This month we will be focusing on Choreography. This is a topic that some dancers love and others hate. Becoming a good choreographer is about practice. It’s about putting together dance after dance after dance. You realize after a while that some are not master pieces (and that’s ok), but you start to understand your craft and the way that you create your art. To help all us dancers with this process I will be having the March Choreography Challenge.

The March Choreography Challenge will be split into two levels. There is a beginner level and an advanced level. The first challenge or task is set to be completed by March 8th.

The beginner level is not for beginner dancers, but beginner choreographers. It is for the dancer out there that has studied and learned some technique and feels that they may be ready to start putting together their own solo piece. Often these dancers do not know where to start, so the beginner track is for you. At the end of the beginner track you should have successfully completed your own solo piece.

The Advanced track is for the teachers, professional and semi-professional dancers that have experience choreographing, but want to perfect their craft. I am going to be completing the Advanced track with you and hopefully getting the videos up in a timely manner.

The challenge will last for the next 4 weeks (about) and hopefully by the end we will all have a better understanding of how we like to create dance. The advanced track will be given weekly challenges and be asked to create dances. This is not a class or a test. I do not expect you to post you dances for the world to see (though you are more than welcome). The challenge is based on the honor system, no cheating please. So choose your track and begin:

Beginner Track:

Week One: 1. Get a choreography notebook.  2. Compose two 30 sec (about) combination routines (1 slow, 1 fast), each without music. 3. Write them down.

Note about week one: I find that a small notebook that I can carry around in my purse is very helpful. You never know when inspiration will hit. Also the two 30 sec sections can simply be 4 sets of 8 counts using your favorite fast or slow moves. We will experiment later. Write it down in your notebook in the way that makes the most sense to you. Writing my dances down helps a lot with the creativity processes and the remembering process.

Week Two: 1. Pick a song for your first piece and listen to it a lot. 2. Organize footwork. 3. Adjust the two combinations to fit the first 1-2 min of the song. 4. Write them down.

Week Three: 1. Work with repetition and body placement to adjust the 1-2 min of dance movement.  2.Add entrance and ending. 3. Write them down.

Week Four: 1. Work on practicing transitions between fast, slow, beginning and ending of dance. 2.Think about costume and stage presence to finish final package.

Advanced Track:

Week One:  Get a Choreograph Notebook (which I hope you have by now). Go to YouTube and watch your favorite dancers. If you own a video that is even better. In your notebook record at least 10 different moves that you love and never usually use in your choreography. Your challenge this week is to do a dance with all of them in one dance. It may look weird especially if you are mixing multiple styles, but it will get you trying new things. It will also help you work on transitions from one move to another that you may not normally put together. It is time to stretch you choreography muscle.

Week Two: Pick a song that you love, but could not figure out how to create a dance to it. It could be that new rock song or a Japanese pop song. It is entirely up to you. Think outside of the belly dance box that we set for ourselves.

Week Three: Pick one or both

Challenge 1: Create a piece with no music. You would be surprised at what you can create when you do not feel like you have to follow a specific style or kind of music.

Challenge 2: This challenge is with music. Create a piece using a weird or different prop. Please think outside the box. I do not want to hear about you using a veil as a new exciting prop. Try using a chair, flag, mirror or maybe a piece of food.

Week Four: Almost done last two challenges. Pick one or both.

Challenge 1: Create a dance where you do not or almost never face the audience directly. You can face them at an angle or look at them from behind, but you shouldn’t stand facing front to the audience. This might help break you out of a place which is very quickly boring for the audience.

Challenge 2: Create a piece inspired by a poem or artwork. You can find a photo, painting, sculpture that you like and use it to inspire your dance. If that is too abstract and post-modern for you find a poem or passage in a book and really show the feeling of that work. This challenge is about improving your ability to connect to the audience on an emotionally level.

I will discuss each challenge more as the weeks move on. The first week challenge is set and you have until March 8th. So get working. For helpful tips you can check out http://bellydancestuff.com/howtochoreograph.html . This is an article from bellydancestuff.com on How to Choreograph. I wish you the best of luck and hope to hear from all of you soon.