Q&A for How to Make a Dance

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  • Question
    How do you choreograph a dance?
    Val Cunningham
    Certified Dance & Yoga Instructor
    Val Cunningham is a Choreographer, Lead Dance Instructor, and Certified Yoga Instructor at The Dance Loft, a dance studio based in San Francisco, California. Val has over 23 years of dance instruction, performance, and choreography experience and specializes in ballroom, Latin, and swing dancing. She is also trained in house, hip-hop, jazz, ballet, and modern dance, and has studied with world renouned dancers such as Tom Slaterand Richard Lambarty. She is ISTD (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing), ProDVIDA (Professional Dance Vision International Dance Association), and Zumba certified. She is a member of the National Dance Council of America.
    Certified Dance & Yoga Instructor
    Expert Answer
    Keep these tricks in mind when you're choreographing a dance: Play the song several times first. Listen to the song when you're at home, but don't worry about trying to choreograph it just yet. Just play it over and over and see what your imagination starts to bring to life. Count out the sound of the song. Once you're ready to put the pen to the paper, figure out if your artistic vision works with the math of the song. If it does, then begin to map the two together. Take a break if you start to feel stuck. If you have a moment where you cannot find your flow in the choreography, just leave it for an hour or two, or overnight. Then, come back to it and see if it makes more sense. Art and creativity are such a big part of choreographing, and you can't force that. Listen to feedback from your dancers. Often when you begin to choreograph the dancers, they'll change the moves, either because something doesn't work or they have an idea of what might fit better. Be confident in your work and listen to their suggestions without getting defensive.
  • Question
    Any tips for a dance? I would like to perform at school in front of people ranging from kindergarten to grade 8.
    Community Answer
    Find moves that look difficult/impressive, but are actually quite easy. Depending on your skill level and how confident you are, you could try to incorporate gymnastics or ballet moves into a routine that wouldn't usually have them.
  • Question
    What moves should I add in my jazz dance?
    Community Answer
    You could do jazz boxes, grape vines, sashays, ball changes, and leaps. Try watching some videos on YouTube for more inspiration.
  • Question
    Can I take older styles of a genre to make a dance in a different genre?
    Community Answer
    Yes, of course! Choreography is an art, you should feel free to get creative and put together different elements from different styles and genres.
  • Question
    I can't ever repeat a dance move right the second time. How do I fix this?
    Community Answer
    Take a video of yourself the first time you do it, then copy the video.
  • Question
    How can I make my dance routine better?
    Community Answer
    You can ask people to watch your dance and ask them for feedback. You can also watch videos or other dance routines, and try to mimic what they are doing.
  • Question
    I am creating a dance called, "Replay," and I want to make right. What do I do?
    Community Answer
    Before you start choreographing, turn on the song that you want to dance to, and improvise. This will help you find rhythm and will give you ideas on what choreography could work. Otherwise, just follow the steps in this article.
  • Question
    Does it have to be any age?
    Ddmic
    Community Answer
    It depends on how you want the dance. If it is a more "mature" piece, it should be only for teens and adults. However, contemporary and lyrical routines may be for all ages, depending on the difficulty level.
  • Question
    What should I add to my hip-hop and freestyle mashup?
    CCL_LCC
    Community Answer
    You could add something that normally wouldn't really be there, like a calypso, pop and lock, a leap, or some pirouettes!
  • Question
    I can never find the beat of a dance. How do I fix this?
    Community Answer
    Before you start choreographing, turn on the song that you want to dance to and improv (come up with the moves as you go). This should help you get in rhythm with the dance and give you ideas for choreography that could work.
  • Question
    I'm trying to choreograph a dance for fun. The song is Red by Taylor Swift. How should I come up with original moves?
    Community Answer
    If it is you trying to come up with some dance moves, just do as you like! You can listen to the song and go with the flow. Find what you are comfortable with and then you will have your own unique move. The song definitely will also be a key factor in what move you will be having. In addition, you need to also find what kind of dance you like so you won't just wonder what to do and stand there while listening to the music.
  • Question
    I’m trying to teach a dance but the kids don’t like the song. What should I do?
    Community Answer
    If the kids don't like the song, you can try and see what they like (it should be appropriate!) You can ask them what movie they like for example or music genres and so on. This way, you will have a clearer idea of what to do. Their age is very important to as it often affects their preferences. If they really don't want to dance because of the 'cheesiness' they feel it is, teach them slowly and maybe change the dance steps but not to much since you probably have a reason why you are teaching them in the first place.
  • Question
    How can I create steps by myself to dance in front of my family?
    lex ooo
    Community Answer
    First, figure out the genre of the song you choose. Then, using the song, follow the beat and include some of your favorite dance moves. Try not to think about others, just feel confident in your movements, and enjoy yourself!
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