Experiments with Improvisation, Chance, and Technology

In honor of contemporary dance trailblazer, Merce Cunningham, who recently passed away, I thought I’d present you with ways in which he (and others) have creatively used digital music devices to devise unique dance/movement experiences and performances.

The first example is a work that Cunningham made in 2006 while in his late 80s. In eyeSpace the musical score is loaded onto iPod Shuffles (which are provided for the audience). Using this device Cunningham, who consistently utilized principles of chance and randominity in his presentations, gave audience members an individualized listening experience as they watched the dancers perform. This article at the American Art Museum blog offers a nice description of the event from an audience member’s perspective as well as some insightful commentary on how people view art.

An organization called Improv Everywhere, which is based in New York City, has been doing a variety of innovative and fun group improvisations for several years. They specialize in “organized fun” and have made an annual event of their Mp3 Experiment. This particular mission involves participants downloading an mp3 online and uploading it to their personal mp3 player. A meeting time is arranged and watches are synchronized so that everyone presses play at the same moment. From here, the participants are led through a series of actions and tasks which may seem spontaneous to viewers. You can read more about the six Mp3 Experiments completed thus far, as well as the groups’s other missions, at the Improv Everywhere website.

Another example in dance was demonstrated by The Pillow Project in Pittsburgh last year. During Silent Saturday (part of their Second Saturday series) these dancers moved in apparent silence while listening to their own mp3 player. Audiences, encouraged but not required to bring their own, had the option to watch while listening to their own soundtrack. You can read more about the event at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette website.

These are just a few examples that hopefully will spark your creativity. If you have other related examples, feel free to share them!

Applications

I know some of you are probably thinking “Cute, but how in the world would I apply that at my dance studio?” Though I doubt that many of you will be handing out iPod shuffles to each audience member at your next recital, I do think there are ways to adapt or embrace these concepts for both performance and in-class use.

• Dare to bring a bit of chance to a performance – consider creating a special number that might be danced to a handful of music selections. Your audience will be amazed and delighted that each performance of the dance may be different based on the surprise (even to the dancers) selection for the evening.
• Create sections of a dance that are then performed in a shuffled order unknown to the performers – for more advanced dancers this could be a great challenge encouraging sophisticated memory and performance skills.
• Consider an impromptu and interactive segment within your next presentation during which the audience is led through a series of movements or actions. I guarantee they’ll talk about it for years to come!
• Try shuffling through your own iPod, creating 32 counts of choreography based upon the music you’ve randomly selected, then put the counts together to form a new piece with completely different music.
• Have some students brainstorm their own “mp3 experiment” and allow other students and parents to take it to the public – could be a unique and memorable way to make your studio’s presence known in the community.
• Have your class members each select a song, download each song and load them into your player. Shuffle them and create your next class based upon their selections!

These are off the top of my head, what’s on top of yours now that you have been giving a jumping off point? These aren’t necessarily for teachers only. Students, parents… Get Creative!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2009. | Permalink | CLICK HERE to comment | Category: Blog, Choreography, Toolbox

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One of the common struggles students face in class is recalling the sequence of choreography. Particularly, if you are a beginning student, you may not have yet developed the tools needed to quickly retain passages of movement. Everyone is different and you will need to find what works for you. The following are just a few techniques you might try the next time your teacher gives a combination.

Look for the Pattern

Photo by Eric Fredericks

Choreography is not typically one, long, string of unrelated movements, though when it is given more quickly than you are used to, it can seem so. Generally you will be shown a sequence more than once. If you’re struggling to keep up with the rush of information coming your way, it may help to focus on the pattern first and worry about the movement second.

The pattern may relate to number of repetitions. For instance, 4 front, 4 side, 2 front, 2 back, 1 front, 1 side, 1 front, 1 back — it may seem an odd pattern, but if you’ve retained at least this, filling in the blanks will be easier.  Patterns may also be directional. Perhaps the choreography travels to the down-stage corner, faces upstage, downstage, then moves stage right.

Focus on One Aspect of the Choreography

Pattern is just one element of choreography. You might also choose to focus on other components, one at a time, to construct the sequence in your body and mind. For example, try focusing your attention on the feet alone if combining the arms, head, and rhythms all at once is proving to be too much information. This doesn’t mean you have to leave the other elements out altogether. Do what you can, but give yourself permission to let one thing go for the sake of absorbing the details of another. You can always layer the movements with more detail as you go.

