Positioning two stage monitors for dance recital?

I’m using two monitors stage left and right for a dance recital. I was curious if there are any rules of thumb about how far apart they should be placed and if they should be placed on there angled kickback side or placed flat? They’re currently flat.

The dance performances range from solo pieces to as many as 9 dancers on stage. The dancer are ages 5-15 so can be on the shorter side.

I’d be grateful for any suggestions. Thank you!

We have 2 JBL boxes in the corners (edge of the pros opening), DSL and DSR, and 2-4 Yamaha wedges, standing on their ends, US flanking center. It's always louder than you'd like, and it will screw up your stereo imaging, unless you have more channels of monitor amp than I do.

Expect it to contribute almost half the sound in the room.

I'm in the building tonight; I'll grab some pix later.

When we used 2 we placed them flat on the down stage corners and pointed at upstage center. It gave us pretty good coverage of the stage as a mono mix.

For dance tracks how you have them set up is a decent option. You could also position them as Jay mentioned just upstage of the prosicienium pointed toward center stage as what we would call "side fills" for like a band on stage.

We do one on each of the DS corners on end, and then one on each side midstage on sticks (side fills) just to make sure everyone can hear.

I've done the DS corners, both more towards center and all the way out on the proscenium. For a musical group with tracks I put them behind the group and delayed the main and that worked exceptionally well. The kids heard it well, the monitors blend well with the mains and you end up running everything a little less hot. I have tried that with dance as well and had a lot of success. Plus it's less gak on stage for people to trip over or complain about blocking views.

Dancers are &*&^*&% DEAF. If they weren't when they started dancing they will be when the teacher comes to the audio person and says "it needs more energy, turn it up."

Well then, Instructor/coach/Teacher - pick tracks that don't begin with a pianissimo, fade up, or are under-recorded. That said, "energy" does not come from SPL, deafness does. I have to wear earplugs when working dance recitals or dance/cheer competitions.

RULE #1 OF SOUND- point the loudspeakers at the people who need to hear them. Get them up to ear level, not flat on the floor as shown in post #1.

TimMc said:

Get them up to ear level, not flat on the floor as shown in post #1.

Click to expand...

That's another nice part of putting them US.

I have mine on sticks in the wings, one on each side. They are fed with an aux send and usually get cranked for the dancers.