Personally it seems that etiquette has taken a back seat in recent years. And just like everything else, different situations call for different standards and different etiquette protocols. This will be the first entry in a series devoted to proper etiquette at different times within the life of a dancer.
This is an area where we can learn much from Victorian parenting - speak only when spoken to. The dancers' input is extremely important to the process of many (if not most) choreographers. But as dancers, we need to respect the choreographer's ideas and decisions. If they are looking for input, they will clearly indicate as such. The more you work with someone, the more you will be able to pick up on their non-verbal cues for input, but take it as a general rule to keep your ideas to yourself.
NEVER practice phrases or pieces unrelated to that for which the rehearsal is called. This tells the choreographer that you would rather be spending this time rehearsing for someone else's work and is extremely distracting. If you have idle time while the choreographer works with someone else, work on difficult portions of the current piece, smooth out some partnering moments, get a quick drink of water, write down new choreography or notes you have received over the course of this rehearsal, stretch, etc. That is also the order in which I would suggest such activities. As long as you stay focused on the fact that you are there to rehearse for a specific piece, increase your skills as a performer, and create art, you should be fine.
When a movement does not 'work' (thinking particularly about partnering/weight-bearing), make sure to let your choreographer know what feels wrong but do not blatantly suggest that the movement is impossible. Remember that the choreographer can see things that you cannot and you can feel things that the choreographer cannot. It is terribly annoying when the choreographer comes to rehearsal with some spectacular idea that works in their mind and would like to find a way to make it work in reality but one or more of the dancers writes it off as imaginary right away and insists it cannot be done. This not only affects group moral, but it hinders the growth of choreographer and dancer alike. There is a point where you should cut your losses, but if you don't push the limits you won't grow (and possibly miss out on the opportunity to create a beautiful movement).
Rehearsals should be fun. Many dancers that I've worked with enjoy kidding around and making jokes or puns off of something that was just said or a recent movement. This can keep rehearsals fun and light-hearted IF done in moderation and NEVER hindering the productivity of the rehearsal. Also, I would suggest making these quips loud enough for everyone to hear because it saves time (by not having to explain the joke when everyone else sees you laughing) and it prevents a misunderstanding (someone thinking the joke is about them in a negative connotation). I find myself struggling with this more than most areas. Generally, one should refer to the second paragraph of this post...until you've got a zinger that just has to come out.
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