Choreography

[Guest Katherine Arten]

Hello~

I don't know where this post should go.

I was wondering if anyone has any tips on choreographing a dance. My modern teacher has us choreograph in class, but I'd like to do some on my own.

Thanks!

 

d_frog

[Victoria Leigh]

dfrog, choreography is a very individual thing, and everyone approaches it from a different place. Some people get an idea about movement first, and then find the music, others are inspired by certain pieces of music. I would suggest that you first find a piece of music that inspires you, listen to it over and over for a while, and then just get in the studio and start moving with it and see what happens!

[Guest Leigh Witchel]

Did someone mention choreography?

 

D_frog, besides Ms. Leigh's sound advice, I'll give another general tip. I believe that good writers are good readers and similarly good choreographers are good dancegoers. Part of your "practice" for choreographing should be to watch as much dance as you can of the highest quality you can find. The more you see, the more inspiration you may find.

 

Good luck and have fun!

[Guest Katherine Arten]

Thank you very much for the suggestions!

I'm sorry I don't always reply promptly, I don't get on the Internet every day.

I told my parents that I wanted to watch more ballet and other dance and my Dad suggested that they all get up and dance for me! I told him it was all right.

 

d_frog

[Guest clairez5]

Hi D_frog!

 

You didn't mention if you were choreographing ballet or modern. If it is ballet, this won't really be helpful. But if it is modern, then you could actually get some ideas from watching random people dancing- or just moving! I bet you could get some interesting moves out of that.

 

On Halloween I was at a dance at my school. My friend was dressed as a ninja. He and I ended up improvising a pretty interesting dance, to techno music nonetheless, with some ninja-type moves incorporated. You get your inspiration where you can!

 

~Itzel

[Mel Johnson]

Oh, it works for ballet, too, Itzel. Just watch some people as they stand about - you'll be surprised to see that they do a surprising number of ballet steps, usually without turnout, as they're milling around. Sometimes these little observations can make you think of choreography, especially if the work you're doing has a little characterization going on.

[Guest Katherine Arten]

Hello~

I'm doing a little of both (ballet and modern) and also trying some jazz, I've got a few steps down but I got stuck. I'm playing the music and really listening to it to try to get some ideas, so hopefully I'll get some inspiration soon.

My Dad was noticing the similarities between some fencing positions and some ballet positions. I found that very interesting. One of my friends fences and he says he's always being told to stop doing "ballet moves" while he's fencing.

 

d_frog

[Victoria Leigh]

D_frog, are you choreographing one piece or three pieces? You said you are doing a little ballet and modern and also some jazz. All in one piece??? What is the music? I really think it might be best to decide which form of dance you are using if it is only one piece of choreography!

 

As far as the fencing is concerned, check out your ballet history! You will find some very interesting things there about fencing and dancers back in the courts of Louis XIV

[Guest Katherine Arten]

Ms. Leigh~

I'm sorry for not being clear in my other post. I have a couple of pieces of music that I'm trying to choreograph. There is a jazz piece and a ballet piece which could also be used as a modern piece. I'm not trying to combine all the styles into one dance (even though it might be cool ), I'm just trying to choreograph them separately.

 

d_frog

 

[ November 09, 2001: Message edited by: dancing frog ]

[Victoria Leigh]

Very glad to hear that, d_frog! There is way too much mixing up of forms these days, and most of it comes out garbage