Photo by: Steezy.Co, Emily Cheah & RedBull
The process of choreographing a dance piece takes time and patience as you need to write your own story and find your own ways to execute it through dance. In my opinion, dancing is a stress reliever and a way to cheer yourself up when you are feeling down because you get to let it all out while dancing. Dancing is also a good form of exercise because of how much cardio workouts you get to do while dancing and even people over the age of 40 have joined the classes that I taught.
I was first introduced to dancing at the age of 5 by my brother, who was dancing then time too. I started off with ballet, then transitioned to freestyling and hip-hop dancing at the age of 12. It was around this time where I felt I had something inside me that I didn't know I had before. I wanted to express it through the form of dance. So, I started enrolling in hip-hop dance classes when I was 16 and began teaching at 17 until today.
The idea of choreographing would usually come from the person who wants to tell a story of themselves and the things they've been through. Of course, there are going to be mental blocks and stressful times while choreographing. But, just remember that this is all part of the process, and you will get there with just a little patience and effort. Choreographing is a way for dancers to use their skills to create a piece through any kind of dance.
Finding the right music for your choreography is also a massive part of choreographing. If your story is about a breakup you went through, you should not be dancing to a happy and joyful song. If you want to tell a story about your achievement and happy moments, it will not be suitable to play sad and gloomy music. You need to set the right mood for yourself and for your audience to empathize with the emotions you are feeling.
People may ask, "how do you start choreography?", first off, you need to have a story to tell and a mood to create which is similar to songwriting. Second, based on how I would do it, is to freestyle in your own way to the song you have chosen to form solid dance moves. This will help create a full routine that will tell your story. Third, put your whole performance together and go through it a few times to make sure that even you would get chills by dancing to your story. Also re-watching it on video helps too.
Thumbnail by Steezy
Lastly, remember to have fun while doing it! I suggest you watch a YouTube channel by the name of Steezy in which you can learn more easily through step-by-step videos.
There will definitely be many hiccups along the way of choreographing a dance piece. However, no matter what comes in your way, don't ever give up because your story needs to be heard. Nothing is impossible, so keep pushing and keep striving to achieve your goals and reach your dreams!
By Dephyn Mae Chew