Don’t worry about how long the piece is – you can always edit it to be longer or shorter using a program like GarageBand. Take a long walk and listen to the music you have on your iPod or phone. Make sure to pick a song that you like listening to. You’re going to be hearing it a lot.
For instance, you wouldn’t teach the same dance to a group of experienced ballerinas that you would to an informal senior citizen’s dance group. Consider tailoring your dance to a specific group. If you’re trying to create a new dance fad, you may want to go on the simple side, as most people’s dance skills are amateur.
Look at abstract designs and try to create movement that mimics what’s on the paper. Read a book and let a line from the book inspire movement. Try listening to the music you selected over and over and improvising a dance. Pick a mood or emotion and let that inspire the dance. Watch a movie and try to recreate a scene from the movie through movement. Let a story, a relationship or an abstract concept serve as the inspiration for the piece.
Think about how old the dancers are and how much dance experience they have. Then pick a style of dance that the dancers will be able to confidently execute. It’s okay to add in moves from different styles of dance. Decide how many people will be performing in the dance. Is it going to be a solo or a duet? Will there be a whole line of people? Decide if you yourself will be dancing or just choreographing.
If you have a distinct movement, try to bring it back at different intervals throughout the piece. Make sure the movements you’re choreographing aren’t too hard for your dancers to perform. Write your notes down so you don’t forget them!
Once you have the movements for your simple task down, try drawing them out or speeding them up so they feel more like dance. Rearrange the moves to create a new, more interesting sequence of movements.
It’s okay to be inspired by other dances, but don’t steal a dance move for move. Don’t get upset if your dance doesn’t come out exactly how you envisioned – there’s no such thing as a perfect dance.
If you can’t get a studio, a gym is also a good space. Another option is an outdoor tennis or basketball court.
This will also be helpful when you want to rerun sections. Instead of trying to describe the movement, you can say “Go to the ‘Windmill’ section. ” People remember better in small portions, so chunking will also help your dancers retain the choreography more easily.
Watch as the dancers perform, and if they’re doing something you like, make a note of it and add it to your choreography. Keep in mind, it’s easier to be flexible and change choreography if you’re working with a smaller group of dancers. Always pay attention to how the dance is working. Sometimes, certain sequences just don’t work in a group, or a group doesn’t have the skill level to execute what you want.
One plus of using pairs is the partners can film individual sequences over and over again until each person gets it right. If you film each student, try reviewing the video one-on-one with each student to encourage them and help them figure out how to do better.
Tell the dancers to practice the choreography before the next rehearsal. The more the dancers run the moves, the more comfortable they will get and the better the dance will look.
If you don’t want to spend a great deal of time and money, ask your dancers to come dressed in their own clothes. Make sure they wear clothing they can easily move in. You can also buy costumes at a thrift shop or work with an artistic friend to make them from scratch. If your dancers will be dancing in a big venue, make sure they wear stage makeup so their faces can be seen clearly.
If the dancers have never performed in front of an audience before, invite some friends to the dress rehearsal so the dancers can get used to it. If possible, hold the dress rehearsal in the same space as the show. Make sure to practice using the lights and the audio during the dress rehearsal.
Don’t worry if someone falls or makes a mistake. The show will go on. Take pictures or ask someone else to. Creating a dance is a big accomplishment and you’ll want to remember it.
