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Choosing performance music
I know there are a few threads on preparing for competitions and choreographing routines etc, but I'd like to be more specific… When it comes to choosing your song for a performance or comp, what is your checklist?
So far I've heard the following tips:
-Song should have ups and downs/fast and slow variation/ and song should peak/climax
-Should know song well and feel comfortable with it
But I am having so much trouble deciding which out of my short list of songs to go for. What's been proccupying me is the thought that the music a dancer chooses really defines him/her in some way. I mean, I know I categorise dancers according to musical taste…. Oona is classical, Alethea is grungy rock and metal, Cleo is oldschool rock, Jenyne is kind of eclectic/newage/pop. And whie I admire them all, I can't help but gravitate towards the dancers that share my musical taste…. so it definately makes an impression. It kind of helps an audience understand their personality I guess.
I'm trying to figure out what kind of a dancer I want to present myself as…. do you ever think about that? What you want to be remembered for? This is why song choice is a big deal for me…. I guess it would be easier if you do regular gigs or shows, then you'd have plenty of opportunity to use all your favourites and mix it up a bit….. but I am really struggling to choose just one when I have so many faves…. One of my priorities is to be true to myself and also to try and be unique…. What are your priorities when choosing music? 🙂
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9 Replies
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Music is a HUGE thing to me too and for me one of the main things is that I have to actually love the song that I choose to perform to. Yes, I want to pick something that the audience can appreciate but if I don't love the song myself why would I want to continuously dance and practice to it? https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif
I actually have a fairly diverse music collection but I choose songs that move me; I can't just like the song, I have to LOVE it!!! BUT it also has to be a song that I am able to dance to. For example: I'm not able to dance to super fast songs. I don't think I have the energy or the stamina. I have done a few performances but two of them in particular have been important performances. I have another one coming up in a week and a half. For my first performance I picked a slow, sensual song, Kings of Leon – I Want You. It was a great song and I had choreographed a really good routine but for my first time I probably should have cut the music a little. It was 5 mins long! For the 2nd performance, which was a competition, I picked another slow song, Lana Del Rey – Video Games. For the performance I have coming up I picked Lady Gaga – You and I. It actually took me aaaaaaaaaaaages to choose the music this time cause I wanted to dance to something different, something that was a little more upbeat but of course it had to be a song that I'd love!
I don't think the music you choose will define you for the rest of your pole dance life if you don't want it to. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif -
I routinely listen to things like pandora, 8tracks and slacker radio (not to mention a few people that I stalk on itunes). When there is a song I like I favorite it and then usually download it. There are songs that speak to me at the time and there are songs that always speak to me. When I am preparing for a performance I will narrow my music choice down to 4 or 5 songs and then put them into a playlist and listen to them for a few days. Once song will always stand out from the rest and that is the song I pick.
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I start out with a big list of songs I like and then start to narrow it down. I usually have songs on my list that Ive been wanting to do but its just not the right time to bring it out. Ill listen to them and if I can get a few combos at some points, then I know its workable then it passes the first round. I always pick a song that just speaks to me. You will know it when you hear it.
When I did Gunpowder and Lead, I had been wanting to do that one for years! But everytime I would tinker with it, it never felt right. This year it finally felt like it was really workable.
Another good tip, be prepared to listen to the song A LOT! I listen to my routine music so much before a performance/comp that by the time its over I dont want to hear the song for at least 6 months!
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I will put the song on repeat on my ipod and listen to it exclusively so that I know every nuance of the song, that way if I get too fast or miss something during my performance I know how much I need to improv before the next segment.
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I would love to say that I have one style of music I dance to, something that can be recognized as "my music", but so far I have performed to Howlin' For You by The Black Keys, I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself by The White Stripes and will be performing to Diamonds Are Forever by Shirley Bassey this coming Saturday, as well as having done routines to everything from Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift to Lady Marmalade by Christina Aguilera, so I'm really all over the place. If you find a way to keep your music in one style while still keeping it different and entertaining, please let me know! 😛
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i have that problem right now….. cant decide between 2 songs for my competition 🙁 lol
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All good points, I think the common theme hear is that you have to love your music. I guess I need to stop over-analysing and just go with my gut feeling. I am kinda dreading preparing choreo to it because I know it will make me so sick of the song! 😛 But oh well. Thanks for the advice ladies, very helpful. And it's a relief to hear others struggle with choosing as well! xo
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Well at time time of doing the performances, yes I was tired of my songs but now I love them all again! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif
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Have you tried freestyling to them and seeing what you connect with most? Sometimes I love a song in theory then when I go to dance to it, it's just not all there lol. I'm struggling to choose a song for a competition now too… I have two in mind… I like one better but I'm leaning toward the other because I think it meshes better with my natural movement, which is another thing to consider…
Some people perform beautifully to slow/sultry songs, but I think my dance style doesn't lend itself to that most of the time so while I enjoy dancing to them, I probably wouldn't pick one for a performance. I find my personal style is very high stamina, high energy, with quick movement, so I tend to pick more percussive/dramatic music or something with a faster beat because it plays to my strengths better. And that doesn't mean I'm limited to one genre by any means!
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