Attach a Visual Image

Sometimes attaching a mental image to a step or series of steps can help you to put things in order. The movement’s name may offer clues – for instance Pas de Chat is “step of the cat.” This swift jump directly relates to the pounce of a feline. However, sometimes movements don’t have names or at least not ones that correspond to an image. So, it’s okay to attach your own visuals and/or terminology… no matter how strange.

What does each movement or series of steps bring to mind? Maybe your sequence looks like this: chopping vegetables, waves crashing, popcorn, ice skating. As long as the images make sense to you, you will likely be able to keep these images in order, aiding your memory of the choreography itself.

Photo by Scott Rettberg

Write it Down

Sometimes the act of writing, or seeing words or sketches on a page can solidify a chain of movement, particularly if there will be some time before your next class or rehearsal. You might try writing down the choreography (in whatever way suits you) as soon as possible after your class. This is not a technique that works for everyone and I have seen students get too attached to their new “cheat sheet. ” The key is remembering that this device is capturing memories you have not creating memories where there are none. The choreography is already stored in your body, putting it on the page is just mental repetition.

Repetition

Speaking of repetition, there are lots of ways you might apply this prominent memory device. Though practicing “full-out” is most helpful, “marking” the movement can also be beneficial. Try marking as much as you can as the teacher demonstrates the combination or, whenever there are spare and appropriate moments during the class – while the first group performs, while the teacher is working independently with someone else, etc.

When there is a moment in the sequence that you trip or get stuck on each time it is performed. Try performing the movement prior, the problem spot, and the moment following, three or more times in a row. Then perform the whole thing again. You may find that this helps to correct the gap in memory you’ve been experiencing.

Also, never underestimate both mental (i.e. visualizing the choreography) and physical practice. This kind of repetition not only solidifies your memories but will bring to light the segments of the combination that seemed clear in class but are trouble spots in your memory.

Sing the Rhythm

Sometimes thinking of dance as a rhythm or melody can assist your recollection of the choreography. Your movement may alreay by set to music, however, the dance itself has a rhythm or phrasing. Try to focus on this and even “sing” it to yourself as you move or recall the movement. Many teachers do this when teaching the movement. It’s very common in tap (Shelly Oliver does it about 20 seconds into the video below) but it is certainly possible in other styles.

No matter what strategies you use to remember choreography…

Don’t Rely Too Much on Others

Many students will depend heavily on the teacher or other students when performing movement. I like to call this “brain-sucking” because when you do this you are leeching the movement sequence from someone else without actually retaining much of it in your own brain. The danger of this is that when that person is no longer performing the choreography or makes a mistake, you will be unable to perform accurately. When attempting the choreography after it has been given, try to keep your focus off of those around you – looking ahead or changing your focus as required in the choreography. A little brain-sucking is normal, however, I find that most students don’t need to do it as much as they think, which brings me to…

Trust Your Motor Memory

Your brain and body have an amazing capacity to “remember” movement patterns, pathways, and relationships. The mechanics and neuroscience of this is not completely understood. Like all skills,  however, motor memory (sometimes referred to as muscle memory), seems to be learned and improved through practice and experience. As you are learning, it pays to trust these neuromuscular systems to do their work. Do not let lack of confidence or “overthinking” undermine the relatively natural process that your mind and body go through as you learn and practice choreography. Replace negative thoughts with positive and affirming ones.

Neuron - Photo by Mark Miller

Do you use other memory devices for recalling choreography?

What strategies can you share?

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2009. | Permalink | One comment - ADD YOURS! | Category: Blog, Choreography, Featured, For Students, Toolbox

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Photo: Logan Cody

Many dancers, dance teachers, or students may at one time or another find themselves choreographing for amateur (or even high school) theatre. Having participated in community productions as a child and in my adulthood, I consider it a wonderful opportunity for people from all sectors of the public and workforce to come together and work toward a common goal, as well as an occasion to bring a variety of plays and musicals to local residents that may not otherwise attend live theatre. If you are a dance teacher or choreographer, it can also be an opportunity to showcase your skills to a wider audience than which you encounter within your local studio or dance company.

Approaching Choreography for Musical Theatre

When approaching choreography for musical theatre, it is important that the strategy differs from that of a recital dance production. This may seem obvious but it happens sometimes that teachers or students new to choreographing musicals tackle the job in this familiar way. I’d like to offer an  approach to this particular creative process by looking at the various components of choreography for the stage and suggesting tips for effective preparation and collaboration. I hope that it will smooth the process for those new to creating movement for a musical production.

