Help with my choreography?

chirel

New member
I don't know if it's OK to ask such a thing, but since I don't have a regular teacher I'd like some pointers and feedback from other dancers. I've been working with this choreo for about a month - creating it, and it's still not quite ready. After some more practise, if I post a video of myself dancing would you people be so kind as to point out things that just don't work? And maybe give a hint of something that might work better...

(Also, the music will not be ME, but is ME influenced. Actually, that's the way I feel about my dancing, because I'm still a beginner... So they should fit together fine ;) I have my reasons for the music choice, I hope it won't be criticized.)

And another related question. Is it a good or a bad idea to practice choreo and to improvise to the same music at the same time? I'd like some backup moves in my head for this music in case I forget what I was supposed to do, but I'm afraid it would only confuse me while learning.
 

Darshiva

Moderator
Good idea to improv to a piece you're trying to choreo to. You'll hit on something awesome in improv and you should immediately write it down, that way you can add it to the choreo. Improv the bits that aren't working & use the choreo for the rest. This can even work on stage! ;)
 

teela

New member
I think you could post a video asking for feedback but be sure you check it out to see if anything jumps out at you. For myself, I just dance to the music and what fits well, i write down and I often throw moves out as the choreography develops. Sometimes, I see a move on a DVD that would fit in a place I am having issues with. For most dances, I have a framework in my mind that I use with some flexibility in my dancing. The hardest thing, I have to remember for planning a dance is that not everything has to be done in 4's. like 4 traveling hip circles. I need to look at it more to combine moves into a set that takes 16 or 24 beats that can be repeated to the other direction so its not as easily recognized as the same moves.
 

Dunyah

New member
Consider creating a "structured improv" rather than a full-blown choreography. You choreograph your entrance and ending and certain places in the music and improvise the other parts. This works especially well if there is a taxim or improvisational section in the music.

For me, if I have a strong opening and ending and ideas for certain parts of the piece, I can happily improvise the rest. But I actually prefer improv to choreography that is planned down to the last detail, because I like to project emotions and interact with the audience, and that gets in the way of choreography. I don't like to have my mind working that much when I am dancing, I like to get into a different kind of space, where I am hearing the music and dancing to it and not thinking about it so much.
 

chirel

New member
I might try that later. Now I've choreographed almost the whole song, so I don't see the point to undo that (unless it looks really bad on video :D ).
 
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