Young Choreographers Guidelines

Congratulations for taking the plunge! You are exploring and developing your God given gifting as a choreographer, here are some guidelines to help you:

Your Purpose: Decide what the purpose of your piece is. What message do you want to get across to the audience?

Your Medium: Music, movements and visual effects (costumes, props, lighting and sets) used to bring this message across need to be carefully considered.

Your Music: Does it help to bring your message across? If there are lyrics have you seen them printed out, listened to them carefully and made sure they agree with your intended message? (It is often good to ask a friend what their interpretation is to see if your audience will hear it the same way)

Is the recording of excellent quality (it is going to be played at high volume at the performance) and if cut has it been done in a professional manner?

Is it interesting music? Is it music that is “danceable”?

Your Movements: Is your movement appropriate to your message?

Is your choreography able to be performed by your cast? (Often fantastic images you have in your head have to be adjusted and explored to make them work on actual bodies!)

Is your choreography inspiring or thought provoking to watch?

Consider using these elements:

Use of Space: High, medium, low levels. Floor patterns as you move around the performance space.

Rhythm: Vary the way you use the music (if it has lyrics don’t always use the words to punctuate your movement). Keep an ear open to the different instruments and how they are played, use this to effect in your movement. Play around with different dynamics of a step. If you are repeating chorus vary it in some way

Make use of: groupings of dancers (not everybody doing the same thing all the time) Repetition (but not too often) Canon (rehearse well for good effect) ABA structure, variation on a theme of previous steps or sequences. Different levels of energy and speed, vary the dynamics, emotion and artistry. BE CREATIVE!

Visual effects:

Costumes- clothing must be appropriate. Rather leave a lot to the imagination as far as exposing your flesh is concerned. You want the dance to stand out, not the bodies! When designing your costumes be creative but conservative. The costume must serve your message not distract one from it. Dancers should be able to wear necessary underwear and support without it showing. Choose colours that work well onstage and match the mood of your piece. Choose and have a sample made up early and critically watch it in rehearsal to see what the audience view will be.

Props- Rehearse with them from the start, make sure they are strong enough to stay the course and that they are safe to use.

Lighting - consider the capability and limits of your venue. i.e. don’t plan to use a blackout if your venue can’t give you one.

Sets: If you need a set enlist help! Simple and bold ideas are often the most effective

SOME TIPS

Be organized, Rehearse well, Inspire your cast with what you are trying to tell the audience, to make them want to tell it too. Remember to Thank Everyone on your team (including your parents)!

Remember Artists Rights

Just as you take time care and energy to create your piece there are others that have used theirs to helped you get there.

Music Rights

The composer and performers of your music. Most musicians have created the piece that you are now using and this is how they earn a living. Have you legally purchased the version you are using so that the money gets back to them? Have you checked that the venue is covered with a SAMRO (South African Music Rights Organization) licence for your performance?

Choreographic Rights

All original choreography is considered as intellectual property. If you are using someone else’s work and calling it your own then you are stealing from them. If a piece of choreography is recorded on film, dvd or even a phone it is considered to be copyrighted. Don’t commit plagiarism.

Granted choreographers are influenced by work that has gone before them, but rather challenge yourself to create your own original work of art. The world is waiting for your unique contribution!

Have fun creating…