The Script

Read the script. A few times if possible, so that you really get a feel for plot, its characters, and how and why the musical numbers fit within the text. (If you’ve seen the musical, don’t rely on that particular interpretation. There may be drastic differences.)

Know the show inside and out. It will make your job easier in the long run! Imagine how things might look on the stage. Take notes on what you visualize, particularly as it relates to the musical numbers.

The Score

Study the score (not just the libretto). A copy of the piano, or rehearsal, score typically includes the vocal line and  the essentials of underlying music – this is very helpful to choreographers.

Get a copy of the Broadway soundtrack. If you can, try to follow along in your copy of the score. Keep in mind that these will probably NOT be identical. Make note of these changes, if you can.

Discuss with the Musical Director any cuts he/she is making within the score. Long dance breaks can be excruciatingly long with amateur dancers – it’s okay to suggest not taking that second repeat!

The Staff

Hopefully in the first production meeting, the Stage Director, Musical Director, Choreographer, and Set/Lighting Designer(s) will be present to discuss the overall vision/direction for the show which is ultimately decided by the Stage Director.

Stage Director

Discuss each musical number individually with the director. You may not be responsible for every number in the production as not all may require your choreographic skills – this will need to be determined.

What to discuss:

1. Where the actors will be at the top (or beginning) of the musical introduction.
2. Where the actors should end up physically at the conclusion. (The director may not yet have answers for this but this information is important for creating seamless transitions in your choreography. Knowing it sooner rather than later is always helpful as you create choreography)
3. How the characters have been affected or changed by the conclusion of the song. Does it move the plot forward?
4. Your interpretations of the musical style and how this affects movement quality. (Do you see it as athletic? A soft shoe? A Fred & Ginger-style number?) And, your feelings about what types of experience or abilities the actor should have. (Be prepared to adapt these once the chosen actor is in place).

Musical Director

Work closely with the Musical Director on song tempos (what works best for the song, dance, and singers). Remember, when creating choreography that the movement should not inhibit the vocalists ability to sing what’s required (particularly in solo work). Use dance interludes and/or a dance ensemble to show off big, “dance-y” choreography.

If you don’t read music, you will be relying on the director or pianist to make a recording (with appropriate cuts) of the music for the purposes of creating choreography. Unless you have a rehearsal accompanist, this may also prove useful during choreography practice.

Set Designer

Discuss and stay informed regarding the set design and be persistent about your spatial needs. I’ve often found myself with a smaller-than-originally-planned space in which to squeeze a 40-member cast for a full-company production number. Sometimes even the best-laid plans must be adjusted. Politely ask designers to keep you informed of these changes.

The Movement

Research social dances of the time period in which the musical is set and find ways of incorporating these into your choreography.

Try improvising to explore and find movement. At this stage the music you use for inspiration does not need to be music from the production, just something that gets ideas flowing. Once you have a vocabulary of movements for the character(s) or event, try drawing from that vocabulary to create the dance.

Familiarity with the Broadway or movie choreography of the musical can prove very helpful. For more than just ethical reasons, it is not a good idea to copy or recreate it movement for movement. One, your actors probably do not have the same skill set as the actors in a professional production and, two, the choreography will lack integration with the rest of the show. Look and then leave it! The overall impression of the professional version will likely stay with you, helping you to create something that is reminiscent of the original yet uniquely your own.

Create variations on a theme and don’t be afraid to re-use movement. Many novice choreographers make the mistake of creating one long string of new movements. Just like in music, the audience enjoys recurring motifs and patterns.

Keep things simple, particularly in large group numbers. Use a core group of capable dancers, if you have them, for more intricate or spectacular choreography and use a lot of every day movements and gestures for others.

Consider how you use the stage space — create floor patterns, have actors interact and move around/with each other, and use the set. You wouldn’t believe how many amateur or high school productions I’ve seen that feature dancers lined up and facing forward during each musical number.

The Talent

Great musical theatre choreography does not necessarily require complex movement or staging. Much of the time, great theatrical choreographers are marked by their ingenuity. In many cases, a community theatre is made up of individuals without any formal dance training. If this reflects your situation, you must be able to work with what you’ve got.

Get your actors’ input. Whether it is relying on them to come up with a few gestures, allowing them to try different things and make choices, or drawing from their thoughts on the show or their characters, they will appreciate the collaboration if you are clear with instructions. Just like in classes for young children or beginners, be wary of giving directions that are too “open-ended.” Actors may also benefit from improvisational exercises to develop movement for their characters.

