Preparing for the upcoming Past/Forward performances, costume designer Kathy Grillo spent an afternoon fitting the dancers for their costumes. The costume shop back stage of Reynolds Industries Theater is a space where not only are new costumes designed and made, but also fixed, as touring companies inevitably need them to be.

Over 400 students are here this summer and over half of them receive financial aid through donors’ contributions to the ADF Scholarship Fund. Some of these donors took a behind-the-scenes tour with ADF Director Charles Reinhart and Co-Director Jodee Nimerichter, visiting ADF students in classes and rehearsals.

For every performance there is a party. And for the past 15 summers, the Pilobolus cast party has been held at Publisher of All About Beer Magazine Daniel Bradford’s home in Durham, NC. Not only do the dancers get to enjoy a home cooked meal while on the road, but they also get to indulge in Daniel’s beer selection!

CyberDance went behind the scenes at the ADF performance venues to speak with Production Stage Managers Tiffany Schrepferman and Kirsten Leon. We learned how the production crew, which is comprised of both professional staff and ADF students, loads in sets and props, focuses lights and checks the sound for companies arriving at the theater. If you are interested in learning more about what goes into making a show happen, check the ADF website for more information on Production Internships.

Over the years, the ADF volunteers have proven to be an invaluable part of the ADF community. Through their generosity, ADF has been able to further the traditions of this cultural institution. CyberDance talked with a few of these individuals about what inspires them to volunteer with the ADF.

Each summer during its annual season, the ADF offers internships in all areas of arts administration and production. Administrative internships are intended to give hands-on experience to those interested in a careers in arts management. Production interns work on the crew for the 35-plus performance of the ADF season. All interns work as integral parts of the ADF staff in an invigorating arts environment and play an important role in carrying out the ADF’s mission to serve dance, dancers, choreographers and artists in related fields.

For the past three years, Classic Graphics has printed the ADF programs. This year CyberDance jumped at the opportunity to get a sneak peek at the process of how thousands upon thousands of Festival programs are stitched every summer. Get stitched? What does that mean exactly? Every week, the inserts (also known as “uncommon guts”) are stapled into the part of the program that always stays the same (also known as “common guts”). A simple process, but an unusual visual feast for lovers of rhythm and repitition! Also, the ADF would like to extend its gratitude to Classic Graphics for donating invitations to the 2010 ADF Gala, which benefits the ADF Scholarship Fund.

Ethnomusicologist James Koetting’s “Postal Office Music”, recorded at the University of Ghana in 1975, is the soundtrack for this video.