-
Choreographing a Routine
Hey everyone! Pretty new here.My studio has just put together their first competition, and I registered for the 'Divine Diva' category- just spins, climbs, and floorwork. I have never choreographed a routine-anyone have any tips or tricks? Experiences?
-
6 Replies
-
Hi there, you can try http://www.premierpoleonline.com/
There r a lot of combinations of spins and tricks put together in inversion flow. If you want just spins and floorwork, go to sexy flow. There r several routines for you to learn. Rhiannan also shows you how to connect the spins together 🙂
I'm just a learner like you, so sorry no experience to share yet 😀
Good luck
-
Hey there!
With so many different dancing backgrounds coming into this community, you can see quite the showcase of different choreographing styles. A lot of people here use "combos," which is a couple or a series of moves strung together, which appear to have a particular flow.
Other people choreograph by counts- this spin takes four counts, this one takes two, hold this for four, and then can then create a dance to their music using the counts of the music as well. This is a more old-style approach, but I know that it has helped me to think about, and it's been useful for many people who've learned things like ballet, jazz and contemporary dance.
Otherwise, it helps to listen to the music you like and choose a song to choreograph to. Depending on what it is you focus on when listening to the music (lyrics, beat, etc.) you can tailor your dance to that.
From that, you can decide where you'd like some things to go. A slower point in the song is often a good time (for some people) to do floorwork or certain types of aerial moves, and faster paces are good for spins and more energetic movements.
Then again, if you like the lyrics, you can try to express those lyrics through your movement, depending on how you interpret what each move is "saying."
Really, it's up to you "how" you do it, and you will find that your style and ability changes over time and with experience. This is how an artistic endeavor goes!
Main thing though: Practice. It will help you memorize routines you've come up with, help you "feel" your music (which can lead to subtle, or not-so-subtle changes in your dance) and allow you to feel confident with the movements.
On the topic of combos: You'll find those happen sometimes at random, which is why many people enjoy taping their free-dancing time. Suddenly you'll do something and think "Wow, that was cool!" and often, by the end of your workout, you can't remember it anymore. I know that's happened to me!
-
Wow thank you so much for the feedback! I will definitely check out that website. Once I have a pole in my house I plan to tape practices. Its nice to learn tricks once a week, but I think I really need to dedicate the time to turn into a ‘dancer’. I agree- I think the slower parts are good for floor work and faster pace for spins/combos. Ahh I’m so nervous!
-
Veena has routines/combos in the lessons that you could learn & string together into a routine 🙂
-
There are some suggestions I posted in this thread which you might find useful.
https://www.studioveena.com/forums/view/Dance_lessons_outside_of_pole_20130618090225
Personally, I'm not a fan of stringing together combos randomly if you are dancing to music (for practice and muscle memory it's fun). The result looks "pasted" together, because it is pasted together. I think it's more effective to have the combos as building blocks, but always use the music as your inspiration and starting point. Musicality, presence, and connection with the audience distinguishes someone who just has strong technique from someone who makes it look like their body is channeling the music and the feelings in it.
In addition to the previous suggestions about music, imagery helps too. For example, climbing or doing something like a fan kick as music rises or downward motion as music becomes quieter or descends in pitch. Depending on the texture and instrumentation of the music, you can think about how different sounds make you feel or if a particular part of your body responds to it more than others – drum accents typically go with sharp and sudden moves, whereas something like a flute solo might feel lighter and more flowing. Lyrics, of course, can also suggest movement.
Ya know, I'm starting to think that the choreo topic might be an interesting area for Veena to explore in a video series. In the bellydance world, Nadira Jamal put together a series of DVDs focusing in improvisation in particular, but a lot of the advice she provides applies to pre-planned choreography as well. But the series is very much bellydance focused and has bellydance examples and exercises – I see an opportunity for someone to do something similar with choreo. A project that would be fun to work on, but which I don't have time for myself.
Info about the series is here for anyone vaguely interested – I have no affiliation with Nadira, just throwing an idea out there.
-
Veena has some great beginner combos in the lessons! I have also competed in similar categories with the allowed moves, if you look up videos from the Midwest Competition Rookie or Essentials division, you can get some ideas. Last Midwest competition I was not allowed to leave the ground at all unless I was in a spin, but no clincs were allowed! It was challenging but there is still a lot you can do. Go look up those Essentials vids because I was impressed at how creative some of the gals got! Mine is on youtube under my real name Diana Sekura. I sadly had some grip issues so you can see my slip ups but it should at least help you get ideas. Good luck!!! Xo
Log in to reply.