Communicate with the director about your actors’ needs throughout the rehearsal process. Community theatre participants will generally require more rehearsal than you might anticipate. Also, I’ve found that some actors really appreciate rehearsal notes that they can take for home practice. Be generous and be patient, providing extra help if you are approached.

What are your experiences with Community Theatre or choreography for musicals?

Have you choreographed productions with professional actors? How is this different from an amateur setting?

How does choreographing a show for high school students differ from community productions?

What did I leave out? You are welcome to add tips or your thoughts on the process below.

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2009. | Permalink | CLICK HERE to comment | Category: Blog, Choreography, Dance Styles, For Teachers/Studio Owners, Jazz or Musical Theatre, Toolbox

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In House of Mind, Seattle choreographer Pat Graney, focuses on the concept of memory. Her work went beyond the typical theatrical presentation on a proscenium stage. In fact she and her team constructed an entire art installation based on her childhood memories which the audience could tour before taking in the performance. The dancing was abstract (and not terribly “dance-y”) but made interesting use of the space (much like site-specific work except she had created the site as well as the work) and props (specifically some wooden chairs and large kitchen drawers).
You can read more about the performance in the review I posted on my personal site.

Tetris, by dancer/artist Toni Leago Valle, was much more theatrical than Graney’s work. Valle used popular music from her past, included soundbites and video clips from recent historical events (focusing on the 1980′s and early 90s), and added humor and drama to the dancing in order to tell what was essentially her own coming of age story. Valle’s work also displayed creative use of movable set pieces that were shaped like the blocks in the Nintendo game Tetris. The piece was also inspired by an investigation into a psychological concept/technique called Voice Dialogue which theorizes that individuals have many “selves” which make up their personality. You can read more about that aspect of the dance in my review.

Applications

I share these two examples with you because, even if you are not creating artistic concert dance works, there are lessons and applications that you can take away from these for use in your own choreography – even recital dances!

In both examples, audiences really connected with the work being performed. Why?

Photo courtesy Chicago's North Shore Conventions & Visitors Bureau

• Because viewers were able to find/recognize themselves in the memories or stories of the past being presented. Audience members’ own memories and experiences surfaced as the choreographers explored their personal histories.
• The choreographers’ strong connection to the material translated to the audience, giving the dances a very sincere yet unforced quality – audiences like that.
• Both pieces were nostalgic without being overly sentimental. Sentimental will grab some folks but, tug too hard at those heart strings and you’ll leave the audience feeling as though they’re being manipulated like a marionette. Showing restraint in this area will be more likely to melt even the hardest hearts.

Autobiographical dance doesn’t necessarily have to be literal or chronological.

Sometimes a story laid out in chronological order is not all that interesting. Consider this: Your friend traveled to Paris and recorded everything she did and everywhere she went on video. She has placed it all on a DVD, unedited. Another friend that went on the same trip took some photographs that highlighted her journey. Her photos are all out of order and she rarely captioned them but she’s put the images together in a slide show. Which would you rather sit through? I think most people would rather see the slide show which, even without the details, gives an idea about what kind of trip it was and allows them to interact or form questions as they watch. It would be okay to mix the slides and video too but, the point is, be wary of boring the audience with too much detail, leaving no room for interpretation or imagination.

Use sound, music, and even video projection in creative and unexpected ways.

• Both of the works above used clips of people speaking in addition to musical selections. Sources for these soundbites included pieces of an interview, clips from movies and news broadcasts, and someone reading something or describing something. Both, at one point, also utilized a dancer singing a song portion on stage.
• Musical selections included songs directly from or that evoked a period in history. Sometimes there was a juxtapositioning of moods or styles, for instance an upbeat or uplifting selection that accompanied movement with dark or gloomy themes, or a slow adagio during a song to which one would normally Jitterbug.
• 

  Photo by Clav

  Each of the above performances incorporated video projection as well. Tetris used actual clips of news footage and movies from the time period that often accompanied the dancing. The dancers sometimes ignored the clip but usually interacted with or acknowledged these almost as they would another dancer/character in the piece. In House of Mind the projections sometimes appeared in unique places such as the back of a chair, and in various locations throughout the space. This of course takes proper equipment to accomplish but consider other ways to incorporate images (moving or not) in your dance in unexpected ways. Pieces of a set come together to form an image, dancers recreate the characters in a painting or the action in a famous movie clip, pictures are revealed when a particular prop is flipped over… use your imagination!

