How to Choreograph a Great Dance

Choreographing a dance routine can seem like a daunting task, whether it is for the final of a national dance competition or for the school dance troupe. Starting out with nothing but a piece of music and a vague idea of what the dance should be, it seems like there is a long way to go before achieving that idea. Even though everyone has their own ways of forming a solid routine, after years of struggling to choreograph effectively I have learned the right ways and the wrong ways of going about it. Whether you are choreographing for hip-hop, jazz, ballet or slow-dance, these tips could help you to focus on exactly what you need to do to create an exciting and effective dance routine.

1) Pick the music before you start making up the dance

Some people would argue that if you are counting right, your routine should go with any music. Technically, that is usually true but it disregards the fact that there must be some rhythm and flow to your routine and the best way to achieve this is to create moves that really speak to the music you're using. Pick a song that you love, that is relevant and most importantly that has a clear and distinct beat. If you're just starting out, try a song with a more obvious rhythmic beat. As you become more advanced at choreography and at really feeling the music, you can begin to dance to more obscure, interesting songs.

2) Don't dance to the words of the song

Despite what I said in the first point, it is extremely important that the dance routine does not just 'go' with the music. That is, don't create a move for every word of the song because what you'll end up with is a static routine and lots of standing-still while your dancers wait for the next move. Lyrics are important, but you dance to the music. Every beat should have a move set to it. Don't break up the flow of a dance by stopping for every break in the lyrics. In fact, for your first few routines it might be better to choose a piece without lyrics. That way you will be forced to concentrate solely on the music and this will make it easier when it comes to songs with lyrics.

3) Count!

Some of the best dancers in the world refuse to count, choosing instead to listen to the rhythm of the music and dance from that. Michael Jackson was such a dancer. However for most of us, it is virtually impossible to manage a routine without using counts. Firstly, you will confuse yourself at the beginning and forget which move came where. If you are just half a second out of sync with the music, it could mess up your whole routine and simple 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 counts is the only way to prevent this. Also, for very fast pieces you will avoid getting completely lost in your own dance by using half beats: 1-&-2-&-3...When you get to that frustrating point where you've just done an amazing move but you can't seem to remember what it was (this will happen) counts will jog your memory and put you back on track. Of course, it is not just for yourself that you use counts. There is nothing more annoying than being taught a routine without counts. It makes it a hundred times harder to learn and it is impossible for a group to stay in-sync without counting. So please, just count!

4) Have a vision

No matter what style of dance you are choreographing for, any routine with a string of random, unrelated moves set to music is going to look sloppy. There needs to be a story mapped out in your head which your dance will aim to portray. If it is a group routine, take advantage of the number of dancers. Alternate between synchronised moves and moves in canon. Incorporate partner work, lifts, jumps - these are the things that make your dance stand out. Make sure your routine has a good height range - standing poses, sitting poses, floor poses. The position of the dancers should change - try not to make three lines of dancers and keep it that way for the whole routine. Use new formations; for instance a diamond formation, a circle, two separate groups etc. Above all, use variation in your routine. This is what makes dancing so exciting: it always flows well, yet it is fluid and nothing stays the same for long. If a move is too complicated for your dancers, cut it. Simple moves are the key. As long as it is danced well, it will look great.

5) Don't depend on tricks

Finally, there are always 'dance' routines that actually have very little dancing in them. They depend on tricks - turns, splits, walkovers. This looks great and used sparingly can be very effective. However, much of it is gymnastics more than dancing and often, it is only a small minority of the dance team who do these tricks while the others shake their hips a bit and watch. This is not a sign of a talented team that works together to create an exciting and innovative dance routine. There should be no need for tricks if your dance is strong enough. If the whole team can do the splits, great, have them do it. But if it's one girl in the front who spends the whole routine sitting in a split, it doesn't say much about her as a dancer or about you as a choreographer. The point is to dance - if there is anything extra you want to bring to the dance to enhance it, then that is fine. But don't turn it into a gymnastics routine.

If you follow each of these tips, you will have the basis for a brilliant dance routine. However, these are only starting ideas; the hard work is up to you. The bottom line is to be creative, be logical and never ever choreograph a dance that you are not completely in love with. Always remember that what you dance and what you teach others to dance says something very significant about who you are. Let it be something you are proud of.