we submit our video footage?
A: Information on how to upload/transfer your footage will be coming in a later newsletter.
Q: Should we wear shoes outdoors, or perform barefoot?
A: Safety is very important. Shoes protect from broken glass, or sharp sticks. But ultimately that’s the call of the local site leader.
Q: Yikes! Live-Streaming?
A: Good news!! Live-streaming is totally optional. A number of sites will be live streaming from their performances. Remember, the most important thing is to get footage for the final film. If you would like to live stream, in addition to filming, please let the GWD know and we will follow up with you with our information.
Q: Can we have a GoogleMap indicating where our performance site is on GlobalWaterDances.org?
A: Yes! All you need to do is to GoogleMap your site and send the URL link to [email protected]. But even better, if you sign up, your site will be added to our Map of locations. The final list of participants will be published in January 2025.
Q: Program notes?
A: If you are not going to hand out programs, no worries, it is totally ok. If you are planning to hand out programs, and you would like some information about global water issues, you can visit the “Why Water” section in our website. Also, be sure to check the “For Choreographers” page on the GWD website. There are many publicity aids available.
Q: How to encourage the Audience to join us for the Participatory Dance, Section IV?
A: There are many ways, it usually depends on where your audience is located in relationship with your dancers. After the Global Dance (Section III), you can announce that you will be teaching 4 movements and to do the movements with the audience, and then invite your dancers to teach in a sort of one on one with the audience. Alternatively, you can invite people to form a big circle and have dancers intermingle with the audience, in that way everybody can see everybody’s movement. There you can play with levels, energy, floor patterns, and lead your audience to the body of water to honor the space.
Q: How do we end the performance? I’m not sure how to end the Audience Participation Section IV!
A: One suggestion: just start clapping, and everyone will join in. This signals the end. You can even designate one person who feels comfortable with groups to be the one who decides when it is time to end. A good thing to do is either finish in a big circle or facing the body of water you were dancing near to.
Q: Any tips for making the event even more transcendent?
A: If you are in the ocean, you can tell participants during or at the end of the participatory dance, that across the ocean, more people are also dancing for water, like you. This has a really important impact on audience members, as they feel they are part of something bigger than themselves, a global movement choir! If you are in a small body of water, you can also tell audience members how water connect us all, even if we are miles away from each other, there will be someone dancing at the same time than you somewhere else in the planet!
Q: Surveys?
A: Audience surveys will be available if you choose to survey your audience to “measure your impact”, either online or with paper. They were created for grant purposes. Copies in English will be on the “For Choreographers” page.
Q: How can I get funding for my event?
A: We have collected some resources for funding on this page.
Q: How do I edit my information at the Map of Locations for the 2025 event?
A: Look for the message you received as confirmation email when you signed up for GWD 2025 and click on “Edit Responses” button. The email should be coming from [email protected] with subject Global Water Dances 2025 – Event Site Registration. If you cannot find that email, please send us a message to [email protected] to resend a link to your form.
Q: How do I get permission from the audience to be photographed/filmed?
A: We recommend to display a sign in your location that says “Photographs and/or video will be taken at today’s event”. Then you can add this information: “By taking part in this event you grant the event organizers full rights to use the images resulting from the photography/video filming, and any reproductions or adaptations of the images for publicity, fundraising, or other purposes to help the mission of Global Water Dances and the local event organizers. This might include (but is not limited to), the right to use them in their printed and online publicity, social media, press releases and funding applications. If you do not wish to be photographed please inform an event organizer”.
If you have other questions, please send us an email to [email protected]