Props and sets don’t always need to be used for their intended purposes.

• In House of Mind the dancers used chairs in completely unique ways – not just for sitting. Chairs are used a lot as props in dance but, as many chair dances as I’ve seen, I never felt like the material was tired or familiar. The kitchen drawers had many, many uses throughout but the only thing they ever “contained” were the dancers! The dancers even executed unique methods of ascending or descending an ordinary staircase.
• In Tetris the set pieces were differently shaped blocks. They were most often in pieces but fit together to form a hollow cube which at one point caged (or perhaps protected) the main character. They were also hidden behind, stacked, danced upon, dangled from, sat upon, and moved about to be utilized in the background and as a featured prop of sorts.
• At least one, but possibly both choreographers, relied on their dancers in the creation of movement. Therefore in the use of props in particular (but certainly in other movement), the dances benefited from tapping into the creativity of more than one mind. Allowing dancers to explore and experiment with props or set pieces is a great way to find unique and original uses for them.

Translation

Photo by Camilla Dorothy

It is easy to get stuck in a rut with choreography, particularly if you create multiple dances year after year for students. Seeing the work of others can really encourage a flow of ideas. In this particular case, although there were certainly lots of ideas to be gleaned from the concerts I saw this weekend, the one that stands out is just how much raw material there is in your very own personal history.

There is no dance style, age group, or setting for which this idea could not be repurposed. Think back to your experiences growing up. What did it feel like to when you got that first pair of tap shoes and practiced in the kitchen? Can you capture that feeling in movement? Could oversized props add to the dance? What was your first day of high school like? Can you choreograph a ballet dance that conjures the feelings and/or includes the characters, cliques, or experiences of that day? What were the songs of your parent’s generation? Can you construct a jazz dance to one or more of these songs but fuse it with important events/themes of your own generation?

These are just a few examples. Do you have examples of your own that you’ve used in choreography?  Or, that you’ve just thought up? Also, let me know if this article has inspired you. I’d love to hear about the result!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2009. | Permalink | One comment - ADD YOURS! | Category: Blog, Choreography, Toolbox

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A student in ballet cannot learn the art in isolation and no one can know what great dancing is without seeing examples of it. Not only can the dancer not be separated from the dance, she also cannot be separated from the history of dancing, from the line of dancers and teachers leading to her.

This is a quote taken from an article written in Dance Magazine in 1995 regarding the film The Dancer. This sentiment holds true not just for ballet students, but for dancers in general.  So, in honor of National Dance Week, I wanted to offer ways in which teachers of dance can include dance history in their everyday classes.

I know how hard it is sometimes to fit it all in.  As a dance instructor I often find myself pressed for time when including just the technical principles of dance in my classes, let alone guidance in music, vocabulary, and other areas vital to performance and execution. However, having experienced the degree to which understanding the evolution of dance has enhanced and improved my own performance and desire to achieve proficiency within my classes, I know that it is important to draw attention to this “line of dancers” (past and present) whenever possible.

Here is an article that addresses this issue in the teaching of jazz dance.  It offers a few methods of incorporating history into dance education:

1. Connect the movements you teach to dance history.
2. Bring in master teachers of unfamiliar combinations or styles.
3. Use visuals – posters, artwork, videos.
4. Host special events that encourage an interest in dance history.

The article goes into detail specific to jazz dance, but these small actions can easily be applied to any dance style:

Connecting dance movements to history can be as simple as tossing out facts during class that get the students thinking about the origins of what they are doing.  For example, as you correct your student’s turnout, mention that dancers initially began to turn out their legs when ballet made it’s way from the royal court to the proscenium stage.  Better yet, encourage their critical thinking skills by asking if they know or can guess why dancers use turnout.  Or, when working on fouette turns, explain that Pierina Legnani was the first to perform 32 consecutive fouettes en tournant.  The students may not remember everything you tell them, but you may be surprised at how much of these tidbits they do retain.

Master teachers can sometimes be hard to come by in certain areas, but re-creating famous or historical works from video can be fun and exciting for student dancers. One summer a workshop was held at my hometown studio that focused on the work of Alvin Ailey. The dancers learned portions of Ailey’s Revelations (skirts, fans, and all) from video and, although we could not benefit from a master to teach us the dance, I recall a sense of excitement, accomplishment, and commitment to the choreography as the dancers re-created this landmark work. Exercises like this will reward the students with satisfaction in knowing they executed the same movements as the professionals, and may encourage them in working to perform with as much accuracy and dedication.

