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 Taking
the “Chore” Out of Choreography
By Diane Gudat
Ways to find inspiration for making dances
Whenever I see professional dance performances, I
wonder what it would be like to have the luxury of 10 or more
hand-selected, well-trained dancers for 8 hours a day, 5 days
each week, as well as a professional lighting designer and
costumer. Most of us dance teachers have to work with young
dancers—enthusiastic, yes, but limited in talent. We have a
stack of costume books and a rigid budget. We use whatever
theater we can manage to rent, sometimes with high school
students or volunteers as crew. We often design and build our
own sets. We have a 2- to 3-minute time limit per dance, and
the music must be age appropriate. We pump out choreography
day after day, and compromise becomes our middle name.
The amount of choreography most dance teachers face is a huge
challenge. I counted the number of dances I made last year:
85, which is low compared to many of my peers. So to get you
ready to create your next dozen or so dances, here are my
favorite ways to get and stay inspired when creating
choreography for your students.
USE A THEME
A
theme helps you focus your creative spirit. Many studio owners
select a recital theme and base all of their choreography on
that idea. This also helps with music and costume selections.
Of course, with a little creativity you can make any dance
match any theme. Some people select one theme for their ballet
classes and a slightly looser one for the other disciplines;
others choose a different theme for each section of the show.
Keeping concepts simple allows you to remain flexible.
Two of my favorite themes are “Food Fabulous Food,” in which
all of the dances have to do with food and the program is a
full menu, and “Don’t Bug Me, I’m Dancing,” with dances that
center on the world of insects and bugs. Audience favorites I
know of include circus, colors, hats, and travel themes.
GO
TO THE THEATER
See professional companies and performances of all kinds. Go
to Broadway shows, plays, the symphony, and even operas. The
talent and artistic fl air of others is extremely inspiring.
Being in a live audience, with its sounds, colors, and
electricity, will recharge your own artistic batteries. I once
acquired two great pieces of music and many good partnering
ideas from an ice skating show. What a great reason to take a
night off from the studio and spend time with my family! I
also found unlimited inspiration in the dancers aboard a
cruise ship. I highly recommend that one and plan to research
that source again very soon!
GO
TO RECITALS
See what other people do at their recitals. Do not compare or
judge; simply enjoy. One way to open the door to others’
recitals is to send a personal invitation and a few free
tickets to your show to dance teachers in your area. Let them
know they are welcome and respected. I often tell my students
that dancers at other studios are like cousins in our larger
dance family. Attending others’ recitals or performances,
congratulating them on their accomplishments, and speaking
kindly of them inside your own studio builds bridges that
benefit everyone.
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH ART AND COLOR
I
like to visit art museums, art shows, and fairs. I make notes
about colors and shapes and let these things inspire my
choreography. Allow the colors to flow over into the
costuming. A favorite painting or sculpture can be a
jumping-off point for an entire piece. This year I selected a
painting from the Museum of Modern Art that featured bright
colors and geometric shapes on a round canvas. It led me to
create circular m ovement
that I had not previously used, and its color patterns
influenced the dance’s costuming. As I choreographed, I
pictured the painting on the floor. I assigned each student a
color, then had them move in ways that described their color’s
patterns on the floor. The angles in the painting gave me new
ideas for arm shapes and isolation patterns. The blending of
colors led to ideas for partnering and the shading helped me
include a variety of levels in my work.
TELL A STORY
It
does not matter whether the dancers or audiences ever know
what the story is; you simply draw on the characters and
events in the story to generate ideas for movement. I once
told the story of purchasing my Yorkshire terrier—my dancers
never knew they were tracing the head, legs, and tail of my
dog when they ran intricate floor patterns. Swinging arms,
floor rolls, and spirited jumps all described my pet and made
the process of choreographing—and the secret story behind
it—fun for me. In another recent piece of mine, the dancers
represented people in my life, which created an interesting
motivation for dancer interaction and helped me feel closer to
people I had been missing.
Read a good book! I have drawn and developed many story lines
from works I’ve read, both fact and fiction, but there are
also many wonderful books that can offer you guidance on
choreography. Sample some that describe the lives, ideas, and
works of different choreographers and the art of effectively
designing movement.
TAP INTO YOUR STUDENTS
Draw inspiration from your students and their creative spirit
by allowing them to experiment with improvisation and watching
what they create. Students love to feel involved and are proud
of their input.
During a choreographic workshop with my modern students, I
watched a beautiful 1-minute story performed by an 8-year-old.
She told about planting a seed in the fall, her disappointment
when it did not grow right away, and her surprise when it
sprouted in the spring. An older student imitated her Etch A
Sketch, while another surprised us with a wonderful creation
based on losing the electronic game Simon. Many others created
captivating pieces that told complete stories they were
unwilling to explain but that inspired new, heartfelt
movement. Try layering their pieces together and watching the
students interact. And always give appropriate credit when
listing choreographers in the program.
SELECT MUSIC YOU ENJOY
Working with music you do not like can be a real chore. Go to
a large music store, grab an expensive cup of coffee, and
visit the listening stations to sample new music or artists.
Online music stores like iTunes, Amazon, and WalMart Music
allow you to sample large collections of music in the comfort
of your pajamas before purchasing.
Don’t forget networking—over the years I have established a
circle of dance-teacher friends who regularly trade music and
recital soundtracks.
 When
we find music that “sounds like a friend,” we send it along.
Never underestimate the resources found in other dance
teachers.
Being able to cut, layer, and enhance music can make it more
desirable to work with. Learn to use a music-editing program
or find someone to do it for you.
USE GUEST CHOREOGRAPHERS
Sometimes guest artists who create dances for your school
unearth talents or weaknesses in your students that you had
overlooked. Observe their choreographic process and ask
questions if possible. This will allow you to take a
much-deserved break and learn something at the same time.
Also, do not forget to incorporate small sections of
choreography you acquire at conventions or workshops into your
dances. I do not recommend using an entire routine, but a drop
of flavor from another choreographer might inspire something
new in you.
Sometimes we ask too much of ourselves. We feel like we are
doing “chore-eography” instead of choreography! It is very
hard to feel creative and overwhelmed at the same time. Not
every dance we choreograph will be a work of art, and that’s
OK.
Some choreographers start by selecting music; some begin with
movement; others rely on improvisation or simply connect their
favorite combinations from class. Regardless of your method,
know that creative blocks come and go for all artists. But a
sincere love of teaching and your students will see you
through dance after dance.
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