Q&A for How to Choreograph a Dance

Choose a dance style that works well for that song. For instance, you might do ballet if the song is classical. If you're using a modern song, you might do a hip-hop dance.

Listen to the song you plan to choreograph several times before you start dancing. Notice what emotions you feel and how your body wants to express them.

Every dancer has their own way of choreographing, but one common one is to listen to choose a song that inspires you to dance and then listen to it on repeat. While listening, try to find what emotions or feelings the song gives you and then put those thoughts into your choreography.

If you are on your own, you can improvise. Try to keep it simple, so that you have enough time to memorize it; more complex moves take longer to memorize.

If you really can't think of any moves, it is OK to repeat previously used moves. Dance them in different positions, or perform them on the other side (if you start by putting your right hand in the air, try starting with your left instead).

This depends on what the argument is about. If it's about your choreography, then let them incorporate what they want into it and see for themselves because there is always more creativity in two minds combined than one alone. Also, don't dominate them too much. Be a leader not a dictator. Don't treat the other team members like lackeys who are expected to do your will.

It usually takes 2 to 3 days for a intermediate level dancer to choreograph a 3 to 4 minute track, depending on the dance type and the choreographer. Select a sound track (the track may consist of different songs). Then divide this into different sections. Choreograph the dance section by section.

Search YouTube for inspiration on popular dance moves from the decade. Mashup songs from each area and choose a few iconic moves to represent each decade.

Don't repeat them. Ask your group and together come up with something different to do for the portions you do not want to repeat. Everyone has their own mind to create a move. You can slightly adjust the dance to your style.

Choose music that has religious tones. Be modest in your dance moves, and really tell a story.

That can actually be quite helpful. You can develop your own spin on that routine. It just means you have a bit more inspiration.

Pick a song and have each dancer come in and dance to the song for a bit. Evaluate their strengths and put together their moves to create a dance.

It really depends on the talent of the dancers and the difficulty of the dance. Remember not to push them too hard and let them have breaks if they get tired.

You could try to use the lyrics for inspiration. Really draw out the movements. A common move in sad solos are reaching for things that aren't there before turning away. You could also turn on the song and improvise moves.

Consider dancing on the themes of a festival for a general spectacular performance. Or, maybe dance about a breakup that then has a reunion and ends happily. Or, transform a bout of loneliness into friendship through the medium of dance. These latter two begin with a challenge but end with happiness and show a positive outcome.

Ask your phys. ed. teachers if you could use the school sports hall when it's free.

Don't use moves that are too difficult. Use large arm swings to show emotion and try to move gracefully. I would try to incorporate jumps and leaps. Another idea is to have three sets of pairs doing different things. Don't stress out about it too much. You're a beginner, everyone knows that, just try to have fun.

Pick a new song, or ask your fellow dancers for help coming up with the moves.

You should start slowly with the first part of the choreography, and maybe the second or third part depending on how long the dance is. Slowly practice those parts, gaining speed over time until you match the speed of the music. Then, repeat the process with the other parts of the dance, always restarting at the VERY beginning as soon as you are comfortable with a section.

You can do both. Just make the transition between tricks slower so that it's not unnecessarily jazzy. Both styles can be incorporated together in a unique way if you try!

Start with some warm up exercises while playing music. You should soon find yourself dancing.

Listen to the music and try to match moves. It might be helpful for you to have another friend or two to help so that you can brainstorm together.

If you've already chosen a song, check YouTube for other dance routines to that song. See what moves people use, what the dances have in common, etc. Don't copy others' dances, but use them for inspiration.

Yes! I love this type of dance; it looks good when you have solo/ individual moves for a certain number of dancers and have the others at the back clapping (assuming you are in a group).

I choreographed this for young girls before, we put our hands into a claw-shape and did a cat motion (put one hand in front of the other and bend the wrists), then we shook our booties because we had cat tails on.

Choreograph an upbeat dance and make sure you put your all into it. Pretend like someone famous will be watching.

Try to find strengths that they all have in common and incorporate them into the choreography. You can always put the weaker dancers in the back left corner.

Make sure that you don't forget about rolls and how powerful a pause can be.

Watch videos on different ways people dance to that type of music. If you like a certain move, don’t copy it. Take certain aspects of the move and incorporate it into a new dance move.

Try improvising to the music first, to see how you move to the music before deciding anything definitively. You can also film this so that you can go back and see what worked and what didn't. You can look online for inspiration as well. Once you have some ideas then you can break the dance down (intro, verse one, pre-chorus, chorus etc). Ask people to watch what you have and see what they think if you are unsure of what looks good. Find some transition moves to link these sections together. Then, just keep practicing until you have the whole routine memorised.