Consider the artwork you display at your dance school. I’ve noted that many studios throughout my teaching career have displayed only a) cute teddy bears and bunnies in tutus, b) the awards and trophies of their own dancers, or c) pictures of the studio owner in all his/her glory.  And, while I think it is important to recognize the hard work of the dancers and show the experience and accomplishments of the teachers [I'm not sure I can find a way to justify the bunnies... sorry ], to instill in your dancers a sense of the scope, importance, and history of movement arts, I encourage you to look for visual representations (like this poster art) (or this poster art) that will inspire them to look beyond the little bubble of their own studio. If you teach children, it’s ok to show children dancing (including pictures of your own students) on your walls but give them something to aspire to, as well.

Hosting an event can be as simple as movie viewing parties at the studio or as elaborate as taking a field trip to a nearby city for a dance performance. Some of the most eye-opening experiences of my life as a young dancer included traveling away from my hometown with my classmates to view dance and musical theatre productions, attend conventions/conferences, and visit art museums. Opportunities like this allow a student to understand dance art in a wider context and will inspire them to reach higher in their classes.

If you need to brush up on your own knowledge of dance history, the following texts may be helpful: 

• Ballet & Modern Dance: A Concise History
• Jazz Dance: The Story Of American Vernacular Dance
• Tap Roots: The Early History of Tap Dancing
• Ballet in Western Culture: A History of Its Origins and Evolution
• Moving History/Dancing Cultures: A Dance History Reader

If you are a student and want to find ways of expanding your knowledge of dance history (it really does improve your dancing), try these tips.

• Use school projects like book reports, oral presentations, and writing exercises as opportunities to research and discover dance history.
• Join websites and blogs that offer historical dance facts and resources.
• Make it a point to see other dancers perform whenever possible – when your family vacations check out dance in the area or even take classes and rent dance videos (don’t forget your local public or college library may have videos available).
• Read biographies of dance artists, texts about dance throughout time, and profiles of famous dance works.

Let me know your thoughts!  Are there other ways to include history in your dance education?

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | One comment - ADD YOURS! | Category: Blog, Choreography, Dance Styles, Featured, For Teachers/Studio Owners, History of Dance, Jazz or Musical Theatre, Perspectives, The Dance World, Toolbox

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I wanted to report of an interesting collaboration that has taken place between Big Boi (a member of the rap duo, OutKast) and the Atlanta Ballet. Titled “Big”, the performance seemed to live up to its name in spectacle. Read a review, here. And, it seems that Atlanta Ballet is hoping that the attention received in the wake of the endeavor will have a big effect on the rejuvenation of their company, ballet as a relevant art form, and in bringing ballet to a wider audience.

This is certainly not the first time that dance companies have sought to juxtaposition two art forms that seem vastly different from one another, or update ballet with current musical trends.  However, I thought the notion could be just the creative spark that some of you out there are looking for.  Perhaps you’d like to join your advanced hip-hop and ballet classes for an instant crowd-pleaser at this year’s performance.  Or if this has been overdone in your area, maybe there are new ways to bring ballet into the 21st century that are yet to be discovered!

Share your ideas!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | CLICK HERE to comment | Category: Blog, Choreography, Music, News and Events, The Dance World, Toolbox

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• Compile a series or grouping of photographs and put them in order (randomly or deliberately) and re-create the photo with dancers in a tableaux.  Then decide how to move between them.
• Choose personal photographs (from childhood or a special time in your life) and use them to bring you back to that time period, set the mood for the dance, or become characters in your narrative/story.
• Choose a single photograph that speaks to you.  The colors and style of the photograph can inspire lighting or costuming.  Even if there are no people in the photograph, your dancers and their movement can evoke the emotions or feeling of the image.  You can even project the photo on your backdrop.
• Here’s another unique idea, using photographers as the subject of choreography.

There are lots of possibilities. Perhaps old Hollywood glamour photos will inspire black and white costuming and lighting effects to simulate flashbulbs.  Perhaps a wide landscape photo will inspire large, open movement with broad and sweeping music.  Historical photos could help re-enact moments from our nation’s past. An entire program or your next recital could be filled with dances that are inspired by photographs/photography.  Remember, there are no limits other than your imagination and no wrong way of using the photograph(s) as a jumping off point.

What are some of your ideas for using photography as a starting point for choreography?

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | CLICK HERE to comment | Category: Blog, Choreography, Toolbox

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