Dance Advantage » ideas

Set Your iPod to Shuffle

Nichelle (admin) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:00:44 +0000

Everyone needs a bit of inspiration now and then, particularly if you are a teacher and need to be a prolific choreographer week-after-week and year-after-year in your classes and stage performances. Many, I know, settle themselves in front of the computer and scour youtube for dance ideas but there are other ways to spark creativity. My wheels begin turning when I see or read about the work other artists (dance or otherwise) are doing. However, it doesn’t matter if I’m creating a recital number for preschoolers or a jazz combination for 15-year-old students, ideas can come from anywhere. Occasionally I like to turn my spotlight on stories, notions, images, etc. that I feel might serve as a jumping off point – similar to the one-sentence story starters creative writers use. I’m not offering a how-to or making suggestions for your next masterpiece (though I may sometimes offer possible applications). Mostly I just want to help get your own creative juices pumping. You can let me know if I’ve done so in the comments below!

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!

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Beyond Butterfly Kisses — 12 Tunes for Dancing Daddies and Daughters

Nichelle (admin) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:00:28 +0000

Father’s Day is this weekend so in honor of Dance Dads, I’m adding a list of songs that might just be perfect for a father/daughter recital choreography, a wedding dance, or other performances. These range from sentimental to spirited. Hopefully you’ll find something new or a song you’ve never considered before. (And in case you think I’m neglecting these — look for father/son, mother/daughter, and other combinations in the future!)

Father and Daughter — Paul Simon; Surprise

Audiences will enjoy this bouncy tune with its affectionate message without overdosing on sugar:

“I’m gonna watch you shine; Gonna watch you grow
Gonna paint a sign so you’ll always know
As long as one and one is two
There could never be a father who loved his daughter more than I love you”

Daddy — Kristen Chenoweth; Let Yourself Go

This one is a cute jazz number that would be tongue in cheek since the “daddy” in this song is not necessarily a father figure. However, the singer wants “a diamond ring, bracelets, everything” and tells Daddy “You oughta get the best for me.” Play up the superficial stereotype of having Daddy wrapped around his little girl’s (gilded) finger and you could have a cute number on your hands.

My Heart Belongs to Daddy – Sophie Milman; self-titled

There are lots of versions of this song and you could pick one you like but I’m suggesting this version by Sophie Milman because this recent update has a tempo that moves yet maintains the feel of a jazzy standard.

Colorful — Rocco DeLuca; I Trust You To Kill Me

Not an obvious choice, perhaps. The lyrics are ambiguous but couldn’t every father say that his little girl is “the most colorful thing that I’ve seen…”?

Daddy’s Girl — Katey Segal; Room

If you’d prefer something that’s a little bit country, the genre is not wanting for daddy-daughter tunes. But this one from actress Katey Segal may not be as familiar or overdone even though she performed it on the popular sit-com 8 Simple Rules.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMKcewH9prM

She’s a Dancer — Phil Keaggy; Way Back Home

Christian artist Phil Keaggy has a Beatles-esque sound. With lyrics like “As you reach for the sky, love, and pirouette ‘cross the room, just remember that you are my love, and no other can replace the face of you” this one seems pitch-perfect for a dance recital. Keaggy’s lyric is not without Christian references, particularly in the last stanza, so it may not be for everyone but, it is sure to charm most.

To Make You Feel My Love — Billy Joel; Greatest Hits Vol. 3

Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel) — Billy Joel; River of Dreams (or Greatest Hits Vol. 3)

There’s a father/daughter two-for-one deal on this Billy Joel Greatest Hits album. To Make You Feel My Love is actually a Bob Dylan tune and has been covered by numerous artists over the years, including most recently American Idol’s Kris Allen and British singer Adele. These versions are sweet but I’ll always have a sweet spot for Joel’s version. Pick whichever you’d like but a male vocalist will accentuate a fatherly interpretation of this lyric, especially when performed with teen or older dancers.

Lullabye is perhaps more appropriate for choreography pairing a daughter (or daughters) with her father, and could work for both younger or older students. The song has a bittersweetness that any parent in the audience could appreciate.

Sweet Child O’ Mine — Guns n’ Roses; Appetite for Destruction

Dads will feel like the rock stars they are when dancing to this tune. It’s not your average little girl theme but could be a super sweet number all the same.

Winter — Tori Amos; Little Earthquakes

Tori Amos will put a contemporary/lyrical dance spin on the traditional father-daughter dance. It would be interesting to see how fathers could be incorporated into the dance and movement with this one. It is tender without being overly sentimental and if done well might just be a show-stopper.

Wild World — Cat Stevens; Tea for the Tillerman/Greatest Hits (or try the Mr. Big version)

This one may not be specifically written for a daughter but the lyric is close enough that it could work in this setting. Plus, those familiar with the song may enjoy this unique interpretation of a favorite tune.

When The Stars Go Blue — The Coors (with Bono); Dreams: The Ultimate Coors Collection

Again, this lyric is somewhat ambiguous but as a duet that mentions dancing in a wedding gown it could be a lovely father/daughter choreography or wedding dance. Though the Ryan Adams song has been covered by others, I’m partial to The Coors version (and not just because I will be a fan of U2′s Bono “until the stars go blue”) but because of its crisper tempo and the complimentary vocal tone of the duo. This is often found as a live track but the studio version is on the album listed above.

Have your own song suggestions? Add them below!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2009. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Music, Teaching | Who's talking about this article?

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